The Mendocino area is also known for its scrumptious farm-to-table cuisine and one of the best places to experience that is at Cafe Beaujolais. In other words, this area of the Pacific Coast Highway can be equally pretentious and down-to-earth. If eating European fusion cuisine in a Victorian farmhouse built in 1893 doesn’t scream Mendocino, I’m not sure what does.

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company (Santa Barbara)Īddress: 961 Ukiah St, Mendocino, CA 95460.

Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery (Solvang).

Pizza My Heart (Santa Cruz & All Over the Bay Area).

El Palomar or Taqueria Vallarta (Santa Cruz).

Note: the Pacific Coast Highway officially runs from Leggett to Dana Point (not all the way down to San Diego), so you won’t find any restaurants north or south of that area in this article. There are a lot of good places to eat along the Pacific Coast Highway, but these are my top foodie picks down Highway 1 to keep you happy and full throughout the whole trip. It’s a hodgepodge of different styles and flavors that change as you make your way up and down the coast. Similar to the demographics in the Golden State, Coastal California cuisine is a melting pot. It can make all the difference to have a string of fantastic restaurants to keep you going and fueled up on a road trip.Ĭar snacks only go so far and one of the best aspects about doing a road trip in the first place is to experience the local culture of the places you’re driving through.Īnd as I’ve learned from my travels around the world, one of the best ways to get to know a local culture is through its food.

The best restaurants on the Pacific Coast Highway to taste your way through the highlights of California cuisine.

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