Bay Area Restaurants

San Francisco Mag Top 50 Chronicle Top 100 Zagat Restaurants in Berkeley East Bay Restaurants Berkeley/Oakland A Cote, College, Rockridge classy wine bar ***Ajanta, 1888 Solano Avenue, Berkeley 510.526.4737 | best Indian restaurant Asmara Restaurant Oakland 547-5100 | Ethiopian Battambang 850 Broadway 839-8815 | Cambodian **Bay Wolf, 3853 Piedmont. 655-6004. | California Blue Nile Berkeley 540-6777 | Original Ethiopian Bucci's Emeryville 547-4725 | Overrated Italian Cafe at Chez Panisse. 548-5049 | Exquisite but pricey Cafe Eritrea d'Afrique Oakland 547-4520 | Funky Ehthiopian Cafe Grace Berkeley 842-2409 | at the University Art Museum Cafe Rouge 1782 Fourth St 525-1440 | Nice but pricey ** Cha Am 848-9664 | Best Thai place in town Christophers Nothing Fancy Albany 526-1185 | Neighborhood Mexican Citron 5484 College Avenue 653-5484 evenings | Classy Euro Cugini wood-fired pizza 558-9000 | So so Kathmandu 1410 Solano 526-3222 5:30-10:00 daily reserve | A rare treat Kirala Berkeley 549-3486 | Best Japanese in Berkeley ** Lalime's 1329 Gilman 527 9838 dinner www.lalimes.com | Great restaurant **Liaison, Shattuck & Hearst | French bistro, fun, a little pricey **Mangia Mangia 526-9700 755 San Pablo closed mondays | Neighborhood Italian Norinokono 548-1274 | Robata, intimate ***O Chame Berkeley 841-8783 | Country French/Japanese. Best restaurant in town Oliveto, 5655 College. 547-5356 | Overprice, to much olive oil. Downstairs works Pyramid Breweries 527-9090 | Noisy, pub food, an in spot *Renee's Place 1477 Solano Ave Albany, CA (510) 525-2330 | Good Chinese lunch on Solano Ristorante Salute 1900 Esplanade Richmond 215-0803 Mon-Sat 11-11 | Mediocre, great site Rivoli 526-2542 Solano at Peralta 5:30-10:00 | Overpriced but food can be great ***Soizic, 300 Broadway & Third , Oakland. 510 251-8100 closed mondays | Oakland fave ** Townhouse, 5862 Doyle Street, Emeryville 510 562 6151 Mon-Fri | Funky but good Toyo 843-3768 | Neighborhood Japanese Venezia 1799 University 849-4681 | Italian Marin Restaurants Sausalito Avatar -- "Marindian" cuisine. Try a Punjabi Caribbean jerk chicken tostada. Noisy, snack-bar ambiance. Innovative dishes. Great flavors. $6-$12. Caruso's -- in the Sausalito Marina -- funky bait store-fish market-snack bar. Sit outside while enjoying your calamari burger. $5. Mill Valley Piatti -- on the west side of 101 near Seminary (just north of Sausalito). 625 Redwood Highway, Mill Valley. Italian restaurant facing lagoon. Pizza, pasta, grilled items. Extensive menu. Jerry Garcia ate his last meal here. Walk next door to look at the Ferraris after lunch.380 2525 Piazza D'Angelo 22 Miller Mill Valley Charming upscale Italian restaurant in the heart of Mill Valley. 388-2000 Mountain Home Inn -- past the Muir Woods turnoff at 810 Panoramic. Stunning views back to the Bay from the slopes of Mt. Tam. Deck. Snacks and light meals. Mon-Fri lunch & dinner, Sat-Sun brunch & dinner. Closed Mondays November thru April. 381-9000. Corte Madera Il Fornaio Cucina Italiano. Delightful ristorante, the mothership of the Il Fornaio chain. Corte Madera 927-4400 Larkspur Left Bank, Magnolia, Larkspur. Formidable. Roland Passot's bistro evokes memories of the French countryside. Fantastic food more than makes up for occasional lapses in service. 