El Cerrito Restaurants

Rainforest Café: A tropical dining adventure
If you can’t afford to go on safari, there’s always the Rainforest Café by Fisherman’s Wharf. A meal here is a feast for all the senses. And while it’s definitely a tourist destination with hiked up prices (Rainforest Cafés are located in major destinations throughout the U.S., from Disneyland to Vegas to Atlantic City), it’s well worth experiencing at least once, even if you’re a local and especially if you have kids.

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Epicurious Garden: Food court for food lovers
If you’re hungry and short on time, the options aren’t so slim in Berkeley’s “Gourmet Ghetto.” Not with the likes of Epicurious Garden offering a new spin on take-out. In close proximity to Chez Panisse, Lo Coco’s, Saul’s, Café de la Paz, and others on the northern end of Shattuck Avenue, Epicurious Garden is the place to go for something quick, but no less savory.

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Cliff House: A cliffhanger with a delicious ending
Most San Francisco visitors spend their time downtown or along the bay with its piers and restaurants. Few make it out to the ocean, where there's a landmark restaurant at the northwestern tip of the city poised majestically atop an ocean cliff. The view is unmatched, and unlike many "view" restaurants, the food is excellent, too.

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Brown Sugar Kitchen: Soul Food with a Modern Edge
Even disguised among the former warehouses on Mandela Parkway, Brown Sugar Kitchen can’t escape attention. Its nondescript façade has a simple, wholesome quality about it; the wood-beamed exterior is the color of brown sugar. Yet there’s something artistic about the clean lines, interrupted by a single sign that reads: “Sweet West Oakland; New Style Down Home.”

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Summer Kitchen: A Slice of the Country on College Ave.
The best of two worlds come together in Summer Kitchen Bake Shop on College Avenue. On the one hand, the charming little space fits right into the line of neighboring shops stocked with specialty products and high price tags. On the other hand, it also feels like a refreshing foray to another place – the sunny cheer of the countryside.

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Kincaid's Burlingame: Airport-close dining on the bay
Kincaid’s is right on the bay and close enough to SFO that during lulls in the conversation, you can hear the muffled roar of the jets and identify the logos on each plane. More importantly, it’s a place where you can enjoy the view and a good meal without overpaying for the privilege. Dinner entrees start at $16 and lunch entrees from $10.

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La Costanera: Exotic Peruvian cuisine at the beach
One word best describes the Peruvian fusion cuisine and ocean view at La Costanera: magnifico. The restaurant seems right at home on the Half Moon Bay coast, perhaps because—like California—Peru has its own long coastline, inland mountains and fertile farmland.

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17th Street Grille: Best Burgers in Butterfly Town
Located in “Butterfly Town, USA,” also known as Pacific Grove, the 17th Street Grille has numerous details highlighting the monarch butterfly, paying homage to the delicate creatures that migrate to the breeding sanctuary here each year. There’s a butterfly flag in the patio and butterflies painted on the dining room wall. Most people don’t come here for the décor, however, they come for the burgers, wraps and quesadillas, which the 17th Street Grille dubs as the “best in town.”

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Cappuro’s Restaurant: Casual dining in Fisherman’s Wharf
Right in the thick of Fisherman’s Wharf, Capurro’s is located by the entrance to Hyde Street Pier on the busy Jefferson Street strip. After wandering the historic ships, take a moment to relax and rejuvenate here, where the maritime theme continues. The décor includes fishing nets, anchors, and photographs of the fisherman’s life at sea.

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The Stinking Rose: A garlic lover's paradise in North Beach
If you like garlic, even a little, you will adore The Stinking Rose. But if you dislike garlic, stay away. It’s featured in most of the appetizers and entrees, which you can wash down with garlic wine. You can even order garlic ice cream for dessert. The slogan, “We season our garlic with food,” is no exaggeration.

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