1438 Best Restaurants in California, USA

Black subway tiles, contemporary bistro furniture, and a gray-marble counter lit by Edison bulbs lend urban panache to this fine spot for a craft coffee or one of more than two dozen local, national, and international brews on tap. In a space once occupied by a drugstore, the Pour Choice serves light fare that might include a grilled gourmet-cheese sandwich on ciabatta with bacon.

This lovely restaurant in the historic House of Hospitality makes contemporary fare, friendly service, and patio dining available to legions of museum- and theatergoers who come to Balboa Park. The bar is a fashionable destination for creative drinks and light nibbles, while the dining room's specialties range from fish tacos and paella to unusual surf-and-turf combos.

Parking in Balboa Park can be daunting; take advantage of the weekend valet parking at the entrance of the restaurant.

The 2024 opening of this standout hip-yet-refined concept, attached to the Jay Hotel, is a key figure in changing the narrative that downtown's restaurant scene is fading. Chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones carefully ties together culinary influences from the South with California (not Southern California—think Mississippi River meets the SF Bay). The entire menu is wonderfully put together and full off signature dishes, like smoked catfish dumplings, the city's best grits, and a shockingly great orange creamsicle and ambrosia salad for dessert.

The seasonal produce of nearby purveyors figures in nearly every dish at Preserve, which pairs elevated gastropub fare with artisanal beers, wines, and cocktails. Grilled or sautéed fish, fried chicken, and an elaborate burger that appears at lunch and dinner are typical menu items, served in the brick-walled, rustic-industrial, semi-chic bar or the plant-laden outdoor patio.

American comfort classics meet seasonal California cooking in this restaurant in an old barracks building at the eastern edge of the Presidio. The restaurant has a blend of the nostalgic past and the trendy present (deviled eggs with smoked salmon and furikake; grilled beef liver and onions; homemade cheesecake), as well as a lively bar and ample patio seating that allows diners to soak up the Presidio's outdoor beauty.

The second, grander restaurant from the chef-owners of State Bird Provisions is hardly just a little sibling: it features its own type of exciting, seasonally driven cooking, with no shortage of global influences. The lofty, bustling setting within an early-20th-century theater is a stunner of a backdrop, and some regulars love to sit at the small, cheery bar at the front and enjoy their dinner like an audience watching a grand dining-room stage.

This 500-square-foot restaurant serves up heaping portions of tacos, burgers, bowls, and “sammiches” inspired by the owner’s international travels. American classics have an Asian twist, like the smoked pork belly street tacos with kimchi aioli and ginger slaw or the Cajun spice-dusted lamb lollipops with coconut-jalapeño rice. Don’t be surprised if the chef steps out of the glass-walled kitchen to ask how you liked the “Fork'n Burger” or the “Notorious P.I.G.” with a mountain of pork and smoked gouda. Between the postcard murals and Southeast Asia-meets-Hawaiian vibe, you might forget you’re in La Jolla.

Open in 2010, Proof Bakery has stood the test of time as it continues to serve the flakiest, butteriest croissants in Atwater Village. The worker-owned cooperative also produces small batches of thin European sandwiches and refined desserts sourced from high quality seasonal ingredients from local farmers’ markets. Make someone’s day by ordering one of their gorgeous Basque cheesecakes or rich chocolate Earl Grey cake.

San Francisco's only Guam-inspired restaurant is always an outdoor party with a South Pacific–evoking, picnic table–filled patio in an old parking lot. The extensive, contemporary Guam-Californian menu can be a little overwhelming but is always satisfying. Most tables start with a few lighter bites like Chamorro sweet rolls or empanadas before continuing towards the barbecue items and coconut braised beef tinaktak, accompanied by a number of homemade sauces.

A low-key gastropub inside a restored 1950s home, this Old Town spot with a sunlit patio hosts live music on weekends. A roasted 16-ounce New York steak over mashed potatoes satisfies carnivores; and the mixed arugula and quinoa with roasted red beet and goat cheese is a hit with those seeking more healthful fare. Craft beers by innovative Southern California breweries Lost Abbey and The Bruery are among the selections on tap.

