1438 Best Restaurants in California, USA

Napa River views and multiple indoor and outdoor dining spaces make a visit to this pet- and family-friendly restaurant and sports bar a decent choice for beer and cocktail-friendly comfort fare. Bourbon deviled eggs, adobo chicken wings, salmon lollipops (on skewers), and a combo of hash browns and mac and cheese are typical shareable starters, with tacos, smash burgers, and pasta dishes among the more filling options.

It may feel like your typical sports bar, but a couple of things elevate the Link N Hops experience, such as the excellent hot dog sandwiches and 24 craft beers on tap. And about those signature links: there are around 20, some of which are made with less commonly seen ingredients like rattlesnake, duck, and bacon. Link N Hops is an ideal place for a quick bite on the cheap. 

Homemade soups, potpies, and other farmhouse comfort foods share the menu at this spacious East Village restaurant with fancier farm-to-table dishes such as organic, free-range chicken topped with raspberry-orange-cranberry sauce. Also on-site are a bakery, a café serving more casual fare (take-out available), and a gift shop that sells gourmet foods.

It's not surprising that Little Dom's is a neighborhood gem. The restaurant features a vintage bar and besuited barkeep who mixes up seasonally inspired retro cocktails, an attached Italian deli where you can pick up a make-at-home pizza kit, and a $25 Monday-night supper. Cozy and inviting with big leather booths you can sink into for the night, the restaurant puts a modern spin on classic Italian dishes such as rice balls, fish piccata, and spaghetti and meatballs.

Not even a year after it officially opened in Echo Park, Little Fish was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand, and rightfully so. As the name suggests, this casual restaurant that shares its space with a market serves seafood-forward dishes, like fish tartines and fish and mushroom congee. Their most beloved item, the signature fried fish sandwich, is only available during lunch and comes with kewpie mayo and dill pickles on a potato bun. Little Fish also has steak and vegetarian offerings that are just as delicious, making it a worthwhile add to your list of must-eats.

A charming French bistro serving brunch and dinner daily, Little Frenchie is the perfect spot for a quick pastry and latte or a hearty breakfast of steak and eggs, smoked salmon benedict, and the crowd-favorite quiche. Their onion soup gratiné will transport you to Paris, and the champagne happy hour, daily from 3 to 6 pm, pairs nicely with their classic mussels and frites. Opt for sidewalk seating to take in the daily buzz of Orange Avenue. 

Amid surf shacks and hippie beach bars, this restaurant perched on stunning Sunset Cliffs feels like a hidden European bistro. The sisters who run the show come from a long line of successful local restaurateurs and have brought their passed-down expertise to the thoughtful service and simple, healthy menu that features entrées like plant-based tacos, quinoa bowls, and the Bistro Burger with hatch chile cheddar on a brioche bun. The morning menu features chia seed puddings and spinach-and-pea frittata, which are a welcome contrast to the typical indulgent brunch fare.

Inside a metal-and-glass structure design writers have described as industrial grange-hall chic, the chefs at this café and lounge with informal seating prepare satisfying plant-based cuisine. With most ingredients rushed over from Little Saint's nearby 8-acre Russian River farm, the menu items change often.

In a hip, modern space—alongside The Local Grape wine bar within a historic building—this unusual-for-the-region eatery serves up savory Japanese soul food. Expect home-style dishes like steaming bowls of toasted-rye ramen noodles swimming in a rich broth For dessert, there's matcha cheesecake and premium mochi ice cream.

La Jolla's outpost of this local coffee chain is open until midnight with live music (Friday and Saturday) and a full bar, which means that customers can spend a pleasant evening sipping a true-blue Irish coffee complete with whiskey at one of the many tables or couches. On those foggy marine-layer days, request one of their homemade soups, or relax in the hookah lounge like Indian royalty in the regal setting.

Innovative food and drink menus make this clubby restaurant on the historic Main Street promenade very much shaken, and not stirred. Grab a front-row seat on the patio or head inside for a table overlooking the neon bar to enjoy cocktails such as the But First, Let Me Take a Selfie (arrives with a Polaroid of you) or the Bonnie and Clyde (arrives with a flaming counterfeit $100 bill) and entrées like the short-rib melt or the honey jalapeño–glazed salmon on peanut slaw. Vegans will be pleasantly surprised with a variety of options. It’s one of the few places in Riverside open daily for dinner, with a “last call” way past midnight.

Seafood rules at the popular, newly renovated Lobster Trap. Try the grilled swordfish with mixed veggies, grilled salmon salad, seafood pasta, tacos, and burritos. Locals and visitors sit at the open kitchen counter or large bar with hooks underneath for bags and outlets to charge your devices. Some prefer the elevated tables in the "Money Matters" boat. 

Part restaurant, part bakery, and part learning annex, Lodge Bread Company beckons customers with freshly baked sourdough—the aroma of which wafts over the entire neighborhood. Inside, guests can enjoy fermented pizzas, savory sandwiches, and crisp morning toasts. For budding bread makers, the shop offers classes on baking sourdough, where you can learn how to make a starter from scratch and how to best stretch and score dough.

