Fresh and Delicious North Coast Dining From Hills to Wild Coast

Just-caught seafood and sustainable organic ingredients highlight menus in Mendocino County.

With the ocean out the window and lush green hills all around (many scribed with vineyards), it’s no surprise that the Mendocino region ranks as one of the best places in California to enjoy just-caught seafood and exquisite organic foods. In this beautiful and wild region, chefs have incredible, ultra-fresh seasonal ingredients available at farmers’ markets or local vendors—or even their own restaurant kitchen gardens. For visitors, that means an unparalleled opportunity to feast on the lands’ bounty in beautiful surroundings.

In Mendocino County, dining choices range from informal grazing at farmers’ markets to white-linen restaurants—and everything in between. Options include the Dining Room at lovely St. Orres , a handcrafted, European-style lodge on 50 coastal acres in Gualala—here the menu changes almost on a whim, depending on what’s been caught at sea or pulled from a local garden. (Guests and non-guests are welcome to dine here.) In Ukiah, stop by Bluebird Café (13340 S. Highway 101; (707) 744-1633) for homey, set-a-spell friendliness coupled with delicious and sometimes adventurous fare, like wild boar burgers, and perfect pies. Also in Ukiah, visit the new Branches pub, chop house, and epicurean marketplace, with over 10,000 square feet of Or spoil yourself with a luxurious dinner of fresh halibut, ceviche, or other seafood offerings at elegant Grey Whale Bar and Café at MacCallum House Inn, an exquisitely restored 1882 Victorian (now a B&B) in the town of Mendocino. While in Mendocino, make sure to visit Café Beaujolais downtown for local produce and seasonal ingredients.