From Modern Indian to Mexican Comfort Food, Book a Table at These Buzzy Restaurants

The Sunset Travel Awards celebrate the best in travel in the West. These restaurants are the 2025 winners of the Where to Eat & Drink: Top Tables category. Check out the complete list of winners here. For our definitive and searchable travel directory to help you plan your next trip in the West, click here.

ROOH

ROOH

ROOH has redefined modern Indian dining in the Bay Area with its bold, globally inspired dishes and striking design. It has now expanded to locations in San Francisco and Palo Alto, making its regionally-inspired dishes from ROOH SF’s executive chef Valice Francis easier to access. Think classics like lamb masala or Punjabi paneer plated up with progressive, modern panache that puts the food of South Asia on a pedestal, where it rightfully belongs.

Lola Rose Grand Mezze

Thompson Palm Springs

Pan-Mediterranean food spanning the region from Greece to Egypt is an excellent starting concept, and the execution at this restaurant at the new Thompson Palm Springs makes this one of the most welcome openings in town in years. Don’t sleep on the smart California-heavy wine list and craft cocktails.

Blackbird

Blackbird

Tucked into Santa Barbara’s Hotel Californian, this brooding restaurant and bar was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock, and thanks to Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s dark and sexy design, is one of the grooviest and moodiest spots to sip a noir cocktail made with activated charcoal and contemplate the mysteries of life.

Spoonbar

Courtesy of Spoonbar

Healdsburg’s go-to SoCoMed (that’s Sonoma County Mediterranean) restaurant is now an institution, thanks to its exquisitely sourced, technically prepared, oh-so-satisfying modern wine country food. Yes, you can get salads loaded with local produce, but you can also get a darned satisfying burger and beer.

Elena’s

Elena’s

In a city known for its culinary scene, it’s tough to make a splash, but this buzzy new El Portal Mexican-American restaurant from the family behind Original Joe’s is doing it, blending heritage recipes and California flair in a vibrant, family-friendly setting. The menu is centered around comforting classics like handmade tortillas, tamales, and pozole—dishes that mirror owner Elena Duggan and her daughters’ time in Mexico.