Restaurants in Central Valley
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Cafe Bernardo
This is a Midtown favorite serving all meals. Stop by for strong coffee or have a full-on meal with pasta, a grilled skirt steak and wine. There's an outdoor seating area and an adjacent martini bar that's popular around happy hour.
reviewed
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Vintage Press
A cherished Visalia institution since 1966, Vintage Press is elegant, festive and upscale. Have a cocktail while you wait for excellent rack of lamb or filet mignon.
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Delta of Venus Coffeehouse & Pub
This groovy converted Craftsman bungalow has a very social and shaded front patio. The chalkboard menu has breakfast items, salads, soups and sandwiches, including some vegetarian and vegan options. At dinner time you can order jerk-seasoned Caribbean dishes and wash it down with a beer or wine.
reviewed
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Branding Iron
This old roadhouse has been spruced up a bit for the tour buses, but folks still love the place for its hearty steak platters and Western atmosphere. Presiding over the dining room is 'Old Blue,' a massive stuffed bull's head from a local dairy farm.
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Moxie
Moxie is darkly lit and romantic, and the service is cordial and down-to-earth. The menu applies Californian attitudes to American standards and seafood specialties, with some fusion cross-breeding. Great crab pot stickers and mashed potatoes.
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Irene's Cafe
In the hip Tower District, Irene's is popular for its chicken-fried steaks (made with Angus beef), whopping 9oz burgers and veggie burgers. Its trendy atmosphere comes off as friendly rather than hip and the place does three meals a day.
reviewed
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Sierra Nevada Taproom & Restaurant
- Chico, USA
- Restaurants › Pub
At the Sierra Nevada Brewery, this place is a genuine Chico destination. It has better than average pub food; fresh, superb ales; and lagers on tap, some not available anywhere else. The apple-malt pork loin is a standout.
reviewed
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Andy Nguyen's
The best vegetarian fare in all of California might be at this tranquil Buddhist Thai diner. Try the steaming curries and artful fake meat dishes (the 'chicken' leg has a little wooden bone).
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Echo
This lovely restaurant in the Tower District, serves dishes made with local, seasonal and often organic ingredients. The aqua-colored chairs, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, were salvaged from a funeral home in Delano.
reviewed
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Red Tavern
- Chico, USA
- Restaurants › Asian
Just north of downtown is the swanky Red Tavern, one of Chico's more sophisticated places. The kitchen draws discriminatingly from Europe and (occasionally) Asia, leading to delicious meat, fish and pasta dishes.
reviewed
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Osaka Sushi
- Davis, USA
- Restaurants › Sushi
Here you'll find sushi to rival San Francisco's best, plus excellent sashimi, tempura and teriyaki dinners. It also has a floating sushi bar, where you serve yourself from colored plates going around on boats.
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Redrum
Formerly known as Murder Burger, Redrum is popular with students and travelers alike for its fresh, made-to-order beef, turkey and ostrich burgers, thick espresso shakes and excellent curly fries.
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Big Al's Drive-In
If you're staying out on The Esplanade, this classic greasepit will come in handy. It's primarily a takeout burger and hot dog stand where tasty, if unhealthy, food is sold at retro prices.
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Grand Marie's Chicken Pie Shop
You can get tasty chicken potpies here, or you can order heaping breakfasts and other all-American fare. This Tower District haunt does three meals daily.
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Paragary's Bar & Oven
Randy Paragary's stylish Mediterranean eatery is well loved for its wood-fired pizzas, hand-cut pastas, great wine list and quality meat and fish dishes.
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Tacos de Acapulco
Your best bulk-up budget option is this taquería (taco joint) serving huge burritos. The food's good and plenty popular with students.
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La Fonda
Cheaper still is La Fonda, across from Bakersfield High School, where tasty, fresh tacos are just around US$1 (get three or four, as they're small).
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Palomino Room
Downtown, the dark and moody Palomino Room, on the site of the historic Tremont Hotel, has tasty steaks and burgers and a cool cowboy ambience.
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Wool Growers
Bakersfield's oldest Basque restaurant is a simple eating hall loaded with character. A fried chicken dinner will leave you full for a week.
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Colima Mexican Restaurant
This restaurant serves fajitas, mole (a sweet, chocolaty chili sauce) dinners and other specialties in a lively downtown setting.
reviewed
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CL & Harry's
A classy sort of place with a rustic, exposed brick dining room, CL & Harry's sizzles up steaks and chops and other American fare.
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Broadway Heights
- Chico, USA
- Restaurants › Pizza
Upstairs overlooking a busy corner, Broadway Heights puts inexpensive pizzas, focaccia sandwiches and Cal-Med entrees on the table.
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Mishka's Café
- Davis, USA
- Restaurants › Café
Laptopping students and chatty town folk gather at this busy roastery for fair-trade coffees and pastries. It's wi-fi equipped.
reviewed
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Raging Fork Riverfront Grille
Just south of Antelope Blvd and one block east of Main St, it has a beautiful dining room, bar and deck overlooking the river.
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Mulvaney's B & L
The class place in town; an expert French-touched menu changes every day.
reviewed