This savory veggie pastry was so unbelievably good. This place gets pretty packed on the weekends,…read moreyou can tell it's a local spot and a tourist spot at the same time. We skipped the wait for a seated table and instead just ordered to go. We also had a chai latte that was pretty good. They also have a little store in the front selling Knick knacks, souvenirs, and coffee.

At 1045 on a Tuesday line out the door plus 20 to think about getting seated for only2 people…read more Tried to wait in the to go line, but the "lady" behind us was coughing on my neck and bumping me with her belly. We gave up and left Looked like really good food though sort of sad now

VEGAN REVIEW What a…read morecute spot! Small dining area & larger patio (with heater for the cold, shades for the sun). Love the whimsical decor, including mismatched plates & novelty salt shakers. Plus every table has a bottle of their house made hot sauce! The service is friendly. We went on an evening when it was SWAMPED, they gave us the boiled peanuts & a pickle plate on the house. Hubby & I shared the biscuit sliders, red beans and rice, & chickpeas and dumplings. Everything was AMAZING-- super fresh, quality ingredients, great flavor. We finished with a moon pie. TO DIE FOR!!! They have a long list of wines & fun looking cocktails, but we did not indulge. We did have the local kombucha, which was quite tasty. It's downtown Mendocino, so parking can take a while. Can't wait to return on our next trip!

A very cute cafe with a wonderful vibe. It's the type of place you want to visit again and again…read more The atmosphere is simple yet creative exuding a touch of country elegance. The place is small with limited indoor seating but an equally nice patio out back. You can't help admire the colors and little touches, salt and pepper shakers in fun designs, porcelain coffee cups that don't match and an array of eclectic touches. The menu is creative as well and I decided to try a special that day, a Broccoli Cheddar Quiche. It came with a small side salad, lightly dressed. The quiche was quite innovative and tasty. Tofu was the binding agent. Although delicious the only issue I had with it is that it was very dry. The crust was excellent. The coffee was exceptional and obviously high quality. The staff is so friendly and engaging. You feel so welcomed and it's like coming to a friend's house for brunch. This is a definite stop for a very nice meal.

We stopped here for breakfast on our way home from Mendocino. The staff was exceptional! Friendly,…read moreoutgoing and helpful. The menu is limited but each item is done very well. Eggs Benedict were cooked to perfection with a genuine Hollandaise sauce. Thin Swedish style pancakes with real maple syrup and thick sliced bacon. The dinner menu also looks good and again limited options. Better to have select items prepared well than a large variety of mediocre items. The 20% gratuity is added to your bill. They do not include the tax when calculating the gratuity. Sadly many restaurants do that these days. While we didn't stay for dinner, the menu looks good and the wine corkage fee is only $20.

The restaurant was not crowded at all on the day that we visited. Service was slow, food was not…read moregreat. Nobody came to check on us after the food was dropped off - we would have ordered another drink. We visited 2 years ago and had a much better experience. The fish tacos tasted like something was wrong with them and were saturated with a very wet pico de gallo and a cream sauce that tasted like thousand island salad dressing. I paid extra for a side of avocado and ate that with an extra taco shell for my meal. The whole fish was dry and flavorless.

If you're in Mendocino, don't overlook this little gem! It's easy to drive right past if you aren't…read morelooking, but trust me--it's worth stopping. After a morning of canoeing Big River, we stopped in for lunch. The Harvest Burger, tuna melt, Reuben, and Chipotle Chicken Sandwich were all incredible. In fact, we loved it so much that before heading home a few days later, we made one last stop. This time we tried the Philly cheesesteak, BBQ chicken sandwiches, and I couldn't resist getting the Chipotle Chicken again--it was just that good! Everything was fresh, flavorful, and made with care. The service was friendly, the portions were great, and it's exactly the kind of small local spot that makes a trip memorable. We'll absolutely be back the next time we're in Mendocino!

This place makes Mendocino Farms look like Subway. My boyfriend and I walked past it, and we were…read moreintrigued by the line of people going out the door. We decided to go right at opening the following day. I ordered the chipotle chicken on whole wheat, and my boyfriend got the crab cheddar on Dutch crunch. The chipotle chicken was so savory and amazing. The bacon, chipotle sauce, and tender chicken all went together so well with the veggies. We also got a cup of clam chowder that was delicious and hearty. Super fresh seafood that would warm you right up on a cold day in Mendocino. They have some board games on the side of the restaurant that you can play while you wait for your food. I would 1000% come back on my next trip.

