Restaurants in California
-
A
Escape from New York Pizza
The Haight’s obligatory mid-bender stop for a hot slice. Pesto with roasted garlic and potato will send you blissfully off to carbo-loaded sleep, but the sundried tomato with goat cheese, artichoke hearts and spinach will recharge you to go another round.
reviewed
-
B
Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles
It’s not spiffy, the lighting’s not so great, and the decor’s best described as well worn and wooden. But for LA’s best Southern soul food, look no further than this 30-year-old landmark where the namesake dish is can’t-miss. The combo sounds strange but the reality – crispy, juicy fried chicken with a side of soft, syrupy waffles – is simply delish. There’s salad on the menu, but why?
reviewed
-
C
La Note
A good spot to fuel up before exploring, La Note serves a French-cafe menu of omelettes and pancakes at breakfast, and croques monsieurs, Niçoise salads and baguette sandwiches at lunch.
reviewed
-
D
Berkeley Bowl
A Berkeley institution since 1977, the Berkeley Bowl got its name from its original location in a former bowling alley. Its narrow aisles offer the absolute best and worst of Berkeley: produce, deli goods, wines and organic dry goods of the very highest quality threaten to topple off the shelves, while incredibly cranky and arrogant shoppers try to navigate oversize carts through the gridlock.
The self-centered rudeness amidst piles of celery and bulk granola bins can be exasperating and at times downright laughable. (Yoga, so popular in Berkeley, doesn't seem to put people in a positive mindset for the Bowl.) Get a picnic lunch here (weekdays, well ahead of the dinner ru…
reviewed
-
E
Cafe 976
PB denizens of all shapes and colors flock to this mellow, yellow converted 1920s beach house for the magnolia-shaded gardens, the wraparound porch studded with colorful chairs, and eclectic comfort food like Indian tuna curry (limited menu at night) and vegetarian chili. There's local art on the walls and often more being produced right at the tables. Kids will be spoiled by options like grilled cheese with the crusts cut off.
You're all set if you need some wi-fi vibes to go with all the groovy ones here.
reviewed
-
F
Swan Oyster Depot
Superior flavor without the superior attitude of most seafood restaurants. The downside is an inevitable wait for the few counter seats, but the upside of the high turnover is unbelievably fresh seafood. On sunny days, place an order to go, browse Polk St boutiques, then breeze past the line to pick up your crab salad with Louie dressing and the obligatory top-grade oysters with mignonette (wine/shallot) sauce. Hike or take a bus up to Sterling Park for superlative seafood with ocean views.
reviewed
-
G
Big Kitchen
The heart and soul of funky South Park, just to the east of Balboa Park at 30th Ave, Big Kitchen welcomes all to its enclave of food, art, music and civic bonhomie (though ardent Bush supporters may get a slightly frosty reception). The omelettes are stupendous, as is the challah French toast, and there's a whole page of breakfast combos named after regulars. It's many locals' vote for best brunch in town.
reviewed
-
H
Bread & Cie
This clattery, chattery cafeteria-sized bakery-deli makes the best bread around (with flavors like lemon sage ciabatta, anise and fig, and carmelized onion), and carries a limited assortment of gourmet sandwiches. Plus, it's got the best idea I've heard in a while: customized panini. It's an excellent spot to eavesdrop on locals, especially in the mornings. And it's 'cie' pronounced 'sea'.
reviewed
-
I
Chef Jia's
All three of the sauces on the menu here make nostrils flare in eager anticipation: spicy black bean sauce, tangy brown vinegar sauce, and savory-salty oyster sauce. Mix and match your choice with standbys of chicken, pork, and squid and/or green beans, eggplant, or yams. Dishes are generous to the point of embarrassing, but don't neglect the sublime onion cakes with peanut sauce.
reviewed
-
J
Campanile
Occupying a spot in the city’s culinary pantheon for over 15 years, chef-owner Mark Peel knows how to turn market-fresh ingredients into beautiful dishes. For more casual dining, stop by for Thursday’s popular Grilled Cheese Night and sample one of 12 traditional and not-so-traditional sandwiches created with LA flair and Campanile care. Reservations recommended.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
K
Dottie’s True Blue Café
Consider yourself lucky if you stand in line less than an hour and get hit up for change only once – but fresh baked goods come to those who wait at Dottie’s. Cinnamon pancakes, grilled cornbread, scrambles with whiskey fennel sausage and anything else off the griddle are tried and true blue.
reviewed
-
L
Kung Pao Kitty
Fat cats and tomcats follow the pretty kitties to the late-night kitchen at this dependable Asian eatery in the heart of Hollywood. The mild, mixed-Asian menu – curries, noodles and General Tso standards – regularly fuel the bar-hopping masses. Try the red curry or the namesake Kitty’s Kung Pao.
reviewed
-
M
El Cholo
Happy hipsters, hungry families and rowdy birthday parties compete for tables at this festive two-story adobe landmark. A handful grumble that the food is so-so, but the blue-corn chicken enchiladas, potent margaritas and a buzzing lounge keep most everyone coming back for more.
