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Food & Wine

California

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award winner
Absinthe
398 Hayes St.
San Francisco

 
award winner
The Alembic
1725 Haight St.
San Francisco

 
award winner
Ame
689 Mission Street
San Francisco, California

”Ame, the wonderfully serene year-old restaurant in the St. Regis Hotel, combines Californian, European and especially Japanese ingredients and techniques....” MORE>>
 
award winner
Bastide
8475 Melrose Place
Los Angeles, California

”Thanks, though, to chef Alain Giraud's exquisite modern French cooking and co-owner Joe Pytka's insane infusion of cash, Bastide is...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Bouchon
6534 Washington Street
Yountville, California

”Young scenesters congregate at this bistro's raw bar nightly....” MORE>>
 
award winner
Campanile
624 S. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, California

 
award winner
Canteen
817 Sutter Street
Nob Hill
San Francisco, California

”Leary appears happy to be cooking—not a leisured happiness but the happiness of rock climbers and chess players, the happiness...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Catch
Casa del Mar, 1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica
Los Angeles, CA

 
award winner
Chateau Marmont
8221 Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, California

”The ultimate Hollywood experience. The tables at this celeb-filled restaurant inside André Balazs’s famed hotel must be reserved well in...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Chez Panisse Café
1517 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, California

”using my campus-job earnings to splurge on dinners at Chez Panisse...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Coi
373 Broadway
San Francisco

”Coi's chef (and F&W Best New Chef 1997) Daniel Patterson combines his passions for local ingredients and avant-garde experimentation. With...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Delfina
3621 18th Street
Mission District
San Francisco, California

 
award winner
The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton
600 Stockton Street
Union Square
San Francisco, California

”As the Ritz-Carlton finishes its $12 million renovation, chef Ron Siegel continues to serve his excellent modern French food, which...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Étoile
Domaine Chandon
One California Dr.
Yountville, CA

”The newest incarnation of the pioneering 30-year-old restaurant at Domaine Chandon is Étoile. Executive chef Christopher Manning cooks with a...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Fraîche
9411 Culver Blvd., Culver City
Los Angeles, CA

”Fraîche owner and general manager Thierry Perez came away from stints at Daniel and Bouley Bakery in New York City...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Hog Island Oyster Co
20215 Hwy. 1
Marshall, California

”We ate the famous Hog Island oysters and had a bottle of winemaker Sean Thackrey’s stunningly original Pleiades blend from...” MORE>>
 
award winner
The Hungry Cat
1535 North Vine Street
Los Angeles, California

”The Great Pumpkin Bartender Tim Staehling thinks outside the pie plate: pumpkin purée, lemon juice, and simple syrup with bourbon...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Il Grano
11359 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California

”Although Salvatore Marino’s West Side Italian restaurant has actually been open since 1997, it was reborn last year with the...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Jin Patisserie
1202 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, California

”In a tiny, minimalist space with a tranquil garden out front, Choo sells the chocolates she painstakingly makes and paints...” MORE>>
 
award winner
J Lounge at Jardinière
300 Grove St.
San Francisco

 
award winner
La Terza
8384 West Third Street
Los Angeles

”Perhaps the most influential Italian chef in Los Angeles, Gino Angelini is slowly expanding his empire with this second outpost...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Lemon Moon
Westside Media Center
12200 W. Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles

”Melisse’s Josiah Citrin and JiRaffe’s Raphael Lunetta (the “lemon” and “moon,” respectively) join forces for this popular, upscale cafeteria, serving...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Lucques
8474 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, California

”Smash-hit Sunday Suppers featuring California-French cuisine ...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Michael Mina
Westin St. Francis Hotel
335 Powell Street, Union Square
San Francisco, California

”In the high-ceilinged Barbara Barry–designed space, chef Michael Mina prepares luxe American cuisine—much of it served on platters that Mina...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Ortolan
8338 West Third Street
West Hollywood/Beverly Hills, California

