Where Marin's Chefs and Restaurant Owners Go to Eat: Recommendations From Local Tastemakers

Readers, you had your chance to vote for your favorite food and drink destinations with Best of the County. Now we turn the tables and ask the chefs about their favorites. The above photo, taken at Cavallo Point’s Cooking School, captures a moment of communal energy with a pinch of competition.

Click below to find where they go for their favorite meals:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Sweets | Cocktails

Meet the 27 Tastemakers

Here are a few of Marin’s top chefs and their best-selling dishes, so you know what to order.

The Baan Thai Cuisine | Jackie Suthon

Location: San Anselmo
Top seller: Pad See Ew because we cook it the authentic Thai way — fresh in a hot wok with perfect temperature control, creating that light smoky wok aroma.
Sold weekly: Over 250.

Buckeye Roadhouse | Robert Price

Location: Mill Valley
Top seller: Marinated Skirt Steak with Pecorino Truffle Fries.
Sold weekly: 250.

Bungalow 44 | Peter Schumacher

Location: Mill Valley
Top seller: Oysters bingo.
Sold weekly: 395.

Cavallo Point Lodge | Michael Garcia

Location: Sausalito
Top seller: Our fresh fish selections.
Sold weekly: 200.

Comforts | Erin Miwa

Location: San Anselmo
Top seller: Our signature Chinese chicken salad.
Sold weekly: 3,500–4,000.

Copita | Michael Mindel

Location: Sausalito
Top seller: Fresh fish, because we are on the waterfront and our Chef often catches it himself!
Sold weekly: Hundreds.

Corner Bar | Jason Sims

Location: Mill Valley
Top seller: A burger and a Manhattan.
Sold weekly: Over 100.

Creekside Pizza & Taproom | Pat Townsley

Location: San Anselmo
Top seller: The Perfect Storm, Creekside’s combination pizza. Named for our loving Siberian Husky, a movie and the flurry of flavors in every slice.
Sold weekly: A couple hundred.

Cucina sa | Donna Seymour

Location: San Anselmo
Top seller: Kale and Brussels sprout salad.
Sold weekly: 150.

Equator Coffees | Helen Russell

Location: Sausalito, Larkspur and Mill Valley
Top seller: Classic espresso drinks remain our highest-volume sellers, but our signature Habibi Latte has become synonymous with Equator.
Sold weekly: Over 700 units across our four Marin cafes.

Fish. | Kenny Belov

Location: Sausalito
Top seller: Fish and chips.
Sold weekly: 1,000.

Harmony Restaurant | Norman Louie

Location: Mill Valley
Top seller: Harmony signature beef.
Sold weekly: Lots!

Il Davide | David Haydon

Location: San Rafael
Top seller: Branzino Chilean sea bass.
Sold weekly: 100.

Insalata’s | Taylor Carnes

Location: San Anselmo
Top seller: Eggplant fries; people love how different and delicious they are.
Sold weekly: 150.

Le Garage | Bruno Denis

Location: Sausalito
Top seller: Mussels.
Sold weekly: 200.

Michael’s Sourdough Sandwiches | Jole Braun

Location: Belvedere Tiburon
Top seller: Creamy goat cheese dip topped with roasted olives and honey.
Sold weekly: 80.

Mog Asu Wine Bar | Emily and Fedric Dcosta

Location: San Rafael and Novato
Top seller: Roasted turkey sandwich.
Sold weekly: Over 500.

Piatti Mill Valley | Rick Edge

Location: Mill Valley
Top seller: Rigatoni Bolognese.
Sold weekly: 250–300.

Picco Restaurant & Pizzeria | Michael Reyes

Location: Larkspur
Top seller: Tuna tartare.
Sold weekly: Too many to count!

Photo by Prismic Photography/Matt Spinetta

Playa | Michael Siegel

Location: Mill Valley
Top seller: Besides guacamole, chips and salsa trio being on every table, our chicken enchiladas with mole negro deep toasted chile flavor with a hint of chocolate.
Sold weekly: 100.

Photo by Dietrich Krous with the Atrium Collective

Poggio Trattoria | Benjamin Balesteri

Location: Sausalito
Top seller: Tagliatelle prawn pasta.
Sold weekly: 160.

Photo by Prismic Photography/Matt Spinetta

Pond Farm Brewing Co. | Trevor Martens

Location: San Rafael
Top seller: Smash burgers and pretzels.
Sold weekly: 190 burgers, 130 pretzels.

Silver Peso Bar | Max Perry

Location: Larkspur
Top seller: Draft beers!
Sold weekly: Too many to count.

