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Out & About / DINE
LEFT BANK
RESTAURANT French
Known for award-winning French cuisine
and a lively brasserie
ambience, this corner spot on Magnolia
Avenue rates high with
locals. Those with a
small appetite (or budget) can opt for happy
hour ( 4 to 6: 30 p.m. and
9 p.m. to close, M–F)
appetizers, most priced
under $6. 507 Magnolia
Ave, 415.927.3331,
leftbank.com
MARIN BREWING
CO American Grab a
cold beer made on site
and pair it with fish
‘n’ chips — fresh cod
dipped in Mt. Tam pale
ale batter, served with
steak fries and homemade tartar sauce — or
another item from the
all-American menu.
Marin Country Mart,
1809 Larkspur Landing
Circle, 415.461.4677,
marinbrewing.com
PICCO California
Popular since its incep-
tion, details from the
seasonally driven menu
items to the risotto,
Family Creamery ice
cream. 320 Magnolia
Ave, 415.924.0300,
restaurantpicco.com
RUS TIC BAKERY
California Try a large
house-made pastry,
an artisanal salad
or a mouthwatering sandwich at
this Marin favorite.
Two Larkspur locations: Marin Country
Mart, 415.461.9900;
1139 Magnolia
Ave, 415.925.1556,
rusticbakery.com
MILL VALLEY
BALBOA CAFE MILL
VALLEY California
The San Francisco
institution has become
a place to see and be
seen in Mill Valley,
especially after the 142
Throckmorton comedy
nights. Menu items
include Niman Ranch
flat iron steak, braised
beef brisket risotto
and classic burgers. 38
Miller Ave, 415.381.7321,
balboacafe.com
BOO KOO Asian
Authentic Asian street
food is now available
for $10 or less. The restaurant offers options
for every eater—vegans,
gluten-frees, vegetarians and carnivores
alike. Menu items
include chicken pho,
vegan summer rolls,
pad thai and five-spice
pork satay, all made
with organic, locally
sourced veggies and
proteins. 25 Miller
Ave, 415.888.8303,
eatbookoo.com
EL PASEO American
This Marin chophouse
continues to impress
as the years pass — the
restaurant itself has
been around since
1947. The menu speaks
to the restaurant’s
elegance, with offerings
like roasted bone mar-
row, crispy duck wings
and the El Paseo short
rib. 17 Throckmorton
Ave, 415.388.0741,
elpaseomillvalley.com
HARMON Y Chinese
Enjoy a lighter take
on Chinese at this restaurant, nestled in the
Strawberry Village.
The barbecue pork bun
is filled with house-made roasted meat in a
savory sauce, and fresh
mussels are accented
with red chili and Thai
basil. Pair your pick
with wine, beer or tea.
Be sure to check out
the weekday lunch
special for an excellent deal. Strawberry
Village, 415.381.5300,
harmonyrestaurant
group.com
LA GINESTRA Italian
A favorite family spot
for over 30 years; getting a table or booth
here can take awhile.
While this old-school
Italian eatery is known
for traditional pastas,
veal dishes, pizzas
and dry martinis, the
familiar waitstaff is
also part of the attraction. 127 Throckmorton
Ave, 415.388.0224,
laginestramv.com
PIAZZA D’ANGELO
Italian It’s always a
party at this long-standing hot spot. A
great place to meet
up with friends for a
fresh plate of pasta,
or to make some new
friends at the bar. Chef
Andrea Guilini, originally from Venice, is
known for his creative,
seasonal dishes like
the stuffed veal loin
with wild mushrooms
and house-made mozzarella. 22 Miller
Ave, 415.388.2000,
piazzadangelo.com
PIA TTI RIS TORAN TE
AND BAR Italian The
staff prides itself on
capturing the warm and
welcoming atmosphere
of a traditional Italian
trattoria. Get a table by
the window or on the
outdoor deck for a truly
exceptional view right
on the water. Peruse
the impressive selection of Italian wines
to accompany your
rustic seasonal meal.
625 Redwood Hwy,
415.380.2525, piatti.com
PIZZA ANTICA Italian
This Strawberry
Shopping Center spot
boasts amazing thin-crust pizza along with
an array of antipasti
and hearty salads.
Wine is served by the
glass, half carafe or
bottle. 800 Redwood
Hwy, 415.383.0600,
pizzaantica.com
PRABH INDIAN
KITCHEN Indian Owned
and operated by the
Singh family, this restaurant is dedicated to
serving healthy, organic
and sustainable food
with gluten-free and
vegan options. Dishes
include chicken pakora,
vegetable biryani
and basil garlic naan.
Try the Thali menu
(offered at lunch), a
selection of several
Indian dishes served at
once. 24 Sunnyside Ave,
415.384.8241, prabh
indiankitchen.com
SWEETWATER MUSIC
HALL CAFE American
Located at the entrance
of Sweetwater Music
Hall, the cafe is a small
oasis of calm, dedicated
to the F. L.O. S. S. philosophy: Fresh, Local,
Organic, Seasonal and
Sustainable. Offering
breakfast, lunch, dinner
and weekend brunch,
the menu includes
brown-butter scrambled eggs on avocado
toast, crispy chicken
sliders with gingery
cabbage slaw and vegan
Thai spring rolls with
sweet and sour sauce.
19 Corte Madera Ave,
415.388.3850, sweet
watermusichall.com
NOVATO
BOCA TAVERN
American Bring a
date or celebrate a
special event at this
classic steak house,
which features wholesome American fare.
Favorites include
the mac & cheese
croquettes, hanger
steak and duckfat
fries. 340 Ignacio
Blvd, 415.883.0901,
bocasteak.com
HILLTOP 1892 California
Situated on a historic
estate in Novato
with sweeping views,
Hilltop 1892 offers
classic favorites with a
California flair. Open
lunch through dinner, as well as Sunday
brunch. 850 Lamont
Ave, 415.893.1892,
hilltop1892.com
LEFT COAST DEPOT
American Located
in Old Town Novato,
this eatery serves
breakfast, lunch and
dinner prepared by
chef Mike Garcia,
• NICK’S COVE
American Large
windows provide
picturesque views of
Tomales Bay and Hog
Island. The 130-seat
eatery’s menu consists of fresh local
seafood, oysters and
bounty from nearby
West Marin farms
(Marshall). 23240
Hwy 1, 415.663.1033,
nickscove.com
Rainbow Chard Salad
