Marin Tastemakers

It doesn’t have to be your last supper; the following are 30 hot spots worth trying again and again.

BY MIMI TOWLE • PHOTOS BY DEBRA TARRANT • OPENING PHOTO BY LORI EANES

FOR OUR THIRD annual Marin Tastemakers feature we curated 30 foodie-favored dining and drinking spots throughout the county. To choose the hottest restaurants we asked you, our readers, for your favorite breakfast, lunch, bar bite, cocktail, dinner and dessert spots. We then turned the tables and asked your favorite chefs and restaurant owners where they like to go when they aren’t working. Our hope is to introduce you to a new dish or restaurant you might not have thought of trying. And for those who love to share on social media, please tag @marinmagazine and #marintastemakers as you explore.

and restaurant top sellers

CAFE VERDE, 502 Tamalpais Dr, Corte Madera, cafeverdemarin.com

Chef/Owner Tony Farahmand Top Seller Chunky Egg with boiled eggs, red onion, celery, fresh dill, mayonnaise, cherry tomatoes, baby kale on whole wheat bread, $6.95. Tony’s Go-To Almond croissant at Rustic Bakery.

CIBO, 1201 Bridgeway, Sausalito, cibosausalito.com

Chef/Co-owner Tera Ancona Top Seller Coffee and pastry. Tera’s Go-To My husband and I have a standing date every week at the Thursday farmers’ market at the Civic Center and treat ourselves to a coffee and pastry or a waffle.

THE HALF DAY CAFE, 848 College Ave, Kentfield, halfdaycafe.com

Owner Tory Monahan Top Seller Tortilla Scramble with three eggs scrambled, tortilla strips, jack and cheddar cheeses, tomatoes, Anaheim chiles and scallions, topped with sour cream, $10.25. Tory’s Go-To Chilaquiles with hash browns, Green Gulch toast and a milk shake (not usually all at once) at Shoreline Cafe in Mill Valley.

PARKSIDE CAFE, 43 Arenal Ave, Stinson Beach, parksidecafe.com

Chef/Co-owner Maxine Gilbert Top Seller Open-faced Sandwich with sunny-side-up local eggs, prosciutto, Gruyère, organic house bread and cherry tomato arugula salad, $14. Maxine’s Go-To The house-made gravlax and scrambled egg tacos with local corn tortillas, cumin crème and pickled radish salsa at Saltwater in Inverness.

TOAST, 5800 Nave Dr, Novato, toastnovato.com

Chef Johnny Nguyen Top Seller Cornflake-Crusted French Toast with sourdough bread, farmers’ market fruit and whipped cream, $10.95. Johnny’s Go-To Buttermilk pancakes at Farm House Local in Larkspur.

THE HALF DAY CAFE

TOAST

PARKSIDE CAFE CAFE VERDE

BREAKFAST

and restaurant top sellers

BAR BOCCE, 1250 Bridgeway, Sausalito, barbocce.com

Chef/Owner Robert Price Top Seller Calamari a la plancha with pine nuts, capers and couscous, $12.50. Robert’s Go-To Seasonal grilled panini at Cibo in Sausalito.

COMFORTS, 335 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo, comfortscafe.com

Chef/Owner Glenn Miwa Top Seller Signature Chinese Chicken Salad with barbecue chicken, romaine and iceberg lettuce, almonds, sesame seeds, scallions, rice noodles and rice vinaigrette, $12.95. Glenn’s Go-To Chorizo and eggs at the Hummingbird Cafe in Fairfax or a bowl of pho ga at Saigon Village in San Rafael.

FISH., 350 Harbor Dr, Sausalito, 331fish.com

Chef Douglas Bernstein Top Seller BBQ Oysters with local oysters, grill-poached and finished with secret BBQ sauce, lemon and chives, $9–$36. Doug’s Go-To Porchetta sandwich at Belcampo Meat Co. in Larkspur.

