Location: San Mateo
Top Restaurants in San Mateo
San Mateo Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in San Mateo
San Mateo (/ˌsæn məˈteɪ.oʊ/ SAN mə-TAY-oh; Spanish for "Saint Matthew") is a city in San Mateo County, California, located in the high-tech enclave of Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of 97,207 as of the 2010 census, it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City and San Francisco Bay to the east, Belmont to the south, and Highlands-Baywood Park and Hillsborough to the west. The 2015 population was estimated to be 103,536. San Mateo was incorporated in 1894.
Things to do in San Mateo
1. Nini's Coffee Shop
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 291 reviews
Reviewed By TTZulu - Marshalltown, Iowa
- Great breakfast options ( Omelets, Biscuits and Gravy is what we had)
- Friendly Staff
- Wait times can be long (15min to 20min despite it being 10am)
- Parking can be a challenge too as its in a residential neighbourhood - but if you drive around long enough, you can find a spot.
- Definitely check it out if in San Matteo
2. Stella Alpina Osteria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 219 reviews
Reviewed By nanita30 - Brookline, Massachusetts
Terrific authentic Italian food in a cozy, upscale white tablecloth room. Casual or a little dressed up it is a lovely spot for a friendly gathering or special occasion.
We started with an antipasto. Excellent cheese, prosciutto, roasted fresh peppers and salami on a nice wood board was seconded by superb melt in your mouth gnocchi that was booked in butter, brown sugar and truffle. It was simply to die for.the risotto special with shrimp and scallop did not skimp on either. I shared the smoked pork ragu with rigatoni which was so rich and flavorful I could only finish a small portion of it.
All the food was excellent as was he service. The restaurant ant is a very busy place and rightfully so. Hard to find great Italian food, but we did.
3. Kabul Afghan Cuisine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 193 reviews
Reviewed By Mary M - San Jose, California, United States
We recently visited Kabul Afghan Cuisine again. This is one of our very FAVORITE restaurants. The service is spectacular and the food is delicious. The flavors of the food are delicious and the meals are perfectly prepared. The portions are ample and there is an interesting ambience in the restaurant.
4. Godfather's Burger Lounge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 151 reviews
Godfather's Burger Lounge offers gourmet American cuisine with an elegant European twist. Come enjoy one of our delicious grass-fed burgers.
Reviewed By ULeadWillFollow - Hillsborough, California
Whenever we want to have a REAL burger, we head to Godfather's. We especially like it that once they open for the day, they don't close between lunch and dinner. Their burgers are cooked just as you asked for it. We enjoy the Director's Cut...MoreReading this left a smile on my face, so thank you, truly, for the kind words -- it's awesome knowing the burgers have always hit the spot! Can't wait to welcome you back in again soon. Cheers, Mike
5. Pancho Villa Taqueria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 204 reviews
Reviewed By TravelTrooperX2 - San Mateo, California
Everything is delicious and freshly made to order with deep flavors and tender meat choices. My 3 favorites are: 1) Chile Verde burrito 2) Fish Taco 3) Shrimp taco. The full plates are excellent but the portions are big so bring your appetite. The staff is friendly and the salsa bar has a great selection. This is my favorite taqueria in the San Mateo area.
6. Crepevine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 180 reviews
Reviewed By CruzanHamilton - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
First time visit and I am hooked! Great tasting with many health food choices inclusive of the freshly made Carrot Juice. Compliments to the manager and his well-trained staff who focused on making sure you had a great experience!
Try the Spinach Crepe with Grilled Chicken
DEFINITE Recommend if you are in the area!!!!
7. Pacific Catch
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 181 reviews
Pacific Catch is a comfortable West Coast Fish House bringing together local California sensibility and the spirit of island hospitality. happy hour | outside seating | dog friendly outdoor seating | full bar
Reviewed By Acidov - San Francisco, California
Pacific Catch has several locations in Bay Area. I have visited a few times the one that is located in San Mateo. All I can say is that every visit was pleasant with enjoyable culinary experience. Keep in mind that it is a chain restaurant and sometimes you can experience it but overall impression has been always positive for me. You will find here a wide variety of seafood inspired by Pacific, including sushi rolls and Hawaiian poke bowls. The place can be crowded on weekends so make sure to book a table in advance.
8. The Fish Market
Overall Ratings
4 based on 487 reviews
Nestled alongside a quiet lagoon, our fourth restaurant, and the first to feature the upstairs, upscale Top of the Market, has been a dining destination for bay area residents since 1982. This beautiful restaurant also features a full-service cocktail bar and lounge area, and a popular oyster bar. Patio dining is available in the summer months.
Reviewed By Acidov - San Francisco, California
Bay Area is famous for its food. Fish and other seafood are always highest quality. You can get spoiled very easily by visiting all those places serving fresh fish, lobsters, crab meat, etc. Very good means just average here. That's how it was this time. I ordered grilled halibut and what I've remembered was a tiny portion of fish with some (almost) raw vegetables (according to menu it was supposed to be roasted) and small portion of au gratin potatoes. Fish was just ok. Overall, expensive and disappointing. I'd return here to try other dishes. For now, four out of five points.
9. Mingalaba
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 236 reviews
Reviewed By sjansenavon - San Francisco area, CA
We eat here regularly and this is the second year we have had Christmas Eve dinner here. They don’t take reservations and you can’t be seated until your entire party is present. The food is consistently excellent, service is great, you can’t go wrong here. They serve beer and wine. It’s a small place but they have it running like a fine tuned machine. Food comes out quickly and it’s piping hot. Very very good experiences here time and time again.
10. The Van's Restaurant On the Hill
Overall Ratings
4 based on 133 reviews
Reviewed By Shando88 - Modesto, California
First time at this restaurant, treated by friends, enjoyed the experience! The food was good, presented well, and with friendly service! Will be back! As I always do with my reviews, here's a list of pros and cons.
Cons:
* Parking availability
* Price...but worth it here...you get what you pay for
Pros:
* Everything else!
* Note for salad lovers - I recommend ordering a side salad vs. a salad meal as mine wasn't very satisfying and there was a puddle of water at the bottom of the bowl.