We sat outside in the beautiful garden area. The service was fantastic and they checked on us…read moreoften. I ordered the Hamburger, which was very good. The only downside was the bun. Which was fresh and great tasting, but a bit too much bread for me. I had a side salad with a fantastic home made dressing. My wife ordered the Chicken panini and potatoes. It was also very good. The special of the day was the Red lentil Carrot coconut soup. Again, it was fantastic. For desert we had the Hokey Pokey sundae. The hot fudge tasted homemade also and I really enjoyed the honeycomb ice cream.

I ate a lunch in the courtyard and a dinner in the dining room, both very pleasant experiences…read more The ambiance is relaxed and casual with an extremely friendly and engaging staff. The look is very much a country cafe vibe, yet somewhat upscale too. The lunch outside was so enjoyable. The space and garden is delightful. Seating is far enough apart so you don't feel cramped. I started with the soup of the day which was wonderful. Then I chose the Rock Fish Tacos and oh my goodness, some of the best tacos ever. I liked that they didn't automatically fall apart when you picked it up. Plus the flavor and tenderness of the fish was spot on perfect. For dinner during a subsequent visit sitting inside at a cozy table was equally enjoyable. Four of us had a tough time choosing entrees as everything on the menu looked appealing. We started and shared the cheese board which was fabulous. Local cheeses were the highlight and ever so good. For my entree I chose the Gnochi with vegetagles. I very much enjoyed the overall dish but the gnochi were somewhat sparse and not that good in texture. Surprisingly that didn't impact the overall impression as everything else in the dish was satisfyingly delicious. It was an adequate portion and the price point good for the quality. We went through two bottles of wine, one suggested by the server. It was spot on. This is a delightful restaurant and if you're in the area definitely make it a stop for either lunch, when available, or especially dinner.

This place is proof that some of the best food is hiding in plain sight…read more Tucked away on the same property as Café Beaujolais, it's easy to miss if you don't know it's there--but once you do, you'll wonder why you ever settled for chain pizza. The concept couldn't be more perfect. Grab a fresh, wood-fired pizza, head a few minutes down the road, and boom... you're eating an incredible meal at the beach. Honestly, that's about as close to a perfect California afternoon as you can get. The pizza was exactly what we hoped for: a beautifully blistered crust with just the right amount of chew, quality toppings that let the ingredients shine, and that unmistakable wood-fired flavor that makes every bite better than the last. Simple, fresh, and absolutely delicious. What I really loved was how relaxed the whole experience felt. No fuss, no pretension--just great pizza made by people who clearly know what they're doing. It fits the laid-back Mendocino Coast vibe perfectly. Sometimes the best vacation memories aren't made at fancy restaurants. Sometimes they're made by grabbing an amazing pizza, finding a scenic spot by the ocean, and watching the waves while trying to decide if you should have ordered a second one. Next time we're in the area, this won't be a "maybe." It'll be one of our first stops. 5 STARS! #ShopLocal

What a great little place hidden on the end of a street and behind a fine dining restaurant and a…read morecoffee shop ! We have been visiting Mendocino for many years and now live in the Sea Ranch and based on our quick and casual dinner last night before they closed (they stop taking orders at 5PM during the week apparently) we will be putting this place and their delicious pizzas on regular rotation. Fairly priced, nicely charred in a real wood fired pizza oven and with open seating in a lovely outdoor garden surrounded by gardens and flower beds - with a solid selection of drinks and beers and wines we will be back. We had the spicy salami pizza ($23) and it was plenty for the two of us. Great job ! Highly recommended !!

What probably is the best restaurant in Mendocino this longstanding quanit establishment is full of…read morecharm and exceptional cuisine. Four of us visited and we had a reservation which I highly recommend. We waited about ten minutes after arriving and a line of people behind us did stack up. The place isn't large and we got a cozy table in the center of the dining room. The menu is interesting and the wait staff was very helpful and professional. I started with some soup which was delicious. It was a corn based soup and perfect for the season. My entree was the black cod, which seems available in these parts, and it was prepared perfectly. So tender and delicious; seasoned just right on a bed of greens, mushroom, beets and a light emulsion sauce. I was quite pleased with my selection. Although the place is supposed French cuisine I would offer that it is more French influenced than traditional French. Overall it was a truly great experience with top quality food and great service in a pleasant, cozy setting.

Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino is a brunch standout, absolutely 5-star food across the board. The…read moremanager who greeted us was warm and welcoming, and the setting feels classic and charming right in the heart of town. Everyone at the table loved their dishes. I got to sample a few other items and everything was excellent. The huckleberry pancakes were rich, buttery, and incredible, and the eggs Benedict was perfectly done. The shakshuka was flavorful and a bit spicy, but really good overall. So why 3 stars...it was the service from our waiter, who was super grumpy and mostly monosyllabic, which was surprising given how good everything else was.