”On his tasting menu, he serves a spectacularly tasty and simple dish made from a single egg encased in dough...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Osteria Mozza
6602 Melrose Avenue

”This lively Italian restaurant from Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali, and Joseph Bastianich, is located next door to popular sister establishment...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Paperfish
345 N. Maple Dr., Beverly Hills
Los Angeles, California

 
award winner
Patina
141 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, California

”The Frank Gehry–designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, one of the biggest attractions to open in L.A. in the past decade...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Pecorino
11604 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, California

”Two Italian chefs serve exquisite dishes based on specialties from their native regions of Marche and Abruzzo as well as...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, California

”Supercrisp pizzas from Chez Panisse alum Charlie Hallowell....” MORE>>
 
award winner
Providence
5955 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood, California

”An ambitious collaboration between Italian-born Donato Poto—he’s the elegant maître d’—and the gifted chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence announces its serious...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Quince
1701 Octavia Street
Lower Pacific Heights
San Francisco, California

”San Francisco chefs are fanatical about seasonality—Michael Tusk, a veteran of Chez Panisse and Oliveto, even more than most. He’ll...” MORE>>
 
award winner
R-23
923 E. Second St.
Los Angeles, California

 
award winner
Rubicon
558 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, California

”At restaurateur Drew Nieporent’s downtown bastion, chef Stuart Brioza prepares an impressive California modern cuisine menu, while his girlfriend, Nicole...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Sebo
517 Hayes St.
San Francisco

 
award winner
The Slanted Door
1 Ferry Building #3
Embarcadero
San Francisco, California

”...San Francisco’s vaunted Vietnamese restaurant...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Sona
401 North La Cienega Boulevard
West Hollywood, California

”David Myers throws constant curveballs with his freestyle tasting menus. But his staff does an impressive job finding brilliant wine...” MORE>>
 
award winner
SPQR
1911 Fillmore St.
San Francisco

”A16’s sister restaurant, SPQR, opened in September 2007 and serves—as you might guess from its name, which refers to the...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Spruce
3640 Sacramento Street
San Francisco

”German riesling is very much the focus of the list created by Spruce partner and wine-and-spirits director Andrew Green. In...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Terra
1345 Railroad Avenue
St. Helena

”Southern French cuisine with Asian influences, by chefs Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani....” MORE>>
 
award winner
Ubuntu
1140 Main Street
Napa, CA

”Starting an all-vegetable restaurant in Napa Valley, a region famed for producing the ultimate steak wine (Cabernet Sauvignon), takes either...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Urasawa
218 North Rodeo Drive
Beverly Hills, California

”Hiro Urasawa, a protégé of Masa Takayama, is one of America’s most accomplished Japanese chefs. At his small Beverly Hills...” MORE>>
 
award winner
Violet
3221 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, California

”At this upbeat neighborhood spot, young chef Jared Simons prepares creative comfort food....” MORE>>
 
award winner
V-Vinbar at Valentino
3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica
Los Angeles, California

 
award winner
Zuni Café
1658 Market Street
San Francisco, California

”It’s hard to decide which dish at Zuni is most iconic. Some would argue for the whole-leaf, anchovy-spiked Caesar salad;...” MORE>>
 
 
1300 on Fillmore
1300 Fillmore Street
San Fransico, California

”At his elegant place in the newly revived Fillmore Jazz District, David Lawrence serves Southern-inflected food, frying shrimp in a...” MORE>>
 
 
1550 Hyde
1550 Hyde Street
San Francisco, California

”Guests who manage to wedge themselves into one of 1550 Hyde's 42 coveted seats find that what the spare, mostly...” MORE>>
 
 
25 Degrees
7000 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, California

”Tim Goodell, an F&W Best New Chef 2000, recently opened a burger joint, 25 Degrees, in Hollywood. He uses organic...” MORE>>
 
 
A16
2355 Chestnut Street
Marina District
San Francisco, California

”As the wine director and co-owner of A16, the standout Southern Italian restaurant in San Francisco, Shelley has built a...” MORE>>
 
