One of our favorite travel haunts in Northern California - and we don't get there often enough - is the Half Moon Bay coastal area.
We love to meander Main Street in the little village of Half Moon Bay while browsing the artisan shops and art galleries. Or to watch the surfers off Pillar Point ride the waves, large and small. And to see the windsurfers off Princeton Harbor catch the wind in their sails.
But most of all, we love to cozy up to the luscious meals, the crackling fire pits and fireplaces, and the extraordinary views at one of the area's fabulous restaurants! Here are five of our favorites:
- Moss Beach Distillery - Sitting out on the patio, wrapped in a snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug blanket (provided by the distillery), a mighty bonfire in the fire pit, watching the sun go down across the Pacific Ocean... très romantique! Order up oyster shooters and the devil's sliders to give you the strength to keep the mood going!
- Half Moon Bay Brewing Company - Bay Woof's "Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant," offers up its own brews and politics - Brews and Views; great pub-style food with a California seaside twist - add crab and bay shrimp, fried calamari, salmon, or garlic prawns to your salad; and outstanding ocean views just off Maverick Break for you and your four-legged friend on the award-winning dog-friendly patio!
- Sam's Chowder House - I don't know about you, but the name alone conjures up images of the Eastern Seaboard for me! Then there's the fabulous seafood - think, lobster rolls - the outdoor dining, and the stunning sunsets. For a special event with friends and family, you might want to consider an authentic New England Style Lobster Clambake!
- Duarte's Tavern - Their motto says it all: "Where Friends Meet Since 1894!" This family-owned 118-year-old roadhouse started out as a bar, then added a soda fountain, barber shop, and sandwiches. The soda fountain and barber shop are gone, but four generations later, they're serving up their famous artichoke soup, crab cioppino, and olallieberry pies! Duarte's doesn't have the ocean/sunset views like the others, but the food and local ambiance are definitely worthy of a visit!
- Miramar Beach Restaurant - From 1918 to 1955, Miramar was a speakeasy-style roadhouse and brothel run by Maymie Cowley, a local madam also known as "Boss." With all of that, who needs the heated patio with fire pits, gorgeous sunsets, artichoke hearts with aioli, fresh soups and salads, or old favorites like deep fried sea scallops, snapper and chips, and artichoke omelet? We do!
On your next escape to the sickle-shaped crescent of Half Moon Bay, give one of our favorite restaurants a try - you won't be disappointed.
Okay, I can see it's definitely been too long! We need another Road Trip!
For more about things to see and do in Northern California, visit DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com
