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Price Guide: $ = less than $15, $$ = $15 - $35, $$$ = $36-$50, $$$$ = over $50
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The trick at Back Forty is figuring out just what to order from the Wild West menu. All the meats, including the pork and beef ribs, are cooked "long and slow" over the smoke and heat of oak wood. The two sauces--mild or hot--are true to their Texas roots, meaning they are far less fiery than the chile-fueled versions familiar to many Bay Area residents. If a full platter seems too much, opt for one of the piled-high sandwiches.--Diablo
The interior of this mountain-lodge-style meat palace is big, deep, and dark, a good match for a menu strong on grilled, smoked, and spit-roasted meats. Famed restaurant designer Pat Kuleto put his high-drama stamp on this space, and the new owners have kept the menu in tune with the decor while introducing some leavening in a wider array of salads and seafood dishes.--Diablo
The Lafayette Park Hotel has definitely set its stamp on residential Lafayette, bringing comfortable accommodations and the successful Duck Club to a town formerly lacking in these areas. With the addition of the Bistro in the former bar/lounge of The Duck Club, the proprietors have fashioned a clubby, cozy lair for simple dining. Salads, sandwiches, and spit-roasted chicken make the food as accessible as the room is comfortable.--Diablo
Bask in the art deco glamour of Bix, a downtown supper club serving updated American fare--chicken hash, smoked salmon with potato pancakes, steak tartare--and one of the best martinis in town. Live jazz nightly.
This sleek, modern place, bright with stainless steel and tall windows, serves six house-brewed beers to accompany contemporary pub food, from traditional burgers and pizzas to an intriguing lamb quesadilla to London broil. You can sit and admire the gleaming brew gear while you sip, or chat in a cozy corner. On a day when beer's not the answer, try the pear or apple cider (the offering changes with the season) or a cocktail from the full bar.--Diablo
Peninsulans have been flocking to this historic Birge Clark-designed hacienda for the Southern cooking and for the gaming diversions--four pool tables, darts, and shuffleboard. The menu features classics with a twist, such as pan-seared catfish with pecan rice and pot-licquor greens.
Blue Tattoo is big--15,000 square feet of nightclub and restaurant with all the velocity of a South of Market mega-club. There are different themes every night--from Motown to techno--and the all-appetizer menu in the 200-seat restaurant is big on tapas and sushi. Nothing like moderne fast food to get you back to the dance floor, and quick.--Diablo
Celebrated chef Nancy Oakes prepares her legendary American cooking at downtown's stylish Pat Kuleto-designed Boulevard, overlooking the Bay. The menu shifts with the seasons, but many of Oakes's signature dishes, including her heavenly sautéed foie gras and roasted pork loin, are offered regularly.
When the Brass Door opened in 1955, San Ramon was a very different place. Heading into the comfortable roadside bar and restaurant for a steak made perfect sense, what with all those cattle roaming the hillsides. It still does make sense. You can get a steak or a thick cut of prime rib, and if you spend a little time at the popular bar you might even hear a story or two from a local who was around on opening day.--Diablo
Steve Simmons's diner is a local find. Don't miss his top-notch chicken fricassee with biscuit topping or fried oyster po' boys. The respectable wine list offers some great choices by the glass.
Fresh baked goods, Belgian waffles, and omelettes make Café Meyers a great place to start the day. The room is smartly comfortable, with granite-top tables and a soothing beige color scheme. At lunch it's sandwiches, soup, and salads, with a café garden sandwich for vegetarians. Spring for a piece of cake, too.--Diablo
This casual, contemporary Berkeley restaurant does a good job cooking the kind of light yet flavorful food that most of us really like to eat. It's a good-looking place, too, with a stylish zinc-topped bar, art-covered walls, and red Japanese-style paper lanterns as light fixtures. Service can be uneven, particularly on busy evenings. Faves include ethereal smoked salmon with celery-root rémoulade and sea bass in a buttery, thyme-scented broth. If the kitchen could get its act together with potatoes, the grilled New York steak (with limp fries) and unctuous red-wine- braised duck (with a dry, underseasoned galette) would be great stuff, too.--Diablo
Old-timers can remember where Rustica began, across the street in a place so small that two people standing at the counter constituted a crowd. Fortunately for lovers of the serious pie, these dough-meisters continue their mastery of the inventive and ample pizza. From the simple margherita to the smoky cajun, these 14-inchers will keep you coming back. But there's more: savory tapas, rotisseried chicken, and a choice of sides.--Diablo
Culinary legends Bradley Ogden and Jan Birnbaum are tough acts to follow, but chef Todd Humphries now wears the toque in this distinguished kitchen, blending various elements of Americana. The elegant, sophisticated dining room is noted for its fabulous breakfasts and polished service.