 
Academy Café
55 Music Concourse Dr.
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA

”At the café’s noodle station, visitors can try Phan’s signature Vietnamese dishes, like a ginger-infused lemongrass pork with vermicelli. The...” MORE>>
 
 
Acme Chophouse
SBC Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza
China Basin
San Francisco, California

”At her spacious outpost in Pacific Bell Park stadium, Traci Des Jardins (an F&W Best New Chef 1995) uses only...” MORE>>
 
 
À Coté
5478 College Avenue
Rockridge
Oakland, California

”For a zeitgeist, post-dot-com dining experience, À Côté, a cozy little den with sponged ocher walls and vaguely Belle Époque...” MORE>>
 
 
Addison
5200 Grand Del Mar Way
San Diego, California

”Addison’s wine director, Jesse Rodriguez, says his wine list is 'all about relationships,' referring both to his reunion with chef...” MORE>>
 
 
Ad Hoc
6476 Washington St.
Yountville, CA

”There’s a different four-course dinner menu for each night of the week; Monday’s buttermilk fried chicken is the overwhelming favorite....” MORE>>
 
 
Ago
8478 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, California

”Co-owned by Robert De Niro, Miramax honchos Harvey and Bob Weinstein, and Ridley Scott, Ago serves updated Tuscan fare, such...” MORE>>
 
 
Albion River Inn
3790 North U.S. Highway 1
Albion, California

”The Albion River Inn has the best local wine list....” MORE>>
 
 
Algabar
342 South La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, California

 
 
Andie's Cafe
1042 Freeway Drive
Napa, California

”Jeff Smith, owner of Hourglass Vineyard, claims the best burge...” MORE>>
 
 
Angèle
540 Main St.
Napa, California

”...a 100-year-old white-and-blue-painted (former) boathouse...” MORE>>
 
 
Angelini Osteria
7313 Beverly Boulevard
La Brea/Fairfax
Los Angeles, California

 
 
Anzu
222 Mason Street
San Francisco, California

”You'll learn more about sake only by sampling different types. Here, a few of our favorite sources in the United...” MORE>>
 
 
AOC
8022 West Third Street
La Brea/Fairfax
Los Angeles, California

”A meal at A.O.C., in La Brea, is a must....” MORE>>
 
 
The Apple Pan
10801 West Pico Boulevard
West L.A.
Los Angeles, California

 
 
Aqua Blu
734 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, California

”Though the Gaslamp Quarter's Fourth and Fifth Avenues are lined with many sidewalk restaurants, Aqua Blu, is a standout for...” MORE>>
 
 
Arroyo Chop House
536 South Arroyo Pkwy
Pasadena, California

”The scotch-and-sirloin set flocks to the Parkway Grill for lobster-filled cocoa crêpes and to the wood-paneled Arroyo Chop House for...” MORE>>
 
 
Arterra
11966 El Camino Real
San Diego Marriott Del Mar
San Diego, California

”At Arterra, in the unfortunately sterile San Diego Marriott Del Mar, chef Bradley Ogden turns out smart, produce-driven (nearby Chino...” MORE>>
 
 
A-ru Restaurant
225 McMurray Road
Buellton, California

”It's in a strip mall, the best sushi I've ever had in my life....” MORE>>
 
 
A. R. Valentien
Lodge at Torrey Pines
11480 N. Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, California

”The fish taco once represented the culinary apogee in San Diego, but a flurry of openings has put the city...” MORE>>
 
 
Auberge du Soleil
180 Rutherford Hill Road
Rutherford, California

”At the 21-year-old restaurant that became an inn and helped create Napa Valley's wine country cuisine, chef Richard Reddington continues...” MORE>>
 
 
Avenue
1141 Manhattan Avenue
Manhattan Beach, California

”Christian Shaffer, chef and owner of Chloe in Playa del Ray, has a second restaurant, Avenue, in Manhattan Beach....” MORE>>
 
