For years, the Peninsula was just the blur outside your window on the 101, a stretch largely framed as a commuter corridor with solid neighborhood spots.
While San Francisco, Oakland, and Napa each have clear food identities as fine dining capital, Wine Country playground, and culinary underdog, there’s no single thing that sets the Peninsula apart. You don’t really travel there for a meal; it’s more a place you happen to eat in because you live or work there (or are starving and need fuel now).
But with over 50 working farms, 20 fisheries along the coast, and deeply rooted immigrant communities in cities like San Mateo and Daly City, the region’s global cuisine is pretty spot on.
The recent farm-to-table forum Peninsula Fresh, which was devised to connect local farmers, fisheries, and growers with restaurateurs, producers, and distributors, makes the case that it’s time to start taking the Peninsula more seriously as a global food destination. On a weekday morning, there were booths with local honey samples, fishermen negotiating deals with producers, and a panel discussion about the importance of regenerative farming.
Stella in Burlingame(Courtesy of Stella)
“You can take a trip around the world with the diverse cultures and communities here in the Peninsula, and that diversity needs to be celebrated,” says Maggie Lang, chief sales and marketing officer for the San Mateo Peninsula.
The push for the Peninsula happening now, she believes, has to do with the evolution of social media and how cultural influencers are going beyond San Francisco, Oakland, or Napa looking for hidden gems. Those gems are located in the Peninsula.
Three major events taking place this calendar year, a big step for the region, are capitalizing on that momentum. Here’s a sneak peek of what to expect:
Flavors of the Peninsula
Flavors of the Peninsula is a 10-day, prix-fixe restaurant celebration spanning from the bayside to the coast, April 23-May 3. Not to be confused with your standard “restaurant week,” think of Flavors as more of an open house for the region's diverse kitchens. It’s the first time the public really gets an all-access pass to the spots that locals usually keep quiet about.
Some of the restaurants include Mezza Luna in Half Moon Bay (459 Prospect Way), Hurrica in Redwood City (150 Northpoint Court), Oak + Violet in Menlo Park led by Michelin-star alum Joseph Humphrey (1400 El Camino Real), and Stella in Burlingame (1448 Burlingame Ave).
// More info at sanfranciscopeninsula.com
Heritage Fire sets top chefs to the task of live fire cooking.(Courtesy of @heritagefiretour)
Heritage Fire
Heritage Fire is a touring, live-fire culinary experience coming to Coyote Point in San Mateo on July 26th. At the all-inclusive event, guests will be able to walk around and see chefs in action, as well as enjoy bites and beverages. It’s less of a formal dinner and more of an open-fire, smell-the-smoke feast where you get to watch chefs do their thing. You can also vote for your favorite chef to win the title of “Heritage Hero.”
// Tickets start at $109 for general admission; more info at toursbya21.com
Whiskies of the World
Whiskies of the World is stopping by Half Moon Bay in August to close out the summer. The event combines whisky tasting with local culinary pairings; it’s essentially a crash course in all things whisky that also features local distilleries.
// Tickets start at $109 for general admission; more info at toursbya21.com
