If you’re heading to California or are currently there and reading this article, arm yourself with the appropriate utensils because we have a curated list of dining establishments for you that serve the best food.
Food is one of the cornerstones of all cultures in the world. Creating a dish is nothing short of science – picking the right ingredients, seasoning them with the correct spices, measuring said spices diligently so they give the exact flavour, and playing around with heat and fat to ensure that everything comes together in the correct form. Thanks to globalisation and our shared history as a species, various cultures also have different methods for preparing the same food. In India itself, the humble Panipuri is known by different names (fuchka, phuchka, gupchup, golgappa, pani ke patashe) in different parts of the country. Food is our identity and that holds for every city in the world.
Today, we journey to sunny California, the home of Hollywood and the origin of the internet, burger joints, fast food and the fortune cookie. Across California, an abundance of talented chefs and exceptional restaurants showcase a diverse array of soulful cuisine, captivating the palates of adventurous travellers. Prepare to indulge in a tantalizing culinary journey, where an assortment of mouthwatering dishes awaits, ranging from delectable homemade BBQ to luscious peach pie.
Eateries in California that serve the best food
The Bantam
The Bantam Kitchen & Cooler in Redding puts a contemporary spin on Southern comfort food with items like catfish po’boy, a pimiento cheeseburger on a brioche bun, and pork chops and waffles. The result is mouthwatering Southern cuisine that goes down best with a cold brew.
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Squeeze Your Soul at Thelma’s Good Eats
For classic Southern eats like fried chicken, mac and cheese, and greens, this family-run eatery in Sacramento uses Grandma’s recipes that will make you feel like you have taken a trip to the South.
Town Fare Café
In Oakland, Chef Michele McQueen is fusing Southern soul food with the food history of other cultures that comprise Oakland’s diverse population. Known for her sweet potato waffles and Southern fried chicken, the Town Fare Café attracts A-listers like Stephen Curry and San Francisco’s Mayor London Breed. Chef McQueen is a favourite Food Network guest with appearances on “Guy’s Grocery Games” and “Grill It with Bobby Flay”.
Lois the Pie Queen
For more than 50 years, Lois the Pie Queen has tempted taste buds with her fresh pies. As one of nine children, Lois grew up baking pies for fundraisers for her father’s church. After she married, she and her husband opened their first restaurant in Berkeley. Today, the iconic pie shop is run by Lois’ son in Oakland and offers a full menu of Southern staples and its famous pies. This is one of the most popular food joints in California.
Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint
For the flavour of Bourbon Street, follow the sounds of jazz and Motown wafting out of Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint in Sonoma County. Chef-owner Yvette Bidegain’s parents moved to California in the 1950s and brought with them the recipes of Mississippi. Today they form the backbone of a menu that features buttermilk fried chicken, BBQ ribs and collard greens.
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Doll’s Kitchen
For over 30 years, Chef Gloria Hall has been frying up soul food based on the cooking style and recipes she learned from her Southern parents. Today, Doll’s Kitchen in Fresno is known for its traditional Southern eats and famous BBQ sauce (available to take home as a souvenir).
Soul Bites
Opened in 2022, Soul Bites in Santa Barbara is shaking up soul food with many vegan options like vegan crab cakes, soul sandwiches and vegan sides. The eatery also offers unique spins on classic dishes like shrimp and grits with crab gravy and hot cracklin’ mac and cheese. Soul Bites lets diners pair dishes with local beer, wine, CBD water and other immunity drinks. The restaurant also features live music and comedy and is known for serving some of the best food in California.
Brown’s BBQ and Soul Food
If you are looking for a hole-in-the-wall hidden gem, look no further than Brown’s BBQ and Soul Food in Palm Springs. This small mom-and-pop shop serves up all the classic Southern BBQ meats and sides. With just four tables, get there early to snag your spot.
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Queens of Cobbler
Building on her parents’ success in Phoenix with the cobblers at their restaurant, Jordan Davis decided to continue the tradition of opening Queens of Cobbler in San Jacinto in 2021. The small bakery has grown a loyal following with its peach, mixed berry, blackberry and apple caramel cobblers.
Gourmet Cobbler Factory
After working 30 years for Disney, Clifton Powell was ready for his second act. From delighting visitors at the happiest place on Earth to delighting their tastebuds with The Gourmet Cobbler in Pasadena, Powell is all about making people happy. And his family’s secret cobbler recipe does just that. In addition to its famous dessert, the restaurant now offers Southern staple main dishes. If you’re looking for some good food in California, look no further.
Georgia’s Restaurant
Owner Gretchen Shoemaker learned to cook Southern classics side-by-side with her Grandma. Today at Georgia’s in Anaheim, she features dishes like Louisiana tilapia and shrimp, jambalaya St. Louis BBQ ribs and her signature chicken and waffles.
StreetCar Merchants
San Diego’s StreetCar Merchants team serves up three different soul food flavours throughout the city. At StreetCar Merchants in North Park, fried chicken and Nashville hot chicken and waffles are the stars. Next, hit up SuckerFree in the Gaslamp Quarter for hearty Southern dishes in a lively atmosphere, and then head to Shotcaller in the Southeast for soul rolls, tacos and loaded tots.
Chef Budda Blasian Soul Food Truck
Get ready to tickle your tastebuds at Chef Budda Blasian Soul Food Truck, where classic soul food dishes get paired alongside Asian staples like chicken egg rolls. The truck makes its way throughout the city, but foodies can find the weekly schedule on its website. Get ready to have some of the best food in California here.
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This story first appeared here.
Image credits: Instagram accounts of the eateries mentioned
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