 
Axe
1009 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice
Los Angeles, CA

”Playing Alvy Singer in 1977’s Annie Hall, Woody Allen famously described Los Angeles as a place whose only cultural advantage...” MORE>>
 
 
Aziza
5800 Geary Boulevard
Richmond District
San Francisco, California

 
 
Bacar
448 Brannan St.
San Francisco, CA

”Pastry chef Cheryl Burr of San Francisco’s Bacar loves candy, as is obvious from her homage to the Almond Joy...” MORE>>
 
 
Bacara Resort's Bistro
8301 Hollister Avenue
Santa Barbara, California

”Hey, squirt, how about some mac and mascarpone? It's on the kids' menu at the Bacara Resort's Bistro, along with...” MORE>>
 
 
Balboa
8462 West Sunset Boulevard
Grafton on Sunset
West Hollywood, California

”Unless you're a vegetarian, order the 40-day dry-aged Aurora Angus New York strip. Choose from among nine sauces—'housemade' Worcestershire, 'J.1.'...” MORE>>
 
 
Ballard Inn
2436 Baseline Avenue
Ballard, California

”Chef Budi Kazali at the Ballard Inn in Ballard, California, tops tuna carpaccio with peppery wasabi sprouts....” MORE>>
 
 
Ballona Fish Market
13455 Maxella Avenue
Marina Del Rey, California

”If you squint, you might think you were in a Cape Cod village. The chef himself constructed the faux facades...” MORE>>
 
 
Baraka
288 Connecticut Street
Potrero
San Francisco, California

”It's no surprise that a Moroccan-Spanish tapas restaurant would have a sultry vibe, but owner Jocelyn Bulow sets the mood...” MORE>>
 
 
BarBersQ
3900 D Bel Aire Plaza
Napa, California

 
 
Bar Jules
609 Hayes Street
San Fransico, California

”The first restaurant for Jessica Bonecutter...” MORE>>
 
 
Bar Lubitsch
7702 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood
Los Angeles, CA

”Bar Lubitsch has an army of vodkas 200-strong and a dance floor appropriately named Red Room. Co-owned by Sean MacPherson...” MORE>>
 
 
Barndiva
231 Center Street
Healdsburg, California

”Light-flooded and tranquil by day, Barndiva (231 Center St.; 707/431-0100; dinner for two $70) roars to life at night, when...” MORE>>
 
 
barVino
1457 Lincoln Avenue
Calistoga, California

”The watering hole local oenophiles were waiting for...” MORE>>
 
 
Beach House
2530 South Coast Highway
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California

”'I was having brunch on the rocks once with a friend, watching the dolphins go by, when a wave crashed...” MORE>>
 
 
Beacon
3280 Helms Avenue
Culver City, California

”Chef Kazuto Matsusaka spent nearly a decade at Wolfgang Puck's influential Chinois on Main beginning in the '80s. Now he's...” MORE>>
 
 
Belvedere
9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California

”Bracken's sense of whimsy shows on the plate—a welcome twist in a pretty-but-staid dining room. Bluefin tuna 'lollipops' consist of...” MORE>>
 
 
Big Sur Bakery & Restaurant
Hwy. 1
Big Sur, California

 
 
Bistro 45
45 South Mentor Avenue
Pasadena, California

”Need a foie gras fix? Bistro 45 will fit the bill with stellar goose liver, escargots, and bouillabaisse in an...” MORE>>
 
 
Bistro Ralph
109 Plaza Street
Healdsburg, California

”A Sonoma stalwart with a small but appealing wine list; it's been turning out solid bistro food for 11 years....” MORE>>
 
 
Blend
78-073 Calle Barcelona
La Quinta

”Kathman makes a wonderful rabbit terrine with celery-root salad; his miso-and-sake salmon is an inspired take on the Nobu classic....” MORE>>
 
 
Bluebird Cafe
8572 National Boulevard
Culver City, California

”An unexpected perk along a lonely stretch of warehouses in Culver City, this bakery's shaded patio and turquoise window frames...” MORE>>
 
