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Friendly, informative staff serve Sicilian-inspired seafood in this lively Italian restaurant just a stone's throw from the ferry. Enjoy views on the expansive heated patio overlooking the bay, or cozy up with friends on one of the high-sided booths near the bar. Weekend brunch and lunch menus feature paninis, burgers, and organic omelets. The impressive wine list is almost exactly half Italian and half Californian, and there's an interesting selection of a half dozen sparkling cocktails.
35 Main St., Tiburon, California, 94920, USA
Known For
- Sustainably caught seafood and local, organic ingredients
- Homemade pastas
- Rock crab bisque
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch weekdays
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In a region with several outstanding destinations for fresh baguettes and levain breads, the freshly baked loaves here deserve some of the highest praise. Everything in the display case and on the cooling racks is absolutely dialed in, from the kouign-amann (like a decadent glazed dessert version of a croissant) and cookies to slices of custardy quiche and simple avocado toast.
40 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, California, 95030, USA
Known For
- Excellent breakfast and lunch sandwiches
- Almond croissant
- Terrific locally roasted coffee and espresso drinks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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Open since 1920, this beloved dockside restaurant is the town's most famous eatery, and after 99 years, a bright remodel includes floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass doors and an 80-foot heated bench for deck views on cool days. Remnants of Sam's history are evident in some vintage decor, the hamburger and Champagne specials, and the free popcorn. Most people flock to the deck for beers, views, sunsets, and exceptionally tasty seafood. Ask about the old trapdoor used to haul in whiskey during Prohibition. No deck reservations means you can expect a wait for outside tables.
27 Main St., Tiburon, California, 94920, USA
Known For
- Excellent raw bar
- Pink lemonade and margarita "bowls"
- Dungeness crab Louie
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$$ | Grand Lake |
Two Top Chef vets opened this stylish restaurant, which serves creative and memorable Mediterranean small plates in a lively setting with an open kitchen, wood-fired oven, communal tables, and snug seating. As the name implies, well-crafted cocktails are shaken (or stirred) and poured with panache.
3407 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland, California, 94610, USA
Known For
- Wood-oven paella
- Fried chicken with fenugreek yogurt
- Vegetarian options
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun. No lunch Tues.–Fri.
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Rotisserie meats and veggies sourced from local farms steal the show at this former mid-20th-century truck stop and diner. It's a go-to for tri-tip and pork belly sandwiches or house-seasoned roasted chicken, best eaten with a host of sides, sips, and sweets, like crispy Parmesan Brussels sprouts, New Orleans–style cold brew coffee, and butterscotch pudding. Colorful Iris Hockenos mural art adorns the remodeled café, which has countertop dining indoors and a welcoming patio and picnic table seating outdoors.
60 4th St., Point Reyes Station, California, 94956, USA
Known For
- Rotisserie chicken and lots of vegetarian dishes
- Dog-friendly outdoor patio
- Apple fritters
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner after 6 pm
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Just look for the hungry crowds and the smell of freshly baked muffins; breakfast-lunch-brunch paradise is here in a far-flung corner of Berkeley. Kelsie Kerr's daytime-only restaurant/bakery started in 2014 and has been a sensation ever since. For the indecisive, this place is a nightmare. Everything looks outstanding and truly is. Buttermilk biscuit egg sandwiches tend to be the morning staple, while lunch sees a little more creativity and quintessential Berkeley farm-to-table elements, like in a long-roasted pork shoulder and beet greens sandwich.
2701 Eighth St., Berkeley, California, 94710, USA
Known For
- Brunch salads anchored by organic pasture-raised eggs
- House-made hummus plate
- Sourdough waffle with seasonal fruit and house-cured bacon
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No dinner
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The Station House Café has been a stalwart venue for local music and a staunch supporter of local farms and food artisans. The community-centric eatery serves a blend of modern and classic California dishes comprised of organic seasonal ingredients, sustainable hormone-free meats, and wild-caught seafood. Creative and classic cocktails are a bonus here—a great way to wind down the day after lots of hiking or kayaking.
