Coffee Tree

This roadside restaurant, designed in 1965, was located on Interstate 80 (formerly US Hwy 40) about a third of the distance from Sacramento to San Francisco, at the major freeway interchange connecting to highways serving most of Northern California. The project was to provide the client with a lower cost, quicker service coffee shop across the highway from their existing restaurant/recreation complex, known as the Nut Tree.

The Nut Tree had long been the traditional rest stop between the mountains and San Francisco. In addition to the 140 seat coffee shop, the facility housed a merchandising area and gallery for displaying works by northern California artists. These same functions recall the environment of the Nut Tree which had a reputation for fine food, unusual merchandise and quality art, architecture and graphics.