From Canyon View's perch high on the eastern slopes above San Ramon, Bishop Ranch fills the valley floor, and the western hills shade to gold toward sunset just about the time the bar starts to hum. Fourteen-ounce slabs of prime rib draw in many regulars, and it's not unusual to see more than a few parties throwing caution to the wind and demanding the prime rib and lobster combination.--Diablo
The folks running this global outpost are scholars as well as chefs, serving a different cuisine every month at their casual yet stylish little restaurant. This month, the kitchen features a menu from Middle Europe, specifically Hungary, Poland, and Czechoslovakia.
No, it's not a Mexican restaurant. "The Casa," as locals call it, is a 65-year-old former roadhouse from the pre-freeway world of ranching Contra Costa. Giant western oil paintings, a serious gun collection, and Wild West photographs create an authenticity that has made The Casa an institution. Try the classic fried chicken, serious steaks, and generous house-made desserts. The friendly service staff and valet parking are definite pluses.--Diablo
Charbel's-Le Chateaubriand is a longtime Diablo Valley standard that deals in the classics: lavish cuts of beef, a French-Continental tilt to the menu, a wine list focused on chardonnay and cabernet. Add in the traditional service, a comfortable dining room, and a changing range of specials, and you've got a cozy restaurant to repair to when fusion just won't do.--Diablo
Mining is the theme here, and there are heaps of mining paraphernalia around--ore carts, picks and shovels, lanterns--to get you in the mood. Heaps of food, too. The menu is full of hearty vittles from the Wild, Wild West: ribs, burgers, steak, chicken, and turkey pot pies.--Diablo
The Courtyard Café, set among redwoods off the busy main drag, feels at times like the center of it all in Alamo. Regulars gather to visit and eat breakfast or lunch, poring over a menu that seems large for such a cozy place. Breakfast choices range from waffles to a Mexican omelette; lunchtime offerings include a wide array of salads, sandwiches, and burgers.--Diablo
Crogan's does a bit of everything in a big way. The bar, bright with windows and giant TV screens, plays host to sports fans before, during, and after dinner. The dining rooms, high-ceilinged and wide open, feature a menu so extensive and comprehensive that it seems you'll never run out of options. Daily blue-plate specials include meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy on Mondays.--Diablo
Crogan's was around and busy long before the restaurant scene in downtown Walnut Creek approached critical mass. But the spirit and the crowds haven't changed. The crowded bar has several large TV screens, and when local teams are featured there's a crush of fans rooting them on. In the big, high-ceilinged dining room next door, the American pub-style menu features steaks, seafood, and burgers.--Diablo
For a brew pub, Dempsey's food is surprisingly sophisticated; in fact, it's some of the best in the North Bay. Try a crisp green salad topped with delicate beet slivers, crunchy walnuts, and salty blue cheese. The carnitas sandwich with tangy avocado spread melts in your mouth; it's testimony to why pub food was invented, as is the cheddar burger served with thick, crispy house-cut fries. Among the desserts, a fall fig tart with rich caramel is extraordinary. The food pairs well with Dempsey's handcrafted brews, including a delicately dry wheat beer and an Ugly Dog Stout--one of the best stouts I've ever tasted. (Maurice)
For more than 20 years, Doug's has been dishing out what many barbecue devotees call the without-a-doubt best in the East Bay. The location, where I-580 crosses San Pablo Avenue, has a certain urban grittiness about it, yes, but if you bring a good appetite you'll be less focused on the active street scene than on the simple menu inside. After you've decided among beef or pork ribs, links, chicken, lamb, or even goat, you still have to pick the caliber of Doug's complex sauce: mild, medium, or hot. Medium can be plenty hot, but be bold. After all, this is barbecue.--Diablo
What is it that makes this place feel so wholesome? The woodsy setting? The simple but savory soups, salads, and sandwiches? The eternally gracious welcome? Maybe it's all those in combination with the paternal suggestion in the down-home name. The folks here will indulge you with half a sandwich paired with soup or salad. Armenian pinwheel sandwiches on lavash are a perennial favorite.--Diablo
The beer list at this wood-paneled sports pub includes at least 20 microbrews, mostly from the Pacific Northwest. The chef, a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, adds daily specials to a traditional menu that includes a popular tri-tip sandwich and grilled chicken on focaccia.--Diablo
Chef Mark Fischer's winning formula of small, shareable plates and upscale versions of down-home food endures here, as does the slick diner-style interior. The booths are among the most comfortable seats in town.