This place is the epitome of a pub. They had quite a selection of beer and booze. Better than that…read moreis their menu which included seafood dishes, as well as excellent sandwiches. I tried the French dip and it was delicious. The au jus added the perfect amount of flavor. The salad that accompanied it per my request was also delicious. You can also choose to have fries instead- with multiple choices (garlic, truffle and more). I enjoyed a bloody Mary, which was made from scratch. The restroom is clean and unisex, and the decor is fun. I sat at the bar, but they do have an outdoor patio with a ton of seats. The staff is friendly and welcoming.

This place was so good, we had dinner here twice during our 4 day stay in Mendocino!…read more They have seating outside on a large patio (with heaters) and in the smaller inside area next to the bar. The decor is eclectic, which many interesting things displayed everywhere. On our first visit, we started with a bowl of New England Clam Chowder ($13). This was great! It was thick with clams and even passed my "spoon test", which is being able to support the spoon standing vertically in the soup without falling over. It passed the test due to the thick soup with lots of clams. (See photo). We each had the Chicken Pot Pie ($22) from the daily special menu. This was delicious and thick and topped by a puff-pastry like thick topping. They also make Irish Coffee ($11) that was perfect. Just as good as the Buena Vista Bar in San Francisco (where this cocktail was invented). On our second visit, two nights later, my wife had a French Dip sandwich with sweet potato french fries ($22). She found it enjoyable and very good. I had a Patty Melt ($22) which was delicious. They make an espresso martini ($14) that is delicious! On both visits, the service was quick and friendly. Note: This places charges a 3% fee to pay by credit card.

What a charming Italian restaurant right in the heart of Mendocino. It's approached down a long…read morepath through a seemingly secret garden. What a pleasant way to approach a culinary experience. The restaurant has lots of charm. As you approach the front door there's a window into the kitchen where they are making the home made pasta. This definitely sets the tone. The dining area is cozy and has a 'woodsy' ambiance with nice decorative touches, an upstairs mezzanine and a beautiful garden deck/patio out back for dining too. The staff are super friendly and one feels as though you're eating in someone's friends home. The menu has many excellent dishes, primarily pastas. This is northern Italian cuisine so don't expect a lot of red sauces. The soup, a pasta fagioli, seemed interesting so I had a bowl and selected the Penne alla Boscaiola with onion, mushrooms, sausage and a cream sauce. I found the soup a bit underwhelming compared to some hearty types I've had in the past. It seemed to lack the strong richness and the beans were somewhat mushy. It wasn't bad, just different for me. The Penne, however, was a knockout. I haven't had that good a pasta dish in years. All the flavors were spot on and the ingredients perfectly proportioned and melded together. The sauce didn't overwhelm the dish and coated the pasta perfectly. I couldn't have been happier. The pasta here is obviously top notch and I'd love to try many more dishes. I doubt you can go wrong.

Best spot on the Mendocino Coast for an Italian dinner. Some of the waiters even speak Italian!…read moreStaff are friendly and service was thoughtful. There is so much to look at inside this restaurant, and the outside grounds has twists and turns to other garden areas--A mystic backyard for sure! For dinner, We had pasta and salad. The pasta was perfectly cooked--Upgraded to egg fettuccine noodles. The sauce was fresh and wonderfully flavored and covered the noodles with just the right amount of sauce. Not too much and not too little. The hearty smoked salmon salad was great too. I didn't realize it was smoked (missed that on the menu! Haha) I wanted salmon, but it was good with a nice fresh dressing. The bread served is focaccia pieces, rosemary and tomato blends which went well with my salad. Wine list offers a lot of wines. Of course Italian. Enjoy Mendocino!

Frankie's serves ice cream from Cowlicks, and it's absolutely worth a stop. The staff is incredibly…read morefriendly, and the ice cream is delicious. On our first visit, we ordered strawberry and root beer float cones. We enjoyed them on the deck after the dinner rush, relaxing while watching the ravens across the street. On our second visit, I tried the affogato with Candy Cap Mushroom ice cream. The earthy, nutty sweetness of the ice cream added an unexpected depth of flavor to the espresso, making for a unique and memorable treat. If you decide to linger, the cozy upstairs seating is a hidden gem. A small window lets in the cool ocean breeze, making it the perfect spot to slow down and enjoy your treat. If you're in town, Frankie's is definitely worth a visit..

VEGAN REVIEW came…read morehere for lunch on 4th of July weekend. I got the Mediterranean piadine & hubby got the falafel. both were OK not great. generous portions. friendly service. it was super busy, but we were able to find a table upstairs.