California's food culture starts with the produce. With a long growing season and some of the most fertile farmland on Earth, it's no surprise that chefs here helped make "farm-to-table" a household phrase. Here's where to taste it.
The Ferry Building, San Francisco
The 1898 Ferry Building was restored as a marketplace in the early 2000s and is now one of the best food destinations in America. Go on a Saturday morning, when the farmers market wraps around the building, and graze on oysters, cheese, bread and coffee from local producers.
Grand Central Market, Los Angeles
Open since 1917 in downtown LA, Grand Central Market is a cross-section of the city's food culture: tacos, Thai, pupusas, breakfast sandwiches and natural wine under one roof.
Farmers markets everywhere
Almost every California town has a weekly farmers market. Big-city favorites include the Santa Monica Wednesday market, a chef's go-to for decades, and the Saturday market at the Ferry Building.
Dishes California made famous
- The Mission burrito: oversized, foil-wrapped and stuffed with rice and beans, born in San Francisco's Mission District.
- The California burrito: San Diego's beloved version, with carne asada and French fries inside.
- Fish tacos: a Baja California specialty that became a San Diego staple and then spread across the country.
- The California roll: an inside-out sushi roll with avocado and crab, widely credited to sushi chefs in Los Angeles.
- Sourdough: San Francisco's tangy bread dates back to the Gold Rush.
Seasonal treats worth planning around
Dungeness crab season on the North and Central Coast (typically starting in late fall), spring strawberries from Watsonville and Oxnard, summer stone fruit from the Central Valley and Hass avocados, first grown commercially in Southern California.
Eat like a local
Skip the waterfront tourist traps, follow the lines at taco trucks, and ask your server what's in season. In California, the answer usually changes every few weeks.
