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The Bay Area is home to popular, innovative restaurants such as Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Commis in Oakland—for which reservations must be made well in advance. Expect an emphasis on locally grown produce, hormone-free meats, and California wines. Many Marin cafés don't serve dinner, and dinner service ends on the early side. (No 10 pm reservations in that neck of the woods.)
Talk about a career pivot—after years of cooking at San Francisco fine-dining standouts Saison and Benu, chef-owner Scott Clark traded in formal kitchens for a revamped caboose along the Half Moon Bay coast. Here, he opens for limited hours and serves a concise menu of outstanding hamburgers and mushroom sandwiches that are a perfect example of wholesome comfort food done with the careful technique and ingredient sourcing of a chef from a gastronomic background. There is no seating inside the caboose, so diners either sit at one of the few outdoor tables or hustle their burgers to the beach for a particularly special picnic.
Beloved by the Bay since 1922 and featured in the Pixar film Up, this is the leading name locally for ice cream sundaes and good old-fashioned soda fountain fare. Kids of all ages adore the signature black-and-tan sundae with toasted almond and vanilla ice creams layered with caramel and chocolate sauces. Of course, there’s a cherry on top.
In a region with several outstanding destinations for fresh baguettes and levain breads, the freshly baked loaves here deserve some of the highest praise. Everything in the display case and on the cooling racks is absolutely dialed in, from the kouign-amann (like a decadent glazed dessert version of a croissant) and cookies to slices of custardy quiche and simple avocado toast.
Rotisserie meats and veggies sourced from local farms steal the show at this former mid-20th-century truck stop and diner. It's a go-to for tri-tip and pork belly sandwiches or house-seasoned roasted chicken, best eaten with a host of sides, sips, and sweets, like crispy Parmesan Brussels sprouts, New Orleans–style cold brew coffee, and butterscotch pudding. Colorful Iris Hockenos mural art adorns the remodeled café, which has countertop dining indoors and a welcoming patio and picnic table seating outdoors.
Just look for the hungry crowds and the smell of freshly baked muffins; breakfast-lunch-brunch paradise is here in a far-flung corner of Berkeley. Kelsie Kerr's daytime-only restaurant/bakery started in 2014 and has been a sensation ever since. For the indecisive, this place is a nightmare. Everything looks outstanding and truly is. Buttermilk biscuit egg sandwiches tend to be the morning staple, while lunch sees a little more creativity and quintessential Berkeley farm-to-table elements, like in a long-roasted pork shoulder and beet greens sandwich.
The Station House Café has been a stalwart venue for local music and a staunch supporter of local farms and food artisans. The community-centric eatery serves a blend of modern and classic California dishes comprised of organic seasonal ingredients, sustainable hormone-free meats, and wild-caught seafood. Creative and classic cocktails are a bonus here—a great way to wind down the day after lots of hiking or kayaking.
Arguably the most talked-about tacos in the entire Bay Area are at this colorful, cheery spot in an alley in between Uptown, Temescal, and Piedmont Ave. The fresh corn tortillas are so tender—almost a revelation. Fillings are always packed with flavor, complemented by dialed-in salsas like a peanut-arbol chile one with carefully charred broccoli. There are always multiple tempting vegan tacos offered, which is extremely rare to find.
A jazz combo often entertains the line that snakes down the block outside Cheese Board Pizza; it's that good. The cooperatively owned vegetarian and vegan takeout spot and restaurant draws devoted customers with the smell of just-baked garlic on the pie of the day. For just a nibble, the Cheese Board Bakery & Cheese shop next door sells cookies, bialys, and some of the best sourdough baguettes in town.
It's oyster bliss at this very friendly daytime restaurant along Tomales Bay. There are a few indoor seats, but the in-demand spots are on the outside deck, where heaters keep guests somewhat warm even on the chilliest days. It's the restaurant wing of the Tomales Bay Oyster Company, so every table has one or more kind of oyster preparation (grilled, smoked, or raw). House-smoked fish and meats as plates or sandwiches round out the menu since it's probably best not to only eat oysters for lunch.
Taking its name from the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, this nonprofit coffee shop is inspired and powered by refugees. In addition to serving high-caliber coffee drinks, local pastries, and savory bites, the colorful café also serves as an advocacy space and barista training center for refugees.
