9 California Dishes That Tourists Love & 9 That Locals Actually Order
California’s food scene is as colorful as the state itself — a melting pot of flavors shaped by sun-soaked beaches, fertile valleys, and vibrant cities.
Tourists chase the dishes they’ve seen all over Instagram, lining up for meals that shout “California” to the rest of the world.
But behind the hype, locals know where the real treasures lie: comfort foods and regional favorites that rarely make it into travel guides, yet define how we actually eat.
After years of tasting my way across the Golden State, I’ve seen the divide first-hand — and I’m here to show you both sides of California’s table.
1. Tourists Love: In-N-Out Double-Double
Nothing says ‘I’ve been to California’ like an In-N-Out selfie with that iconic Double-Double. The moment tourists land, they’re already mapping the nearest location of this fast-food legend.
I still remember watching a family from Minnesota practically dance with excitement as they ordered ‘animal style’ like seasoned pros, having researched the not-so-secret menu beforehand. The Double-Double’s two beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and special sauce create that classic flavor tourists crave.
While it’s genuinely good, the hype has reached mythical proportions. For visitors, it’s not just a burger – it’s a California rite of passage, complete with palm tree-adorned cups and that yellow arrow pointing toward burger heaven.
2. Locals Order: The California Burrito
French fries inside a burrito? Absolute genius! The California Burrito might sound like tourist bait, but locals guard their favorite taco shop’s version like a treasured secret.
My San Diego buddies nearly disowned me when I accidentally revealed their neighborhood spot to some out-of-towners. This magnificent creation stuffs a flour tortilla with carne asada, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and yes – crispy french fries instead of rice and beans.
Born in San Diego, this hefty meal has spread northward but remains surprisingly under-the-radar with visitors. After midnight, you’ll find locals lined up at taco shops, patiently waiting for this perfect combination of crispy, savory, and creamy textures that somehow tastes even better after a night out.
3. Tourists Love: Avocado Toast
You’d think California invented avocado toast based on how tourists flock to trendy cafés for this photogenic breakfast. They’ll happily shell out $15 for artisanal sourdough topped with perfectly fanned avocado slices, microgreens, and a sprinkle of exotic sea salt.
Last summer, I watched an entire family from Chicago take turns photographing their toast from every angle before finally taking a bite. The dish has become a California cliché, complete with Instagram hashtags and debates about whether it’s preventing millennials from buying homes.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s delicious! But the tourist version often comes with elaborate toppings like watermelon radish, pomegranate seeds, or edible flowers that make it more photoshoot prop than breakfast food.
4. Locals Order: Asada Fries
While tourists queue for fancy appetizers, locals are huddled around paper trays of asada fries – the unsung hero of California street food. My friends and I have ended countless nights sharing this mountain of crispy fries smothered in carne asada, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.
Born in San Diego’s taco shops, this dish has quietly conquered Southern California without making it to most travel guides. The magic happens when the hot fries slightly melt the cheese, creating a gooey foundation for the savory meat and cool toppings.
Every local has strong opinions about which spot makes the best version. Mine’s a tiny family-owned taco shop where the grandma in the kitchen somehow makes the steak taste like it was kissed by angels. It’s California comfort food at its finest.
5. Tourists Love: California Roll
Nothing screams “I’m experiencing authentic California cuisine!” to tourists quite like… a California Roll. Oh, the irony! This inside-out sushi creation with imitation crab, avocado, and cucumber was actually invented to ease Americans into sushi.
I once played tour guide for my cousins from Texas who insisted we find “the best California Roll in California.” The hunt was adorable but slightly misguided. While perfectly fine, this entry-level sushi is rarely what locals order when craving Japanese cuisine.
Yet, it remains on every tourist’s must-eat list – safely familiar yet exotic enough to feel adventurous. Visitors love telling folks back home they had “real California sushi” while showing photos of this avocado-stuffed creation that most California sushi chefs consider training wheels for American palates.
6. Locals Order: Garlic Noodles
San Francisco’s garlic noodles might be the best California food secret tourists rarely discover. These buttery, garlicky egg noodles with a hint of fish sauce and Parmesan create an umami explosion that locals line up for, especially in the Bay Area.
My first taste came during college when my Vietnamese-American roommate took me to Thanh Long, where the dish originated. I’ve been hopelessly addicted ever since. The beauty lies in their simplicity – just a few ingredients creating complex flavors that somehow taste both Asian and European simultaneously.
What makes them distinctly Californian is their cross-cultural heritage, born from Vietnamese immigrants adapting their cuisine using local ingredients. Most visitors never discover these noodles, instead chasing sourdough bread bowls while locals slurp these fragrant strands, often paired with roasted crab for special occasions.
