The beauty of Sybil’s biscuits and gravy is that they represent everything great about classic American breakfast—simple ingredients transformed through skill and care into something extraordinary.

While San Francisco and Los Angeles get the glossy magazine spreads and food show features, Bakersfield has been quietly nurturing its own food scene, with 24th Street Cafe as one of its crown jewels.

Whether you find them on a diner menu or choose to re-create them in your own home kitchen, these old-school Southern ...