 
Blue Bottle Café
66 Mint St
San Francisco, CA

”The Blue Bottle Café's halogen-powered Japanese coffee siphon is the only one of its kind in North America. ...” MORE>>
 
 
Blue on Blue
Avalon Hotel
9400 West Olympic Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California

”As settings go, it's hard to beat the Mid-Century Modern poolside patio at Blue on Blue in the Avalon Hotel...” MORE>>
 
 
The Blvd
Regent Beverly Wilshire
9500 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California

”The Blvd gets so packed, and the hotel has just upgraded its room-service menu, I eat in. I have a...” MORE>>
 
 
Bocadillos
710 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California

”Grilled meats and marinated seafood in Mini Me portions and rotund sandwiches known as bocadillos make for relaxed, elbows-on-the-table eating...” MORE>>
 
 
Bondi
333 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA

”San Diego’s 70 miles of coastline has always lured visitors, but in the past several years, the urban landscape has...” MORE>>
 
 
BondSt
9360 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills
Los Angeles, CA

”A clone of a stylish Japanese restaurant in downtown Manhattan, housed in Beverly Hills’s trendy new Thompson Hotel....” MORE>>
 
 
Boonville Hotel Restaurant
14050 Highway 128
Boonville, California

”The Boonville Hotel restaurant is a favorite of the valley's winemakers....” MORE>>
 
 
Bouchon Bakery
6528 Washington Street
Yountville, California

”For his latest project, slated to open this month, Thomas Keller, superstar chef-owner of the French Laundry and Bouchon, stole...” MORE>>
 
 
Boule
420 North La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, California

”The silky cheesecake is made with fromage blanc...” MORE>>
 
 
Boulette's Larder
1 Ferry Building
San Francisco, California

”Like a quaint culinary lab, this small open kitchen in the Ferry Building produces sauces, crèmes, and stocks for discriminating...” MORE>>
 
 
Brothers Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern
2350 Railway Avenue
Los Olivos, California

”Brothers Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern Jeff and Matt Nichols opened Mattei's Tavern two years ago, and it's still the hottest restaurant...” MORE>>
 
 
Buon Appetito
1609 India Street
San Diego, California

”The stylish ristorante Buon Appetito is known for its grilled quail over lentils....” MORE>>
 
 
Burma Superstar
309 Clement Street
Richmond District
San Francisco, California

 
 
Cafe Cerise
1125 Sixth Avenue
San Diego, California

”Rustic European dishes such as broiled Bahia Falsa oysters and rabbit ravioli are among the offerings at Café Cerise, located...” MORE>>
 
 
Cafe Chloe
721 Ninth Avenue
San Diego, California

”Steak frites and sole marinière are the prime plats at Café Chloe....” MORE>>
 
 
Cafe Gratitude
2400 Harrison Street
San Fransico, California

”A small chain of restaurants specializing in raw vegan cuisine. ...” MORE>>
 
 
Caffè 817
817 Washington Street
Old Oakland
Oakland, California

”At lunchtime the closet-sized kitchen serves chic sandwiches on Acme baguettes and unimpeachable piatti di giorno, such as a super-Tuscan...” MORE>>
 
 
Caffè Via d'Oro
36 Main Street
Sutter Creek, California

”The inexpensive and Zin-expansive wine list make this worth a try....” MORE>>
 
 
Camino
3917 Grand Avenue
Oakland, CA

”Dishes from the hearth might include roast pork with sorrel gratin and grilled artichokes with wild greens...” MORE>>
 
 
Campton Place
340 Stockton Street
Union Square
San Francisco, California

”Raised in Gascony and apprenticed at Paris's Taillevent, chef Laurent Manrique makes the most of the Californian cornucopia in dishes...” MORE>>
 
 
Casanova
Fifth Avenue
between Mission and San Carlos Streets
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

”The Italian restaurant features a large live tree inside. ...” MORE>>
 
 
Cava
1212 Coast Village Road
Santa Barbara, California

 
 
