The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Obsessive about ingredients, Roam serves burgers of beef, bison and turkey, all locally grown and sustainably farmed. For classics, stick to juicy grass…
Must-see restaurants in California
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Cheerful confections in squeal-worthy flavors - think pink champagne cupcakes, churro macarons, chocolate-chip whoopie pies and lemon-curd-filled Lemony…
Santa Monica
The West Coast outpost of this shop featured on the TLC Network's Cake Boss show may be in sunny SaMo, but it stays true to its century-plus-old Italian…
Santa Monica
A Bollywood and Indian hip-hop playlist animates this corner shop, with cheap, generous combo plates of South Indian vegetarian and vegan cuisine. The…
Big Sur
The view-friendly restaurant at Treebones Resort serves up decent burgers and Vietnamese-style sandwiches for lunch before graduating to steak, chicken…
La Jolla
The lower-floor restaurant at George’s at the Cove is the place to come to splash out on a tasting menu (from $75 per person, extra for wine pairing)…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Stockbrokers and Paleo dieters line up for organic salads with zingy dressings and bowls of farro or quinoa heaped with locally sourced vegetables – don't…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Decent grocery and deli. There's a few simple dining tables in store. The counter serves fresh breakfasts, like avocado toast or the Streetwater omelet,…
Mammoth Lakes
Carnivores will love Mogul's. The cabin-style restaurant serves top quality steaks, cooked four ways and served with steamed veggies (plus, either baked…
Santa Cruz
Across the street from the beach boardwalk, this locavorian kitchen puts together creative sandwiches such as beet with lemony couscous or 'fancy pants'…
San Francisco
Russian Hill has a French accent at this neighborhood bistro, where the open kitchen offers glimpses of French chef-owner Mikael Audry, in his element…
North Beach & Chinatown
With a radioactive-green paint job and merciless fluorescent lighting, this Chinese seafood diner isn't for first dates – but it's perfect for drinking…
San Diego
There’s white-tablecloth service and a lovely sidewalk terrace at this State St institution. For lunch, try pastas or panini (the one with parma ham and…
Central Coast
Hand-made furnishings, antiques and decor imported from Mexico fill this Baja-style seafood joint and tequila bar. Smoky, spicy and fruity cocktails wash…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Quick and friendly service and large servings of tasty Mexican fare make this a popular restaurant with locals. There's a large menu, with familiar dishes…
Mammoth Lakes
Fuel up with a bracing dose of organic tea or coffee and a filling breakfast (pancakes, eggs, burritos and omelets), or comfort food such as Tex-Mex…
San Francisco
Zesty, lemon-laced Lebanese and Armenian fare at friendly prices has made La Méd a Castro mainstay since 1981. Chicken kebabs on rice pilaf are pleasingly…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Brave a grim Tenderloin block to score tandoori chicken straight off the skewer and naan bread still bubbling from the oven at this fluorescent-lit…
Big Sur
Behind the Shell station, this warmly lit, funky house has seasonally changing menus, on which wood-fired pizzas share space with rustic dishes like…
Mammoth Lakes
Healthy food, generously filled veggie wraps and big bowls of salad make this a perennially popular place at lunchtime. It's been around for more than 20…
Old Princeton Landing Public House & Grill
The Peninsula
Many local surfers store their boards in the rafters here for a quick pick up if Mavericks gets good. The seafood is fresh and the veggies are grown in…
San Francisco
For a casual date night with an all-local crowd, this corner storefront tucked away on a tree-lined side street serves unfussy French bistro fare,…
San Diego
A stylish pit stop between museums, Prado serves Cal-eclectic cooking in a gorgeous dining room, a bustling lounge and a tiled courtyard with a fountain…
North Beach & Chinatown
Just beyond the tourist hubbub, this ketchup-and-mustard colored storefront diner serves classic American food – pancakes, waffles, and crabcakes Benedict…
Big Sur Lodge Restaurant & General Store
Big Sur
Inside Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, pull up a wooden table in the cabin-esque dining room or on an outdoor riverside deck to fill up on wild salmon,…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Pleasant mountain views from the deck of this roadside restaurant around 5 miles west of Groveland are worth stopping for. Good biscuits and gravy for…
Laguna Beach
Throw back Coronas with the surfers while watching the passersby at this been-there-forever Mexican sidewalk dive. Taco, quesadilla and nacho options seem…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Classic friendly American, diner-style joint, with dated decor, booths and counter stools. After a long day at Yosemite, the half-pound 49er burgers…
Sacramento & the Central Valley
This converted Arts and Crafts bungalow has a social, shaded front patio, delicious homemade granola, and tons of vegetarian and vegan options. At dinner,…
Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley
Dim sum classics here are served off a menu instead of carts, not that it matters much. When we see pork shu mai dumplings, golden-fried sesame balls,…
Cedar House Restaurant & Bar & Grill
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Don't expect much at this restaurant catering to the captive guests of the Yosemite Cedar Lodge and people entering/exiting the park. The basic burger-…
San Diego
Gay-owned and straight-friendly, this restaurant-bar is always a party with a just-back-from-Margaritaville vibe, plus dozens of tequilas, alongside…
Hollywood
This seafood-loving kitty hides out across Sunset Blvd from the ArcLight Cinemas. It makes smashing lobster rolls, though not all the fish on the menu is…
San Diego
The look is art-deco ocean liner, and the service is just as elegant, with an oyster bar and creations like chicken-fried lobster with truffled honey, and…
San Diego
Try San Diego–style surf 'n' turf at this posh seafood joint. Menu items include wok-charred ahi, classic filet mignon, Parmesan-crusted sautéed sand dabs…
Death Valley National Park
The main restaurant at the Ranch at Furnace Creek serves pretty standard all-you-can-eat buffets at breakfast and lunch (may be closed on slow days)…
Berkeley
A fine, fresh, French-inspired spot to stock up before a picnic, Poulet is a fresh little purveyor of excellent lunchtime fare. The menu runs from quinoa…
Mono Lake Region
Stock up on quality groceries at the local market, whose diverse selection seems more like that of a big-city grocery store, even with British and Aussie…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
About a quarter mile west of the junction of Hwys 41 and 49, this popular microbrewery pub serves primo burgers (made with grass-fed beef), brick-oven…
Sonoma Valley
The Block Petaluma is home base to a rotating line up of two to four food trucks a day, plus permanent vendor Firetrail Pizza to satisfy any wood-fired…
