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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.
225 Cabrillo Hwy. S, Half Moon Bay, California, 94019, USA
Known For
- Hamburger sandwich with fresh oak lettuce and melted cheese
- Homemade potato chips
- Photogenic setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No dinner
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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.
4226 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, California, 94611, USA
Known For
- Nostalgic atmosphere
- Ice cream sundaes
- Tuna melt
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Unsurprisingly, fish—specifically, fresh, sustainably caught fish—is the focus at this gleaming dockside fish house a mile north of downtown. Order at the counter and then grab a seat by the floor-to-ceiling windows or at a picnic table on the pier, overlooking the yachts and fishing boats. Outside, kids can doodle with sidewalk chalk on the pier.
350 Harbor Dr., Sausalito, California, 94965, USA
Known For
- Fish taco plate
- Fish reuben sandwich
- Local tuna poke
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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Take a short trek north on Highway 1 to the gritty mecca of Bay Area oysters—the Hog Island Marshall Oyster Farm. Here, the Boat Oyster Bar is an informal outdoor café that serves raw and grilled oysters, local snacks, and tasty beverages. Every afternoon it's open, the dining patio area feels like a carefree party with some of Northern California's greatest wines, oysters, and cheeses. Ninety-minute oyster farm tours ($40) are also available.
20215 Shoreline Hwy., Marshall, California, 94940, USA
Known For
- Fresh, raw, and grilled oysters
- Local fish crudo
- Hog Shack shellfish to go
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Oyster Bar closed Tues. No dinner, Reservations only Fri.--Mon.
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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.
40 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, California, 95030, USA
Known For
- Excellent breakfast and lunch sandwiches
- Almond croissant
- Terrific locally roasted coffee and espresso drinks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Though this place is popular for its 1950s beachfront snack bar, the adjoining café, coffee bar, marketplace, and bakery shouldn't be missed either. The full menu serves up fresh ingredients, local seafood, and wood-fired pizzas. Creeping vines on the sunny patio shelter diners from the wind, and heat lamps offer extra warmth on colder days; for a cozier ambience, eat by the fire in the dining room.
43 Arenal Ave., Stinson Beach, California, 94970, USA
Known For
- Espresso and pastry bar
- Tasty fish-and-chips
- Rustic house-made breads
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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.
60 4th St., Point Reyes Station, California, 94956, USA
Known For
- Rotisserie chicken and lots of vegetarian dishes
- Dog-friendly outdoor patio
- Apple fritters
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner after 6 pm
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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.
3062 Woodside Rd., Woodside, California, 94062, USA
Known For
- Eclectic decor
- Coffee cake
- Smash burger
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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.
11101 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station, California, 94956, USA
Known For
- Wood-fired pizzas
- Tomales Bay fresh oysters
- Good salads
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed., No reservations
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$$ | | American
Decked out in a nautical theme with surfboards and buoys, the Coast serves weekend brunch and dependably good American lunch and dinner fare, including local fresh fish, grass-fed steaks, and wonderfully fresh vegetarian and vegan dishes. Find patio seating in the front and back and live music during dinner on Thursday and Sunday.
46 Wharf Rd., off Olema–Bolinas Rd., Bolinas, California, 94924, USA
Known For
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Fresh fish and sustainable meat
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | | American
Though it periodically catches the attention of the national press, this 19th-century family-run roadhouse—say DOO-arts—continues to serve simple American fare with a modest, hometown attitude. The restaurant's bar is a great place to sip a whiskey, but it's also the town's liquor store, which means some locals take their orders to go. The no-frills dining room offers a solid menu based on locally grown vegetables and fresh fish.
202 Stage Rd., at Pescadero Creek Rd., east of Hwy. 1, Pescadero, California, 94060, USA
Known For
- Old-fashioned olallieberry pie à la mode
- Cioppino
- Half and half: artichoke soup mixed with local peppers
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This award-winning, convivial locale for organic, slow-food German fare has the Bay Area's best variety of German beers. With dishes like spätzle and caramelized onions, house-made brezel with bratwurst, jägerschnitzel with braised red cabbage, and panfried catch of the day, the kitchen puts a fresh stamp on traditional German favorites. A visit would not be complete without sampling the classic nachtisch (dessert) specials. Among several Best of the Bay awards, Gaumenkitzel has earned the highest awards for sustainability, with its distinctive approach to maintaining a no-waste kitchen and green business practices.
