In 1956, Betty’s father, Aleck, started a fish shack off the Stewart River near Encinitas, California, to serve local fishermen. Betty’s donuts and coffee were big hits with the clientele and eventually started making hamburgers and hotdogs to add to the menu options. She felt the old fish stand was clashing with her classic cuisine and turned the fish stand into Betty’s Café. Betty added pies to the menu and added a lunch counter and more seating to the café. With her pie selection expanding, Betty was drawing more customers who were making Betty’s Café a regular stop on the way to cabins and resorts in the area. She opened Elizabethan Desserts alongside Betty’s Pie Whole, which serves only whole…
