My husband and I are flying into San Francisco and immediately making our way to Mendocino. Where is a good place for lunch on the way? Also looking for meals in Mendocino, Eureka, Bandon and Troutdale or someplace close to each destination.

Are you driving to Mendocino on 101 or Highway 1?

HTtY

What time are you leaving SFO? The drive can take a while and when you leave might dictate where you stop.

We are taking 101 most of the way and then cutting over to route 1. We arrive in SF about 11:00am but we can eat a late lunch and drive a little while if it will take us to a good spot.

Bodega Bay on the Sonoma Coast. Reviews here:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Restau...alifornia.html

The continue up Highway One along the Sonoma Coast to Mendocino. It's a scenic 2.5 hour drive.
https://www.viamagazine.com/road-trips/coasting-sonoma
https://www.viamagazine.com/article/...vers-road-trip

Or if you choose to continue farther up Highway 101, you can cut over to the coast on Highway 128 (after Cloverdale), then you have the option of dining in Boonville in the Anderson Valley wine district. But maybe you wouldn't want to wait this long for lunch. From Boonville, it's about an hour's drive to Mendocino.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/01/0...-in-boonville/
https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Restau...alifornia.html

There are also plenty of great restaurants in Healdsburg.

In Mendocino, don't miss Cafe Beaujolais. I recommend the sturgeon with a wine from Anderson Valley.
https://www.cafebeaujolais.com/

Healdsburg is about tw hours north of San Francisco, and it would be the perfect place to stop. The town square is surrounded by shops and restaurants.

Recently, we popped into a place called Downtown Bakery & Creamery where we bought a delicious, light and flaky sticky bun to accompany our coffee.

On another occasion we had a delightful lunch at Scopa, and Italian restaurant also on the town square.

HTtY

If you arrive at 11:00, retrieve you luggage?, pick up a car - you probably will not depart SFO until 12:30 (may be earlier - but "budget" 12:30). Since you are most likely not familiar with driving through The City, you won't hit the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge until 1:15-1:30 - about late lunchtime. I would immediately (1st exit past the Bridge lookout) get off at Alexander Ave and drive to Sausalito and dine at Scomas or the Trident. They are next to each other, with great views back to San Francisco. Then continue north on the main street (Bridgeway) to join 101/Hwy 1.

We had a fantastic meal last year at Wild Fish in Little River - just south of Mendocino & across the street from the Little River Inn. Reserve ahead.
http://www.wild-fish.com/

Stu Dudley

Thank you. Depending on how fast we can get out of the airport and how hungry we are, we will take advantage of one of those suggestions,