Mt Shasta Region
This funky joint serves up sizzling Thai, Lao and Vietnamese food and books first-rate jazz, reggae, salsa or blues some nights. Many dishes are simply…
Must-see restaurants in California
Berkeley
Feel like you're on Montreal's St Laurent Boulevard in the heart of Berkeley. Augie's serves its own Montreal-style smoked meat on rye bread (smoked,…
Joshua Tree National Park
Before hitting the trail, rocks or road, fuel up at this JT institution with a carb-loaded breakfast, garden salad or fresh sandwiches that make both…
Santa Ynez Valley
Take your pick from a huge range of gourmet deli sandwiches and salads: curry chicken is a perennial fave, but there are robust vegetarian options too…
Lake Tahoe
Come early (especially on weekends) to join the queue for the North Shore’s best breakfast. Eggs Benedict, whole-wheat pancakes with hot fresh fruit and…
Westlake & Koreatown
An ideal K-Town BBQ habitat that has both class and charm, thanks to superb heated patio seating. Grills are built into the tables of course, and aside…
Santa Barbara
Away from the hustle of State St, the Shop still gets crowded thanks to its top-quality breakfast offerings. The poached eggs on toast are on the…
Santa Ynez Valley
Eat in for breakfast or lunch (grab a table on the covered porch) or get sandwiches, artisan breads, salads, specialty cheeses, pickles and everything…
Central Coast
Oversized, overstuffed Mexican tortas (sandwiches) will feed two, and there are two dozen varieties to choose from. Or order a platter of blue-corn…
Along Highway 101
Boonville’s fantastic sweets shop serves the innovative flavors of Three Twins Ice Cream, whose delightful choices include Lemon Cookie and Strawberry Je…
North Coast & Redwoods
Mixing 'traditional Jewish food with the taste of Mexico.' Get all kinds of creative spreads and toppings on fresh bagels with varieties ranging from…
San Joaquin Valley
Filipino flavors drive the menu of fusion fast food at this bright cafe: there's adobo and longanisa (Filipino pork sausage) in many of the typically…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
This cozy country cafe is a good way to start your day or finish it after exploring the Hope Valley Wildlife Area nearby. It serves eggs all ways,…
North Coast & Redwoods
Exuding a cozy bistro-style ambience with red-and-white checkered tablecloths and jaunty murals, this perennially popular restaurant serves natural,…
Big Sur
Come for the hillside ocean-view terrace, where cocktails and Californian wines are served all day long, and the steak and seafood menu includes on-the…
Marin County
Catapulted to fame by peripatetic chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain, this ramshackle, often-packed country store lets you slurp down Tomales Bay oysters …
Sacramento & the Central Valley
It's all in the name; the brilliantly simple formula of this buzzing brewpub makes it a charming local favorite. The 30 craft beers on tap include the…
Santa Barbara County
Home of the 'world famous' Jalama Burger, there's plenty more on offer at this restaurant/grocery store by the beach. Hot food is mostly of the sandwich…
Malibu & Pacific Palisades
This lively spot fronted by a flowery terrace feeds both the soul and the belly. At lunchtime the baby lamb sandwich is divine, but for a serious…
Oakland
The wait will be worth it at this raucous Caribbean bar with a groovy soundtrack, where oxtail stew, salt-fish fritters, fried plantains and goat curry…
Mammoth Lakes
The classically trained French chef at this swanky brasserie on the 2nd floor of the Mammoth Rock 'n' Bowl serves tasty small plates and meaty main…
Oakland
Sweet Bar is as fresh and tasty a way to start your day as anywhere in Oakland. The airy dining room of this buzzing bakery is filled with happy customers…
Lake Tahoe
Across from the Amtrak station, this snug locals’ favorite dishes up breakfasts big enough to feed a lumberjack. Over 60 varieties of humongous omelets –…
Westlake & Koreatown
It steams pollock and cod, but we love the pan-fried mackerel: crispy skin, tender morsels of fish flesh and an array of sides that will occupy nearly…
Lake Tahoe
Before you take off down the western shore for a bike ride or hike, drop by this mom-and-pop shop that opened in the 1970s. Their motto: ‘While you sleep,…
Sequoia National Park
The lodge’s dining room has an excellent breakfast buffet and soup-and-salad lunch fare, but dinners aim somewhat successfully to be more gourmet, with…
Los Angeles to Barstow
The classic sign featuring a chef's toque and the words 'World Famous Pastrami' greets hungry diners at the original Hat in Glendora where they've been…
Gold Country
Ski bunnies and bums fill this diner and bakery counter on the weekends en route to Tahoe, filling up with egg dishes and top-notch homemade baked goods…
Gold Country
If you’re cruising this part of the state without time to explore, the best pit stop is this expanded farm stand – now a diner/market – off I-80 a few…
Marin County
With hard-to-find bottled brews and a few of its own (from Fort Point Beer Company in San Francisco) among the dozen or so on tap, beer-lovers can pair…
Marin County
At Cavallo Point lodge, dine on locally sourced meats, seafood and produce – perhaps grass-fed organic beef burgers or Dungeness-crab BLT sandwiches – in…
Huntington Beach
Expect a wait at this HB institution, or get here early to see surfer dudes don their wet suits. Breakfast is served all day on the bustling Main St patio…
Greater Palm Springs
A fine case of creative recycling, this former Denny’s is now a diner for the 21st century where the tagliatelle is handmade, the sea bass wild-caught,…
Santa Barbara
Bright and colorful decor helps wake you up, and the option to build your own hash breakfast ($12.50) sets you up for exploring Santa Barbara. Bread is…
South Lake Tahoe & Stateline
Sushi, so far from the ocean? Yup. Locals keep on coming back to this dynamite little sushi shack, where you can feast on bento boxes and nigiri (oblong…
Santa Monica
At this New England–style seafood shack across from the ocean, there’s only one reason to ignore a raw bar that includes a ceviche of the day, delectable…
Lake Tahoe
Call ahead for takeout, or squeeze yourselves into the cozy upstairs dining room at this little slat-sided cabin by the side of the highway. Barbecue tri…
North Coast & Redwoods
Renowned as the best sushi in Humboldt County, dine in a tiny, packed room, where conversation with the neighboring table is inevitable. A menu of sushi…
Santa Monica
This combination juicery-cafe is the original in a growing local chain. The juice bar blends coconut milk and blueberries, blood orange with carrots and…
Excelsior
It’s hard to miss Glaze – look for a gigantic mural of the neighborhood running along the side of the shop on Excelsior Ave. Inside, you’ve got great…
