The Central Valley Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Central Valley - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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10 Recommendations
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1. A&W Root Beer Drive-in
$ | | AmericanOnly two reasons to come here, but they're both delightful: frosty-glassed root-beer floats and drive-in service that transports patrons (by the view of carhops on roller skates alone) back to the 1950s of Modesto native and American Graffiti director George Lucas. It's a kick. The cheese curds and onion rings aren't bad either.
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2. Cinema Cafe
$ | | DinerHash browns, grilled-cheese sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, and similar fare are served at this downtown breakfast and lunch joint. The outdoor tables are nice in the morning provided the weather is, too, which (other than wintertime) is likely.
661 W. Main St., at N. St., Merced, California, 95340, USA209-722–2811Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner -
3. Dewz
$$$$ | | Modern AmericanModestans hankering for a fine-dining experience—especially one involving prime rib or filet mignon—often head to this handsome dining room. Chef Vincent Alvarado introduces French influences (by way of the sauces) and Asian ones (by way of the spices) to beef, chicken, and seafood standards. Beef predominates, but the sea bass is a good alternative, as is the pan-roasted pork tenderloin, served with a sweet and spicy plum sauce.
1505 J St., Modesto, California, 95354, USA209-549–1101Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat. -
4. Elbow Room
$$$ | | AmericanA classic San Francisco–style steak house and bar, the Elbow Room has been a Fresno social hub since opening in 1955. The steak sandwich, served open face on jalapeño cheese bread, has been a menu staple since the beginning; other classics include deviled eggs and an iceberg wedge with blue cheese. Among the more contemporary dishes are grilled Alaskan salmon and a salad with quinoa, mixed greens, asparagus, and artichoke hearts. The restaurant has indoor seating areas and a covered patio with year-round temperature controls, a boon in summer.
Fig Garden Village Shopping Center, 731 W. San Jose Ave., near W. Shaw Ave., Fresno, California, 93704, USA559-227–1234Known For
- Traditional American steaks and cocktails
- Shuttle service available from nearby hotels
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5. Five Ten Bistro
$$ | | Modern AmericanElegant yet unpretentious Five Ten serves upscale bistro-style meals at reasonable prices. Sit at candlelit tables and watch the cooks in the open kitchen craft dishes on a seasonal menu that always includes soups (try the mushroom bisque), salads, pastas (among them chicken penne with bacon and tomato), and chicken marsala and other bistro staples. Local vintages and bottlings from around the globe grace the impressive wine list. The on-site After 5 Bar & Lounge lures locals with craft-beer flights and creative martinis. In fair weather, ask for a table outside under the stars.
510 W. Main St., Merced, California, 95340, USA209-381–0280Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. French 25
$$ | | CajunCalifornia meets New Orleans with farm-to-fork ingredients and Cajun-Creole flavors at French 25, an upscale restaurant near downtown Stockton's waterfront. Opened by the owners of Le Bistro, a local favorite for two decades, the restaurant evokes the character of New Orleans' French Quarter. Fried foods being a Crescent City staple, it should come as no surprise that menu favorites include the fried creole calamari and the fried-chicken entrée with malted waffles. Pan-Southern influences crop up everywhere, most notably in dishes such as barbecue shrimp and cheesy grits, jambalaya, and the zesty Cajun-chicken tortellini. F25's oyster bar, Bourbon Street–inspired cocktails, and desserts—among them sugar-dusted beignets and bread pudding—complete the Big Easy theme.
110 N. El Dorado St., Stockton, California, 95202, USA209-451–0617Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat. -
7. The Dancing Fox Winery and Bakery
$$ | |A good downtown stop especially for lunch, the Dancing Fox also has a tasting room for its eponymous wines. The restaurant, whose decor shimmers with fairy-tale whimsy, serves sandwiches, salads, pizzas, burgers, and wraps and has more than a dozen beers on tap.
203 S. School St., Lodi, California, 95240, USA203-366–2634Known For
- Sunday brunch
- Wine tasting
- Historic downtown setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun., Reservations not accepted -
8. The Lunch Box
$ | | AmericanA casual downtown café and bakery, the Lunch Box serves healthful meals at reasonable prices. Choose from nearly 50 types of hot and cold sandwiches and wraps, more than 20 different salads, and soups such as chicken noodle and Tuscan tomato. Tandoori-seasoned salmon fillet and chicken verde enchiladas are typical daily specials. This is good place for a quick bite or to pick up picnic items before or after a visit to Sequoia National Park.
112 N. Court St., at Main St., Visalia, California, 93291, USA559-635–8624Known For
- Fresh, healthful local ingredients
- Quick service
- Many menu option and combinations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
9. The Mark
$$ | | Modern AmericanAn upscale restaurant and bar in the downtown arts district, The Mark specializes in fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks, pastas, homemade soups, and comfort foods such as chicken potpie. Though the dishes are straightforward, they're skillfully executed. The wine list favors California but includes representatives from France, Italy, and elsewhere abroad. At the bar, which hosts live music, you can sink into leather high-back chairs and booths and order creative cocktails.
1623 19th St., Bakersfield, California, 93301, USA661-322–7665Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat. -
10. Tresetti's World Caffé
$$$ | | AmericanAn intimate setting with white tablecloths and contemporary art draws diners to this establishment—part wineshop, part restaurant—with a seasonally changing menu. The Cajun-style crab cakes, served for lunch year-round, are outstanding. For a small fee, your waiter will uncork any wine you select from the shop.
927 11th St., at J St., Modesto, California, 95354, USA209-572–2990Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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