You know we love to eat. And we spend a lot of time sniffing out places to get food. Our main rule: it's relatively easy to spend a lot of money and get a great meal. It's a lot harder to spend a more modest amount, and still get a great meal - making the more modest price point is often a testament to the skill and creativity of the chef. Every meal here cost less than US$200 (sometimes far less) for two people, including wine and tip - and we pigged out. Here's this year's best, and where you can find 'em:
The Podium:
1. Ella - Sacramento, CA
2. Tinderbox Kitchen - Flagstaff, AZ
3. Il Cortile - Paso Robles, CA
Honourable Mentions: these restaurants are really, really good - but the podium was especially hard to crack this year.
Communal - Provo, UT
The Cork Tree - Palm Desert, CA
Artisan - Paso Robles, CA
Restaurant 301 (in the Carter House Inn) - Eureka, CA
Alloro Wine Bar - Bandon, OR (ownership may be changing soon!)
The Fish Market - Bandon, OR (the best halibut and chips on the West Coast, and cheapest eats, by far, on this list)
Newman's at 988 - Cannon Beach, OR
Yes, there were restaurants (as usual) that didn't meet expectations on this trip. They shall remain nameless. And some of them, tipless.
You know we love our coffee. All of these shops are artisanal small batch roasters, and you really get "coffee geek" when you talk to them. And they know how to pull a great espresso.
The Podium:
1. EXO Roast Co - Tucson, AZ
2. Temple Coffee Roasters - Sacramento, CA
3. Old Bisbee Roasters - Bisbee, AZ
Honourable Mentions:
Macy's European Coffee House - Flagstaff, AZ (You won't get in the door on Saturday mornings until well after noon)
Late for the Train Roastery - Flagstaff, AZ
Great artisanal chocolate is getting harder and harder to find.
1. Coastal Mist - Bandon, OR
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