Lodge Bread in Beverly Hills brings serious sourdough game with thick-cut toasts, hearty sandwiches, and killer pastries. The vibe is casual, the coffee’s strong, and everything’s made with top-notch ingredients.

The choices here run the gamut from simple to very simple, with several counters only a few strides apart in a central eating complex. The café, which is next to the Lodgepole Visitor Center, also sells fresh and prepackaged salads, sandwiches, and wraps. You'll find other prepackaged foods in the market.

This is the place for exceptional, elevated tacos that won't break the bank. Happy hour runs from 2 to 6 pm (except on Wednesday, when it lasts all day), where LOLA margaritas are $7 and Calidad draft beer is $5.

Argentine fare, a convivial atmosphere, and talented bartenders help explain the long-running appeal of this contemporary steak house in a sceney two-level space with two bars and a rooftop neighbor (El Techo) that offers captivating views—it's no surprise that the crowd sometimes swings young and noisy. While beef is deservedly the headliner, make sure not to miss the chicken empanadas, with flaky pastry and a slight sweetness.

Breakfast is served all day at this spot known as much for its cheerful atmosphere as for its large portions—including a breakfast burrito so packed with applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, eggs, and potatoes that it requires two hands to hold. For lunch, consider the coffeehouse burger with candied bacon or the chickpea curry bowl with roasted chicken and garnet yams over brown rice. Even if you're just passing through, be sure to grab a coffee to go (perhaps the house favorite known as the Dirty Hippie).

This charming bakery, done in pinks and pressed tin, features treats by Tartine Bakery alum Kristina Costa that reflect the Jewish diaspora. With tempting cakes lining the marble counter and display cases full of tarts, cookies, babka, and other pastries, you'll be hard-pressed to get away without trying more than one. The Four Barrel coffee is excellent, and the line moves quickly, so don't be discouraged if it stretches out the door.

In a cozy space on a prime corner at the gateway to the Funk Zone near Stearns Wharf, Loquita honors Santa Barbara's heritage by serving up authentic Spanish dishes, wines, and cocktails made with fresh, sustainably sourced local ingredients. The menu covers all bases, from tapas to wood-fired seafood and grilled meats to Spanish wines, vermouth, gin and tonics, and sangria.

Florentine focaccia sandwiches take center stage at this quick and easy sandwich shop in Beverly Hills. Specialties include the Capriccio with stracciatella and pesto or pastas like the penne with meatballs and pecorino.

The vivid colors of the drinks, food, furnishings, and a mural by the Mexican urban artist Senkoe provide visual entertainment at this riverfront restaurant that evolved from a popular food truck. Oaxacan influences and spices like chileajo (vegetables, herbs, and chiles cooked and pureed) appear in the enchiladas, burritos, tacos, and other items, many inspired by southern Mexican street-food staples or recipes of the chef's extended family back home.

If you’re in the mood for good old-fashioned fun coupled with hearty Mexican fare and delicious drinks, consider Los Amigos, whose legendary fruity margaritas—in nine flavors!—alone are worth the drive. Pair those with chili verde, taquitos, or a molcajete for two on karaoke night (four nights a week!), and you’re guaranteed a good time well into the night.

A casual local favorite for affordable Mexican dishes, Jilberto's serves up big burritos and meaty enchiladas.

Down-home Southern cuisine with modern flourishes remains the mission of this retro-yet-au-courant roadside restaurant whose vineyard-view outdoor patio has a backyard-party vibe. Try the biscuits and gravy, hash-brown casserole, and the fried-chicken waffle for breakfast, with more fried chicken, multiple burgers and barbecue dishes, and fried catfish among the lunchtime attractions.

The tearoom is a homey jumble, with its lace-covered tables, couches, and mismatched chairs set among the antiques for sale. High tea and cream tea are served, along with traditional English-tearoom "fayre," such as crustless sandwiches, scones, crumpets, and shepherd's pie. It's all quite cozy. The antiques shop across the street is a fun browse for teas and vintage teacups.

Hungry Marina residents gather daily to order excellent, often enormous sandwiches at this neighborhood legend. It's the signature takeaway spot for Marina Green and Crissy Field picnic-goers and has been around since the days of the Hoover Administration. Beyond sandwiches, the deli specializes in hearty homemade Italian specialties like lasagna and meatballs. 

Named for a form of Mexican wrestling, this taco shop with its hot-pink walls and shiny booths was famous mostly for its lack of parking until it appeared on the Travel Channel’s “Man v Food" in 2010. The lines of burrito-crazed fans have calmed down somewhat since then, but the spicy salsa muerta is as hot as ever.

Don’t park in the gas station next door; they watch and will tow.

In addition to strong cervezas, which are brewed on-site (or at the larger, Chino Hills flagship) in four 10-barrel tanks, this taproom serves up Tijuana-style street food (tacos, tortas, churros, esquites) from a built-in, vintage food truck.

This intimate family-owned eatery is a local favorite for Italian food. Try one of the homemade soups or gnocchi classico—Grandma's homemade potato dumplings with marinara sauce. If you don't have a reservation, be prepared to wait at the bar with a glass of one of the many reasonably priced Italian wines.