Chez Papa Bistrot
1401 18th Street
San Francisco, California

”At Chez Papa Bistrot, Swede Ola Fendert cooks stellar Provençal seafood....” MORE>>
 
 
Chez Spencer
82 14th Street
SoMa
San Francisco, California

”An art-filled loft space in an industrial alley is the site of one of the city's most daring new bistros....” MORE>>
 
 
Chez TJ
938 Villa Street
Mountain View, California

 
 
Chilango's Mexico City Grill
142 University Avenue
San Diego, California

”The regional dishes, carefully prepared according to the recipes of the owner's mother, are a welcome change from the standard...” MORE>>
 
 
Chung King
206 South Garfield Avenue
Monterey Park, California

”The house specialty—fried chicken with toasted chiles—arrived radiating an aroma of smoky capsicum that reminded us of Mexican mole....” MORE>>
 
 
Cielo
Ventana Inn & Spa
Big Sur

”The enchiladas at Cielo, at Ventana Inn & Spa in Big Sur, with perfectly smoky mole sauce and just-made guacamole...” MORE>>
 
 
Cinch
1519 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California

”Fire-breathing statues are no competition for the creative Australia-inspired cuisine at Santa Monica's trendiest restaurant....” MORE>>
 
 
Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen
1327 Railroad Avenue
St. Helena, California

”Haute-comfort food maven Cindy Pawlcyn's most personal restaurant yet....” MORE>>
 
 
Citizen Cake
399 Grove Street
San Francisco, California

”Half-restaurant, half-pâtisserie, Citizen Cake is the perfect spot to refuel: try a crisp Cuban sandwich or a chocolate cream-filled cookies...” MORE>>
 
 
Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria
648 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA

”Playing Alvy Singer in 1977’s Annie Hall, Woody Allen famously described Los Angeles as a place whose only cultural advantage...” MORE>>
 
 
Cobras and Matadors
7615 West Beverly Boulevard
Wilshire
Los Angeles, California

”Conveniently located next to a liquor store, this BYOB tapas place stays open past midnight. On the walls: sepia photographs...” MORE>>
 
 
Coco500
500 Brannan Street
San Francisco, California

”Chef Loretta Keller's beloved Bizou has been transformed into this snazzy new spot....” MORE>>
 
 
Comme Ça
8479 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, California

”David Myer's (of Sona fame) channels the Left Bank at his new brasserie. The menu has all the classics, including...” MORE>>
 
 
Confidential
901 Fourth Avenue
San Diego, California

”Bachelor star Andrew Firestone has created a buzz with his sexy-chic Confidential, serving inventive tapas such as Indian lamb sliders...” MORE>>
 
 
Cook
1310 Main St.
St. Helena, CA

”The Cal-Med menu changes frequently but has some signatures: calamari with grilled lemons; eggplant Parmesan in creamy béchamel sauce; and...” MORE>>
 
 
Cora's Coffee Shoppe
1802 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, California

”A camera-ready greasy spoon with only a few counter stools. A tented patio has enough room for surfboards, a feature...” MORE>>
 
 
Cottage of Sweets
Ocean Ave. between Monte Verde and Lincoln Sts.

”The old-time candy shop is a sweet-lover's inspiration. ...” MORE>>
 
 
The Counter
2901 Ocean Park Boulevard
Santa Monica, California

”Design-your-own organic burgers....” MORE>>
 
 
Cowgirl Creamery
80 Fourth Street
Point Reyes Station, California

 
 
Craft Los Angeles
10100 Constellation Boulevard
Century City
Los Angeles, California

”Power lunchers adore this outpost of New York celebrity chef (and Top Chef host) Tom Colicchio, whose daily-changing menus are...” MORE>>
 
 
CUT
Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills
9500 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California

”Steak lovers should check out Wolfgang Puck's Cut for the Japanese Wagyu rib eye and the prime filet mignon carpaccio...” MORE>>
 