At the prominent intersection of Skyline Boulevard and Highway 84, this indoor-outdoor restaurant is a landmark for weekend breakfast and lunch. Alice's is surrounded by redwood trees, so sitting outside at the picnic benches is beautiful but almost always on the chilly side. The inside is like a cozy alpine diner situated in a wooden cabin.
Tucked along the restaurant row of Caledonia Street, Arawan Thai is a stalwart destination for some of the tastiest Thai dishes in Marin County. The elegant and cozy interior lends an intimate quality to this hidden gem known for its generous variety of authentic soups, salads, and grilled specialties, along with shareable dishes, such as spicy angel wings (stuffed chicken wings) and prawn and cream cheese puffs. There's a wide selection of local and regional wines, and traditional beverages like Thai iced tea and iced coffee are not to be missed.
"Purveyors of ethnic confusions," this family-run Marin minichain offers California Indian fusion combinations that locals revere. The warmth of service, willingness to cater to dietary needs, creativity of the food, and reasonable prices more than make up for the uninspired space.
The lines can get long at this hole-in-the-wall, no-frills kitchen, where Indian curries are served burrito-style while you wait. Punjabi burritos or rice plates come with savory lamb, chicken, fish, vegetarian, and vegan ingredients flavored with seasonal fruit chutneys, tamarind sauce, and aromatic blends. A few tables allow for inside dining, but most people take their burritos to go.
Palo Alto’s eclectic past meets its digital present at California Avenue’s outdoor-only coffee shop/roaster that is hidden from the main street by a narrow alleyway. With plenty of mismatched tables, lo-fi jazz on the stereo, and flowers growing on a wall next to a wall with drawings of its many regular dog visitors, it’s easy to feel Palo Alto’s old bohemian personality alive and well here. At the same time, most of the crowd is typing away on their laptops under the shade tent or discussing the latest tech merger by a little fountain.
The Peninsula’s leading barbecue has only been grilling and smoking at its El Granada home since 2020, but it’s already a favorite choice for Bay Area residents looking for an excellent hearty lunch on a coastal road trip day. All of the beef and pork is of very high quality and the sausage links are made in-house. Weekends often have intriguing specials like chicken legs and cider and herb-brined turkey breast. Unlike many fellow barbecue destinations, the menu goes well beyond the normal fare with local cod tacos, fresh salads, and a burger made of house-ground brisket.
One of the Peninsula’s best-known restaurants is this funky, family-friendly brunch specialist in the heart of tiny downtown Woodside. The restaurant is a gathering spot for the tech company executives and venture capitalists who live nearby, but it’s ultimately a blend of a saloon and a diner, where many hungry locals come looking for omelets and tuna melts. You can also get decent beer and wine. It has an outrageously eclectic design full of knickknacks and odd curiosities, like license plates on the bar, planes and bikes hanging from the ceiling, old maps and artifacts of Bay Area history, taxidermy, and about a hundred other bizarre pieces of memorabilia that would never be brought together anywhere else but here.
Sunny patio seating, hand-tossed pizza, and organic local ingredients are the selling points of this laid-back café. The semi-industrial dining room, built around a brick oven, features glazed concrete floors, warm-painted walls, and ceilings high enough to accommodate full-size market umbrellas. The outdoor patio's picnic tables are a wonderful choice for seating if the weather cooperates.
Relaxed yet trendy, Comal's cavernous indoor dining space and intimate back patio and firepit draw a diverse, casual crowd for creative Oaxacan-inspired fare and well-crafted cocktails. The modern Mexican menu centers on small dishes that lend themselves to sharing and are offered alongside more than 100 tequilas and mezcals. For quick-service tacos, burritos, and tortas, skip the line and head to sister restaurant Comal Next Door (2024 Shattuck Ave.).
For a true taste of local culture, this sisters-owned venture welcomes you to relax, sip some wine, and enjoy the flavors and scene Bolinas is known for, from the town's laid-back lifestyle and quirky decor to the natural beauty and the fresh coastal air. The wine bar and bistro's short but ever-changing creative and thoughtful Californian-Italian menus change daily and reflect the richness of this region's foodshed—considered one of the nation's most diverse.
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