This modern bistro is a popular late night hangout for food industry insiders. The 40-seat former blacksmith shop is bright with blue and green canvas seat covers, matching the waiters' shirts. American cuisine with an Italian spirit, the menu includes crispy romaine salads and robust homemade pastas served in hand-thrown ceramic bowls. The marinated, grilled sardines are delicious; save room for the addictive paper-thin apple tart with caramel sauce. (Madge)
Ann Harris has redefined the all-American steakhouse for the discriminating diner by offering an elegant, formal setting; 21-day dry-aged beef; and steamed veggies and grilled seafood as calorie-conscious alternatives.
Casual dining and 42 beers on tap make Hooligans a unique, distinctly fun ale house and Dublin gathering spot. And the name? Tom Soldati, who owns Hooligans with his brother Tim, tells how the nuns who were his fourth-grade teachers kept telling him he was a hooligan. So what's wrong with a couple of Italian guys doing a bit of the Irish (in Dublin, of course)? Live entertainment (no cover charge) on Fridays and Saturdays.--Diablo
The automotive metaphor is carried to humorous extremes at this bright corner café dedicated to American diner classics. Beverages are listed under "lubricants," and side orders are "optional equipment." Whatever car-related name the menu may give your dish, the food is solid, plentiful, and quick. Veggie burgers and turkey burgers are available for those who shy away from red meat. Try the delicious I.B.C. diet sodas.--Diablo
This contemporary American restaurant/bar is a natural addition to the Civic Center culturati and worth an extra block's walk from the Hayes Valley nexus. With its deep blue concave ceiling, Indigo has a night-sky feeling, even a tinge of the nautical. Typical of a young restaurant, the food is still evolving, but it leans toward solid, down-to-earth dishes such as warm spinach salad with a smoky bacon vinaigrette; addictive but salty cornmeal-battered rock shrimp; and desserts of warm fruit crisps and an ambitious lavender crème brûlée. The service is young, professional, and enthusiastic. Concertgoers take note: From 5 to 7 p.m., there's a $22 three-course prix-fixe menu. (Brooks)
Bradley Ogden's sophisticated American cooking suits the setting in this splendidly restored Victorian. Opt for lunch on the charming patio. Chef Todd Davies's menu highlights include whole grilled chicken with honey vinegar sauce and pepper steak fries.
Celebrity chef Brad Ogden and partner Michael Dellar led the recent march of food-world big shots into Walnut Creek, and they continue to deliver American specialties in a casual environment. The interior is cozy American bistro, with additional seating on a patio or in a corral on the sidewalk. Ogden's crew works wonders with most anything fried, and desserts are extravagant and irresistible. The wine list draws on the connections and experience of the owners' Lark Creek Inn and One Market restaurants.--Diablo
Max's Diner is, well, an affordable riot; the joint is always jumping from lunch through dinner. The menu leaves nothing out, it seems, from egg creams to meat loaf to a dizzying list of daily specials. And, of course, those thick, very meaty sandwiches. None of this should come as a surprise--Max's motto is "Everything You Always Wanted to Eat."--Diablo
The Walnut Creek branch of this popular chain serves huge portions of New York delicatessen fare--and much more. The menu runs for pages, and seems to have a slot for everything you ever thought about ordering. While you lean into your classic corned beef or pastrami sandwich, your singing server (at dinner) will likely toss you a tune whether you're in the mood for it or not. Proximity to the Center for the Arts makes this a good bet for a quick meal.--Diablo
Everybody's got one, a favorite hang-loose café where you can roll in for a homemade breakfast or lunch and feel like you're at your own kitchen table. For Lafayette residents, Millie's is that place. The friendly crew will bring you a big, savory omelette, waffles, or a burger with all the accessories. The parking lot's small, and there can be a wait, but the ample plates and warm welcome make it all worthwhile.--Diablo
This San Ramon eatery is more theme Irish than authentic. You will find Guinness on tap, however, as well as a short roster of traditional Irish dishes. The rest of O'Kane's menu comprises such American classics as baby-back ribs, Buffalo chicken wings, Philadelphia cheesesteaks, and flautas.
