The Best Places to Eat Near Harbor House Inn, by the Record

The lace lichen gets plucked from overhanging trees on the Mendocino coast and ends up on your plate, which tells you most of what you need to know about this two-Michelin-star tasting menu perched above the Pacific in Elk. Matthew Kammerer's cooking runs Japanese-accented and hyper-local, with sea urchin and foraged seaweed doing the heavy lifting. The sourdough is flecked with sea lettuce, and the drive out here, genuinely remote, is part of the whole production.

1. Michelin Guide 2 Stars
2. Sunset Restaurants · Where to Eat and Drink
3. James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Hospitality

1. Los Angeles Times The 101 Best Restaurants in California

1. Los Angeles Times The 101 Best Restaurants in California

The hotel's kitchen gardens supply much of what lands on the prix-fixe menu here, so dinner reads like a polite inventory of Anderson Valley. The chef keeps things simple and seasonal, coaxing good produce into dishes that feel effortless rather than labored. Highway 128 is a winding, dramatic commitment to get here if you're not already a guest, so check the website before you go: hours and menus shift with the season.

1. Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant