1438 Best Restaurants in California, USA

Classic films are projected on the wall of a large inner courtyard in this hip, loftlike space while you're served stellar seasonal California cooking, and weekend brunch brings throngs fighting for a spot on the patio for some of the city's best egg dishes and Bloody Marys. The majestic atmosphere enhances plates of perfectly shucked oysters on the half shell and sesame fried chicken.

Pasta is served here dalla forma, meaning it's cooked, then dipped into a cheese wheel and stirred up until it's coated with melted cheese before serving. Catering to a higher-end crowd, Forma specializes in cheeses, pastas, and pizzas. It also serves small plates like fresh mozzarella knots, arancini balls, and crispy artichokes prepared Roman style. A generous happy hour from 3 to 6 lets you discover many of the specialties without breaking the bank.

Housed inside a converted Ford dealership that dates back to the '40s, Fort Oak is a haven for sophisticated carnivores and pescatarians alike. Chef Brad Wise's menu leans heavily on wood-fired fish, like the whole branzino, as well as aged steaks, heritage pork, and an impressive raw bar selection. Fort Oak leans into the building's unique history, with remnants of the former car dealer and garage touched up on the outside wall, but inside is a chic and modern bistro with a sleek, u-shaped bar at the center where patrons can sample their menu of cocktails named for vintage cars.

Coffee aficionados should head down Valencia Street to Four Barrel Coffee for excellent house-roasted coffee in a fun and funky space, packed with Mission hipsters, cyclists, and artists (be sure to look at the selection of Mission counterpart Dynamo doughnuts as well).

If your vacation dreams run more British hunting lodge than SoCal beach scene, Fox and Farrow might be your place. Run by longtime South Bay chef Darren Weiss, this gastropub features classic fare like hunter's pie with wild boar alongside more creative concepts inspired by the Pacific Rim, all in a clubby ambience: think British-racing-green velvet Chesterfields and paneled wood walls. Order from an inspired list of craft cocktails to add to your experience. Then finish your night at the adjacent Underground pub, which also benefits from Weiss' influence. While visiting the building, go outside to view a new mural by famed Endless Summer artist John Van Hamersveld, which was unveiled in early 2025.

One of the hottest tickets in town, chef Melissa Perello's simple, sublime restaurant is a consummate date-night destination. Perello's seasonal California-French cooking is its own enduring love affair, with standouts including the savory bavette steak, grilled Sakura pork chop, and panisse frites. For dessert, the lumberjack sundae is a perennial favorite. The space has a limited number of tables, the tasting menu changes weekly, and service is professional and warm.

For a take-out sando shop for those in the North Beach know, Freddie's is where you need to go. The calling cards of this off-the-tourist-track time capsule, which first started selling sandwiches to Golden Gate Bridge construction workers, are the combo layered with mortadella, pressed ham, cheese, and salami galore, and the protein trio turkey, ham, and bacon club. No FOMO buzz means there are no lines compared to other institutions.

A homegrown variation on the Panera theme, this extremely popular operation (as in expect a wait at peak dining hours) serves pastries, eggs and other hot dishes, and good coffee drinks, juices, and smoothies for breakfast. The chefs whip up a diverse selection of wraps, panini, sandwiches, burgers, rice bowls, and soups the rest of the day.

Big hotel restaurants are rarely great, let alone adventurous with their dishes, but the Front Yard is an exception with its '70s living room look, excellent tunes, and star snacks including fried squash and waffles, 24-hour smoked carnitas in birria broth, and Rockefeller-style scallops. It has the kind of patio that makes you want to linger all day sipping the house rosé and throwing back fluffy cheese biscuits. It's quite a popular brunch spot as well. There are several oversized mains made to be shared including a whole branzino with chocolate mole and a fried chicken with a sweet and spicy chili sauce and mac 'n' cheese.

A cozy coffeehouse with a counterculture undercurrent, Frontier is a good place to stop before heading into the park—and a popular one, judging by the number of visiting Angelenos in line for prehike egg sandwiches and posthike Top Chico mineral water at any one time. Pair fancy coffee drinks with bagels and parfaits in the morning or salads and sandwiches if you're off to a late start. 

An upscale restaurant in Visalia's downtown hub, Fugazzi's serves up Italian-American and international-fusion dishes in a slick, contemporary space with leather booths and shiny metal tables. The extensive lunch and dinner menus feature everything from quinoa-and-kale salad and Thai chicken wraps to traditional Italian dishes and grilled lamb chops.

Local artwork features prominently at this petite, romantic café in a tile-roof cottage. Featuring organic produce from area farms, the seasonal Italian menu might include wild-mushroom risotto; bouillabaisse; marinated chicken with apricots, currants, and olives; and roasted beet salad with wild arugula, goat cheese, and pistachios.

Colorful paintings and metal wall hangings decorate the indoor dining spaces of this Mexican restaurant whose signature, nuanced mole recipe comes from the family's Oaxaca-born grandmother. Much of the menu—tacos, burritos, enchiladas, carne asada, and chicken in cream sauce—may sound familiar, but the chefs craft them with care, and the chips, tortillas, and sauces are all made fresh daily.

The view's the thing at this lakeside stalwart, where you can watch the sun shimmer on the water through the dining room's plateglass windows or from the outdoor deck. Price wise, Gar Woods is a better bet for lunch, when fish tacos and crab and prime-rib French dip sandwiches are on the menu, than dinner, at which grilled steak and fish are the mainstays.