927 3331 Lark Creek Inn, 234 Magnolia, Larkspur. Chef Bradley Ogden's upscale California cuisine experience. In good weather, ask for a table outside by the creek.924-7766. Fabrizio, Magnolia, Larkspur. Very pleasant neighborhood Italian. A bit noisy. Tiburon Guaymas, 5 Main. 435-6300. Innovative Mexican. San Anselmo Bubba's Diner, 566 San Anselmo. 459-6862. Gotta try this. American all the way. Breakfast, lunch & dinner every day but Tuesday. San Rafael Cafe Monet, 100 Smith Ranch Road, San Rafael 94903 415/499-8668 Striking salads, innovative lunches, bistro ambiance. Pensinsula Restaurants ***Zibibbo 20, 21, 18, $36 430 Kipling St. (bet. Lytton & University Aves.), Palo Alto, CA, 94301-1529 (650) 328-6722 **Evvia 24, 23, 21, $37 420 Emerson St. (bet. Lytton & University Aves.), Palo Alto, CA, 94301-1604 (650) 326-0983 For "Greek food raised to an art form", try this "taverna-like" Palo Alto spot with "wonderful" "nouvelle Hellenistic" cuisine; throw in "transporting decor" and it becomes a "feast for the senses"; the only complaint is that it's one of the "toughest reservations" in the area to score. Flea St. Cafe 22, 19, 21, $35 3607 Alameda de las Pulgas (Avy St.), Menlo Park, CA, 94025-6213 (650) 854-1226 "Marvelous" Menlo Park New American offering "cleverly prepared" food made with "fresh ingredients" and served by a "personable" staff; a recently redecorated dining room (relax, it's still like "eating at home"), and new chef Mark Stark may make Flea fans jump even higher. **Viognier 25, 22, 21, $43 222 E. Fourth Ave. (bet. B St. & Ellsworth Ave.), San Mateo, CA, 94401-4079 (650) 685-3727 "A food lover's restaurant", this San Mateo Med (located upstairs from Draeger's "super supermarket") is "one of the few worth a trip down 101"; while star chef Gary Danko is now at his own spot in SF, his legacy lives on in the "imaginative, delicious" cuisine; with its "wonderfully spacious" dining room, "friendly service" and "good wine list", it's "a repeater." ------------------ Amber India 2290 W. El Camino Real #9 (between Rengstroff and Ortega aves.) Mountain View, CA (650) 968-7511 Bistro Elan 448 California Ave. (between El Camino Real and Ash) Palo Alto (650) 327-0284 California, French Culinary creativity rules at this four-year-old Palo Alto bistro with sparkling ambience that makes you feel French. Blue Chalk Cafe 630 Ramona St. (between Hamilton and Forest) Palo Alto, CA (650) 326-1020 Southern, Cajun/Creole Play pool and sample imaginative southern comforts at a unique and fun restaurant/hangout. Caffe Riace 200 Sheridan Ave. (at Park) Palo Alto, CA (650) 328-0407 Italian A pleasant Italian eatery with outdoor seating and simple but very satisfying food. Crescent Park 546 University Ave. (between Webster and Cowper) Palo Alto, CA (650) 326-0111Mediterranean South Bay residents welcome this Mediterranean establishment to their neck of the woods. Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant (Palo Alto) 640 Emerson St. (between Forest and Hamilton) Palo Alto, CA (650) 323-7723 California Fresh beer and good food attract Stanford folks and professionals to this spot in tony downtown **L'Amie Donia 530 Bryant St. (at University) Palo Alto, CA (650) 323-7614 French, Bistro The Palo Alto bistro has won an ardent cult following among well-heeled Stanford intellectuals and those homesick for the foods of France. Dinner only. San Francisco Restaurants ***Farallon, 40 Post, 956-6969 | Classy fish place Rubicon, 558 Sacramento, 434-4100. Silks, Mandarin Oriental.. California cooking iwth Asian accents. 