Watch the planes: Breakfast, lunch and dinner beside the runway at Santa Paula Airport, near Ventura
The Flying Spoon is the scratch kitchen on the field at Santa Paula Airport. Small planes come and go while you eat, with South Mountain behind the runway.
Where to sit
The runway and South Mountain are in view from the dining room, the patio and the bar, and small planes come and go while you eat.
For the closest look, sit on the patio or at the bar window. The airport is active all day, so you may see flying while you’re here, conditions permitting.
What to eat while you watch
Our most-ordered dishes: the Classic plate at breakfast, the Chicken bacon ranch at lunch and the “$100” smash burger at dinner.
We bake our breads in house every day, and nearly everything else is made in our kitchen too. The espresso is our BentPenny house blend, roasted in Ventura County.
What you’ll see
Santa Paula Airport is privately owned and open to the public, with one runway, 04/22, and no control tower. It handles about 97,000 arrivals and departures a year and is home to nearly 300 aircraft.
It is widely recognized for antique, classic and experimental aircraft.
First Sundays
On the first Sunday of each month the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula opens its hangars to the public (10am to 2pm, weather permitting), a small makers market comes in, and the Young Eagles give kids free airplane rides (age limits apply). The next one is Sunday, December 6, and we’re open 8am–9pm.
Kids and dogs
Kids are welcome: we have a Little Flyers kids’ menu, high chairs and booster seats, and planes to watch from the window and the patio.
Dogs are welcome on the patio.
Getting here
We’re at 824 East Santa Maria Street in Santa Paula, at the airport. There’s a large parking lot attached to the restaurant.
Hours: Mon–Tue Closed · Wed–Sun 8am–9pm
Get directions (opens in a new tab)
Flying in yourself? Pilots fly in free and park right in front of the restaurant. Pilot notes