This is my very sloppy compilation of restaurants that I have eaten at and love in California, specifically the Bay Area and parts of Los Angeles. I still have so many more that I need to add to the list. All in good time…

If you click on the restaurant name, it will link you to the website of the restaurant so you can explore more.

(In no particular order of preference)

Bay Area (Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco) Restaurants

• Area: Fourth Street
• Café Rouge
• O chame-really enjoyed the scallion pancakes and udon soup
• Bette’s Diner-crowded on the weekends, but a classic diner brunch

• Area: “Gourmet Ghetto”
• Gregoire: the potato puffs are a phenomena at this place, all sandwiches are great; come for lunch, not dinner
• Corso: Italian trattoria
• Chez Panisse: one word: heaven
• Cheeseboard: I crave this sauce-less vegetarian pizza; I crave it; all the time I crave it
• Saul’s Deli: nice staff, little Jewish-style deli
• Cesar: only eaten here once, pretty good tapas place
• Guerilla Café: great staff, great (Blue Bottle) coffee, great breakfast, small space, worth it totally; love anything with waffles or polenta there
• Le coco: nice little Italian restaurant, kind of hidden but definitely a good place for dinner, the rolls are garlicky and great

• Area: College Ave/Oakland/Temescal
  
• Rick and Ann’s: go for brunch, order the breakfast omelet special with a muffin, the challah French Toast, or the red flannel hash
• Oliveto: amazing desserts-pine nut rosemary anything for dessert will blow your mind; there is a cafe and a restaurant
• Wood Tavern: it gets crowded so make a reservation or go for lunch
• Elmwood Café: bright natural light, vintage vibe, great food
• Summer Kitchen Bakeshop: cute space, relatively healthy to-go foods
• Tara’s Ice Cream: very interesting flavors-strawberry balsamic, avocado, garam masala; sesame cones are a great pairing
• Ici: always a line, but that is the trend; really nice ice creams (brandied cherry, chicory, early grey, espresso…) and cones have a touch of chocolate when you get to the bottom
• Chu: nice place for happy hour, very chic inside
• Zachary’s-Chicago deep dish pizza
• A Cote: I had a WONDERFUL experience here. Great food, small perfectly sized portions
• Holy Land: Israeli food, falafel is pretty darn good
• Bay Wolf (Piedmont): nice Italian, California cuisine restaurant
• Cafe Colucci-Ethiopian food on Telegraph
• Pizzaiolo-amazing staff amazing food/desserts amazing ambiance amazing amazing amazing amazing; see the events page on the website; open for coffee and pastries in the mornings from 8-12; movie nights during the summer…
• Boot and Shoe Service (see Pizzaiolo) also has a great bar area in the back; more casual vibe than Pizzaiolo, no reservations necessary
• Mua: chic, Oakland restaurant/bar
• Dona Tomas: I had the chiles rellenos, YUM
• Adesso: come for happy hour and order a drink and treat yourself to the best free appetizers and small plates around
• Flora- SO yummy, trailbuster cocktail, burger, caramel pudding
• True Burger: nice staff, nice burger (made from grinding their own meat [steaks]), nice shake, nice fries, nice nice nice
• Remedy Café: serve Ritual coffee, homemade scones
• Homeroom- mac the goat and peanut butter pie; always order bread crumbs on top; offer gluten-free pasta and beer; vegan mac is supposed to be bomb
• Burma Superstar-I think my expectations were too high, but it was still very good. Tea salad at Yamo noodles in SF is better in my opinion. Recommend coconut rice, platha and dip
• Hibiscus- Caribbean/Creole food with a California twist

• Oakland Bars
• The trappist- Belgian beers (sour beer)
• Café Van Kleef- greyhounds with fresh ruby grapefruits + live music
• Commonwealth-great beer, good food (specials/stews/potpies)
• 355 bar: love the decor, very hip, live music

• Area: University Ave./San Pabl/North Berkeley
• Café Fanny: MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST SPOT IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD; cafe au lait in a bowl, poached eggs on toast, crepes, granola…UPDATE: so sad to say it, but Cafe Fanny is now closed. 
• Udupi Palace-vegetarian south Indian
• Viks: Indian market and cafe
• Platano-pupusas
• Brazil Café-famous among Berkeley students; very heavy; it’s a little shack but a cute idea; known for tri-tip sandwich and mango smoothies
• Fellini: nice place for brunch - unfortunately Fellini has closed
• Cafe Leila-cute brunch spot; see my blog post about it here
• Kabana-pakistani
• Tropical Paradise (out of business)
• Zatar Restaurant
• Casa Latina, panaderia, order barbacoa; best burrito!!! So so good
• Slow-nice lunch spot; great outdoor seating
• Picante-amazing Mexican food here
• Gioga: small pizza joint; right next to the Monterey Market
• T-rex: whiskey bar, barbecue, brunch is supposed to be great
• Juan’s Place: greasy Mexican food, fun vibe, great tortilla chips
• 900 Grayson- never been but the burger is recommended by Guy Fieri (near Berkeley Bowl west)

