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Along with a stunning state beach, the tiny, adorable, largely agricultural community of Pescadero is known for this coastal dining legend. Dating back to the late 1800s, no other coastal restaurant comes close to the celebrity status of Duarte’s. If it’s lunchtime, a significant number of tables in its series of intimate wood-paneled rooms will surely be enjoying the Dungeness crab melt and perhaps a Bloody Mary. Later in the day, the “tavern” portion of the restaurant kicks into gear as locals come to the bar area for stiff cocktails or a few beers. At any time of day, guests enjoy the signature green chile and artichoke soups, with the latter being a classic preparation for one of the most unheralded local produce specialties.
202 Stage Rd., Pescadero, California, 94060, USA
Known For
- Green chile and artichoke soup served together as half and half
- Olallieberry pie
- A definitive cioppino
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No dinner Mon., Wed., and Thurs. Dinner ends at 6 pm Fri.–Sun.
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Unsurprisingly, fish—specifically, fresh, sustainably caught fish—is the focus at this gleaming dockside fish house a mile north of downtown. Order at the counter and then grab a seat by the floor-to-ceiling windows or at a picnic table on the pier, overlooking the yachts and fishing boats. Outside, kids can doodle with sidewalk chalk on the pier.
350 Harbor Dr., Sausalito, California, 94965, USA
Known For
- Fish taco plate
- Fish reuben sandwich
- Local tuna poke
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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Take a short trek north on Highway 1 to the gritty mecca of Bay Area oysters—the Hog Island Marshall Oyster Farm. Here, the Boat Oyster Bar is an informal outdoor café that serves raw and grilled oysters, local snacks, and tasty beverages. Every afternoon it's open, the dining patio area feels like a carefree party with some of Northern California's greatest wines, oysters, and cheeses. Ninety-minute oyster farm tours ($40) are also available.
20215 Shoreline Hwy., Marshall, California, 94940, USA
Known For
- Fresh, raw, and grilled oysters
- Local fish crudo
- Hog Shack shellfish to go
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Oyster Bar closed Tues. No dinner, Reservations only Fri.--Mon.
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$$ | Uptown | American
Hip and urban, with an unpretentious vibe, Luka's is a real taste of Uptown with its Belgian-inspired California comfort food and plentiful selection of Trappist ales, local drafts, and international bottles of beer. The late-night menu is a favorite of bar-hoppers, and DJs in the adjacent lounge keep the scene going well past last call.
2221 Broadway, at W. Grand Ave., Oakland, California, 94612, USA
Known For
- Plentiful pints
- Late-night noshing
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Though this place is popular for its 1950s beachfront snack bar, the adjoining café, coffee bar, marketplace, and bakery shouldn't be missed either. The full menu serves up fresh ingredients, local seafood, and wood-fired pizzas. Creeping vines on the sunny patio shelter diners from the wind, and heat lamps offer extra warmth on colder days; for a cozier ambience, eat by the fire in the dining room.
43 Arenal Ave., Stinson Beach, California, 94970, USA
Known For
- Espresso and pastry bar
- Tasty fish-and-chips
- Rustic house-made breads
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Open since 1920, this beloved dockside restaurant is the town's most famous eatery, and after 99 years, a bright remodel includes floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass doors and an 80-foot heated bench for deck views on cool days. Remnants of Sam's history are evident in some vintage decor, the hamburger and Champagne specials, and the free popcorn. Most people flock to the deck for beers, views, sunsets, and exceptionally tasty seafood. Ask about the old trapdoor used to haul in whiskey during Prohibition. No deck reservations means you can expect a wait for outside tables.
27 Main St., Tiburon, California, 94920, USA
Known For
- Excellent raw bar
- Pink lemonade and margarita "bowls"
- Dungeness crab Louie
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$$ | 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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The Temescal neighborhood's dining anchor is a quirky wine bar with a powerful food program. At least half of the seating is outside, lending a Parisian indoor-outdoor café vibe to the air of this appropriately named spot with a signature escargots and cashew miso dish. The small chalkboard menu always has tempting, deeply flavored offerings that don't really adhere to particular cuisines but are always riveting. The rustic interior has a striking chess board–evoking floor and has a welcoming, slightly worn feel like a bistro that has been around for decades (except it only opened in 2021).
4935 Shattuck Ave., Oakland, California, 94609, USA
Known For
- Unique wines from small producers
- Fish and avocado tostadas
- Raw seafood preparations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$ | Rockridge |
This hot spot is all about seasonal and globe-spanning small plates, family-style eating, and excellent drinks. Intimate dining nooks, natural light, and a heated patio make this an ideal destination for couples, families, and the after-work crowd.
5478 College Ave., Oakland, California, 94618, USA
Known For
- Pernod mussels cooked in the wood oven
- Flatbreads
- Global and regional wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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$$ | | American
Exposed brick walls, maps of Louisiana, ceiling fans, and New Orleans music create a festive atmosphere at Angeline's. Specialties include Voo Doo Shrimp, crawfish étouffée, and buttermilk fried chicken.
