San Francisco
Andytown Coffee Roasters – Really good coffee and you can take away and drink it on the beach. We had the wind and sea blend; a mix of Columbian and Ethiopian coffee.
Popsons – Good cheeseburger and skin on fries. Not the cheapest haunt and there are tons of burger places to choose from but it really hit the spot for us after a long day of walking.
Yin Du Wonton Noodle – Very popular at lunchtimes and really cheap at an average of $5 a dish. We loved the beef brisket and wonton noodle soup.
Pizzelle di North Beach – Amazing pizza slice for an average of $3-$4. Can sit in and have a beer too.
Santa cruz
Riva – This is a restaurant and a bar so we just went in for a drink. They have Anchor Steam on tap and during happy hour it’s only $3 a pint so that is really cheap! We got chatting to a few people and a lovely local girl recommended the best places for food (see next place).
Las Palmas Taco Bar – This is now the best thing we’ve eaten. A relaxed cafe/bar which does amazing mexican food for really good prices. We each had a taco and a burrito. Didn’t get a good picture of the food so here is one of the outside as we just thought it looked cool. UPDATE: WE NOW HAVE A DECENT PIC OF THE NACHOS AS WE ATE HERE AGAIN!
The Picnic Basket – Really good homemade sandwiches. We shared a Reuben’s (because they’re massive) and it was gorgeous!
Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing – We discovered that we were only a 20min walk from the brewery so we had to pay a visit! I had the Amber Ale and Paul had the People’s Porter. Both delicious and it was a really good atmosphere ?
monterey county
Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co – We opted for the Cone Peak Espresso. Very good!
Hula’s – This place was top notch! It was recommended by our hosts, Robert and Cathy, and we are so glad we went as the food was gorgeous! We ordered off the specials menu and shared a colossal crab cake (with wasabi mayo and sriracha mayo) then had an ahi poke bowl each (ahi is large tuna). It was amazing!!!
Grover beach and morro bay
Izakaya Raku – Really cute japanese restaurant in Grover Beach recommended to us by our hosts, Lindsey & Julia. We shared a few delicious bits but the scallop sushi was a real stand out! We also had some warm sake which was really good.
The Spoon Trade – We loved it here and it was another recommendation from our lovely hosts, Lindsey & Julia. Had a couple of really nice beers in small jam jars and shared a few things. We had deviled eggs, butter lettuce salad, tri tip tartare, and grilled octopus skewer. We were then persuaded to share a dessert and opted for the chocolate torte with plum puree paired with a small milk stout. Gorgeous!
Krava Bowl – We got gorgeous smoothies each from here. I got the OG and Paul got the Cocoa Acai.
Buttercup Bakery and Cafe – We had a massive ham and cheese croissant from here and a really tasty espresso. Notice that I’d already eaten half before I remembered to take a picture. All the baked goods looked brilliant here.
ventura
Beach House Tacos – This place is amazing and was recommended by the lovely Brian and Jennifer. It’s very good value for money and you get to eat yummy Mexican food on the pier with the sound of the sea. Heaven! We both opted for a fish burrito and it was delicious!
los Angeles
Casa Sanchez – Excellent happy hour where you can get a margherita for $5 and 3 tacos for $5. They also have live mariachi music.
Sakura – Really good pork ramen here!
Plank 47 Pizza – We got an XL deluxe pizza between us and couldn’t finish it! It was amazing but soooooo big!!
The Venice Whaler – Just had a drink here but it had a decent happy hour offer at $5 a pint.
Sarita’s Pupuseria (in Grand Central Market) – They serve handmade pupusa’s which are thick corn tortillas stuffed with a savoury filling. They are traditionally Salvadoran and served with homemade coleslaw and hot sauce. They were delicious!! We got one with pork, cheese and beans and one with chorizo and cheese. Please note that we believe you could eat anywhere in here and it would be awesome!
Beantage – Really good espresso and a really nice vibe inside with classic films being projected onto the wall.
Johnny Rocket’s – An American chain but because it was just what we needed after a day at Universal, we thought we’d give it a mention. We both had the spicy houston burger and shared fries (they are massive). It hit the spot!!