This classic for prix-fixe dining has earned legions of fans since 1999 for its refined and creative seasonal California cooking, displayed in dishes like glazed oysters with Osetra caviar and roasted quail with pork and scallion stuffing. The posh-contemporary banquette-lined rooms, with stunning floral arrangements, are as memorable as the food and impeccable service. The cost of a meal is pegged to the number of courses, from three to five, with several choices in each course. The wine list is immense.

The view's the draw at this roadhouse that overlooks the Kaweah River as it plunges out of the high country. The Gateway serves everything from osso buco and steaks to shrimp in Thai chili sauce; dinner reservations are essential on summer weekends.

All things local, organic, seasonal, and sustainable harmonize at Gather. This haven for vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores alike serves up market and grain salads, shareable vegetable plates featuring roast carrots or brussels sprouts, roast chicken with mole sauce, and more in a vibrant, well-lit space that boasts funky light fixtures, shiny wood furnishings, and banquettes made of recycled leather belts.

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.

Whether you're in the mood for an orange-olallieberry muffin, a wild rice and chicken salad, or tri-tip on garlic toast, this bakery-deli's varied menu is likely to satisfy. Munch on your lemon meringue tartlet or chocolate brownie on the shady patio, or dig into the daily blue-plate dinner—teriyaki grilled skirt steak with edamame-shiitake sticky rice, perhaps, or roast turkey breast with Chardonnay gravy—amid the whirl of activity inside.

Each morning this gelato shop, located in back of the charming Peppertree Lane shopping center, makes fresh small batches of artisanal gelatos and dairy-free sorbettos in a variety of appealing flavors.

A youthful crowd gathers here for authentic Italian ice cream, espresso, and a second-floor view of the Downtown skyline. The line moves quickly, and the best seats are outside to watch planes fly overhead into the nearby San Diego International Airport.

Accomplished chef Byron Gemmell's moderately priced bistro offers a taste of France in the midst of a SoCal harbor. In a laid-back but romantic setting, you can begin with escargots or French onion soup before moving on to sand dabs in white wine or roasted duck in a seductive rum-banana liquor reduction. Finish with a soufflé—either classic chocolate or Grand Marnier. The wine list includes some reasonably priced Bordeaux. Sunday brunch is a four-course meal with free flowing champagne for $45.

La Jolla's ocean-view destination restaurant is like two dining experiences in one with Level2 bar and the rooftop Ocean Terrace. Prepare for spectacular views and an innovative menu featuring maple leaf duck with tangerine marmalade and salmon with braised lentils at the outdoor-only Ocean Terrace, while the Level2 lounge has unique craft cocktails like "Spa Day" with cucumber-mint infused vodka and elderflower. Regulars often come just for the sunset starters like salmon tartare, mussels, or jerk octopus. 

The eye-level bay perspective steals the show at this low-slung restaurant whose outdoor seating areas fill up quickly in good weather. For breakfast, the kitchen turns out oh-so-moist caramel-bacon monkey bread and burritos with scrambled eggs and brisket; lunchtime brings Italian-style scallop-and-clam chowder, fish tacos, 14-hour cherrywood-smoked beef and brisket, pulled-pork sandwiches, and, in season, Dungeness crab sandwiches awash in molten Havarti cheese.

San Francisco is filled with wonderful ice cream shops, but for the real-deal smooth, airy gelato, this Union Street gelato maker is the address to know. It's all about the ingredients here—pistachios from Sicily, local fruits in season, a sour cherry variety from a particular part of Italy—and the results are delightful whether it's a hot, sunny day or the fog feels as cool as the gelato.

The classic flavors of southern Italy are highlighted at this lively downtown spot. Most recipes originate from Bari, a seaport on the Adriatic; the menu includes breads and pizzas baked in the wood-burning oven, hearty dishes such as dry-aged steak and rack of lamb, and homemade pastas.

Zesty pies like the Miner Moe's BBQ Chicken with red onions, pineapple, bacon, and cheese make this casual spot a few steps off Main Street a fitting choice, particularly for lunch or a midafternoon snack. You can also build your own pizza or order a sandwich; there's some indoor seating, but when the weather's good most folks eat outside on the front patio or the creek-side one in back.

Smashburger spots in L.A. are a dime a dozen, but only a handful---like Goldburger---stand out. Tucked in a tiny spot on buzzing York Boulevard, this joint makes some of the juiciest, tastiest smashburgers in town, thanks in large part to the grass-fed beef and house-made sauces. The titular Goldburger is the one to try, of course, but you also can't go wrong with the other burger specials. Pair one with curly fries, and chase it all down with the craft sodas on offer.

Grass-fed-beef burgers, pulled-pork and pork-schnitzel sandwiches, and cod ceviche are among the popular items this hip-casual restaurant serves all day, with heritage pork chop, rotisserie chicken, and similar plates appearing for dinner. Well-selected breads and buns, crispy fries with the burgers, perfect pickles with the sandwiches, and slivers of fresh ginger in the ceviche elevate the farm-to-table comfort fare, much of it showcasing ingredients from local purveyors.

The Liholiho Yacht Club team opened this concept driven by diversity, equality, and inclusion that emphasizes healthy working conditions and fair wages in an industry that unfortunately isn't known for either. The AAPI heritage–inspired menu is divided between starters like a chicken wing stuffed with egg roll filling, and larger courses meant for sharing.