986-2020. **Bizou, 598 Fourth (Brannan) lun weekdays 415 543-2222 **Hawthorne Lane, 22 Hawthorne. 777-9779 $$$ Crustacean California & Polk 776-2722 Fringale 570 Fourth. bistro 543-0573 Helmand 362-0641 | Ethiopian Sol y Luna 296-8191 Favorites ***La Folie, 2316 Polk St. Roland and Jamie Passot. Magnifique. 776-5577 **Zuni, 1658 Market.552-2522. | A San Francisco classic **Moose's 989-7800 | Great service in North Beach **Greens 771-6222. | Best vegetarian Il Fornaio 986-0100. Kyo-Ya, Palace Hotel, 546-5090. | Classy Japanese Ristorante Ecco South Park 495-3291 cozy Pan Pacific Grill 771-8600 South Park Cafe, 108 South Park. 495-7275. | Funky Tommy Toy, 655 Montgomery. 397-4888. Fog City Diner, 1300 Battery. 982-20200 Fleur de Lys, 777 Sutter. Hubert Keller. Expensive, marvellous French. 673-7779. Boulevard lunch & dinner daily 415 543-6084 More Italian... Pazzia, 3rd betw Folsom & Harrison authentic pizzeria-girarrosto cheap & informal 512-1693 same block as Max's Laghi, 1801 Clement. Mama-papa trattoria. 386-6266. Buca Giovanni, 800 Greenwich. Rabbit. 776-7766. Palio d'Asti, 640 Sacramento. Yummy. 395-9800. Armani Cafe, One Grant. lunch daily 415 677-9010 Expensive Masa's 989-7154 Ritz-Carlton Dining Room, 296-7465 Wine Country Restaurants Sonoma Eastside Oyster Bar and Grill, 133 E. Napa St. 707 939-1266. Sonoma Valley Brava Terace, 3010 N St Helena Hwy, St Helena. Fred Halpert. Provencal. 707 963-9300 Cafe Citti, Kenwood. Tuscan. 707 833-2690. Chateau Souverain, Geyserville. 707 433-3141. Napa Valley ****Bistro Don Giovanni, 4110 St Helena Hwy (former Table 29 location) 707 224-3300 The French Laundry, 6640 Washington, Yountville. 707 944-2380. Mustards Grill. Cindy Pawlcyn. Great food at reasonable prices. 707 944-2424 Stars Oakville Cafe. 707 944-8905. Tra Vigne, St Helena. Think Italian garden. 707 963-4444. Terra, Italian, 1345 Railroad Ave., St. Helena 707-963-8931 Domaine Chandon, 1 California Dr., Yountville 707-944-2892 Trilogy, French (Classic), 1234 Main St., , St. Helena 707-963-5507 Further North Boonville Hotel, Boonville, 707 895-2210 Willowside, 3535 Guerneville Rd, Santa Rosa. 707 523-4814. Monterey Restaurants Carmel Rio Grill 408 625-5436 Robert Kincaid's Bistro, Crossroads Shopping Center. "A must." Lunch weekdays, dinner Mon-Sat. 624-9626 California Thai, San Carlos and Fourth. Dinner. 622-1160 Flying Fish Grill, Mission. Clay pot cookery. 625-1962 Avenue, Ocean at Lincoln. Lunch and dinner daily. 624-4395 Restaurant at Mission Ranch, 26270 Dolores (near Rio Road and Mission), Sat lunch, dinner nightly. 625-9040. Roy's at Pebble Beach, Inn at Spanish Bay. Glamorous. open every day/every meal. 647-7423 Pacific Grove Joe Rombi's La Mia Cucina, 208 17th. Elegant, reasonable. Dinner wed-sun. 373-2417 Monterey Montrio, 414 Calle Principal. Good for lunch. Mon-Sat lunch & dinner, Sun dinner. 648-8880 Monterey Fish House, 2114 Del Monte. basic, casual. lunch Mon-Fri, dinner nightly. 373-4647 Other Areas The Baltic, Pt Richmond deck, nice atmo Bridges, Danville 820-7200 44 Church lunch Saturday Blackhawk Grille 736-4295 lunch daily