3 Bees Coffee
Family-run coffee house with what regulars call the best espresso in the county, warm rotating local art, and sunny sidewalk seating.
Pausa Bar & Cookery
Scratch-made Northern-Italian plates and house pastas with an all-Italian wine list; a Michelin Guide listee.
Flores San Mateo
Regional Mexican dishes and standout margaritas in a lively room with a big patio; a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick.
Porterhouse
The Peninsula's in-house dry-aging steakhouse, with the meat locker visible at the entry.
Espetus Churrascaria
All-you-can-eat rodizio with tableside skewered meats carved to order.
Palette Tea Garden & Dim Sum
Modern dim sum, Cantonese roast meats, and Peking duck from the Koi Palace team.
Bahche Mezzehouse & Wine Bar
Family-run mezze and wood-fire Mediterranean plates paired with a focused wine list.
El Sinaloense
Sinaloa-style seafood, especially ceviche, tostadas, and shrimp dishes.
Sushi Edomata
Edomae sushi carrying on the Sushi Sam's legacy, serving the area since 1988.
Joy Sushi
Generous rolls and traditional sushi in a casual room with a strong catering side.
Oceanic Restaurant
Hunan and Mandarin home cooking; regulars cite the garlic eggplant, green onion pancake, and crispy noodles.
Thonglor Thai Bistro
Modern-leaning Thai with curries, pad see ew, and customizable spice levels.
Sole Ristorante Italiano
Family-owned, home-style Italian plates and classic pastas in a neighborhood setting.
Tannourine Lebanese & Mediterranean
Family-run Lebanese kitchen known for lamb shanks and mixed grills.
Champagne Seafood Restaurant
Cantonese dim sum and seafood with a broad traditional menu.
Kaizen & Coffee
Specialty coffee bar with Asian-inspired signature drinks like black sesame and miso caramel lattes.
Backhaus
Naturally leavened artisan breads and pastries baked fresh daily, visible through the open bakery windows.
Fiero Caffe
Owner-run Italian-style cafe serving espresso plus homemade breakfast and brunch like Sicilian omelette, carbonara, and tiramisu.
Bonjour Bakehouse
French-inspired bakery known for croissants, macarons, scones, and vegan/gluten-free pastries.
Sama Coffee Shop
Friendly neighborhood coffee shop on South B Street with long daily hours and Turkish-coffee options.
Taste & Glory
Asian-American fusion brunch with creative plates like Thai tea French toast and Tom Yum scramble; weekends are walk-in only.
Apple Fritter
Casual all-American breakfast and lunch spot with hearty portions and its namesake apple fritters.
The Breakfast Club at Midtown
High-energy all-day brunch with many Benedict varieties, a big American/Mexican menu, a patio, and brunch cocktails.
La Casa de los Huevos
Sinaloa-style Mexican breakfast and brunch including chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, omelets, and mariscos.
SimplyCake
Hong Kong-style bakery with artisan breads, Asian-inspired pastries, custom cakes, and specialty drinks.
Lolita Artisanal Bakery-Cafe
Latin-American artisan bakery cafe known for alfajores and pastries, with coffee in a cozy setting.
Patio Coffee Shop
Decades-old neighborhood diner-style coffee shop serving all-day breakfast to local regulars.
Caffeinated Cowboy
Locally owned shop for customizable coffee, matcha, and energy drinks plus breakfast burritos and pastries.
Made Out of Dough
Small-batch custom cakes, cupcakes, scones, and sugar cookies, also seen at local farmers markets.
Fogbird
Craft cocktails and bar bites in a high-ceilinged room with an original brick wall and a nine-foot bar.
Wunderbar
Reservation-only underground cocktail bar with an inventive, whimsical drink list.
Fieldwork Brewing Co.
More than 20 rotating fresh taps and Detroit-style pizzas on an industrial-style patio near the Hillsdale Caltrain stop.
The Barrel Bistro & Wine Bar
Hundreds of wines by the glass and bottle paired with cheese and charcuterie boards, seafood, and cocktails.
