Best New Places to Eat in Marin County

Corner Bar

Corner Bar is downtown Mill Valley’s first cocktail lounge… ever! Bring a date or simply come to unwind in Corner Bar’s sleek interior, which features two bars — one large, one small — plus plenty of window space overlooking the town square. A menu of Mediterranean bites crafted by chef Michael Siegel of Playa and Floodwater complements Corner Bar’s artfully crafted cocktails. No reservations are required. Just go already!

106 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley; 415.888.8001

the shack.

Waffle cones, smooth ice cream and everything you need from a classic ice cream parlor. The Shack is a sleek but homey shoppe on Magnolia Ave, equipped with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating nestled among towering redwoods. Great for birthday parties, scoops after a game or just a sweet treat on a warm afternoon. 

236 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur.

Nick the Greek

Started by a team of cousins all named Nick, Nick the Greek is a multi-location Greek chain serving delicious Mediterranean fare. A new franchise has opened in Greenbrae’s Bon Air Center, joining the Novato location as Marin’s second iteration of the restaurant. A great choice for lunch or dinner, diners can enjoy the classics of Mediterranean cuisine: gyro, souvlaki, and falafel—all with a side of fries, please! 

300 Bon Air Center, Greenbrae.

Star Restaurant

Yeehaw! Star Restaurant in Novato is back, cowboy style. The new owners are continuing to serve the beloved American breakfast, lunch and dinner in addition to new Latin American offerings. Whether you want pancakes or pupusas, you’ll find something to enjoy from Star’s massive menu. Slide into a booth and say howdy to your servers — decked out in cowboy garb!

1700 Novato Blvd, Novato; 415.897.1970

La Maison De La Reine

After 20 years at the Town Center in Corte Madera, this Vietnamese eatery has moved to Grant Avenue in Novato. Not just serving Vietnamese classics on its lunch and dinner menus—though it does serve great pho, banh mi, vermicelli noodle bowls, and so much more—La Maison de la Reine also offers 15 kinds of boba and milk tea, including some dairy-free options. Vegetarians have plenty of options to choose from, making this restaurant a great stop in Downtown Novato. 

807 Grant Ave, Novato; 415.927.0288

LaVier Cusine at Toast

In the evenings from Sunday through Wednesday, LaVier Cuisine from Chef Guillermo Lara operates as a popup within Novato’s Toast restaurant. Delicious Latin fusion fills the large space in the Hamilton Marketplace. Tacos, ceviche, camarones and plantains complement homey curries and Thai influence. Pasta and plate entrees round out the sophisticated menu, with plenty of options for a range of diets. 

5800 Nave Dr, Novato; 415.382.1144

Ranch Water

Ranch Water opened its remodeled San Rafael location, bringing new entertainment, music, and tequila-forward cocktails to Fourth Street. Ranch Water was created by mixologist Johnny Metheny, AKA Johnny Love. Beyond tequila, Ranch Water boasts a full bar and more than a few TVs to catch your favorite sports. I look forward to weekly events like Margarita on Mondays, karaoke on Wednesdays, and live music on Thursday and Saturday nights. 

“Ranch Water is more than a bar; it’s an experience,” said Johnny Love. “We’re bringing the spirit of San Francisco’s nightlife to San Rafael, blending tequila craftsmanship with sports, music, and good times.”

711 4th St, San Rafael; 415.785.4957

oddcha

Founded by a group of friends with a passion for boba tea, oddcha sells all things bubble tea at their non-traditional tea station. An extensive menu includes lattes, matcha, fresh fruit smoothies, and milk teas. Situated in a Victorian house on Irwin St., their handy pickup window is just past an ornate arch to the “French Quarter” courtyard. And with delivery, pickup, and online ordering options, oddcha offers convenience while providing high-quality boba with fresh ingredients. 

905f Irwin St, San Rafael; 415.720.1195

upside

In the heart of Mill Valley’s Tam Junction, you can find the crossroads of community and coffee at Upside. Partnered with San Francisco coffee roasters Lady Falcon Coffee Club, Upside serves delicious coffee while cultivating a gathering place for people and experiences. Sip a cappuccino while enjoying some of Upside’s regular events, like Doggy Days, one regular event where patrons are invited to bring their pups to the cafe.