reviewed
-
N
Hodad's
OB's legendary burger joint serves great shakes, massive baskets of onion rings and succulent hamburgers wrapped in paper. The walls are covered in license plates, grunge/surf-rock plays (loud!) and your bearded, tattooed server might sidle in to your booth to take your order.
reviewed
-
Ikedas
If you're cruising this part of the state without time to explore, the best pit stop is off I-80 at exit 121. There, Ikedas feeds Tahoe-bound travelers amazing burgers, homemade pies and snacks, including a deliriously good, seasonal fresh peach shake.
reviewed
-
O
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Pay $3.25 for a cupcake? And you have to wait in that line out the door? Are you kidding – hey, that looks pretty good. Red Velvet? With cream-cheese frosting? And that one? Peanut-butter chocolate? Eighteen more varieties inside? Uhh, can you move over a little?
reviewed
-
P
Cafe Intermezzo
Great for quick, filling meals, Intermezzo holds the title for the biggest and best sandwiches and salads; the bread's homemade too.
reviewed
-
Q
House of Nanking
Meekly suggest seafood, nothing deep-fried, perhaps some poultry - and your server nods, snatches the menu, and returns within minutes with meltaway scallops, minced squab lettuce cups and a tea ball that blossoms in water. Come prepared to wait, and bearing cash.
reviewed
-
R
La Super Rica
This low-slung, unmarked shack - the one with the happy hordes spilling out the door - was culinary guru Julia Child's favorite Mexican restaurant. Who are we to argue? Make your choice from the 20 meals written on the board overhead, order from the window, then join local families at the picnic-style tables for authentic south-of-the-border cooking. Avoid peak meal times, when the place gets packed and searching for a seat is an Olympic sport.
Try one of their creative daily specials, or on Friday or Saturday get their famous tamales. One downer: vegetarians won't starve, but options are slim.
reviewed
-
S
Fleur de Lys
Long before celebrity chef Hubert Keller took his show on the road to Vegas and Top Chef Masters, this was the ultimate over-the-top SF destination. There’s nothing subtle about the swanky sultan’s tent interiors, but it’s oddly suited to princely repasts involving gnocchi graced with chanterelles and hazelnut-encrusted scallops and halibut crowned with rhubarb coulis and truffle, and a king’s ransom of foie gras on every other dish. Prix-fixe options for omnivores begin at $70 for three courses, while vegetarians are entitled to a five-course feast for a surprisingly reasonable $68.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
T
La Mar Cebicheriá
Business lunches here could lead to some very untoward office behavior: the key ingredient in these collaged plates of Peruvian cebiche is leche de tigre, the ‘milk of the tiger, ’ a marinade of lime, chili and brine that ‘cooks’ the fish without a fire, and is said to have aphrodisiac properties. Sunny days are prime for seats by the bay and a plate of pristine, spicy cebiche classico of California halibut, habañero, Peruvian corn and yam – or go with the Pacific Rim flair of cebiche chifa, with peanuts, daikon, ginger and mango.
reviewed
-
U
Millennium
If all vegan food could be this satisfying and opulent, there could be cattle roaming the streets of SF and no one would give them a second glance. Seasonal first courses include grilled semolina flatbread topped with caramelized onions, wilted spinach and a flourish of almond romesco, followed by a peppery pastry roulade that opens with a fork’s touch to reveal a creamy center of golden potatoes and smoky achiote (chili) chard, and a saffron-scented rice pudding with mango sorbet. Book ahead for aphrodisiac dinners and vegetarian Thanksgiving.
reviewed
-
V
Sanamluang Café
If the thought of dining in a tiny, rundown strip mall in Hollywood’s grittier east side sounds unappealing, read no further. But if you savor the thrill of a good culinary adventure, grab your keys for a trip to Thai Town for some of the best noodles around. The no-frills, pictures-of-the-food decor may be uninspiring, but all is forgiven once that huge, simmering bowl of General’s Noodles – stuffed to the rim with shrimp, duck and barbecued pork – arrives at your table. Pad thai is available for beginners. Cash only and open late.
reviewed
-
W
Lefty O’Doul’s
Wood paneling and lamp-warmed roast beef welcome you to Lefty's, a dimly lit family spot that seems largely unchanged since the 1950s. It's campy, crowded with tourists and at the lower rung of San Francisco's culinary ladder, but for old world atmosphere and a shot-and-a-beer break from the swish department stores of Union Square, it's hard to beat.
Join the crusty old timers in a toast to Francis Joseph 'Lefty' O'Doul, the former San Francisco Seal for whom the joint is named.
reviewed
-
Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant
This funkily decorated, warmly lit house has offerings that change through the day and season. Wood-fired pizzas and stellar burgers share the lineup with more refined - but just as satisfying - dishes like wild salmon with succotash. The bakery pours the best coffee in Big Sur and sells its own house granola. In the words of one local, 'their ham and cheese croissant is...mwa! Tasty shit.' Poke around the spirit garden next door.
reviewed
