Here are some of our picks for unique places to explore when the weather is just right to make eating and drinking outside fun for all!
LOMA MAR OUTPOST (photo above)
8150 PESCADERO CREEK RD, LOMA MAR
BY ALEC MACDONALD
Outdoor adventurers of San Mateo County, take note: Loma Mar Outpost has you covered this summer.
Pescadero Creek Road will get you there. Turn east off Highway 1 after your Pacific Ocean beach day and drop by for a tasty dinner accompanied by live music on a stage under the redwoods. Or head west from the Santa Cruz Mountains to grab supplies for your stay at one of the nearby campgrounds. Either way, discover what the locals already know: This little gem is worth the trek.
As a store, the Outpost offers wilderness survival gear, toiletries and groceries, along with an inviting array of charming souvenirs. As a restaurant, it features a small but hearty menu with something for everyone, plus beer, wine and a range of espresso pick-me-ups.
A historic gathering place since the 1930s, its facilities were dramatically renovated in 2019, and now it operates as a nonprofit whose mission “is essentially to nourish our neighbors and support the South Coast of San Mateo,” according to Executive Director Janet Clark.
To get in on some of that nourishment, check the calendar at lomamaroutpost.org for a listing of upcoming musical performances, art classes and other community-building events. lomamaroutpost.org
WRIGHTS STATION VINEYARD AND WINERY
24250 LOMA PRIETA AVE, LOS GATOS
BY LAURA NESS
Wrights Station Vineyard and Winery, a sunny northeast-facing spot off Summit Road, is named for the rail station town that once catered to Santa Cruz–bound vacationers, beachgoers and the occasional criminal. Until Highway 17 killed the railroad, the tiny hamlet was a favorite destination of would-be novelists. Before it was planted to vineyards in 1981, this property was a chinchilla farm, horse stable with jumping arena, and apple orchard. Proprietor and winemaker Dan Lokteff, a high-tech refugee with a passion for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, transformed the bucolic 1940s farmhouse spread into a picnic-perfect porch and patio. He added a sprawling sunny deck, and kid-friendly bocce court. Outdoor tasting here is popular, so it’s a good idea to reserve a table.
There’s no other place in the Santa Cruz Mountains where you can hoist a glass of sun-splashed Estate Chardonnay from dry-farmed and own-rooted vines, or a spritely and energetic Arena Block Pinot Noir, and feel much like those train travelers of yesteryear. For those who prefer a richer, earthier style, the Far Away Block Pinot Noir, aromatically endowed with pine and redwood, is a fan favorite. Once monthly, special tastings are held in the majestic redwood grove onsite. Thank goodness for fresh air—and wine! wrightsstation.com
FIELDWORK BREWING COMPANY
3030 S. DELAWARE ST., SAN MATEO
BY JACKIE NUÑEZ
Located in the heart of the Bay Meadows neighborhood, Fieldwork’s San Mateo Beer Garden is perfect for a dog- or kid-friendly hang. Boasting bocce courts, cozy fire pits, corn hole and plenty of outdoor seating, there’s an activity for every thirsty or hungry visitor under the sun.
This outdoor urban oasis offers some of the haziest IPAs and sourest sours on the Peninsula. Perhaps the most captivating part about the ever-fresh rotation of over 20 beers is the spot-on and comical descriptions for each brew, a tradition that started well before AI. Their Rice & Easy Japanese Rice Lager “is equal parts delicate and crushable with a heaping side of deliciousness” while their Night Maker Double Oat Stout questions “The world is a cold dark place, so why shouldn’t your beer be?”
A slice of their thick, crispy-edged Detroit-style pizza pairs easily with a fluffy kale Caesar and a crisp American Pilsner.
For non-beer lovers, no-proof and wine selections abound, including a non-alcoholic Day Money Grapefruit Blonde, a Fieldwork Cellars Zinfandel and a ready-to-drink cucumber, melon and juniper Supertocnic, to name a few. fieldworkbrewing.com
JOHNSTON’S SALTBOX
1696 LAUREL ST., SAN CARLOS
BY AMBER TURPIN
If you arrive off the industrial grit of Highway 101, it’s hard to imagine an outdoor oasis with lovely seasonal food and decor nearby. But in this unassuming urban landscape sits Johnston’s Saltbox, and their sweet outdoor patio, a setting perfect to enjoy creative dishes—especially during their weekend brunch—like the sunshine kale salad with spiced black lentils and homemade ricotta or the tropical bloom Dutch baby with hibiscus whipped cream and passion fruit syrup. The entire menu highlights the season, sourcing from area farms like Fifth Crow in Pescadero. A rooftop kitchen garden supplies more ingredients (plus two beehives!), tangibly reflecting the Johnston’s ethos of seasonality and locality.
Owner and Chef Jennifer McAteer Johnston grew up in San Carlos, but ventured out to work in some lauded restaurants under greats like Jeremiah Tower and Bradley Ogden. Husband and co-owner Sean Johnston hails from the north coast of Ireland, and brings his upbringing in hospitality and community-centric pub culture to create the gathering place that Johnston’s Saltbox upholds. A curated and intentional wine list has some standouts, mostly local and family-owned like the Alfaro Family Vineyard Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains. johnstonssaltbox.com
BLUE DRAGON PHO
643 MAIN ST., HALF MOON BAY
BY PAULETTE PHILPOT
There’s always a buzz in the air when Blue Dragon is open. You can smell the aromatic simmering broths from blocks away. As soon as the walk-up window opens for this takeout-only restaurant, locals begin drifting up the sidewalk to line up and see what is on the menu that day. The ingredients aren’t just vibrant and beautiful—they’re fresh, organic and humanely raised.
Everything is made to order, giving customers a moment to reconnect with old friends or strike up conversations with new ones while their food is being prepared. Dishes like the Spring Roll Salad are inspired by recipes chef/co-owner Sandy Thongsavat-Potter’s mother made for her growing up, bringing a sense of home and nourishment to every bite. (The other co-owner is David Oliphant.)