 
Cyrus
29 North Street
Healdsburg, California

”And the perfect complement to a vineyard-hopping day? Dinner at newcomer...” MORE>>
 
 
Dainties Cupcakes
11058 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, California

”Caterers Bill Dertouzo and partner Susan McAlindon sell cupcakes in striped boxes with inner rings to hold the confections in...” MORE>>
 
 
Deco
394 Main Street
Ventura, California

”At Deco, restaurateur Norbert Furnee has created his own cuisine, a marriage of French and SoCal styles that he calls...” MORE>>
 
 
DELICA rf1
1 Ferry Building
Shop #45
San Francisco, California

”Japanese entrepreneur Kozo Iwata opened Delica RF-1, his sleek Tokyo-style delicatessen, to pay homage to his idol, Alice Waters, and...” MORE>>
 
 
Dining Room
1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue
Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa
Pasadena, California

”Not many Angelenos know him by name, but Craig Strong, the young and unassuming chef-de-cuisine of the Dining Room is...” MORE>>
 
 
Din Tai Fung
1108 South Baldwin Avenue
Arcadia, California

”We watched through plate glass as a crew of chefs composed the golf ball–sized dumplings in a spotless kitchen, rolling...” MORE>>
 
 
Doña Tomás
5004 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, California

”Doña Tomás offers something else altogether: dutifully researched regional recipes, elevated by terrific ingredients. Pescado Veracruzana, where you'd normally expect...” MORE>>
 
 
Dottie's True Blue Café
522 Jones Street
San Francisco, California

”While in town, Haggis enjoys both, from hole-in-the-wall joints such as Dottie's True Blue Café to the haute cuisine of...” MORE>>
 
 
Dry Creek Kitchen
25 Matheson Street
Healdsburg, California

”At Dry Creek Kitchen, chef Palmer serves only Sonoma County wines—650 of them—and spotlights regional purveyors in dishes like chestnut-glazed...” MORE>>
 
 
El Agave Tequileria
2304 San Diego Avenue
San Diego, California

”This restaurant near the Mexican border serves an impressive 875 tequilas, and more than 500 are 100 percent agave. Chef-owner...” MORE>>
 
 
El Carmen
8138 W. Third St.
Los Angeles, CA

”There are cool pictures of Mexican wrestlers along the wall, an empty booth in the corner and music we don’t...” MORE>>
 
 
El Cuervo Taco Shop
110 West Washington Street
San Diego, California

”Hillcrest's best-kept secret: amazing tacos in an unassuming storefront....” MORE>>
 
 
El Dorado Kitchen
405 First Street West
Sonoma, California

”Sonoma's sleepy town square has a sophisticated new bistro, where Ryan Fancher, a former French laundry sous chef, prepares straightforward...” MORE>>
 
 
El Taurino
1104 South Hoover Street
Westlake
Los Angeles, California

”For an even later Mexican food fix, taco aficionados, including Jar's Suzanne Tracht, hit the no-frills El Taurino, which is...” MORE>>
 
 
Emporio Rulli Gran Caffe
2300 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, California

”Pastry chef Gary Rullispecializes in crisp biscotti and almond paste rolled in pine nuts at Emporio Rulli Gran Caffè....” MORE>>
 
 
Empress Pavilion
Bamboo Plaza, 988 North Hill Street, Number 201
Chinatown
Los Angeles, California

”On weekend mornings you might wait two hours for a table, watching through floor-to-ceiling windows as an army of waiters...” MORE>>
 
 
Erna's Elderberry House
48688 Victoria Lane
Château du Sureau
Oakhurst, California

”Chef Robert Riescher's dream résumé (he's worked for Gray Kunz and Ferran Adria) leads to creative tinkering: white bean soup...” MORE>>
 
 
Essencia
401 Gough Street
San Francisco, California

”Try the lomo saltado (steak with yucca fries)....” MORE>>
 
 
Everett & Jones
126 Broadway
Oakland, California

”Grab soulful barbecue