CHICO — People who eat at Deja Vu Breakfast Company might experience “deja vu,” the French term for the feeling that someone gets when they feel like they’ve already experienced the same situation they are in.
Why might they have deja vu? It’s because Deja Vu Breakfast Company used to be Deja Vu Mining Company.
Deja Vu Mining Company was located at 3517 The Esplanade and opened in 1977 by owners Roger Freddie, Neil Penny and Dave Henderson. It was a beer and pizza restaurant and live music was played there. When Deja Vu Breakfast Company owner Christian Griffith took over the building, he decided to keep the name.
Griffith worked at the Lost Dutchman Taproom before, as well as at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. He said customers who visited Lost Dutchman shared with him that they used to hang out at Deja Vu Mining Company and had fond memories of the restaurant. Henderson, Penny and Freddie used to pan for gold and Henderson was able to strike gold. The men were listening to the album “Deja Vu” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young while they were gold panning so they decided to name the restaurant Deja Vu Mining Company.
Griffith said the 8th Avenue String Band, which was formed by Sourdough Slim, was very popular and played at Deja Vu Mining Company. Griffith is a big history buff and used to serve on the board of directors at Bidwell Mansion.
“It’s a nod to the history of the building,” Griffith said. “I wanted to revive the name and keep its spirit.”
Two of the more popular dishes at Deja Vu Breakfast Company are strawberry French toast and eggs benedict, according to Griffith.
Griffith signed the lease for the restaurant in 2020 but had to delay the opening of the restaurant for a year and a half because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant finally opened in August 2021 and is located where Roots Catering used to be.
“Deja Vu has a significant history in Chico,” Griffith said. “People had fond times at Deja Vu Mining Company.”
Deja Vu Breakfast Company is located at 3221 The Esplanade.
