The town of Independence, California, on historic U.S. Highway 395 in the Owens Valley—bordered on the west by the Sierra Nevada and the east by the White Mountains—is so small you could blink and miss it. Travelers heading north tend to zip through the town and past its historic courthouse to reach the ski slopes of Mammoth Mountain or the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park. Heading south, they’re mostly in a hurry to get to Los Angeles. The only reason they can see to stop in Independence is to fill their tank and get back on the road.
That is, unless they know about the town’s little gastronomic gem, the Still Life Cafe—an authentic French-style bistro where you might enjoy a croque monsieur, a Nicoise salad, or sweet or savory crepes with a glass of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Don’t even ask if they serve California wines.
