13 California Hotel Restaurants With Shockingly Great Food
Hotel restaurants in California used to be an afterthought, but not anymore. Across the state, hotels are teaming up with award-winning chefs and rolling out menus that surprise and impress even longtime foodies.
Coastal seafood havens, chic rooftop dining rooms, and even Michelin-starred hotel kitchens are changing the game. These 13 restaurants prove that you don’t have to leave your hotel to eat exceptionally well.
1. Addison – Fairmont Grand Del Mar (San Diego)
Chef William Bradley transforms California’s culinary landscape at this hidden gem within the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. His contemporary tasting menu showcases technical brilliance through seasonal ingredients and French technique.
As a three-MICHELIN-star restaurant at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, Addison demands advance reservations, often months ahead.
The luxurious dining room, nestled on resort grounds, provides the perfect backdrop for Bradley’s artistic expressions that have redefined hotel dining standards nationwide.
2. Caruso’s – Rosewood Miramar Beach (Montecito)
Waves crash just feet away as diners savor Chef Massimo Falsini’s Italian-inspired coastal cuisine at this oceanfront treasure.
The seafood-forward tasting menu changes with the tides, featuring sustainable catches prepared with Mediterranean flair. Caruso’s earned both a MICHELIN Star and a Green Star for its commitment to environmental practices.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Pacific, creating a dining experience where nature and culinary artistry merge into something truly special at this Montecito haven.
3. Harbor House Restaurant – Harbor House Inn (Elk, Mendocino Coast)
Perched on Mendocino’s rugged coastline, this intimate dining room offers just 20 seats with unobstructed Pacific views. Chef Matthew Kammerer forages daily along the shoreline, transforming hyperlocal ingredients into revelations on the plate.
I still remember my first bite there – seaweed harvested that morning transformed into a buttery tart that captured the ocean’s essence.
With two MICHELIN Stars and a Green Star, Harbor House proves that remarkable dining experiences can happen in the most remote locations.
4. The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil – Auberge du Soleil (Rutherford, Napa Valley)
Terraced above Napa Valley’s patchwork vineyards, this Mediterranean-inspired icon has held a MICHELIN Star for 17 consecutive years. Golden hour here transforms both the landscape and the dining experience into something magical.
The legendary wine cellar houses over 15,000 bottles, perfectly complementing seasonal tasting menus.
Local produce shines through sophisticated yet approachable preparations, while floor-to-ceiling windows frame vineyard vistas that remind you why Napa Valley captivates food lovers worldwide.
5. La Toque – The Westin Verasa Napa (Napa)
Chef Ken Frank’s culinary playground inside The Westin Verasa showcases French techniques through a distinctly Californian lens. The signature tasting menu evolves constantly, highlighting seasonal treasures from local farmers and purveyors.
During truffle season, I watched the chef shave fragrant black truffles over a simple egg dish that brought tears to my eyes.
La Toque’s MICHELIN Star recognition reflects its impeccable wine pairings, each glass thoughtfully selected to elevate every bite into a harmonious dance of flavors.
6. Dry Creek Kitchen – Hotel Healdsburg (Healdsburg, Sonoma County)
Charlie Palmer’s wine country haven celebrates Sonoma’s agricultural bounty with refined yet approachable cuisine.
The bright, airy dining room spills onto Healdsburg’s historic plaza, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor experience.
The restaurant’s zero-corkage policy for Sonoma wines encourages exploration of local vintages.
Seasonal tasting menus showcase heirloom vegetables, heritage meats, and artisanal cheeses from nearby farms, making Dry Creek Kitchen the perfect expression of Sonoma’s terroir on a plate.
7. Navio – The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay (Half Moon Bay)
Dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows frame crashing waves at this coastal sanctuary perched on rugged cliffs.
Navio’s seafood-focused menu transforms the Pacific’s bounty into sophisticated dishes that honor both tradition and innovation. The weekend brunch has become legendary among Bay Area food enthusiasts.
I once spent three glorious hours there, moving from freshly shucked oysters to made-to-order omelets while watching surfers brave the waves below – a quintessential Northern California experience combining luxury and natural beauty.
8. Sierra Mar – Post Ranch Inn (Big Sur)
Suspended between ocean and sky, Sierra Mar offers the most dramatic dining views in California. Glass walls showcase the infinite Pacific horizon as guests savor innovative four-course menus showcasing coastal ingredients and global influences.
The wine program has earned Wine Spectator’s Grand Award for its exceptional 14,000-bottle collection.
Chef’s garden-to-table philosophy means herbs picked minutes before service appear on your plate, creating an intimate connection to Big Sur’s unique terroir and microclimate.
9. The Sur House – Ventana Big Sur (Big Sur)
Perched 1,200 feet above the Pacific, The Sur House combines Big Sur’s rustic soul with refined culinary technique. The restaurant’s expansive redwood deck offers unparalleled sunset views that transform dinner into theater.
Executive Chef crafts menus around Central Coast bounty – abalone from Monterey Bay, mushrooms foraged from nearby forests, herbs from the property’s garden.
Wood-fired cooking methods honor Big Sur’s pioneering spirit while sophisticated presentations satisfy modern palates seeking connection to place through thoughtfully prepared food.
10. Espelette Beverly Hills – Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills (Beverly Hills)
Golden Hollywood glamour meets contemporary French technique at this sophisticated restaurant inside the Waldorf Astoria.
The sun-drenched dining room transitions seamlessly from power breakfasts to elegant dinners, catering to entertainment industry insiders and visitors alike.
Mediterranean-inspired menus showcase California’s finest ingredients through a refined European
lens.
My favorite memory involves spotting three A-list celebrities while enjoying the signature lobster pasta—proving Espelette delivers both scene and substance in true Beverly Hills fashion.
11. Caldo Verde – Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel (Los Angeles)
James Beard winners Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne bring Portuguese-California fusion to life in this ground-floor stunner. The restaurant’s bold design by Kelly Wearstler provides the perfect backdrop for equally bold flavors.
Signature dishes include Portuguese seafood stew swimming with local catch and house-made linguiça sausage.
The restaurant seamlessly transitions from power lunches to romantic dinners, with a thoughtfully curated wine list highlighting both Old World Portuguese bottles and California discoveries from small producers.
12. Serẽa – Hotel del Coronado (Coronado / San Diego)
Sand practically dusts your feet at this beachfront sanctuary inside the historic Hotel del Coronado. Chef JoJo Ruiz champions sustainable seafood through a Mediterranean lens, with an impressive raw bar displaying the day’s freshest catches.
The restaurant’s indoor-outdoor design embraces its oceanfront setting with retractable walls that welcome sea breezes.
Signature cocktails featuring house-infused spirits complement the coastal menu, while the historic hotel’s iconic red turrets provide a storybook backdrop for sunset dining.
13. Lucia Restaurant & Bar – Bernardus Lodge & Spa (Carmel Valley)
Hidden in Carmel Valley’s sun-drenched landscape, Lucia celebrates California’s bounty through garden-driven cuisine. The restaurant maintains two acres of organic gardens, supplying everything from heirloom tomatoes to edible flowers.
Chef sources ingredients steps from the kitchen – honey from on-property hives, produce harvested hours before service.
I’ll never forget watching the sun set over the valley while sampling olive oil pressed from the property’s trees, a moment that captured the restaurant’s commitment to place and provenance.