2121 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, California, 94702, USA
Known For
- German wine and beer selection
- House-made German breads
- Grass-fed beef goulash
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch Wed.–Fri.
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$ | | Mexican
A colorful, quirky lounge loaded with Latino tchotchkes, chatty patrons, agave margaritas, and bottles of hot sauce, Joe's is a fun place to go for cheap Mexican eats and a dive-bar-meets-living-room feel. A sizable street-food-influenced menu includes tacos, burritos, Mexican pizzas, and selections for kids of all ages.
382 Miller Ave., and Montford Ave., Mill Valley, California, 94941, USA
Known For
- Fish and carnitas tacos
- Antojito sampler
- Street burgers
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In business since 1964, La Ginestra—named for the flowers that grow on Mt. Vesuvius, in the owners' homeland—is a Mill Valley institution renowned for its no-pretense, family-style Italian meals and impressive wine list. The Sorrento Bar, off the dining room, serves up a delectable array of bar bites, pizzas, and sweets to enjoy while sipping wines and cocktails.
127 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, California, 94941, USA
Known For
- Handmade pasta and gnocchi
- Excellent ravioli
- Daily fish and small plates
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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$$ | | Italian
A coastal dining stop between San Francisco and Monterey, this casual upscale restaurant serves farm-to-table Italian dishes in a spacious setting complete with a full bar and lounge. It's a great spot for family dinners and date nights, but the dining room can get noisy on evenings when musicians play live music in the bar.
315 Main St., near Mill St., Half Moon Bay, California, 94019, USA
Known For
- Wood-fired pizza
- Imaginative pasta
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Busy D'Angelo's is known for its authentic and fresh pastas; there are even gluten-free options. Another draw is the scene, especially in the lounge area, which hosts a lively cocktail hour in a traditional trattoria setting. The sprawling space encompasses a bright front room, romantic booths, and a warm patio.
22 Miller Ave., Mill Valley, California, 94941, USA
Known For
- Fresh seafood
- Homemade pasta
- Top-notch tiramisu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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$ | | Mexican
A barnlike space full of cheerful Mexican tiles and folk-art masks, Picante is a find for anyone seeking good Cal-Mex food for a song. The masa is freshly ground for the tortillas and tamales, the salsas are complex, and the flavor combinations are inventive.
1328 6th St., near Camelia St., Berkeley, California, 94710, USA
Known For
- Tamales and tacos
- Supernachos
- Large outdoor patio and fountain
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$ | Claremont | American
Haute comfort food and childhood favorites are the focus at this charming dining nook across from the Claremont hotel. Mac and cheese and free-range chicken potpie play second fiddle to brunches of cornmeal pancakes and gingerbread waffles, which are best enjoyed on the outdoor patio.
2922 Domingo Ave., at Ashby Ave., Berkeley, California, 94705, USA
Known For
- Weekend brunch
- Grown-up comfort food
- Mom's macaroni and cheese
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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On sunny weekend afternoons, the enormous tree-covered, creekside beer garden of this countryside dining icon feels like the epicenter of Silicon Valley. It’s a popular destination for professors and graduate students to enjoy brews and sandwiches, located just beyond campus in the pastoral town of Portola Valley. And over a century ago, it was a saloon that lasted through California's rapid growth in the late 1800s and then Prohibition. Nowadays, it's a gathering spot for local families, out-of-towners looking to eat in a quintessential Northern California setting, and the many cyclists who go on rides around the nearby rolling hills.
3915 Alpine Rd., Menlo Park, California, 94028, USA
Known For
- Fun, bucolic setting
- Barbecue sandwiches
- Wood-fired pizzas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., No reservations
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Bright and welcoming, this American bistro on Ark Row is known for its seafood starters (oyster poppers, crab stacks, scallops, and steamers) and salads as well as shareable dishes and burgers, chops, and ribs. The airy, rustic space has a pleasant café-like atmosphere that makes it easy to stay and even consider returning for a breakfast of Dungeness crab omelet or ricotta pancakes.
38 Main St., Tiburon, California, 94920, USA
Known For
- Clam chowder
- Kabocha squash and vegetable curry
- Mongolian pork chops and rib-eye steaks