Photo by Prismic Photography/Matt Spinetta

A steak sandwich, fries and ketchup served on a white plate. A glass jar filled with a clear liquid and mint leaf is off to the side.

Sol Food | Sol Hernandez

Location: Mill Valley and San Rafael
Top seller: Pollo al Horno.
Sold weekly: 3,000.

Photo by Lori Eanes

Super Duper Burger Corte Madera | Edmondo Sarti

Location: Corte Madera
Top seller: Our Mini Burger because it’s simple, but every ingredient matters from our daily ground Brandt Farms beef to our daily baked buns.
Sold weekly: About 2,000.

Sushi Ran | Yoshi Tome

Location: Sausalito
Top seller: Sushi, tuna, hamachi, black cod.
Sold weekly: 1,000.

Uchiwa Ramen | Kevin Fong

Location: San Rafael
Top seller: Tonkotsu ramen.
Sold weekly: 125.

Breakfast

Where Marin’s tastemakers start the day.

1. Fred’s Place — Top Pick

*Larry Wolf, John Libberton, Ruth Shelby, Rodger March, Jeff Winn, Walter Wester*. *Photo by Jack Wolford*

Location: Sausalito
Address: 1917 Bridgeway
Phone: 415.332.4575
Picked by: Michael Mindel, Max Perry, Bruno Denis, Michael Siegel, Jason Sims

Photos courtesy of Fred’s Place

2. Shoreline Coffee

Shoreline cafe breakfast — *Photo by Debra Tarrant*

Location: Mill Valley
Address: 221 Shoreline Hwy
Phone: 415.388.9085
Picked by: Helen Russell, Benjamin Balesteri

3. Garden Café

Garden Cafe dishes — *Photo by Sophia Wyllie*

Location: San Rafael
Address: 718 B St
Phone: 415.295.7285
Picked by: Emily and Fedric Dcosta, Trevor Martens

4. M.H. Bread & Butter

MH Bread fruit tart — *Photo by Debra Tarrant*

Location: San Anselmo
Address: 101 San Anselmo Ave
Phone: 415.755.4575
Picked by: Donna Seymour, Peter Schumacher

Other Breakfast Picks

Norman Louie: Bacon, Novato
Jole Braun: Beso Bistro, Novato
Jackie Suthon: Blue Barn, Corte Madera
Robert Price: Buckeye Joe’s, Sausalito
Kenny Belov: Flour Craft Bakery, San Anselmo and Mill Valley
Taylor Carnes: Good Earth, Fairfax or Mill Valley
Sol Hernandez: Le Croissant, San Rafael
Rick Edge: Lighthouse Café, Corte Madera
Kevin Fong: Lundy’s Home Cooking, San Rafael
Erin Miwa: Miracle Mile Cafe, San Rafael
Yoshi Tome: Suzette, Sausalito
Michael Reyes: Thursday Marin Farmers’ Market, San Rafael

“Our ‘go-to’ is Miracle Mile Cafe. The staff are great, and my son loves the cinnamon roll pancakes.” — Erin Miwa, Comforts

Lunch

Where Marin’s tastemakers find midday fuel.

1. Hog Island Oyster Co. — Top Pick

Location: Larkspur
Address: 2401 Larkspur Landing Cir
Phone: 628.253.5905
Picked by: Taylor Carnes, Yoshi Tome, Michael Garcia, Donna Seymour

Photos of Hog Island Oysters by Remy Hale

2. Farmshop Marin

Location: Larkspur
Address: 2233 Larkspur Landing Cir
Phone: 415.755.6700
Picked by: Helen Russell, Edmondo Sarti

3. Michael’s Sourdough Sandwiches

Location: San Rafael and Novato
Addresses: 999 Andersen Dr, Ste 165, San Rafael; 42 Digital Dr, Novato
Phones: 415.485.0964; 415.883.5110
Picked by: Max Perry, Michael Siegel

4. Farley Bar, Cavallo Point

Location: Sausalito
Address: 602 Murray Cir
Phone: 415.339.4751
Picked by: Emily and Fedric Dcosta

Other Lunch Picks

Michael Reyes: Comforts, San Anselmo
Norman Louie: Café del Soul, Mill Valley and San Rafael
Benjamin Balesteri: Fish., Sausalito
Robert Price: Flour Craft Bakery, San Anselmo and Mill Valley
Peter Schumacher: Hook Fish Co., Mill Valley
Erin Miwa: Insalata’s, San Anselmo
Rick Edge: Joinery, Sausalito
Kenny Belov: Masa Sushi, Novato
Trevor Martens: M.H. Bread & Butter, San Anselmo
Jason Sims: Playa, Mill Valley
David Haydon: Poggio Trattoria, Sausalito
Jole Braun: RH Rooftop Restaurant, Corte Madera
Pat Townsley: Sabor A México, San Rafael
Kevin Fong: Sushi Holic, Novato
Jackie Suthon: Sol Food, Mill Valley and San Rafael
Sol Hernandez: Vn Noodle Grill, San Rafael
Michael Mindel: World Wrapps, Corte Madera

Dinner

Where Marin’s tastemakers like to end their day.

