As much as we all love college, dining hall dinners get repetitive, to say the least. Coming from the Bay Area, which has quickly become a hub for some of the freshest, most unique food, I can’t help but indulge in all of these to-die-for eateries as soon as I get home.
With seemingly endless options from every eatery, you’ll never have a reason to not get yourself back to the Bay Area ASAP. Book your tickets home now because I can assure you you’ll be craving all of the food the good ole’ Bay Area has to offer after reading this list.
Sprout Café
Photo by Laura Madeira
Sprout Café is every picky eater’s dream. It offers made-to-order salads, so you don’t have to go through the hassle of picking out all the things you don’t like. On top of that, Sprout Café has done the seemingly impossible and made tofu delicious. The sesame tofu almost makes you forget that you’re eating tofu. It’s wild.
Philz Coffee
Photo by Laura Madeira
Forget everything that Starbucks has made you think you know about coffee because Philz Coffee is brewing fresh coffee the good old fashion way. No machines… Just coffee grounds, filters and water.
Offering a wide variety of dark, medium and light roasts, Philz Coffee has something for every coffee lover. Looking to mix it up? Philz offers an endless array of flavorful teas, and even specialty coffees such as the Mint Mojito: The perfect mint and coffee love child.
Café Borrone
Photo by Laura Madeira
Café Borrone is a family-run café that has been serving the Menlo Park community since 1979. The berry waffles are not only melt-in-your-mouth perfection, but they are 100% #Instaworthy.
Skip a coffee on the side because the best pairing with the berry waffle is a frosted mocha, which has been on the menu since Café Borrone’s opening almost 40 years ago. The frosted mocha is basically an excuse to have a coffee milkshake for breakfast (as if you needed a real excuse).
Pizzeria Delfina
Photo by Laura Madeira
Pizzeria Delfina is an ever so ~trendy~ pizza restaurant that serves up a menu that goes way beyond a plain pizza pie.
Its burrata cheese is a heavenly fluff that just melts in your mouth. Why have plain old mozzarella when you can have the Ferrari of cheese. Not only can you get this magical cloud on a plate, but you can also get a burrata pizza on fresh and flakey dough.
Fraiche Yogurt
Photo by Laura Madeira
If it’s good enough for Facebook, they must be doing something right. That’s right, Fraiche Yogurt is so good that Facebook put a pop-up store on its campus. Fraiche serves up some of the best frozen yogurts that are all natural and completely guilt-free.
The flavors change regularly, but loyal customers know the constant battle between Oreo and Café au Lait. Fraiche offers a wide variety of toppings, including fresh-made Japanese mochi and chocolate that is shaven off of a #trendy block of chocolate on the spot.
The Melt
Photo by Laura Madeira
What’s the only thing more epic than mac ‘n cheese? Mac n’ cheese in a grilled cheese. And yes, that is a real thing. The masterminds behind The Melt set out to provide not only kids but also adults with the best grilled cheeses out there.
It recently expanded the menu to include hamburgers, mac ‘n cheese and milkshakes on top of the classic grilled cheese menus. But let’s be honest, the grilled cheese is the holy grail of sandwiches and worth the trip back to the Bay Area any day.
Blue Barn
Photo by Laura Madeira
It’s not every day that you go to a barn in the hopes of a delicious meal but lemme tell ya, the Blue Barn is serving up drool-worthy food every day. The restaurant is literally a blue barn, and inside it’s filled with only the freshest local produce.
The Blue Barn offers mouthwatering salads, warm paninis and flavorful soups that photograph as well as they taste. Plus, you can add french fries to your order for $1.75, perfect for all of us broke college kids looking for a #bargain.
Loving Cup
Photo by Laura Madeira
We all know the ultimate struggle of achieving the perfect combination of frozen yogurt and toppings. At Loving Cup, you pick your base and your toppings… then the geniuses at Loving Cup use a magical machine that incorporates the toppings in the base for a frozen masterpiece. Every bite is the perfect mixture of froyo and toppings.
With endless possibilities, you’ll be planning your next trip to Loving Cup before you even leave the store.
Jane on Fillmore
Photo courtesy of @thevioletfog on Instagram
Jane on Fillmore is the epitome of #trendy and #healthy eating. It has gluten-free and vegan options, as well as the infamous avocado toast featured on every food Instagram known to man.
Whether you’re feeling colorful and want to try the Rainbow Salad or just want a big bowl of berries, Jane not only has it but will provide your Insta with the best backgrounds possible.
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse
Photo courtesy of @elaineeats_ on Instagram
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse is the West Coast equivalent for all us sad souls that live too far from the infamous Dominique Ansel Bakery.
It’s nearly impossible to go a day without seeing the infamous “I got baked in San Francisco” in your Instagram feed, and it’s understandable (the food is amazing and totally worth the insta). With both cruffin – yes, cruffins are a real thing – and donut flavors being updated weekly, it’s no wonder that there’s always a line.
Napa Valley Burger Company
Photo courtesy of @napavalleyburgercompany on Instagram
The Napa Valley Burger Company brings all the delicious flavors of the Napa Valley right to Sausalito (and yes, the best part of the menu is the wine).
The California Baja Burger with avocado and jalepeños is a classic, but the fried chicken burger will bring your taste buds back to the South. And it wouldn’t be Napa without a Cabernet Brie Burger… need I say more?
Fentons Creamery
Photo courtesy of @elisetianna on Instagram
When a restaurant has been around for 122 years, it must be doing something right. Fentons has been attracting people to the Oakland store for over a century with a classic dinner menu featuring the infamous Ice Cream Flight.
That’s right, it’s called a Flight because you can get a sundae made up of three different flavored ice creams and three different toppings (when I die, please bury me in a Flight). Fentons also split the sundae menus for the adventurous, sedate and sophisticated. Fentons quite literally has something for everyone.