With chefs inspired by global influences and a unique natural landscape, the San Francisco Peninsula is home to a collection of vibrant and diverse restaurants. This remarkable selection of Michelin Guide-recognized restaurants—with establishments earning Michelin stars or Bib Gourmand distinctions—offer everything from refined fine dining experiences to innovative and scenic casual eateries. The Peninsula is a must-visit destination for foodies and culinary tourists seeking world-class cuisine “south of San Francisco and beyond expectations.”
Navio
At the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, dining is expectedly luxurious … with a California casual twist. The standout dining experience is Navio. The prix fixe tasting menu blends contemporary European flavors with sustainable ingredients inspired by coastal California. Chef de Cuisine Xisco Simón presents plating as an art form with dynamic yet accessible cuisine while guests dine oceanside.
Sunset views from the mariner-inspired décor accentuate dishes like Pacific mackerel with fuyu persimmon, red endive, and Buddha’s hand and spot prawn with cello spinach and American White sturgeon caviar. An indulgent weekend brunch features a luxurious multi-course dining experience with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Highlights of the ad libitum menu include premium seafood, Belgian waffles, and a dessert tower.
The Village Pub
Carrying a Michelin star for over a dozen years, The Village Pub is unassuming elegance in Woodside. San Francisco restaurateurs Tim Stannard, Mark Sullivan, and Andrew Green opened The Village Pub in 2001, offering guests a relaxed dining experience steeped in rich wood and leather. The restaurant melds old school service with new world, creative cuisine.
Nearby SMIP Ranch produces approximately 80 percent of the restaurant’s produce, which is grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. A prix fixe menu includes selections like fennel and coriander tuna served with pickled vegetables, pommes souffle, and tonnato sauce. The pub menu allows guests to experience culinary expertise through individual orders of a butter-poached Maine lobster roll, savory pub burger on an English muffin, or a perfect French omelette with seasonal accoutrements.
Hurrica
Named after the sailing vessel in The Great Gatsby, Hurrica in Redwood City is an homage to personal service and a decadent culinary experience. Located in Westpoint Harbor, outdoor seating offers views of San Francisco Bay and the Hurrica used in filming of the 2013 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. Dockside parking allows diners to arrive by land or water.
The live-fire concept restaurant specializes in the creation of items “in the smoke,” “on the grill,” or “in the embers.” With table side preparation, the whole roasted dorade (giant head bream) is a showstopper. Unique additions like warm milk bread and wagyu beef fat powdered onion rings push the creative culinary boundaries. Featured oyster specials run Wednesday through Sunday. The restaurant donates a portion of these featured oyster sales to community non-profits and charities.
La Costanera Cocina Peruana
Nestled into an ocean-facing corner of Half Moon Bay, La Costanera provides a few sunset views from its perched, second-floor dining area. In 2009, Chef Carlos Altamirano opened La Costanera and earned a Michelin star in 2012 and 2013. He relocated the restaurant to Half Moon Bay in 2021, affording him a more spacious dining room, a lounge, and an outdoor patio with fire pits.
The menu at this contemporary and authentic Peruvian restaurant leans heavy into tapas and small shared plates. Ceviche and tartare offerings are result of the area’s fresh fish and get a Peruvian twist with additions of rocoto-coconut leche de tigre, Nikkei sauce, and glazed sweet potato. Bocaditos, anticuchos, empanadas, and chicharrónes round out the list of front-page items, followed by a selection of sea, land, and vegetarian entrees.
Sam’s Chowder House
Even though it has east coast inspiration, Sam’s Chowder House is an oceanside institution. Opening in 2006, locals, critics, and tourists quickly recognized Sam’s as one of the best eateries in the San Francisco Bay Area. A member of the Ocean-Friendly Restaurants Program, this open-air eatery serves sustainably sourced seafood, local produce, and hormone-free meats while using plant-based straws and biodegradable packaging to protect oceans and beaches.
While the menu is filled with a plethora of seafood, it is the New England Chowder most new customers order. Smoked bacon is the secret to Sam’s chowder, swimming amongst Little Neck clams and Yukon Gold potatoes in a cream-based soup. But Sam’s serves Manhattan (red) style, too. Daily fresh catches feature local Petrale sole and halibut. The oyster bar serves bivalves from New Brunswick and the west coast.
San Francisco Peninsula's top dining destinations promise an experience for every palate. With a commitment to quality, sustainability, and culinary innovation, these must-visit restaurants showcase the region’s best flavors and superb hospitality.