Oakville does a lot of food things well--cheeses, wines, fancy dry goods--but one of the best is high-quality takeout, with many an item that might show up on a tony restaurant menu. There are salads and grilled meats, pastas, and golden roast chickens that fly out the door the minute they come off the spit. You can eyeball the possibilities in front of the long deli case, or phone in an order for pickup. The parking garage upstairs makes takeout that much easier.--Diablo
The name says it all. Our Place feels like home, or at the very least that dependable and always welcoming neighborhood spot. The Cobb salad and Chinese chicken salad are favorites at lunch and dinner, and you can order them in a size that fits your appetite. Salmon appears regularly among the fish specials.--Diablo
The pub vernacular--wood and mirrors, red brick and hanging plants--has found its way into every corner of urban life, but the interior of this Oakland microbrewery looks and feels like the real thing. It's a warm retreat from downtown bustle, and the traditional pub menu complements the robust brews for which Pacific Coast is best known. The ideal introduction to the food that fits so well? A sausage sandwich made with your choice of sausage: banger, Italian, German, or du jour.--Diablo
Hideaway is the word that comes to mind when driving up to ivy-covered Petar's, a Lafayette landmark since 1959. Inside, the feeling is pure Tyrolean, with dark wood furniture and ceiling beams. The long, sprawling space is split between a crowded bar complete with piano and lounge singer, and a dining room where you can settle on steak, salmon, or shrimp Louie.--Diablo
It's all mythology and microbrews at Pete's, where there's nobody named Pete and certainly no place to get your wheels washed. No, the stars here are the burgers and the locals who fill the place with stunning regularity. Check out the long wall covered with framed drawings of the illusory Pete.--Diablo
The joke around town is that this is the only hotel in Pleasanton without any rooms. It's a restaurant with a modern menu, several dining rooms inside, and a tree-shaded backyard that is host almost year-round to weddings and private parties. The handsome Victorian-Old West building reverberates with entertainment on a nearly regular schedule.--Diablo
Attached to the Raven Theatre, Ravenous Cafe serves outstanding fare in a tiny room with faux-tiger covered banquettes and enormous fresh flower arrangements. Chef/owner Joyanne Pezzolo coaxes big flavors out of her kitchen, showing off her midwestern roots. Thick slices of crusty home-baked bread are delivered to every table. Pan-roasted pork tenderloin with juniper sauce and potato-onion-rosemary gratin is hearty and delicious. (Maurice)
For almost 20 years, folks have been rising early to enjoy fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, breads, scones, and muffins at this Danville landmark. The outside tables fill up first, and you'd swear that everybody leaning over breakfast knows everybody else. Lunch brings sandwiches, salads, and soup. Dinner is served three nights a week, with grilled dishes and pastas featured.--Diablo
The awning over the front windows promises Chicago-style pizza, but that doesn't tell the whole story. In addition to the stuffed pies--which need a good 30 minutes in the oven--you can order traditional thin-crust pizzas, choosing between the house's combinations or a pie of your own devising. Add a Caesar or Greek salad, and mangia bene.--Diablo
A person can get mighty hungry watching 14 big-screen televisions, and the pub fare at the Stadium Sports Pub will take that edge off in a hurry. Burgers, hot dogs, and Philly cheesesteaks do the trick, or you can go the deli route and bite into a raft of pastrami.--Diablo
Clubby is the feel inside this rambling restaurant at the edge of Broadway Plaza. Instead of a single vast dining room, the space is separated into discrete sections with dark wood booths and plenty of elbow room. As a result, you can actually carry on a conversation with your tablemates while you peruse the wide-ranging menu. The scent of ribs wafting through makes it hard to think of ordering anything else.--Diablo
Everything about this café is crisp, simple, smart. The look is clean '50s, and the menu items are listed without paragraph-long descriptions of every ingredient. Pastas, pizzas, and meat dishes share equal billing.--Diablo
Vally Medlyn's opened in Danville in 1950, after 15 years in Oakland. Still as popular as when the doors opened are the "kistwich" sandwiches, built of grilled hot dogs--sliced longways--plus lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, and relish, on grilled bread. There's also a deluxe version made like a clubhouse, just one of 18 clubhouses. Chase your lunch with a real milk shake. Breakfasts are great, too.--Diablo
If you've got meat on your mind, Vic Stewart's is a good place to be. This railroad depot turned steak emporium, with its several dining rooms and cozy dining car, features marbled Angus beef that will tempt you in all its forms: porterhouse, prime rib, and New York steaks. You'll also find rack of lamb, pork chops, and even loin of ostrich. A wine list loaded with hearty reds almost guarantees you'll find the right cabernet or merlot.--Diablo
Some very fine fish are making the overland trek to Walnut Creek, to be served up simple and bright at this nautically themed restaurant. Chef Kevin Weinberg--after several years on that biggest of islands, Australia--has brought an unflagging respect for freshness to everything he turns out. The changing daily offerings--tuna, sand dabs, salmon, and on and on--are best grilled and paired with one of the excellent sauces.--Diablo
A dinner here is a pleasant retreat to the country--as long as you don't mind the drive. A hearty American menu developed by Kimball Jones changes daily to incorporate fresh ingredients, including some from the restaurant's own on-site garden. Dishes are hit and miss, like a house-smoked pork chop (hit) and indifferent antipasto plate (miss), but the real draw is the peaceful location amid Wente's vineyards. Also of note is the stellar wine list of more than 250 choices, including some interesting local bottles as well as big names from all over Northern California and France.--Diablo
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