3 Best Restaurants in The Bay Area, California

The Temescal neighborhood's dining anchor is a quirky wine bar with a powerful food program. A substantial amount of the seating is outside, lending a Parisian indoor-outdoor café vibe to the air of this appropriately named spot with a signature escargots and cashew miso dish. The small chalkboard menu always has tempting, deeply flavored offerings that don't really adhere to particular cuisines but are always riveting. The rustic interior has a striking chessboard-evoking floor and has a welcoming, slightly worn feel like a bistro that has been around for decades (except it only opened in 2021).

One of the Peninsula’s leading examples of a small, farm-to-table-driven, local ingredients–centric establishment is this homey dining room with sidewalk seating just off California Avenue. For more than 25 years, Bistro Elan has been the understated gathering place for many business and celebratory meals, where professors, CEOs, and longtime residents enjoy the signature potato waffle with smoked salmon and a smartly curated wine list. This is a perfect example of a Californian-French bistro, where a Parisian staple like duck confit is almost always on the menu. but the duck is sourced from a nearby farm and the ingredients change based on what is in peak season nearby.

For those who think that French-influenced fine dining is passé, San Jose’s gastronomic stalwart since 1977 will change a few opinions. It’s the best of both culinary worlds, where timeless luxury meets a contemporary approach. Here, Burgundy snails are paired with stinging nettle agnolotti (similar to small raviolis) and grilled beef tenderloin is elevated by roasted plum and a marrow emulsion. Diners enjoy a three- or four-course menu with several options available in each course, or a preset six-course tasting menu. The posh dining room (located at the edge of a a nondescript mini-mall by a liquor store) isn’t overly grand but has a refined aura with closed shutters, floral arrangements, and crisp white tablecloths.