215 Shoreline Hwy, Mill Valley

Emma’s Restaurant

Bringing together traditional Chinese with California influences, chef-owner Wing Pak designed a menu of Mongolian beef, orange chicken and crispy rainbow steak. The menu is an evolution for Pak, who cooked at Morimoto and San Francisco’s Michael Mina before opening in August in San Rafael. A dim sum menu is in the works as are plans for a monthly brunch “pop up” with Peking duck and other delicacies.

817 Francisco Blvd W, San Rafael; 415.492.1638

La Gastronomia di Porchetta

After 15 years at Sausalito’s Osteria Divino, chef Elena Fabbri, who grew up in the restaurant business in Tuscany, decided that focaccia sandwiches with porchetta would be her niche, launching a catering company that highlighted the dish in 2017. (Her husband, Gustavo Mutul, runs Pibil, serving Mexican and Italian pork tacos and sandwiches at the San Rafael Sunday farmers’ market.) Cooked on the in-house rotisserie, pork belly is cut right at the ribs to remove the loin. It’s a one-two punch that makes Fabbri’s porchetta juicy, crispy, and irresistible. Fabbri’s full-service restaurant, which opened last spring, leans into Tuscan flavors with a complete menu of antipasti, primi, and second. The porchetta — on a sandwich at lunch, with eggs at brunch, with Brussels sprouts and roasted squash at dinner – is destination dining-worthy.

123 Bolinas Rd., Fairfax; 415.419.5465

HenHouse Brewing Co.’s Record Room

After opening a brewpub in Fairfax last spring, the Santa Rosa-based beer brand planted a taproom in Novato in October. The 10 taps feature the brand’s offerings — Incredible Pale Ale, Cascade Smash, Stoked, etc. — and a steady rotation of food trucks provide eats in the breezeway-turned-beer garden. According to CEO Collin McDonnell, local music on vinyl is important to the team, so expect to hear pretty much anything made in NorCal and beyond, with records sourced from neighbor Watts Music. The music is a part of the community vibe that McDonnell wants to build, with custom-built 8×8 record art in the breezeway. “We have an emphasis on community togetherness,” he says.

1301 Grant Ave., Novato; 707.757.7699

Voyage

Margaret and David Ruiz, who run Stillwater in Fairfax and Souvenir (with Dylan Jones) in San Anselmo, are at it again, opening a wine bar and lounge in San Anselmo’s Cheda Building in December. “Where Souvenir focuses on retail, Voyage is a place where you can sit down and enjoy wine,” says David. In partnership with Matthew Conway, the space, which does not have a traditional kitchen, will not focus on natural wines or have a specific geographic focus but will pay attention to minimal intervention wines available by the glass and bottle. The opening menu from chef Cameron Myers includes a mortadella hoagie, beef tartare, and a Little Gem salad, in addition to meat and cheese plates and a Gilda pintxo. Look for more bar foods, tartare, and crudos to enjoy at the bar, on the rail in the window, or at one of the lounges in front of the fireplace. A low-ABV cocktail program featuring sherry and vermouth, spritzes, and other drinks will be available soon.

500 San Anselmo Ave., San Anselmo

Boichik Bagels

In March 2021, New York Times food writer Tejal Rao famously called California’s bagels better than New York’s. The article put Emily Winston’s Berkeley bagel shop on the map and she’s never looked back. The freshest shop in the burgeoning Bay Area sandwich chain landed in downtown Larkspur in November with all the lox and schmears. There’s even Sanka for the diehard Boomer New Yorkers among us.

238 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur

In Good Taste

Tiburon, quickly becoming a destination for wine bars, welcomed another at the Fleming House on Ark Row in June. Owners and Marin natives Joe Welch and Zach Feinberg, who have known each other since high school, feature more than 24 different wines from all over the world, all made by winemaker Matt Smith. Taste by the glass or six-wine tasting flight, or grab a 187 ml mini bottle or a 750 ml bottle to drink later.

72 Main St, Tiburon; 415.889.5042

Comforts

No, the cafe is not new — owner Erin Miwa’s parents first opened in 1986. But a remodel of the full-service restaurant was recently completed. Wooden shelves above distressed leather booths mimic a mantle where Miwa placed family keepsakes. Pastel blue textured wallpaper has a cloud-like look. Pendant lamps over the bar give counter space a cozy feel. And the space towards the rear with two booths is almost like a library or study. “The idea was to go back to what my dad’s vision was, to serve the local community and be like a second home for people,” Miwa says. Up next: a revamp of the takeout area to streamline service.

335 San Anselmo Ave, San Anselmo; 415.454.9840