• Downtown Berkeley
• La Note-nice French restaurant; great for brunch; long waits
• Venus-great for brunch or dinner; love the morning glory muffins that come with the omelettes, everything here is superb
• Revival-also owned my Amy from Venus restaurant-everything is local from CA here
• Gather-mmm love Gather for lunch or dinner; pizzas are great, vegan “charcuterie” is great
• Jupiter-nice outdoor space; pizzas are good; nice beer selection
• Razaan’s Organic Kitchen-I would come here often for a quick fix healthy burrito

• Area: Solono Ave.
• Ajanta-nice Indian restaurant
• Rivoli-Italian
• Little Star-deep dish Chicago-style pizza

• Area: San Francisco
• Arizmendi-pizza collective and bakery
• Zuni Café-roast chicken is famous
• Pica Pica Maize Kitchen- Venezuelan arepas
• Delarosa (marina)
• Quince
• Nopa- I never made it here to eat but I definitely want to check it out next time I am in town
• Greens-delicious vegetarian restaurant with a prix fix menu on the weekends, near the marina with a beautiful view
• A16
• First Crush
• Tortilla Heights (lower pac. Heights)
• Boulette’s Larder- ferry building
• Range
• Prospect
• Baker and Banter
• Aziza-Moroccan food
• Millennium-vegetarian
• Bar Agricole

the Mission District/Castro:

• Los Cayotes: “California Burrito” with French fries, carne asada (Mission)
• Yamo House (Burmese)-its like your grandmothers are cooking you dinner, limited seating
• Flour/water-Italian
• Dosa
• Farina
• Ike’s Sandwiches-famous sandwich spot
  
• Boogaloos-nice brunch place (Mission)
• Tartine Bakery-a must-go, pastries (morning buns! bread pudding!) and sandwiches (anything cheesy) and coffee drinks are too good!!
• Bi-Rite Ice Creamery: heavenly ice creams, go take your scoop to Dolores Park
• Lime: in the castro, bottomless mimosa brunch; food is ok, more of a fun experience
• Chile Lindo-empanadas (pino) on 16th street
• Delfina Pizzeria-BEST PIZZA YUMMMM
• Wise Sons Deli-all the homemade Jewish goodies you could dream of

Los Angeles

Hollywood/West LA/SilverLake/Beverly Hills

• Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza (Highland and Melrose)
• Mezze (La Cienega)- Mediterranean tapas
• Joan’s on Third (W. 3rd St.)
• LaMill Coffee (silverlake, 1636 Silver Lake Blvd.
  Los Angeles, Ca 90026)
• Proof Bakery 3156 Glendale Blvd.
  Los Angeles, CA 90039
• Flore-vegan food, SO freaking delicious (Silver Lake, on Sunset blvd.)
• Intelligentsia Silver Lake-good coffee, celeb sightings here
• Food + Lab 3206 W Sunset Blvd
  Los Angeles, CA 90026
• The Park- (Echo Park)
• Caffe Primo-(Sunset Blvd.)-great sandwiches, perfect to take on a picnic before seeing a movie at the Hollywood Forever cemetery
• Real Food Daily (La Cienega)-also vegan, also delicious
• Grace (Beverly Blvd)-donuts for dessert
• BLD-spiked milkshakes?!
• Paulette’s Bakery in Beverly Hills-French macarons
• Sotto

Santa Monica/Culver City

• Bay Cities Italian Deli-BEST SANDWICH EVER
• Rustic Canyon-great Italian/California cuisine style food
• Huckleberry-bakery/breakfast/lunch/coffee
• Milo + Olive-pizzeria/bakery/pastries-ate the chopped salad for lunch
• Sweet Rose Creamery
• Manchego-Spanish tapas on Main st.
• Tender Greens (Culver City)-salads
• Akasha (Culver City)-YUM
• Gjelina Italian pizzas pastas etc. 1427 Abbot Kinney Blvd
  Venice, CA 90291

The Valley

• Sweet Butter
• SunCafe-vegan food
• Hugo’s Tacos
• Hugo’s-love the cuban sandwich
• Umami Burger
• Artisan Cheese Gallery (studio city)
• Take a Bao
• Crust-Gourmet Pizza Bar
• Aroma Coffee & Tea- great breakfast and lunch; good for celeb spotting
• Caioti Pizza
• Taverna Tony’s (Malibu)-Greek food