Gold Country
Attached to the Victoria Inn, Murphys’ most elegant dinner spot offers Mediterranean small and large plates and a creative cocktail list. Options start…
Must-see restaurants in California
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Mellow mornings are meant for brunches on the back patio at Bernal Star, where neighborhood regulars slowly wake up with crab cake Benedict and beignets…
Lake Tahoe
Next to the Safeway supermarket stands this beloved Italian trattoria where a tantalizing aroma of garlic, rosemary and ‘secret’ spices perfumes the air…
Mono Lake Region
After a day on the slopes or trails, people gather at the long bar or around the pool table of this no-nonsense, no-attitude place, which has been around…
West Hollywood & Mid-City
Once you get over the heavenly scent of freshly baked cookies (it takes a moment), you can get down to choosing cookies from a changing assortment …
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Chow's diverse menu appeals to all tastes, with everything from pizza to pork chops and Thai-style noodles to spaghetti and meatballs. The wood-floored…
San Diego
On the site of Del Mar’s first restaurant, this airy, multilevel Nuevo Mexicano spot is both restaurant and bar. Specialties on the forward-thinking menu…
San Diego
This quietly chichi and much-loved local landmark serves a diverse lineup of regional American cuisine: cheese grits to chicken Reubens, sesame salmon on…
Oakland
As the name implies, Clove & Hoof is a sort of hybrid butcher/restaurant, serving up classics like cheesesteaks and Cuban sandwiches, and more creative…
Sequoia National Park
Friendly roadside sandwich and salad shop with a riverside back deck. There's a choice of fresh breads along with healthy wraps, freshly baked pizzas,…
Oakland
Get back to the islands by way of Swan's Market, Oakland's own food bazaar. You can go cheap and vegetarian with field pea soup with squash and nutmeg…
Downtown Los Angeles & Boyle Heights
Basic, compact, tile-floored Gigo's could really use a lick of paint. But you're here for the steamy, fragrant pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), sought after…
Malibu & Pacific Palisades
This new burger joint stacks them double, and the burgers top out at $10 – a nice surprise for Malibu. The CEO burger blends Wagyu and brisket burgers…
Coastal Highway 1
Grab a window table at sunset to enjoy the ocean views. The cuisine here is varied, ranging from French onion soup to pasta dishes with a touch of…
Lone Pine
Seasons has everything you fantasized about the last time you choked down freeze-dried hiking rations. Goats cheese pizza, steak eight ways, grilled lamb…
Sacramento & the Central Valley
Genuine Texas BBQ in a saloon that's been operating since 1946. Previously known for bar brawls, it's been overhauled and dressed up with signs dating…
Malibu & Pacific Palisades
This fantastic little concrete-floor pub has a stainless-steel bar and patio seating. It pours craftsman draft brews, hand cuts and sizzles its fries in…
Northern Mountains
Homey and hip, this is the best place in town for breakfast, and the vine-shaded patio is a lovely way to start the day. The menu has plenty of meaty or…
Venice, Marina Del Rey & Playa del Rey
A Playa del Rey classic, with a knotted-wood bar, TVs strobing sports, and porthole windows inside, as well as a sunshine patio out back. But the crowds…
Lone Pine
The quality at this friendly Texas-style-barbecue place seems to be hit or miss – the beef brisket and pulled pork are most consistent. Despite the…
Disneyland Resort
This counter-service chain near the Disneyland Hotel serves grilled sandwiches that are both kid- and adult-friendly. The 'original 1762' is roast beef,…
Gold Country
A rarity in a town with so much historical frill, Firewood’s exposed-concrete walls and corrugated metal offer a minimalist respite. When the weather’s…
Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley
The South Pas branch of this homey Mexican bakery serves classic south-of-the border rolls, breads and not-too-sweet sweets, plus cakes such as dulce de…
Excelsior
This part of San Francisco is notable for its wide variety of cuisines, including this Hawaiian takeout spot that ought to feel immediately familiar to…
Mammoth Lakes
Since 2012, Toomey's chef, once of legendary Whoa Nellie Deli in Lee Vining, has been preparing his eclectic menu of wild-buffalo meatloaf, seafood…
Santa Cruz
Inside the Reef bar, this kitchen runs on 'island time' as it mixes up your fresh ahi tuna, salmon, shellfish or veggie poke (cubed raw salad) in a bowl…
Los Feliz & Griffith Park
Channeling an American Gothic vibe, this brooding, pocket-sized pizza joint remains a hit with locals hankering for pie. Personally, we think there are…
San Diego
Zel was a longstanding local merchant, and his grandson continues the family tradition of welcoming locals and visitors, over excellent flatbread pizzas …
North Coast & Redwoods
Go to this old-school, diner-type place for a panoramic view of the sea more than the food (avoid the clam chowder, it tastes suspiciously canned...)…
Disneyland Resort
Near the Disneyland entrance, this old-timey, wood-built spot serves baked potato soup, sourdough bacon cheese melt, meatloaf and gravy, fried chicken and…
Yosemite National Park
Browse the busy aisles of the Tuolumne Meadows Store, which stocks just about every necessity you could possibly have forgotten: wine, beer, chips,…
San Diego
Head to this beachside classic for ocean views. The atmosphere is chic and the food imaginative, like stone fruit–burrata salad with arugula, whipped…
San Diego
The bay views are stunning from this airy, elegant eatery on Harbor Island, west of downtown; well-prepared seafood dishes include the popular seared…
Death Valley National Park
Shoshone's only restaurant is a 1920 roadhouse next to the visitor center. Its main stocks in trade are burgers and sandwiches, but it also serves…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Just because you're traveling doesn't mean you have to give up your diet. Lite Bite keeps you in check with quality fast food, made with organic…
South Lake Tahoe & Stateline
Inside a cute wooden house on the way uphill to ski at Heavenly, this modern international-inspired kitchen churns out seafood, club sandwiches, elaborate…
West of I-5
Cheerful staff prepare decadent sandwiches stuffed with fresh goodness. The 1.5lb 'Trinideli' with four types of meat and three types of cheese will fill…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Rough-hewn recycled wood and a stone fireplace lend a ski-lodge aesthetic to this Fillmore St cafe, where Pacific Heights locals recover from hangovers…
Mammoth Lakes
Modern space with wooden tables and a counter for single diners. Sushi Rei serves sashimi, sushi rolls and ramen, plus all the trimmings (edamame, tempura…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Gussied up with chrome soda-counter stools and red circular booths, this 1940s-era diner serves yummy breakfast items like omelets, buttermilk pancakes or…
