California food & drink guide for UK visitors

Why California food is different

California invented farm-to-table dining before anyone had a name for it. Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse in Berkeley in 1971 and built a restaurant around whatever was seasonal, local and best — a concept that has since spread worldwide but which California still does better than anywhere.

The combination of climate, agricultural diversity and immigrant communities means California has access to ingredients that simply do not exist at this quality level in the UK — and a culinary culture that knows what to do with them. The avocados, the citrus, the stone fruit, the seafood, the produce from the Central Valley — all of it is extraordinary, and it shows on the plate.

British visitors are often surprised by how good the food is, across every price point. A taco from a roadside taqueria in Los Angeles or a bowl of clam chowder in Monterey can be as memorable as a meal at a serious restaurant. Sometimes more so.

The California classics

In-N-Out Burger

If you eat one thing at In-N-Out, order it Animal Style — the burger with mustard-grilled patty, grilled onions, extra spread and pickles. It is not on the menu board but every Californian knows to ask for it. The fries are better well done, also not on the menu.

In-N-Out is a California institution — family-owned since 1948, never franchised outside the western US, and consistently producing a better burger than chains charging three times the price. It costs about £6 for a Double-Double. There will be a queue. It moves fast.

Mexican food

California's proximity to Mexico and its large Mexican-American population means the Mexican food here is the real thing — not the Tex-Mex approximation that passes for Mexican cuisine in most of the UK.

A Mission burrito from the Mission District in San Francisco — a flour tortilla the size of a small child, filled with rice, beans, meat, salsa and sour cream — is one of the great eating experiences California offers. Budget £10-12, bring an appetite.

Los Angeles has extraordinary taco trucks — mobile kitchens serving street tacos for £1.50-3 each. Birria tacos (slow-braised beef, consommé for dipping) have become the definitive LA food moment of the last five years. Find them in the neighbourhoods rather than on the tourist strips.

Sourdough bread

San Francisco sourdough has a tang and texture that the bread owes to the specific wild yeast cultures present in the Bay Area fog. Boudin Bakery on Fisherman's Wharf has been baking with the same starter culture since 1849. The clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl on the waterfront is not subtle cuisine — but it is the right thing to eat in that place.

Fish tacos

The fish taco originated in Baja California and crossed the border into San Diego, which remains its spiritual home in the US. Battered or grilled fish, cabbage slaw, crema, salsa, lime — simple, fresh and completely different from what you get in a UK Mexican restaurant. Fish tacos in San Diego are the standard against which everything else is measured.

Date shakes

Driving through the Coachella Valley toward Palm Springs, stop at a roadside stand for a date shake — Medjool dates blended with vanilla ice cream into something between a milkshake and a revelation. The Coachella Valley produces 95% of America's dates. The shakes cost about £5 and are entirely worth the detour.

Farmers markets

California's farmers markets are among the finest in the world. The combination of year-round growing season, agricultural diversity and a culture that genuinely values quality produce means the markets here are operating at a different level from anything in the UK.

The Santa Monica Farmers Market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings is frequented by the chefs of Los Angeles's best restaurants — you will find them there early, before the public arrives. The Ferry Building Farmers Market in San Francisco runs Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on the waterfront Embarcadero. The Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles at Third and Fairfax has been running since 1934.

Eat at the market rather than buying to cook — the prepared food stalls at California farmers markets are outstanding and significantly cheaper than restaurants.

Wine country

Napa Valley

Napa produces some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. The valley floor estates — Opus One, Caymus, Stag's Leap — are internationally famous. Tasting fees at the prestige wineries run £30-60 per person, often offset against purchase. The wines are excellent; the setting, in a valley of extraordinary beauty, makes them better.

Hire a driver or join a wine tour. The roads are narrow and the tastings are generous — driving yourself is both dangerous and wasteful of the experience.

Sonoma

Sonoma is less formal than Napa, more varied in its wines and often more interesting for the visitor who wants to engage with the winemakers rather than the brand. Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast are among California's finest wines. Tasting fees are lower than Napa; the atmosphere is more relaxed.

Santa Ynez Valley

The wine country around Solvang — made famous by the film Sideways — produces excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a landscape that feels completely different from the Napa Valley. Less visited, less expensive and with some of the most beautiful drives in Southern California connecting the wineries.

Craft beer

California is one of the great craft beer states in the US. San Diego in particular has developed a brewery scene that rivals anywhere in the world — Stone Brewing, Ballast Point and AleSmith are among the names that serious beer enthusiasts will recognise, but the neighbourhood taprooms and newer operations are often more interesting.

The Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa — producers of Pliny the Elder, one of the most celebrated IPAs in the world — is worth the pilgrimage for anyone who cares about beer. Arrive early; the tasting room sells out of the good stuff.

Coffee culture

California coffee culture is sophisticated and takes itself seriously — sometimes more seriously than is strictly necessary, but the quality is consistently high. Blue Bottle Coffee (founded in Oakland) and Intelligentsia (with strong LA presence) are the names most British visitors recognise, but independent roasters in every California city are often better.

An iced coffee in Los Angeles on a warm afternoon is one of those small California pleasures that stays with you. Order it black if you want to fit in with the locals.

Tipping — the complete guide

Tipping in California is not optional — it is part of the economic contract between customers and service workers, who are often paid below minimum wage on the understanding that tips make up the difference.

Restaurants: 20% is standard, expected and should be budgeted from the start. 18% is acceptable for adequate service; below that sends a message. Many payment terminals now suggest 20%, 22% or 25% as options — 20% is correct and sufficient.

Bars: £1-2 per drink, or 15-20% of the tab. Coffee shops and counter service: a tip is appreciated but not obligatory — the suggested percentages on the payment terminal can be declined. Taxis and rideshares: 15-20%. Hotel housekeeping: £3-5 per night, left daily. Hotel porters: £2-3 per bag. Tour guides: 15-20% of the tour cost.

Build tipping into your daily budget from the start. A couple eating out twice daily will spend £25-40 in tips per day alone. It is not a surprise if you plan for it.

Food on a budget

California does budget food exceptionally well. A breakfast burrito from a Mexican bakery costs £4-5 and will keep you going until mid-afternoon. Tacos from a truck run £1.50-3 each. A Double-Double at In-N-Out with fries and a drink is £8. A bowl at Chipotle is £9. The farmers market lunch is £8-12 and is often the best meal of the day.

The expensive meals in California are expensive because they are genuinely excellent — not because California restaurants are generally overpriced. Choose your splurges deliberately and eat like a local the rest of the time.