California Tourism: Best Dining Bets

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Best Dining Bets

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San Francisco's Finest: In this town, it's sacrilege to attempt naming the "top" restaurant. For a perfect combo of food and atmosphere, though, we count on Campton Place (tel. 415/955-5555), Restaurant Gary Danko (tel. 415/749-2060), and Zuni Café (tel. 415/552-2522).

Chez Panisse (Berkeley; tel. 510/548-5525): This is the domain of Alice Waters, "the queen of California cuisine." Originally inspired by the Mediterranean, her kitchen has found its own style, and her food captivates the senses as well as the imagination. Chez Panisse's delicacies include dishes such as grilled fish wrapped in fig leaves with red-wine sauce, and Seckel pears poached in red wine with burnt caramel.

Bistro Don Giovanni (Napa; tel. 707/224-3300): In this large, cheery Napa Valley dining room you can get an incredible Italian meal without a reservation. Just drop in and wait at the bar for a seat.

Terra (Napa; tel. 707/963-8931): One of the best choices in the state, this small restaurant affords its patrons intimacy, outstanding food by Hiro Sone (one of California's best chefs), great wine, heavenly desserts, and complete freedom from pretense.

Restaurant 301 (Eureka; tel. 800/404-1390): A recipient of Wine Spectator's Grand Award, Mark Carter is passionate about food and wine, and it shows: His hotel restaurant is considered the best on the Northern Coast. Most of the herbs and many vegetables served are picked fresh from the hotel's organic gardens. Indulge in the five-course fixed-price dinner menu; Carter pairs each course with an excellent wine, available by the glass, or as part of a wine flight.

Erna's Elderberry House (Oakhurst; tel. 559/683-6800): Erna's shines like a beacon across the culinary wasteland around Yosemite. The six-course menu, which changes nightly, is an ideal blend of Continental and Californian cuisine. Portions are bountiful, and the European ambience is elegant.

bouchon (Santa Barbara; tel. 805/730-1160): With an intriguing seasonal menu derived from Santa Barbara County's wine country, this intimate restaurant (whose name means "wine cork") is hidden behind a shrubbery portal in the heart of downtown. The food and service are impeccable, and an experienced staff stands ready to help coordinate by-the-glass (or even half-glass) wines for each course.

The Hump (Santa Monica; tel. 310/313-0977): The chefs here are deadly serious about their sushi. Flown in daily from Tokyo's Tsukijii and Fukuoka fish markets in oxygen-filled containers, it's so fresh a sign at the entrance warns the faint-of-heart that the meat's still moving.

Koi (West Hollywood; tel. 310/659-9449): One of L.A.'s hottest restaurants has A-list celebrities arriving nightly for addictive dishes such as baked crab rolls with edible rice paper. Koi is a killer combo of good feng shui and superb Asian fusion cuisine.

Bertrand at Mister A's (San Diego; tel. 619/239-1377): With the city's most delectable views, this longtime San Diego institution was reborn in 2000 after a reported $1-million makeover. The owners molded a very old-school, vaguely campy space into an elegant, bright, sophisticated dining destination with excellent American-Mediterranean fare.

The Best Culinary Experiences

Grazing at San Francisco's Farmers Market: In 2003, San Francisco's favorite outdoor culinary fair moved to the Ferry Building Marketplace, where some of the best artisan food producers and restaurants have storefronts. Stop by anytime to peruse the exceptional, abundant selection of gourmet shops and restaurants, or join the locals during open-air market days -- Tuesday and Thursday -- to feast on the freshest vegetables, fruits, and prepared foods from beloved restaurants.

A Decadent Meal in the Wine Country: As a setting, the Wine Country is a better backdrop for indulgent dining than any other place in the state. Add the best wines and some of the most talented chefs in the nation, and you've got what we consider the ultimate dining experience. Diners with deep pockets must reserve an evening meal at The French Laundry in St. Helena (tel. 707/944-2380). More moderately priced memories can be made at aforementioned Terra (tel. 707/963-8931).

Tomales Bay Oysters: Johnson's Oyster Farm (tel. 415/669-1149) sells its farm-fresh oysters -- by the dozen or the hundreds -- for a fraction of the price you'd pay at a restaurant.

A Date with the Coachella Valley: Some 95% of the world's dates are farmed here. While the groves of date palms make evocative scenery, it's their fruit that draws visitors to the National Date Festival in Indio each February. Amid the Arabian Nights Parade and camel races, you can feast on an array of plump Medjool, amber Deglet Noor, caramel-like Halawy, and buttery Empress dates. The rest of the year, date farms and markets sell dates from the season's harvest, as well as date milkshakes, date coconut rolls, and more.

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California Tourism: Best Dining Bets

Best Dining Bets

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