Hillsdale grew up around the mall. When Hillsdale Shopping Center opened in 1954 on old dairy-farm land, it helped turn this stretch of San Mateo into the busy shopping and dining hub locals still circle through today.
The Hillsdale you know started with a shopping center. Developer David D. Bohannon assembled hundreds of acres here in the old Beresford district, later renamed Hillsdale, and in November 1954 opened Hillsdale Shopping Center on what had been a dairy farm. It was an open-air plaza of wide walkways and palm-lined paths built for the postwar car, anchored by a brand-new Macy's that opened its doors that November.
For a generation of locals, the heart of Hillsdale was not a department store, it was the Farmer's Market at the north end, past 31st Avenue. This open-air hall had a grocery, a produce section, a butcher, and one of the Peninsula's first international food courts, with spots people still name from memory: the Capri Room, a cocktail restaurant tucked in a corner, alongside the Hofbrau, the Steak Inn, and Chinese food. You would sit at round tables inlaid with the market's rooster logo, in blue vinyl bucket chairs, under round skylights that poured in the light. Plenty of people came as much to socialize as to shop, and more than one still remembers a grandmother who was there five days a week.
Over the decades the big anchors came and went. Sears, The Emporium, J.J. Newberry, and Mervyn's joined Macy's, and today Nordstrom holds down a corner. Locals still bring up the little things, like the wishing fountain near the stairs where you would toss in a coin, until it was removed in 1977 during the drought. The open-air center was enclosed into a two-level mall in 1981, and it has kept reinventing itself ever since, pivoting toward an experiential mix of dining, a movie theater, and shops as the newer Bay Meadows blocks filled in right next door.
Regional Mexican dishes and standout margaritas in a lively room with a big patio; a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick.
Modern dim sum, Cantonese roast meats, and Peking duck from the Koi Palace team.
Family-owned, home-style Italian plates and classic pastas in a neighborhood setting.
Family-run neighborhood dive open daily until 2am with pool tables, bumper pool, Pac-Man, and a jukebox.
A neighborhood coffee and tea spot near Hillsdale with espresso drinks, loose-leaf teas, and light bites.
Family Peruvian kitchen known for ceviche, seafood, and fried calamari, plus hearty beef and chicken plates.
European-style bakery for fresh pastries, breads, and sandwiches near Hillsdale.
Themed, story-driven escape rooms at Hillsdale for small groups.
A dine-in luxury cinema at Hillsdale with reclining seats and full food-and-drink service to your seat.
A combined bowling-and-bocce venue with an Italian-American bistro and an outdoor fire-pit patio at Hillsdale.
A child-sized pretend-play town at Hillsdale where kids ages two to seven take on roles like grocer, firefighter, and doctor.
Parent-and-child play, music, and art classes for babies through preschoolers, plus open gym and party space.
San Mateo's flagship mall with 130-plus stores, dining, and a luxury cinema, anchored by Nordstrom and Macy's.
A specialty grocery carrying Indian staples, spices, and South Asian and Middle Eastern goods.
An international grocery stocking Middle Eastern, Eastern European, and Mediterranean staples like olives, tahini, pickles, and imported pantry goods.
A Middle Eastern and Mediterranean market and deli established in 1992, known for halal meat, house-made hummus and falafel, and imported groceries.
A certified farmers market held year-round on Saturday mornings from 9am to 1pm in the College of San Mateo parking lot.
An inside-the-mall nail spa that welcomes walk-ins for manicures, pedicures, and fills with evening hours.
A nail salon offering manicures, pedicures, and hot stone treatments in San Mateo.
A locally owned San Mateo nail salon offering manicures, pedicures, and spa nail services.
More added every week. Spotting something missing? Suggest a spot. · Own a business we're missing? Get listed, free.