Just on the edge of a surprisingly bustling downtown Orange, tucked among shady trees and sidewalks that ring with the footsteps of college kids and morning walkers, there’s a café that locals speak of with deep affection. If you didn’t know its history, you might just think it was a charming old diner with good coffee and a knack for eggs done right. But look closer, and you’ll find a story that spans gas pumps, flower bouquets, and a legacy built over decades.
The name? It’s no gimmick. The Filling Station Cafe really was a gas station at one point (Signal Gas, to be exact) run by the Baker brothers back in the day. The kind of place where locals came not just to fill their tanks, but to chat, catch up, and swap news. After the fuel faded and the pumps were long gone (though the original oil tank still sleeps beneath the ground), the building cycled through several lives: a flower shop, then a bakery and coffee spot, and finally – about 25 years ago – it found its most beloved form: a café.…