B Street & Vine
Family-run wine and bruschetta spot since 2006 with live jazz on weekends and a real happy hour.
McGovern's Bar
Comfortable downtown Irish-style pub and local hangout with a global beer and drink mix.
The Swingin' Door
Long-running British pub open until 2am with karaoke four nights a week, trivia, live bands, and award-winning fish and chips.
Antone's Cocktail Lounge
Family-run neighborhood dive open daily until 2am with pool tables, bumper pool, Pac-Man, and a jukebox.
Route 92 Cocktail Lounge
No-frills neighborhood bar with daily happy hour, a pool table, darts, and a back smoking area.
O'Neill's Irish Pub
A longtime downtown Irish pub since 1998, steps from the Caltrain station, with a full bar, sports on the screens, and live music, trivia, and karaoke through the week.
Bucky's Cocktail Lounge
A renovated neighborhood lounge with dark oak counters, a deep beer-and-whiskey lineup, a back patio, and yard games like cornhole and darts.
Steamies Bar
A laid-back neighborhood dive of about twenty-five years with a pool table, game-day TVs, a patio, midweek karaoke, and taco trucks parked outside.
Harry's Shoreview Deli
An old-school Shoreview deli known for classic build-your-own sandwiches, roast beef, pastrami, and turkey, piled with all the fixings.
Yumi Yogurt
A family-owned frozen yogurt and ice cream shop serving San Mateo since 1985, open late every night with a wall of self-serve flavors and toppings.
Avenida Restaurant
Modern Filipino cooking in downtown San Mateo, with elevated takes on kare kare, sinigang, pancit, and lumpia.
Leo's Tacos Truck
Al pastor tacos carved off a vertical trompo, a family Mexican-food operation that started in LA and now parks on El Camino, open late.
Heidi's Pies
A San Mateo classic since 1970, famous for dozens of house-made-from-scratch pies served alongside all-day American diner fare.
The Pantry
A longtime family-run kitchen serving hearty American breakfast and lunch alongside Filipino classics, a Hayward Park favorite for decades.
Neal's Coffee Shop
A classic diner-style coffee shop in the Crystal Springs plaza serving big American breakfasts and comfort food from morning to night.
Penelope's Coffee & Tea
A neighborhood coffee and tea spot near Hillsdale with espresso drinks, loose-leaf teas, and light bites.
Kaz Teriyaki Grill
A tiny downtown Japanese takeout counter, no seating, just fresh teriyaki with homemade sauces that locals have leaned on for years.
Amigos Grill Cocina Mexicana
A neighborhood Mexican grill on Norfolk turning out big plates of American-Mexican classics from breakfast through dinner.
Taqueria Los Primos
A downtown taqueria slinging tacos, burritos, and Mexican plates, a quick no-fuss local standby with a second spot on Ellsworth.
La Piñata Mexicatesen
A downtown spot for Mexican and Salvadoran home cooking, from enchiladas salvadoreñas and carne guisada to super tacos and shrimp burritos.
Suavecito Birria & Tacos
A takeout-and-delivery counter for crispy quesabirria, birria ramen, and overstuffed burritos. No seating, just a cult-favorite walk-up window.
Aldo's Pizza
A longtime neighborhood pizza joint and local favorite, sadly closing in July 2026. Go grab a pie while you still can.
Rainbow Pizza
A Crystal Springs plaza institution since 1983, serving pizza and Greek favorites to generations of regulars.
Taqueria El Chacho
A late-night outdoor taco stand near Bridgepointe, cutting al pastor fresh off the trompo for the after-hours crowd.
Lilo's Kitchen
A roaming food truck slinging some of the best birria in San Mateo. Check their Instagram (@lilos_kitchen17) for where they're parked today.
Mortar & Pestle Bar
An industrial-chic downtown cocktail lounge with house-made syrups and Indian-inspired drinks like the Bangalore Old Fashioned, plus Curry Up Now street food alongside.
Sky Lounge
A downtown lounge and late-night spot with drinks, DJs, and events just off B Street.
More added every week. Spotting something missing? Suggest a spot. · Own a business here? Get featured.