7. Tourists Love: Mission-Style Burrito
The Mission-style burrito has tourists forming epic lines outside famous taquerias in San Francisco’s Mission District. These foil-wrapped behemoths stuffed with rice, beans, meat, cheese, and salsa have achieved cult status among visitors.
My college roommate’s parents once visited from Boston and insisted we wait 45 minutes at the “famous burrito place” despite my protests that equally good options existed without the wait. The appeal is undeniable – these massive cylinders of deliciousness weigh about two pounds and come wrapped in foil, perfect for Instagram documentation.
Tourists love debating whether La Taqueria, El Farolito, or Taqueria Cancún deserves the crown, clutching their Yelp research like sacred texts. The burrito itself is legitimately delicious, but the pilgrimage aspect has turned it into a tourist ritual almost separate from the eating experience.
8. Locals Order: Fresh Seafood Taco Trucks
While tourists flock to fancy seafood restaurants, locals know the best ocean-to-table experience comes from unassuming taco trucks parked near fishing docks. These mobile kitchens serve just-caught fish in corn tortillas with simple toppings that let the seafood shine.
My weekend ritual often includes a drive to Ventura Harbor where a blue truck serves fish tacos so fresh you can taste the sea breeze. The fish changes daily based on what the boats brought in – sometimes rockfish, other days halibut or sea bass.
Unlike tourist spots with elaborate presentations, these trucks keep it simple: grilled or fried fish, cabbage slaw, pico de gallo, and a squeeze of lime on handmade tortillas. No reservations needed, no white tablecloths – just the day’s catch served by the people who bought it directly from fishermen that morning.
9. Tourists Love: Cioppino
Fisherman’s Wharf visitors eagerly order cioppino, convinced they’re tasting authentic San Francisco cuisine. This tomato-based seafood stew filled with crab, clams, shrimp, and fish certainly has legitimate local roots, created by Italian immigrant fishermen in the early 1900s.
Last year, my East Coast relatives demanded I take them to Alioto’s for the “real San Francisco experience,” complete with sourdough bread bowls and cioppino. The dish itself remains delicious – a tomato-broth loaded with the Pacific’s bounty – but has gradually transformed into tourist territory.
Restaurants serving it now often feature photos of celebrities eating their cioppino and charge premium prices for the experience. While genuinely part of San Francisco’s culinary history, it’s now more commonly ordered by visitors clutching guidebooks than by locals celebrating special occasions.
10. Locals Order: Tacos Al Pastor
The vertical spit spinning with marinated pork might look like a kebab shop, but locals know it signals some of California’s best tacos al pastor. This Mexican-Lebanese fusion dish features pork marinated in achiote and pineapple, shaved directly onto small corn tortillas.
My taco Tuesday tradition leads me to a Santa Ana taqueria where the trompo (spinning spit) creates a mesmerizing show as the taquero expertly slices meat directly onto tortillas, catching a piece of caramelizing pineapple from the top in one fluid motion. The combination of charred, spiced meat with sweet pineapple creates a perfect flavor balance.
While tourists chase famous burger chains, locals huddle around these taquerias that often look unassuming from outside. The best spots are usually revealed by long lines of Spanish-speaking customers and the intoxicating aroma of sizzling achiote-marinated pork wafting down the block.
11. Tourists Love: San Francisco Sourdough
Tourists clutching bread-filled paper bags from Boudin Bakery are as common a sight at Fisherman’s Wharf as sea lions. The legendary San Francisco sourdough – shaped like turtles, teddy bears, or classic rounds – has achieved icon status among visitors.
My aunt from Michigan once bought six loaves to take home, convinced the special San Francisco bacteria would somehow survive in her freezer for months. The bread does have a legitimate claim to fame with its tangy flavor and chewy interior, thanks to the city’s unique microclimate and the special lactobacillus bacteria nicknamed “Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis.”
Visitors love watching bakers form loaves through the bakery windows and taking photos with their bread bowl soup containers. While the sourdough itself is excellent, the tourist experience now includes gift shops selling sourdough-scented candles and starter kits promising to bring San Francisco into home kitchens.
12. Locals Order: Ranch Dressing On Everything
Californians have a secret obsession that rarely makes it into food magazines: we put ranch dressing on practically everything. This isn’t just any ranch – we’re talking about housemade versions featuring fresh herbs and buttermilk that elevate this humble dressing to culinary greatness.
My personal weakness is pizza dipped in ranch, a combination that horrifies my East Coast friends but is standard practice at California pizzerias. Local restaurants often make their own signature versions, some infused with avocado, others spiked with Sriracha or roasted garlic.
From salads to french fries, buffalo wings to breakfast burritos, ranch is California’s unofficial condiment. While tourists are busy photographing famous dishes, watch the locals – we’re the ones asking for extra ranch on the side, then proceeding to dunk everything on our plate into its creamy, herby goodness.
