Exploring the Bay Area

World Wrapps World Wrapps uses fresh ingredients to make the healthy and global equivalent of fast food. The great part is how many diverse options you can be offered here; the menu is long and even offers numerous customizable choices! This restaurant serves delicious wraps and bowls inspired by fresh and tasty ingredients from every corner of the earth. As I said, you can pick a set menu item (always a safe bet here) or customize a make your own bowl or wrap. Although they have meat, such as beef, I highly recommend you try their seafood because it tastes incredibly fresh. My ideal bowl has poke on rice; this combination is hard to beat here, as the fish is soft and fresh and the rice is a hearty and savory base. You can also get a nice shrimp bowl over greens that will satisfy your desire for a salad. You can pick a sauce or two for added flavor. You order and pay a reasonable price at the counter, take a seat, and wait for the staff to bring you your food. It does not take too long...

Stacks Stacks is a spacious and welcoming restaurant in Menlo Park with an incredible breakfast and lunch menu that draws crowds of people who want to spend quality time with friends and family. It’s a comfortable place for people of all ages, including senior citizens and young children. Everyone fits in and can find something good to eat on the extensive menu. With so many savory and sweet breakfasts and typical American lunch fare, the possibilities of this breakfast/lunch destination seem to be nearly endless. There are so many spin-offs on classic omelets, waffles, pancakes, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, and salads that it’s pretty crazy! It even has a complete gluten-free menu available on request.    The extensive menu means you can decide how healthily you want to eat that meal. You can choose between salads and egg white omelets or decadent pancakes, French toast, and waffles, and they have everything in between in terms of healthiness! That’s what makes it so appea...

  The Ramp The history of this simple, laid back restaurant/bar on the shore dates all the way back to the 1960’s, when the very first version of The Ramp was born out of a humble bait shop. For decades people have come to The Ramp for classic American fare, a uniquely appealing view of the waterfront, and perhaps an alcoholic drink or two. The Ramp offers a small shack-like interior and outdoor seating on a large patio along the water, which is a perfect place to enjoy a beautiful day in the Bay Area. This old-fashioned, stripped-down American restaurant tends to have a healthy flow of customers coming and going, and this makes for its signature lively environment to kick back with your pals. The experience isn’t just relaxing and fun; it engages all five senses. You can see boats on the choppy, glistening water. You can smell the salty waters and the good food. You can feel the air and the breeze on your face. You can hear the laughter and chatter of the other cu...

Caffe Central  This is one of Mission Bay’s most enticing cafes. With a nice breakfast/brunch/lunch menu plus an assortment of fancy pastries and an espresso bar, it’s a great place to grab a bite or a quick pick-me-up. It has great food and a welcoming atmosphere. The eating area is bright, spacious, and elegant, exuding modernity and cleanliness. You order and pay at the counter, where you can see an assortment of intricate pastries, models of the items on the food menu, and the coffee and tea menu mounted on the wall. Everything looks so good that it is tempting to order too much. The service here is very good; it’s as if the severs/baristas have great respect for the establishment. Famous for irresistible gourmet sandwiches, statement salads, and impressive breakfast menu, Caffe Central draws customers throughout the day. People come alone, in small groups, and in larger groups. The food is high quality and arrives quickly with a smile, but the prices of the main plates remain ...

Peasant Pies Peasant Pies keeps it simple, sticking to what they do best: specializing in savory pies, sweet pies, soup, salad and coffee. The food gives off those homey, traditional vibes that give way to nostalgia and fantasies about the distant past. Customers circulate through the earthy toned eating area that has lots of sunlight and seating, devouring this delightfully old-fashioned menu and enjoying the shop's quaint personality. It’s a very relaxed and tasty place to stop and eat. You will find yourself enchanted by the simplicity and humble elegance of this small, very specialized business.  The menu is short and posted on the wall, and the pies are on display under a glass case. After you read through it, you order and pay at the counter. The pies and the coffee/espresso/tea drinks cost about an affordable $6 each. The staff will choose from the cute pies under the glass case to fulfill your order. You take a seat, and they will bring you your food once it's been heat...

See's Candy When writing about the best places to grab a bite in the Bay Area, perhaps you should not neglect to consider See’s Candy, as their stores command a large and loyal following. See’s Candy is a luxury California chocolate brand that offers premium treats by the box or individually, sold by weight, which can be made into custom boxes according to your preference. Freshly made here in the Bay Area at a factory in South San Francisco, it’s perfect for gifts and for treating yourself. The chocolates here are rich and creamy, and they encase pretty much every type of filling you can think of. The store has white, milk, and dark chocolate, and they are all sweet and soft to the bite, even if they are stuffed with salty nuts or crispy pralines. The dark chocolate here is great; it’s not too bitter, and it pairs nicely with the fillings. The milk chocolate is even better, as it’s sweeter and milkier. But I have a real weakness for the white chocolate, which is as sweet and also ...

Dera Cafe There’s a new coffee shop in downtown Berkeley that has been winning hearts. It’s called Dera, and it is a place that many people are starting to discover. Dera is a new, aesthetically pleasing, and impeccably clean cafe that brings an unparalleled Pakistani flair to your classic local coffee shop. Offering chai, matcha, lattes, coffee, lassis, plus pastries, waffles, and cakes, as well as savory options, including fries,omelets, samosas, and chaat, this menu has something for everyone, whether you are a picky or adventuresome eater. The interior has clean white marble tiles with deep brown wooden and leather accents that exude simplicity, cleanliness, and elegance. Soft instrumental music offers a soothing touch, and the chairs are soft and comfortable. It’s a place you will want to stay for a while. The tables are spaced just far enough apart for privacy, making it a great place to come with friends, colleagues, or family. It’s an appetizing and inviting ambiance. The servi...