2ND Bungalow 44 3RD Piazza D’Angelo
BEST NEW RESTAURANT 2011 Though not exactly new, El Paseo House of Chops has relatively new owners and a newly renovated structure and menu. First acquired in 1936, the building that now houses El Paseo has been home to a landscape business, artists, writers and musicians. After establishing the structure’s first restaurant in 1948, the business has changed hands just a few times, most recently purchased by musician Sammy Hagar and business partner Tyler Florence in 2010. The pair have renovated the restaurant from top to bottom and are now open for business. With hearty bites like filet mignon or bacon-wrapped pork sirloin, El Paseo also offers up scrumptious starters like pumpkin bruschetta, oysters, marrow and a wide selection of salads, which can all be washed down with their their local and imported wines. A new interior, new owners and a new menu make El Paseo Marin’s new favorite. -----------------------------------------------El Paseo House of Chops
17 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley 388.0741 elpaseomillvalley.com 2ND Bar Bocce, Sausalito 3RD Pizza Orgasmica, San Rafael
the Bay Area’s best Neapolitan-style thincrust pizza. The hand-stretched dough is topped with high-quality, mostly local and organic ingredients—from arugula, roasted onions and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms to hand-pulled mozzarella and Hog Island clams—and served blistering hot from the wood-burning oven. Salumi and organic salads, along with reasonably priced wines and a nice selection of cold beers round out the menu. There’s not much room inside—but the umbrella-shaded tables out front offer a relaxed dining experience and some pretty
There’s a woman in the United States who predicted the plane we were traveling on would crash. Now, a lot of people would like to think we were scared into saying a prayer. What we did actually, we drank. – Ringo
BEST NOVATO RESTAURANT Smack dab in the middle of the North Bay, Novato isn’t exactly the first place people think of heading for an enchanted dining experience. But for Marin residents, particularly in the northern wedge of the county, Novato’s Boca Steak and Seafood is a sought after destination. With a full bar (and a well-loved happy hour), Boca provides a variety of favorite eats not limited to what is ordinarily found in typical steak houses. Duck fat fries, crab cakes, oysters, butternut squash and turnip bisque—just a few of the starters to accompany a meal. A variety of seafood, pastas (the open face ravioli is a favorite) are also available along with Boca’s famous rib-eye, lamb and baby back ribs. And let’s not forget the wine! Boca features an extensive wine list, featuring a hefty portion of Northern California wines. With a welcoming atmosphere, friendly, attentive staff and a menu to satisfy any hungry belly, Boca is Novato’s pick for best restaurant. -----------------------------------------------Boca Steak and Seafood
340 Ignacio Blvd. 883.0901 bocasteak.com 2ND Hilltop 1892 3RD Finnegan’s Marin
BEST PIZZERIA The “sidekick” to Restaurant Picco, Bruce Hill’s Pizzeria Picco dishes up some of
good people-watching opportunities, too. And don’t skip the Straus Creamery softserve vanilla ice cream with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt—a perfect ending. And you might want to pick up some flash-frozen, vacuum-packed pies to bake at home. -----------------------------------------------Pizzeria Picco
316 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur 945.8900 pizzeriapicco.com 2ND Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria, San Rafael 3RD LoCoco’s Pizzeria, Terra Linda
BEST SAN RAFAEL RESTAURANT Oh man. We at the Pacific Sun are so lucky to be a hop, skip and a jump out the door from Sol Food’s three downtown San Rafael locations! With mouth-watering fresh ingredients and the quickest, friendliest staff around, Sol Food is not just our office favorite for Best San Rafael Restaurant, but is yet again Marin County’s favorite, too. Opening its doors just seven years ago with a staff of four people, the Puerto Rican deliciousness of Sol Food has been in such high demand, that they now have three locations more than 150 employees. And one of the best things about this local favorite is that they are open late—until 28> MARCH 30 - APRIL 5, 2012 PACIFIC SUN 27