13. Tourists Love: Baja-Style Fish Tacos
Baja-style fish tacos have become the ultimate California tourist trophy meal. Visitors proudly post photos of drink-battered fish nestled in corn tortillas with cabbage slaw, white sauce, and pico de gallo as evidence of their California culinary adventure.
During summer, beach-adjacent taco shops fill with sunburned tourists eager to try this Baja California-inspired creation. I still laugh remembering an Australian family at my local spot who ordered “one fish taco for the table” to share as an appetizer, not realizing these handheld delights are meant to be consumed in multiples!
The dish genuinely represents California’s connection to Mexican cuisine, and quality versions are delicious. However, tourists often end up at overpriced coastal restaurants serving mediocre versions with fancy presentation, missing the authentic street food experience that made these tacos famous in the first place.
14. Locals Order: Green Goddess Salads
California’s obsession with fresh produce shines through in our beloved green goddess salads. While tourists chase famous burgers, locals line up for these vibrant bowls packed with seasonal ingredients and that iconic herb-packed dressing.
My lunch routine often includes a stop at my neighborhood spot where the salad changes weekly based on what looked best at the farmers market. The green goddess dressing – a creamy blend of herbs, avocado, and yogurt – was actually invented at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel in the 1920s but has experienced a massive revival among health-conscious Californians.
Local versions feature everything from stone fruit in summer to persimmons in fall, always with avocado (because California) and often topped with seeds or nuts for crunch. It’s our everyday lunch that balances our other indulgences – fresh, vibrant, and somehow both virtuous and delicious.
15. Tourists Love: French Dip Sandwich
Los Angeles visitors make pilgrimages to either Philippe’s or Cole’s, both claiming to have invented the French Dip sandwich. These historic establishments have become tourist destinations where visitors wait in line for roast beef on a roll with a side of jus for dipping.
My cousin from Chicago insisted we visit Philippe’s during his LA trip, complete with taking photos of the sawdust-covered floors and vintage decor before even tasting the sandwich. The French Dip does have legitimate LA roots dating back to 1908, making it a true California classic.
While delicious in its simplicity – thinly sliced roast beef on a crusty roll with that magical jus – it’s now more commonly ordered by camera-wielding tourists than locals. Visitors love debating which establishment deserves credit for the invention, while most Angelenos have moved on to chasing the next food trend.
16. Locals Order: Sourdough Beyond Bread Bowls
Forget tourist bread bowls – locals know California’s sourdough scene goes far deeper. Artisanal bakeries throughout the state are creating sourdough croissants, pizzas, and crackers that showcase our obsession with fermentation.
My Saturday morning ritual includes a trip to a tiny Oakland bakery where the sourdough chocolate chip cookies changed my definition of what cookie perfection means. The slight tang of the fermented dough creates complexity that makes standard cookies seem one-dimensional in comparison.
While visitors line up for classic loaves, locals seek out innovative uses like sourdough waffles at brunch spots or sourdough pasta at farm-to-table restaurants. We appreciate the traditional bread but have embraced sourdough as a technique rather than just a specific product, incorporating its complex flavors into everything from pancakes to pie crusts.
17. Tourists Love: Hangtown Fry
History-loving tourists seek out Hangtown Fry, California’s Gold Rush-era creation combining oysters and eggs in an unlikely breakfast dish. Legend says a prospector who struck it rich ordered the most expensive items available – eggs, bacon, and oysters – combined into one extravagant meal.
My history buff uncle insisted on finding this dish during his Sacramento visit, determined to taste “real California history.” Today’s versions typically feature an oyster omelette or scramble with bacon, sometimes breaded and fried, served at historic establishments that cater to visitors seeking a taste of California’s past.
While genuinely part of our culinary history, you’ll rarely find locals ordering it for Sunday brunch. It’s become more of a historical curiosity than everyday fare, preserved on menus of Gold Country restaurants where tourists can feel connected to California’s wild west days while documenting their culinary adventure.
18. Locals Order: Local Indie Burger Joints
While tourists queue for famous chains, Californians are fiercely loyal to neighborhood burger spots serving uniquely local creations. These indie joints often feature regionally-inspired toppings like Santa Barbara tri-tip, Humboldt County mushrooms, or Central Valley stone fruits.
My hometown favorite uses avocados from the owner’s backyard trees and buns from the bakery next door. Each California region boasts beloved burger institutions – from Father’s Office in LA with its no-ketchup policy to Gott’s Roadside in Napa with country-inspired toppings.
What makes these burgers special isn’t just the local ingredients but the distinctly Californian approach: seasonal produce, artisanal cheese, house-made condiments, and often a vegetarian option that’s actually delicious. You won’t see these spots in guidebooks, but the parking lots filled with locals’ cars tell the real story about where to find California’s best burgers.