LE GARAGE, 85 Liberty Ship Way, Ste 109, Sausalito, legaragebistrosausalito.com

Chef/Co-owner: Olivier Souvestre Top Seller Salade Niçoise with seared tuna, hard-boiled eggs, haricots verts, red bell peppers, potatoes, olives, tomatoes and anchovies, $15. Olivier’s Go-To Miso-glazed black cod at Sushi Ran in Sausalito.

RUSTIC BAKERY, Multiple locations, rusticbakery.com

Chef Nicolas Abrams Top Seller Asian Chicken Salad with sliced romaine, Savoy cabbage, mint, cilantro, scallions, roasted chicken, sesame seeds and ground peanuts, with lime and peanut dressing, $11.50. Nicolas’ Go-To White trash burger at Weezy’s in Terra Linda.

FISH.

LE GARAGE

RUSTIC BAKERY COMFORTS

LUNCH

BAR BOCCE Calamari a la Plancha with pine nuts, capers and couscous.

and restaurant top sellers

BRICK & BOTTLE, 55 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, brickandbottle.com

Chef Bob Simontacchi Top Seller Tailgate Platter with pimiento cheeseburger sliders, grilled andouille sausage, honey-glazed wings and crispy salmon cakes, $18. Bob’s Go-To Beer nuts at the Silver Peso in Larkspur.

EL PASEO: A MARIN CHOPHOUSE, 17 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley, elpaseomillvalley.com

Chef Mike Ward Top Seller Strawberries & Beets Salad with pistachio and goat cheese, $13. Mike’s Go-To Samosas and any of the Indian beer at Prabh Indian Kitchen in Mill Valley.

FARLEY BAR, 602 Murray Cir, Sausalito, cavallopoint.com

Chef Justin Everett Top Seller Spicy Duck Wings with jicama and lime salt, $12. Justin’s Go-To Mussels and charcuterie at Le Garage in Sausalito.

MARINITAS, 218 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo, marinitas.net

Chef Frank Villa Top Seller Plantain Garnachas with crispy plantains, duck confit, cascabel sauce, apple relish and mango habanero sauce, $8.95. Frank’s Go-To Spicy oven-roasted shrimp at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael.

PIATTI RISTORANTE & BAR, 625 Redwood Hwy, Mill Valley, piatti.com

Chef Sebastian Lowrey Top Seller Pork-Ricotta Meatballs with fresh mozzarella and crushed tomato sugo, $10. Sebastian’s Go-To Avocado bruschetta at Picco in Larkspur.

FARLEY BAR

PIATTI RISTORANTE & BAR

MARINITAS BRICK & BOTTLE

BAR BITES

EL PASEO Strawberries & Beets Salad with pistachio and goat cheese.

and restaurant top sellers

BALBOA CAFE, 38 Miller Ave, Mill Valley, balboacafe.com

Bartender Breelyn MacDonald Top Seller Plumpjack Tea with Plumpjack double barrel reposado tequila, ginger twist tea, agave and lime juice, $10. Breelyn’s Go-To A margarita at Marinitas.

BARREL HOUSE TAVERN, 660 Bridgeway, Sausalito, barrelhouse tavern.com

Bartender Eddie Bustos Top Seller Ursula (aka Red Witch) with Partida Blanco, Cocchi Americano, Crème de Violette, house-made squid ink liquor and lemon tincture, $10. Eddie’s Go-To A Jameson whiskey at the No Name Bar in Sausalito.

BUCKEYE ROADHOUSE, 15 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley, buckeyeroadhouse.com

Bartender Nicole Rossi Top Seller Absolute Pear-fection. Nicole’s Go-To A margarita at Copita in Sausalito.

FARMSHOP, Marin Country Mart, Larkspur, farmshopca.com

Bartender Crystal Davis Top Seller F.H.F. Bellini with Frog Hollow Farm pureed organic peaches, Skyy vodka, lemon and Chandon brut, $15. Crystal’s Go-To: Wines by the glass at Napoli in San Rafeal.

POGGIO TRATTORIA, 777 Bridgeway, Sausalito, poggiotrattoria.com

Bartender Tony Diiorio Top Seller Tony Negroni, $10. Tony’s Go-To A negroni at Piazza D’Angelo in Mill Valley.