As the first 100% plant-based Italian restaurant and wine bar in the whole country, chef Tara Punzone makes you believe her Caprese has real mozzarella, her meatballs come from cows, and her cacio e pepe is filled with dairy. The food is exceptional, the atmosphere screams New York, and the best part is that no animals were harmed for any of it.

The wood-fired pizza oven blazing away on the sidewalk turns out this café's handmade pies, but the lunch and dinner fare extends beyond them to pan-seared fish, a tri-tip sandwich, and fresh salads with ingredients from a local farm. The brick-walled dining room has been a farmers' hangout for breakfast (you name it) for decades.

Tourists and local loyalists mingle at this restaurant whose perpetually in-motion chefs fry, barbecue, and smoke their way through a Southern-tinged menu that also includes Italian chicken soup and vinegar chicken. The baby back ribs, fried-chicken sandwich, cheddar-cheese burger, wedge salad, deviled eggs, and fried pickles score high with patrons, who somehow make room for the Q lime pie, brown-butter chocolate brownie, and other desserts.

The elevated Mexican cuisine, margaritas, mariachi, and Talavera pottery may transport you to central Mexico before you dip that first chip into homemade guacamole. Pull up a colorful barstool and watch Julian go by from a wraparound porch where street tacos, enchiladas, and organic carne served in a stone molcajete come out sizzling hot. The spiked horchata with rum is like a milkshake for grown-ups. Note that this small restaurant closes by 8 pm. 

This isn't your average taco shop. The Oaxacan-inspired menu by chef José Cepeda uses traditional ingredients and spins them on their heads to create dishes like the popular crab corn doughnut and crispy duck carnitas served with his famous black mole. The atmosphere is moody, the drinks are strong, and the guacamole is worth every penny.

Salt-and-pepper Dungeness crab is a delicious draw at this bright, three-level Cantonese eatery that always has a packed crowd for its crustacean specialties—crab portions can easily be split for three—and dim sum. A menu with photographs will help you sort through other Hong Kong specialties, including Peking duck and shrimp-stuffed bean curd. Much of the seafood is fresh from the tank.

As the name suggests, the chefs at this restaurant with an expansive patio often packed on weekends are willing to experiment, starting with sushi plates that include spicy hiramasa (yellowtail kingfish) rolls with rainbow-trout caviar. Cedar-plank salmon, wild-mushroom meat loaf, the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich topped with Swiss, and a slow-roasted pork sandwich served with coleslaw are perennial favorites.

Inside a tall-ceilinged, brick-walled, industrial-looking space with reclaimed wood from a coastal building backing the bar, the chefs at Ramen Gaijin turn out richly flavored ramen bowls brimming with pork belly, wood ear mushrooms, seaweed, and other well-proportioned ingredients. Izakaya (Japanese pub grub) dishes like donburi (meat and vegetables over rice) are another specialty, like the ramen containing mostly local proteins and produce.

It may be worth hopping the Amtrak to San Juan Capistrano just for the chance to have breakfast or lunch at one of Orange County's most beloved restaurants, located in a historic board-and-batten home dating back to 1881. This café sits practically on the railroad tracks across from the depot—nab a table on the patio for cinnamon apple beignets, hush puppies with avocado aioli, and spicy crab salad on the à la carte breakfast and lunch menu. On weekends, there is a set two-course menu for $45 per person. 

This waterfront, outdoor gathering place brings diners from all over town for sunny day brunches and a beachy-bohemian Key West vibe. This is San Francisco's definitive destination for leisurely daytime eating and drinking—always slinging beers, burgers, and fish tacos to guests fighting hangovers or just relaxing after a busy day of work.

Get ready for savory perfection with a concept built around locally sourced ingredients from ranchers, fishermen, and farmers who are dedicated to their harvest and sharing the beauty of their bounty. While the breakfasts (until 3 pm) are a hit, it’s what’s between the bread that matters, like Brandt beef patty burgers, smoked tri trip sandwiches, and beef sliders with homemade chips. Order at the counter for breakfast and lunch, or take it up a notch after 4 pm with full-service dinners offering dry-aged Brand beef with organic greens. The chef’s daily Brand Beef Tasting menu is what keeps customers loyal. If you fall in love with a cut, simply order any steak from the on-site butcher with a bottle of wine from the in-house market.