11180 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station, California, 94956, USA
Known For
- Signature popovers
- Special weekend brunch items
- Fresh local seafood
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. and Thurs.
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This Woodside institution actually is a Michelin-starred fine dining destination; the only similarity with an actual pub is that the bar has its own casual menu (the main dining room is prix-fixe with multiple choices per each course) and is frequently a gathering place for well-heeled regulars. The suave dining room with red velvet chairs and booths is a beautiful backdrop for intricate dishes that often feature produce from the nearby organic SMIP Ranch. It's the flagship restaurant for a local group that includes the acclaimed Spruce in San Francisco,
2967 Woodside Rd., Woodside, California, 94062, USA
Known For
- Chocolate soufflé
- Pub burger on an English muffin
- Deep wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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One of the Peninsula’s best-known restaurants is this funky, family-friendly brunch specialist in the heart of tiny downtown Woodside. The restaurant is a gathering spot for the tech company executives and venture capitalists who live nearby, but it’s ultimately a blend of a saloon and a diner, where many hungry locals come looking for omelets and tuna melts. You can also get decent beer and wine. It has an outrageously eclectic design full of knickknacks and odd curiosities, like license plates on the bar, planes and bikes hanging from the ceiling, old maps and artifacts of Bay Area history, taxidermy, and about a hundred other bizarre pieces of memorabilia that would never be brought together anywhere else but here.
3062 Woodside Rd., Woodside, California, 94062, USA
Known For
- Eclectic decor
- Coffee cake
- Smash burger
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Tiburon's low-key, mostly casual dining scene received a jolt of energy when celebrity chef Michael Mina and partner Brent Bolthouse opened this hip restaurant right next to the ferry dock in 2021. It's certainly a scene and a place to dress up, yet it's also a compelling destination for terrific eats that don't adhere to many rules or cuisines other than high-quality ingredients. There's jalapeño shrimp toast and sweet potato pancakes topped with gravlax, and then there's also Mina's signature lobster potpie and a cacio e pepe pasta with shaved truffles. It's a restaurant that's hard not to love and have fun at.
5 Main St., Tiburon, California, 94920, USA
Known For
- Tuna tartare and yellowtail sashimi preparations
- Festive, prix-fixe weekend brunch
- The rare Marin restaurant with food on weekends until midnight
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch weekdays
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$$$ | | Mediterranean
The coast at its most dressed up, Cetrella is all polished wood and pressed tablecloths, and it hits every mark: adventurous wine list, live jazz on Friday and Saturday night, and a creative menu that pairs regional produce and fish with choice imported ingredients. The resulting dishes are sophisticated but not stuffy. The bar has a smaller and cheaper but no less delectable menu, and Sunday brunch is popular.
845 Main St., Half Moon Bay, California, 94019, USA
Known For
- Excellent cheese course
- Fresh local seafood
- Extensive international wine cellar
- Spanish-influenced small plates
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.; no lunch
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$$ | Jack London Square | American
The walls and tables are made of reclaimed wood at this small, stylish roadside gathering space whose knowing, tattooed bartenders serve potent cocktails. A great neighborhood joint for every meal of the day (including brunch), Chop Bar implements a farm-to-table concept and serves upmarket gastropub grub. On sunny days when the glass garage door is raised you'll feel like an insider who's stumbled upon an industrial neighborhood's cool secret.
247 4th St., at Alice St., Oakland, California, 94607, USA
Known For
- Oxtail poutine
- House-made burgers
- Pork confit
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$$ | | American
Decked out in a nautical theme with surfboards and buoys, the Coast serves weekend brunch and dependably good American lunch and dinner fare, including local fresh fish, grass-fed steaks, and wonderfully fresh vegetarian and vegan dishes. Find patio seating in the front and back and live music during dinner on Thursday and Sunday.
