Northern California
200 places
Written up
Been thereBixby Creek Bridge
SightThe stop to make on the Pacific coast road
- Been there · May 2025
Blue Bottle Coffee
CaféThe chain that changed California's coffee habit
- Been there
Bouchon Bistro
RestaurantThe French Laundry's calmer little brother
- Been there · May 2025
Bourbon & Branch
BarOne of the two best speakeasies I've been to
- Been there
Cha Cha Cha
RestaurantA long-standing Caribbean table, with good sangria
- Been there
Crustacean
RestaurantSkip the crab traps on Pier 39
Been thereDomaine Chandon
WineryWhere to begin a day in Napa
- Been there
Dunyā Mediterranean Bistro & Wine Bar
RestaurantWhen you want Turkish food in San Francisco
- Been there
Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse
RestaurantMeat heaven — arrive hungry
- Been there · May 2025
Hillstone
RestaurantA San Francisco standby, best in artichoke season
- Been there
House of Nanking
RestaurantTell them how hungry you are and let the chef do the rest
Been thereMama's On Washington Square
RestaurantThe breakfast place people queue for
Been thereMemphis Minnie's BBQ Joint
RestaurantAmerican barbecue in San Francisco
Been thereMulligan Public House
RestaurantWorth a stop if you reach Carmel
- Been there · May 2025
Nopa
RestaurantAn easy room and good California cooking
Been thereOpus One Winery
WineryWorth the visit for the building alone
- Been there
Robert Mondavi Winery
WineryThe home of a label you already know
- Been there
Roy's at Pebble Beach
RestaurantA table looking over Pebble Beach
- Been there
The French Laundry
RestaurantFor years, the most famous restaurant in the world
Been thereThe Interval at Long Now
CaféCoffee by day, cocktails by evening
- Been there
Union Larder
RestaurantA calm evening of wine, cheese and charcuterie
Been thereV. Sattui
WineryBuy the wine, picnic in the garden
- Been there · May 2025
Bi-Rite Market
OtherWhere the Dolores Park picnic starts
- Been there
Blue Bottle Coffee
CaféThe chain that changed California's coffee habit
- Been there · May 2025
Deans Fine Cigars
ShopA cigar shop with a walk-in humidor
Been there · May 2025Delarosa Marina
RestaurantRoman pizza all day on Chestnut Street
Been thereFort Mason Center Farmers' Market
OtherA Sunday farmers' market by the bay
Been thereGary Danko
RestaurantA classic that has held its Michelin star for years
Been thereMission Dolores Park
SightA grassy park with a city view
- Been there
Pizzeria Delfina
RestaurantThin-crust pizza in the Mission
Been thereTartine Bakery
BakeryA bakery known for sourdough and tarts
- Been there
The Cigar Bar & Grill
OtherLive salsa, and cigars in the courtyard
Been thereThe Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
OtherA cooking school in a stone winery building
Been thereTony's Pizza Napoletana
RestaurantA world-champion pizza maker's North Beach room
- Recommended to me
Che Fico
RestaurantA neighbourhood restaurant blending Italian and Jewish cooking
- Recommended to me
Post Ranch Inn
HotelAdults only, on the Big Sur cliffs
More from my list
Places I haven't written about or photographed yet. Name and category is all I have; Google Maps has the rest.
- 4505 Burgers & BBQ
- 816 Santa Cruz Ave
- Alexander's Steakhouse
- Angler
- AsiaSF
- Auberge du Soleil
- Ballentine Vineyards
- Balmy Alley
- Barcino
- Barebottle Brewing Company
- Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers
- BarrelHouse Brewing Co. - Brewery and Beer Gardens
- Bartavelle Coffee & Wine Bar
- Bask
- Benu
- Bi-Rite Creamery
- Biergarten
- Big Sur Roadhouse
- Bistro Don Giovanni
- Bistro Gambrinus
- Black Hammer Brewing
- BlindPig Speakeasy Lounge
- Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin' BBQ
- Brenda's French Soul Food
- Briarwood Inn
Cafe Du Nord
Caffe Trieste- Cardinale Estate
- Castello di Amorosa - Calistoga, CA
- Cellarmaker Brewing Co.
- Chateau du Sureau
Chez Panisse- Community Thrift
Comstock Saloon- Cotogna
- Crab House
- Cultura Comida y Bebida
- Cypress Tree Tunnel
- Dalida
Dametra Cafe- Dandelion Chocolate
- Del Monte Beach
- Deli Board
- di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art
- El Buen Comer
Far Niente Winery- Farmhouse Inn
- Fatted Calf
- Fieldwork Brewing
- Fieldwork Brewing Company
Firestone Walker Brewing Company- Flaherty's Seafood Grill and Oyster Bar
- Fly
- Frog's Leap Winery
- Gamble Family Vineyards
- Gott's Roadside
- Great China Restaurant
- Grégoire Restaurant
- Harmonic Brewing
- Hearst Kalesi
- Il Fornaio
- Il Posto Trattoria
- Ina Coolbrith Park
- Ippuku
- JaM Cellars
- Kitchen Istanbul
- Kokkari Estiatorio
- KUSAKABE
- L'Auberge Carmel
- La Bicyclette Restaurant
- La Ciccia
- La Mar Cebicheria Peruana
- La Taqueria
Lafayette Park
Lagunitas Brewing Company- Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley
- Last Rites
- Laughing Monk Brewing
- Liholiho Yacht Club
- Linea Caffe
- Lovers Point Park
- M. H. de Young Memorial Müzesi
Macondray Ln- Madrone Art Bar
Manresa- Mini Bar
- Mister Jiu's
- Mustards Grill
Nepenthe- Nickel & Nickel
- Nopalito
- Nopalito
- O'Brien Estate Winery
- Oakville Grocery
- Octavia
- Paso Robles
- Paxton Gate
- Pearl 6101
Pfeiffer Beach- Phil's Fish Market & Eatery
- Picante
- Pizzetta 211
- Provenance Vineyards
- Quince
Rainbow Grocery- Ray's Crab Shack
Rich Table- Richmond Republic Draught House
- Roam Artisan Burgers
Robert Louis Stevenson State Park- Rocky Point Restaurant
- Rosewood CordeValle
- RT Rotisserie
- Saison
- Salvestrin Winery
- Sam's Anchor Cafe
- Schramsberg Vineyards
- SF Hole In The Wall Pizza
- Sightglass Coffee
Smuggler's Cove- Sol Food
- Sol Food
- Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection
- Solbar
- Spark Social SF
- Spindrift Inn
- Squeeze Inn Hamburgers
St. Ignatius Church- Standard Deviant Brewing
Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company- Sushi Yoshizumi
Tablas Creek Vineyard- Tacolicious
- Tacorea
- The Apothecarium - Castro
- The Apothecarium - Marina
- The Bird
- The Candy Store
- The Cheeseboard Pizza
- The City Club of San Francisco
- The Coffee Movement
- The Fish Hopper
The Grove - Yerba Buena- The Humidor
- The Inn Above Tide
The Lab- The Stinking Rose
- Thread Lounge
- Tomales Bay
- Tommy's Mexican Restaurant
- Toronado
- Trefethen Family Vineyards
- Trick Dog
- True Laurel
- Vagabond's House Inn
- VILLON
- WALT Wines
- Waterbar Restaurant
Whitehall Lane Winery- Yank Sing
- Yank Sing (Rincon)
- Z & Y Restaurant
- Zazie
- Zeitgeist