BUCKEYE ROADHOUSE

POGGIO TRATTORIA BARREL HOUSE TAVERN

BALBOA CAFE

COCKTAILS

FARMSHOP F.H.F. Bellini with Frog Hollow Farm pureed organic peaches, Skyy vodka, lemon and Chandon brut.

and restaurant top sellers

BUNGALOW 44, 44 E. Blithedale Ave, Mill Valley, bungalow44.com

Chef Robert Price Top Seller Kickin’ Fried Chicken with mashed Yukon gold potatoes, Dijon slaw, $22.50. Robert’s Go-To Anything at Poggio in Sausalito with white truffles.

HARMONY, 800 Redwood Hwy, Ste 401, Mill Valley, harmony restaurantgroup.com

Owner Norman Louie Top Seller Harmony Signature Beef with certified superior Angus beef flank steak, wok seared with savory house-specialty signature sauce, $15. Norman’s Go-To Margherita pizza at Ambrosia in Larkspur.

MOLINA, 17 Madrona St, Mill Valley, molinarestaurant.com

Chef/Owner Todd Shoberg Top Seller Cast Iron Rib Eye with spot prawn, Kennebec fries, poblano chimichurri, beef jus, $37. Todd’s Go-To Ginger beef bánh mì with a 90 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head Brewery at Boo Koo in Mill Valley.

PICCO RESTAURANT, 320 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, restaurantpicco.com

Chef Jared Rogers Top Seller Ahi Tuna Tartare with Asian pear, shiso, sesame, soy, fresh wasabi and sticky rice cakes, $17.95. Jared’s Go-To Lasagne and pizzelles at Tony Tutto Pizza in Mill Valley.

SUSHI RAN, 107 Caledonia St, Sausalito, sushiran.com

Chef Scott Whitman Top Seller Pacific Albacore Crudo with tamarind jam, crystal lettuce and chile, $12. Scott’s Go-To King salmon with charred avocado at Molina in Mill Valley.

SUSHI RAN

BUNGALOW 44

MOLINA PICCO RESTAURANT

DINNER

HARMONY Harmony Signature Beef with certified superior Angus beef flank steak, wok seared with savory house-specialty signature sauce.

and restaurant top sellers

BETH’S COMMUNITY KITCHEN, 34 Miller Ave, Mill Valley, beths.com

Chef/Owner: Beth Setrakian Top Seller: Beth’s Pecan Pie, a cross between a praline and traditional pecan pie (no jelly), $40. Beth’s Go-To: The s’more pie at Buckeye Roadhouse in Mill Valley.

INSALATA’S, 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo, insalatas.com

Chef: Halima McLaughlin Top Seller: Chocolate Peanut Bavarian Oat Crisp with bittersweet chocolate sauce, $8.50. Halima’s Go-To: Sticky toffee pudding with candied bacon at Murray Circle in Sausalito.

NOTHING BUNDT CAKES, 47 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, nothingbundtcakes.com

Owner: Nick Puliz Top Seller: Chocolate Chocolate Chip, $22–$39.95. Nick’s Go-To: Sea salted caramel at Three Twins Ice Cream in Larkspur.

SWEET THINGS, 1 Blackfield Dr, Belvedere-Tiburon, sweetthings.com

Chefs/Co-owners: Marsha Lasky and Sharon Leach Top Seller: Petite Carrot Cake with carrots, pineapple, walnuts, coconut and cream cheese frosting, $4.65. Sharon and Marsha’s Go-To: Affogato at La Laggio in San Anselmo.

THREE TWINS ICE CREAM, Marin Country Mart, Larkspur, threetwinsicecream.com

Owner: Neal Gottlieb Top Seller: Sea Salted Caramel scoop in a cone, $2.50. Neal’s Go-To: Fruit crumble with ice cream at Fish in Sausalito.

BETH’S COMMUNITY KITCHEN

THREE TWINS ICE CREAM SWEET THINGS

NOTHING BUNDT CAKES

DESSERT

INSALATA’S Chocolate Peanut Bavarian Oat Crisp with bittersweet chocolate sauce.