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Eating along the PCH, highway 1

Heading up to Mendocino and taking the 1 all the way. Looking for recommendations between there Santa Cruz . Really anything delicious and unique, from taco stands to fresh oysters and farmstead fine dining. And anything between the coast and the 101, as we don't have any plans but to eat and eat. Pigs feet and foie to tacos and fries, picnic table to michelin, what are your favorite countryside finds?

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  1. Stop in Pescadero and get some artichoke bread from Arcengeli grocery
    and/or eat at Duarte Tavern. We always get extra artichoke bread and freeze it for later meals.

    1 Reply
    1. re: ROCKLES

      Also in Pescadero, Harley Farms goat dairy. Visit the goats, stop by the tasting room, in addition to a line of cheeses they also make soaps and lotions.

      The founder is active in Slow Food and while they are not a restaurant they have occasional farm dinners there. The schedule is on their web site.

      Harley Farms
      205 North St, Pescadero, CA

    2. You'll pass by San Francisco. I hear there are good eats there.

      2 Replies
      1. re: BernalKC

        I've been told that once or twice... ;)

        I am from NorCal and do a pilgrimage once or twice a year, but it has been a very long time since I have stuck to the coast. This trip is all about staying out of the city and closer to the headlands and mountains. Also, being a lifer in the restaurant business I am keen on finding farms, cheese mongers, wineries etc that might be off the radar and wouldn't mind me dropping by for some enthusiastic sampling of their goods...

        1. re: luhkee

          Since you mentioned btw 1 and 101, and wine, might consider heading east from Stewart's Point to Healdsburg and checking out the lesser known wineries. Here's a couple of threads from the wine board.



          [ETA] http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/805034

          Great restaurants in H'burg and surrounding area (Geyserville, Windsor, etal) and gorgeous return trip to the coast along the Russian River on Hwy 116.

      2. Try a search on "Sonoma" on this board for lots of recent threads. There's also a Mendocino thread on the California board for starters.

        Tomales Bay is full of oyster farms and places to eat them--Hog Island, the Marshall Store.

        BTW Highway 1 isn't called PCH north of Malibu or maybe Santa Barbara. You'll get a lot of blank stares.

        Marshall Store
        19225 Hwy 1, Marshall, CA 94940

        1 Reply
        1. re: Windy

          Thanks, definitely planning to stop in Tomales bay...And I realized the PCH reference was influenced on my recent years down here in Venice after I posted!

          1. You might want to stop by Hog Island Oysters in Marshall.
            BTW, the PCH is the portion of Highway 1 between Dana Point and Oxnard. Other portions have different names.