46 Wharf Rd., off Olema–Bolinas Rd., Bolinas, California, 94924, USA
Known For
- Locally sourced ingredients
- Fresh fish and sustainable meat
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | Temescal | Mexican
A neighborhood favorite with bright red walls, authentic Mexican artwork, and a festive outdoor patio, this sunny spot in Oakland's Temescal District serves seasonal Mexican fare to a hip but low-key crowd. Margaritas and horchata abound; brunch is served on weekends.
5004 Telegraph Ave., near 51st St., Oakland, California, 94609, USA
Known For
- Chiles rellenos and carnitas
- Courtyard patio
- Margaritas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Sun. No lunch weekdays
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All things local, organic, seasonal, and sustainable harmonize at Gather. This haven for vegans, vegetarians, and carnivores alike serves up market and grain salads, shareable grilled local vegetables or cheese plates, roast chicken, and more in a vibrant, well-lit space that boasts funky light fixtures, shiny wood furnishings, and banquettes made of recycled leather belts.
2200 Oxford St., Berkeley, California, 94704, USA
Known For
- Falafel burger
- Wood-fired pizzas
- Compelling cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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A charming taste of Provence in a 19th-century locale with stone floors, country tables, and a seasonal flowering patio, La Note serves thoughtfully prepared rustic food. Enjoy breakfast and lunch outdoors with fresh, crusty breads and pastries, eggs Lucas with house-roasted tomatoes, and lemon gingerbread pancakes. Breakfast is served all day, so don't worry if you're in the mood for a ham-and-cheese omelet at noon on a Tuesday.
2377 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, California, 94704, USA
Known For
- Rustic sandwiches
- Tempting egg preparations
- Brioche pain perdu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$$ | North Berkeley | Mediterranean
Inside a charming flower-covered house, this restaurant serves dishes that reflect the entire Mediterranean region. The menu, constantly changing and unfailingly great, depends on the availability of fresh seasonal ingredients, and the two-level dining room is cheerful and light. Excellent and long-lived but not flashy, the restaurant has a legion of dedicated fans.
1329 Gilman St., at Tevlin St., Berkeley, California, 94706, USA
Known For
- Seasonal Mediterranean-inspired specialties
- California wines
- Cozy bungalow ambience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
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Brittany-born Olivier Souvestre serves traditional French bistro fare in a relaxed, bayside setting that feels more sidewalk café than the converted garage that it is. The restaurant seats only 35 inside and 15 outside, so make reservations or arrive early. The menu is small, but the dishes are substantial in flavor and presentation.
85 Liberty Ship Way, Sausalito, California, 94965, USA
Known For
- PEI mussels and house-cut fries
- Popular weekend brunch
- Outstanding bouillabaisse
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential, Closed Mon. No dinner Sun.
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$ | | Scandinavian
A cozy spot with a dose of Scandinavian flair and a long counter bar that abuts an open kitchen, this local diner has been a favorite breakfast (served all day) and brunch destination for decades. Expect a wait, but rest assured it's worth it. You'll thank us when you're digging into eggs and bacon and downing bottomless cups of coffee.
1311 Bridgeway, between Locust and Turney Sts., Sausalito, California, 94965, USA
Known For
- Norwegian salmon omelet
- Loaded fruit pancakes
- Danish lunch plate
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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Chef-owner Mona Leena Michael channels her heritage as a first-generation Palestinian in California. Breakfast, lunch, and Friday-to-Sunday brunch are the main events here, in particular the reservation-only, prix-fixe brunch affair that might feature eight to ten compelling mezze (small plates). Seating is split between the bright, airy dining room and sidewalk tables.
1019 Camelia St., Berkeley, California, 94710, USA
Known For
- Rose brûlée cappuccino
- Turkish eggs with house chili crisp and fresh pita
- Outstanding freshly baked pastries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner