A Short Restaurant Guide for Davis
Café Bernardo
Local, farm-to-fork seasonal fare dining. Influences from Mexican, Asian, European cuisine, i.e. California-fusion. Whether it is lunch (salad sampler, recommended), dinner (grilled salmon), or breakfast/brunch (best huevos rancheros and chilaquiles in Northern California), you can’t go wrong. Indoor and outdoor dining
Burgers and Brew
Name says it all. Lots of different burger options (beef, lamb, mushroom, buffalo, pastrami, chorizo, portobello mushroom) with lots of different toppings (spicy-guacamole and baconjalapeño are two favorites). Rotating beer on tap. Indoor and outdoor dining.
Crepeville
Savory crepes and sweet crepes (as well as egg scrambles and omelettes). Great for brunch but fits the bill for lunch too. Savory recommendations: California crepe, Mediterranean crepe. Scramble recommendations: South of the Border, San Francisco Benedict. Sandwich recommendation: Tuna Melt, Turkey Avocado Melt. Dessert crepes: PB-Nutella (anything with Nutella, really… strawberry, banana…), Crepe Marseilles (ricotta, caramelized almonds, fresh berries and orange, maple syrup…). They also have Mexican Hot Chocolate. Closes 2pm Monday and Tuesday, 3pm Wednesday through Sunday. Indoor dining.
Zen Toro
Japanese bistro, with (arguably?) the best nigiri sushi in town. Always check the blackboard to see what their specials of the day might be (e.g. if they have Oh-Toro, the scrumptious fatty tuna). Consistently good Hamachi (yellowtail tuna), saba (mackerel), unagi (freshwater eel), shiro maguro (white albacore tuna), and if they have it, uni (sea urchin). Indoor dining.
Yuchan Shokudo (formerly Yakitori Yuchan)
https://www.yuchanshokudo.com/
Japanese eatery for staple fare (rice/donburi, ramen/noodles). Their specialties used to be the yakitori/hand-made Japanese skewers, but the pandemic unfortunately brought that to an end. But it remains an authentic Japanese eatery. Indoor dining
Kathmandu Kitchen
http://www.kathmandukitchendavis.com
Nepalese and Indian Cuisine. Tandoori cuisine, as well as Tikka Masala, and curries. Ask them for the Vindaloo spicy if you like it hot. Biryanis. Mango lassi. Closed Tuesdays. Indoor dining.
Yeti Restaurant
https://www.yetidavisrestaurant.com
Nepalese and Indian Cuisine. Also has Biryanis, Curries, and Tandoori sizzlers. Closed Mondays. Indoor dining.
Sophia’s Thai Kitchen
https://www.sophiasthaikitchen.com
A staple of Davis among students, for good reason. Has curries, noodles, soups, pad thai, etc. Recommend the Tom Kha soup, massaman, and green (“boss’s favorite”) curry. Closes 2pm. Indoor dining.
Taqueria Davis
505 ½ L St.
A small slice of authentic Mexico City tacos in Davis. Try tacos al pastor, carnitas, chile verde. Ask for their specials. Agua de Horchata and agua de Jamaica. Closed Sundays. Indoor dining.
Dos Coyotes
A « border café ». Fresh, local, southwestern cuisine (i.e. influences from Mexico and the US). Recommend the quesadilla with pasilla chile, Adobe salad, Yucatan salad, taco plates (such as California fish tacos, or Original Coyote Taco with carnitas). Ask for their specials. Indoor and some outdoor dining.
Taqueria Guadalajara
Really good Mexico City style tacos as well. Indoor dining.
Tres Hermanas
https://treshermanasdavis.com/
Complete Mexican options, full bar, wide assortment of tequilas. Closed Sundays. Indoor and outdoor dining, large patio.
Paesanos
https://www.paesanos.biz/davis
Has some regular Italian fare (Spaghetti and Meatballs, Spaghetti Carbonara), as well as Italianfusion, of which some recommendations are the Pork Fusilli (soy-ginger braised pork, habanero pesto, cilantro, and green onions), and Fettuccine Arrostiti (blackened chicken, pasilla chiles, red peppers, cilantro-lime cream sauce). They have good salads too (unfortunately, the one that was going to be recommended, the Jalapeño Steak salad with mango, is no longer on their menu. Alas.) Closed Mondays. Indoor and outdoor dining.
The Mustard Seed
https://www.mustardseedofdavis.com
Local farm-to-fork cuisine. Recommendations: Duck breast, grilled scallops. Indoor dining.
Seasons
https://www.seasonskitchenandbar.com
Aims to showcase the local food. California fusion. Closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Indoor dining.
Osteria Fasulo
Italian-inspired. Not in downtown, but one of the places where you can dine al fresco. Great Pasta options (tortelloni, ravioli, bucatini). Entrée options include squab, strip steak, and veal chop, as well as GF and daily chef selection for vegetarians. Usually open Tuesday through Saturday but check ahead in case a party has reserved it. Indoor and outdoor dining.
Woodstock’s Pizza
Davis has many pizza places (of course!) and this is a favorite with students and other denizens. Full bar, specialties and made-to-order creations. Indoor and outdoor dining.
The Late Night Bar Scene
In case you want to converse with colleagues into the wee hours over a couple of drinks, here is where you can do it:
G Street Wunderbar
https://www.instagram.com/gstreetwunderbar/?hl=en
Open until 2am every night. Food is unspectacular. Indoor and outdoor imbibing.
Parkside Bar and Lounge
https://www.parksidedavis.com/
Open until 2am but only Thursdays through Saturdays. Indoor dining, etc. Upon thorough investigation, no other bars are reliably open late at present.