1. Madcap — Top Pick

Location: San Anselmo
Address: 198 Sir Francis Drake Blvd
Phone: 415.453.9898
Picked by: Yoshi Tome, Bruno Denis, Michael Garcia, Robert Price

Photos courtesy of Madcap

2. Village Sake

Location: Fairfax
Address: 19 Bolinas Rd
Phone: 415.521.5790
Picked by: Taylor Carnes, Kenny Belov, Michael Siegel, Donna Seymour

3. Buckeye Roadhouse

*Photo by Prismic Photography / Matt Spinetta*

Location: Mill Valley
Address: 15 Shoreline Hwy
Phone: 415.331.2600
Picked by: David Haydon, Michael Reyes, Rick Edge

4. Burmatown

Location: Corte Madera
Address: 18 Tamalpais Dr
Phone: 415.985.5060
Picked by: Jole Braun, Jason Sims

Other Dinner Picks

Peter Schumacher: Angelino’s, Sausalito
Helen Russell: Bungalow 44, Mill Valley
Erin Miwa: Cucina sa, San Anselmo
Kevin Fong: Il Davide, San Rafael
Jackie Suthon: Kuro Nami, San Anselmo
Sol Hernandez: La Ginestra, Mill Valley
Norman Louie: Mamita Cocina Mexicana, Novato
Max Perry: Restaurant Picco, Larkspur
Michael Mindel: RH Marin, Corte Madera
Pat Townsley: Sorella Caffe, Fairfax
Benjamin Balesteri: Sushi Ran, Sausalito
Emily and Fedric Dcosta: Insalata’s, San Anselmo
Trevor Martens: Insalata’s, San Anselmo

“It’s tied between Sushi Ran, La Toscana, Buckeye and La Ginestra.” — Sol Hernandez, Sol Food

Sweets

Where Marin’s tastemakers go for a treat.

1. Silbermann’s Ice Cream — Top Pick

Location: San Rafael
Address: 196 Northgate Dr One
Phone: 415.479.1657
Picked by: Pat Townsley, Max Perry, Michael Garcia

Photos courtesy of Silbermann’s Ice Cream

2. Bob’s Donuts

Location: Mill Valley
Address: 252 Almonte Blvd
Phone: 415.322.6278
Picked by: Kenny Belov, Michael Reyes

3. RH Rooftop Restaurant

Location: Corte Madera
Address: 1750 Redwood Hwy
Phone: 628.266.2040
Picked by: Michael Mindel, Norman Louie

4. Lappert’s Ice Cream

Location: Sausalito
Address: 689 Bridgeway
Phone: 415.331.3035
Picked by: Bruno Denis, Robert Price

Other Sweet Picks

Jason Sims: Angela’s Ice Cream, Mill Valley
Erin Miwa: Buvette du Marais, Larkspur
Kevin Fong: Creekside Bakery, Novato
Sol Hernandez: Double Rainbow @ Autistry Studios, San Rafael
David Haydon: Emporio Rulli, Larkspur
Trevor Martens: Fairfax Scoop, Fairfax
Benjamin Balesteri: Jane / Marin, Belvedere Tiburon
Peter Schumacher: La Ginestra, Mill Valley
Taylor Carnes: Restaurant Picco, Larkspur
Rick Edge: Station House Café, Point Reyes Station
Helen Russell: Tamalpie, Mill Valley
Jackie Suthon: Teaspoon, Corte Madera
Emily and Fedric Dcosta: Woodbine Bakery, San Rafael
Donna Seymour: Buckeye Roadhouse, Mill Valley

Cocktails

Where Marin’s tastemakers quench their thirst.

1. California Gold — Top Pick

Location: San Rafael
Address: 848 B St
Picked by: David Haydon, Emily and Fedric Dcosta, Edmondo Sarti, Trevor Martens, Kevin Fong, Michael Siegel

Photos courtesy of California Gold