This convivial neighborhood pub stands out because of its abundance of shaded patio seating (and full horseshoes pit) in the landscaped backyard. After a long day of hiking and exploring, the restaurant is a reliable bet for hearty comfort fare—sandwiches, half-pound burgers, fish-and-chips, and tacos, plus a daily special or two.

An iconic 24/7 Inglewood landmark since 1952, Randy's Donuts is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the taste buds. Instantly recognizable by its giant 32-foot doughnut sign perched atop the building, this walk-up stand has become a beloved photo op and a must-visit Los Angeles attraction, featured in countless movies and TV shows. But it's not just about the spectacle—Randy's really does serve up some of the best doughnuts in town. From classic glazed to inventive flavors like Nutella or s'mores (though we're partial to the cherry iced), these handmade, doughy delights are consistently fresh, toothsome, and irresistible. The no-frills service is quick and friendly, perfect for grabbing a sweet bite on the go (or smuggling into a Beyoncé concert). Try the Texas-sized options if you're with a group. Don't leave Inglewood without trying this delicious piece of local history.

This small steak house manages to pack in huge flavor in their oak-grilled premium cuts of meat like Wagyu tri-tip, 40-day dry-aged bone-in New York strips, pork tomahawk, and king salmon. If you're not sure what to try, opt for one of the "Boards" to try a variety of the best cuts of the night, as determined by the chef.

For more than two decades, the chefs at this downtown pan-Asian restaurant and bar have served up sushi, sashimi, rolls, "hot bites" like Korean tacos (short ribs with kimchi aioli), and build-your-own poké bowls. Chico being an inland destination, the sushi might not always be as absolutely fresh as on the coast, but even then it's close, and the nonsushi options show flair and imagination.

The coolest kid on the Pasadena block, the Raymond 1886 is carved out of an old Craftsman cottage and has an expansive patio with long wooden tables and hanging lights. Chefs dish out everything from mushroom bucatini with shaved black truffles to Chilean sea bass with lemongrass coconut curry sauce and "forbidden" rice. Inside can be a little more claustrophobic, but makes for a perfect spot for intimate daters to get a little closer. Keep an eye out for live jazz nights. Be sure to explore the daring seasonal and evergreen cocktail menus, with intriguing historical references like the Red Line paired with zany offerings like the Alien Pool Party. Don't miss the truly killer chilaquiles on the brunch menu.

One of the founding businesses/set pieces of Pioneertown's movie colony and a legendary hangout of the Western actors and crews who worked on location there, the Red Dog has been reborn, and its second coming was worth the wait thanks to from-scratch Tex-Mex that's filtered through a California lens and takes full advantage of the Golden State's agricultural bounty. All three meals are available daily although the lunch and dinner menus are the same—chile relleno; tacos (mushroom asada with tomatillo salsa is simple but sapid!); and standard sides like chips and queso or salsa, street corn, and churros. Service at the bar can be slow, but the flavorful margaritas, and fascinating people-watching—from the porch, the main room where they stage concerts and run bingo nights, or the dark den—make up for that annoyance.

When it's nice out, sun pours through the big windows of this cozy restaurant and across tables on the porch; when fog rolls in, the fireplace is lit. The American menu changes with the seasons, but grilled lamb chops atop mashed potatoes are often on offer for dinner, and a grilled calamari steak might be served for lunch, either in a salad or as part of a sandwich.

A vintage-1959 Tahoe diner, all chrome and red plastic, the Red Hut is a tiny place with a wildly popular breakfast menu featuring huge omelets; banana, pecan, and coconut waffles (cornbread, too); and other tasty vittles. A second South Lake branch has a soda fountain and is the only one that serves dinner, and there's a third location in Stateline.

With its burgundy carpet, white linen tablecloths, and mellow lighting, this is one of Chico's coziest restaurants. The Mediterranean-influenced menu, inspired by fresh local produce, with vegetarian and pescatarian fare in addition to meat and poultry dishes, changes seasonally—steak au poivre, bucatini and clams, grilled meat loaf, and pan-seared halibut are among recent offerings.