2261 Shattuck Ave., near Kittredge St., Berkeley, California, 94704, USA
Known For
- Jambalaya
- Spicy gumbo
- Melt-in-your-mouth beignets
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.
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$$ | | American
Nothing elevates wood-fired food more than beachside tables and a blazing fire pit ... except maybe a game of bocce. Modern Californian cuisine, local beer, and signature sangria are served inside the snazzy bar and out on the patio, which opens to Richardson Bay.
1250 Bridgeway, between Pine and Turney Sts., Sausalito, California, 94965, USA
Known For
- Sourdough pizza crust
- Signature house meatballs
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Bay Area residents could debate for days about who truly makes the region's greatest pasta, but this Rockridge shop and restaurant from pasta whisperer Michele Belotti is more often than not on that short list. It's a perfect blend of traditional and comforting with modern influences. Soft potato gnocchi is joined by a Bolognese sauce made of six meats, while wild boar sugo is soaked with grappa and sangiovese wine, then served with tagliatelle. It's not unheard of to see more pasta dishes on a table than diners around it.
5403 College Ave., Oakland, California, 94618, USA
Known For
- Tortellini in brodo
- Vitello tonnato (beef with Sicilian tuna sauce)
- Strong Italian wines roster
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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As one of the few Georgian restaurants in the Bay Area, many diners from around the region come to this small, cheery spot to learn all about the Caucasus Mountains–region country’s important culinary heritage. Every table has an order of the two iconic dishes from Georgia: kinkhali (juicy dumplings filled with various meats) and the “cheese boat” of khachapuri, which is a trapezoid-shaped, ultra-moist, somewhat puffy bread with cheese in the center and an egg yolk. Georgia's esteemed wine regions are considered possibly the oldest in the world.
530 Bryant St., Palo Alto, California, 94301, USA
Known For
- Extensive Georgian wine list
- Grilled whole rainbow trout
- Kebabs and hand-chopped beet and spinach "pkhali" dips
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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It’s a little strange for a chic, contemporary-minded restaurant to be best known for an avocado dish. However, that’s the case at chef Robbie Wilson’s suave downtown restaurant where the delicately grilled avocado has its own devoted following. The avocado has gentle grill grate marks and a ponzu sauce in the center. When a diner gets a forkful of the components, it’s a symphonic duet of creamy texture and umami-packed flavor. The bar is a popular spot for after-hours networking, while the dining room is a little more buttoned-up.
420 Ramona St., Palo Alto, California, 94301, USA
Known For
- Inventive dishes with unique spices and sauces
- Best cocktails in town
- Fish crudo
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Mon. No lunch.
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House-smoked meats and fish, grilled steaks, classic salads, and decadent desserts bring locals and visitors back again and again to this 1937 lodge–style roadhouse. Enjoy a Marin martini at the cozy bar or sip local wine beside the river-rock fireplace. Outdoor dining now extends to a heated garden patio. The Buckeye Joe coffee kiosk offers drive-by java and pastries on weekday mornings.
15 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley, California, 94941, USA
Known For
- Oysters bingo
- Chili-lime "brick" chicken
- Ribs and chops
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential, No lunch weekdays
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An open, well-lit space with booths and countertop seating from which diners can watch the cooks in action sets the scene at this lively eatery, which serves contemporary California cuisine and inventive cocktails. The menu focuses on locally sourced veggies and seafood. Diners can enjoy meals in the enclosed patio, alive with hanging plants and a crackling fireplace, or take their drinks and apps outdoors among the palms and firepits.
44 E. Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley, California, 94941, USA
Known For
- $1 oyster happy hour
- Root beer–braised short rib
- Kickin’ fried chicken
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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Every coastal area needs a great fish-and-chips shop; for the peninsular coastline, it’s this casual establishment that has been serving Pacifica diners since 1969. The batter for the fish is light and sports just the right crispy texture, while fries are of the thick, potato-forward style popular at classic English pubs. There are various other fried seafood options and, in quite the State Fair cuisine twist, deep-fried Twinkies and Mars Bars for dessert.
70 W. Manor Dr., Pacifica, California, 94044, USA
Known For
- Crispy shrimp and chips
- Cozy interior
- Fish-and-chips paired with English ales
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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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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A "fermentation-driven" restaurant sounds a bit odd, but you'll find a thrilling, umami-packed experience at this compact Temescal spot. With a disco ball overhead, you expect somebody to get up and dance with how groovy the vibe is. But the food and fresh, low-intervention wines are so great that nobody wants to shift their attention away from them.
4316 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, California, 94609, USA
Known For
- Signature celery salad
- Colorful wall mural and Rubik's Cube–like counter
- Miso butter pasta
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays, Reservations essential