2 fun ways to explore Sausalito’s culinary scene
For locals, it can be easy to overlook that behind Sausalito’s picturesque façade and high-season waterfront buzz lies a compact, chef-driven dining scene that extends well beyond tourist fare.
Sausalito Restaurant Week from March 16 to 22 brings the coastal city’s culinary breadth into focus with special prix-fixe two-course lunches ($25 to $45) and three-course dinners ($50 to $75) at 11 of its restaurants, with some also adding a $10 signature cocktail.
Choose one of the long-standing waterfront mainstays that have drawn diners since the 1960s (the Spinnaker and Scoma’s), or a family-run Italian restaurant now in its fourth decade (Angelino). Modern Mexican restaurant Copita Tequileria y Comida and dockside French bistro Le Garage are on the list. Sushi Ran, now marking its 40th year and long recognized for its contemporary approach to Japanese cuisine, is participating, as is downtown Italian trattoria Poggio and newer arrivals Sula at Cavallo Point Lodge and Cultivar on Bridgeway.
Start with a shaken pastorita, a mix of mezcal, pineapple and lime, at Copita; grilled Monterey calamari with blood oranges, pickled onions, Castelvetrano olives and arugula salsa verde at Angelino; or Creekstone Farms tartare de boeuf with Korean pear, sesame oil, espelette pepper and crispy leeks at Le Garage.
For a second course, try Cultivar Sausalito’s Caspar burger topped with farmhouse white cheddar, caramelized onions, bacon jam and whole grain aioli. Poggio is offering mushroom- and cheese-filled pasta with English pea purée, asparagus, brown butter and ricotta salata and Scoma’s has seared Alaskan halibut with snap peas, a mushroom medley, leeks, prosecco blood orange butter and roasted fingerling potatoes. The Spinnaker is roasting chicken under a brick and serving it with avocado, jalapeno lime crème fraîche, a risotto cake and sautéed seasonal vegetables.
For dessert, Sula has both pumpkin flan with biscocho crumble and candied kabocha squash and caramelized bread pudding with vanilla gelato and caramel sauce.
The event is hosted by Marin Magazine, Local Getaways and The Marin Dish. Find participating restaurants and full menus with prices at sausalitorestaurantweek.com and book reservations directly with the individual restaurants.
Sausalito on foot
For an immersive, food-and-wine-paired exploration of Sausalito, sign up solo or gather a group for a curated epicurean stroll along Bridgeway with Gourmet Food and Wine Tours held from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturdays.
The tour includes four downtown restaurant stops, with each featuring a course paired with a boutique wine ($275). Start with sparkling wine and a local cheese platter from The Spinnaker and move to Barrel House Tavern for clam chowder with sourdough and rosé.
Spinach ricotta pillows with beef ragu and Parmesan are served with a barbera from Italy at Poggio and choose either dessert wine or French press coffee with huckleberry bread pudding and ice cream at Bar Bocce. Local guides share stories about Sausalito’s quirky history and rich artistic past along the way.
Renee ReBell launched her company in 2014 to craft a more balanced wine tasting where food is as central to the experience as the pours, beginning in Napa and Sonoma before expanding to Sausalito. The company was recently named the No. 1 food tour in the nation by the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards in 2025.
Sign up for Sausalito tours or find information on wine country or private excursions at gourmetfoodandwinetours.com.
Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer and restaurant columnist. Email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com or follow The Real Deal Marin at therealdealmarin.com for more on local food news.