California's 10 Best Farm-To-Table Restaurants & Local Eats

Recognized as a Top 10 Farm-To-Table Restaurant by Epicurious Conde Nast Traveler and one of America’s Top Restaurants by Zagat Survey, the A.R. Valentien at The Lodge Torrey Pines in La Jolla has established itself as a serious contender in both the farm-to-table and overall restaurant communities. Located close to the University of California, San Diego and some of the most beautiful and diverse beaches on the West Coast, the menu at A. R. Valentien is based on the seasonally available local produce.

Artisan in Paso Robles took the term ‘farm-to-table’ literally when they started to plant and tend to the garden that produces the vegetables they use daily in the restaurant. Depending on the day and time, the restaurant offers a brunch, lunch, afternoon, dinner and Monday night supper menu in addition to their cocktails and beer, wine, and dessert menus.

Right next door to the historic Craneway Pavilion sits the industrial themed Assemble. Whether it is the exposed ceiling or the many large pieces of equipment left over from Assemble’s time as a Ford Assembly Plant in pre-World War II San Francisco, the highly unique décor is sure to eliminate any lulls in conversation. Assemble boasts their own organic garden that grows many of the herbs and vegetables served daily as well as an in-house bakery that produces the freshest savory and sweet baked goods throughout the day.

Attention to detail and sustainability have been key attributes of Chez Panisse since it opened in 1971. The restaurant has a new fixed menu every night and is intended to feature the best of what the surrounding farms have to offer. Even after over 40 years, Chez Panisse still believes the best meals come from organically and locally grown food and continues to work with suppliers who hold these same values.

Inside the luxurious Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel is the hotel’s signature restaurant, Madera. Based on the importance of the wood-burning kitchen in the early Spanish missionary days and the popularity it has maintained in California ranch homes, the restaurant’s title literally means ‘wood’ in Spanish, honoring the history of the local region though the cuisine.

Terra American Bistro is a bastion of great farm to table fare. Voted ‘Best New American Restaurant’ by the 2013 San Diego A List and one of the leaders pushing for more farm-to-table dining in San Diego, Terra is a local favorite. The restaurant’s dedication to local foods and ingredients is obvious in the lunch, dinner, and brunch menus, as well as in the cocktail and drinks menu.