Road Food Guide:

West Coast Road Eats

West Coast Road Eats is a road food guide covering the Pacific Coast from California through Oregon to Washington, giving the best road trip food stops.

Cover of the West Coast Road Eats food guide for the Pacific Coast HighwayWest Coast Road Eats

‘The best road food from San Diego to the Canadian border’ is what this road food guide, West Coast Road Eats, promises. 

It’s written by Anna Roth, an award-winning food and travel writer, who must have plenty of chance to do in-depth research as she travels back and forth between her two homes, in Los Angeles and Seattle. She’s also the Managing Editor of the eHow Food website - not bad credentials for what could be a very useful book for Pacific Coast Highway drivers.

A USA west coast burger

In her travels, the author has covered over 1500 miles of West Coast roads, and describes hundreds of road food stops. These range from seafood shacks and burger joints to ice cream parlors, wineries and brew pubs.

The guide covers Highway 1, Highway 99, and Highway 101, as well as Interstate 5 for those who might want to take the faster inland route from time to time. There are also some diversions off the West Coast included too.

Introduction to West Coast Road EatsFrom The Introduction

Road Food Guide Reviews

The bulk of the book’s 350 pages are given over to no-nonsense in-depth reviews of the road food places the author recommends. Each review begins with the name, address, milepost or exit number, phone number, website, and finally opening hours (though obviously these are sure to change over time.)

There then follows a lengthy one-paragraph write-up, and most of these are as full of flavor as the foods the author’s describing. Roth is no food snob. She enjoys everything from the simplest of places, like Tito’s Tacos in Culver City, to a few gourmet inclusions, such as Nepenthe in Big Sur - which she admits is pricey, but sometimes a treat is worth it. 

Sample page from West Coast Road Eats

The Price of Good Road Food

The only thing missing from West Coast Road Eats is information about prices. In many ways this is understandable, as prices can change quickly and most places in this book will definitely be in the budget category. However, it would have been helpful to have an idea what a meal might cost in the non-budget places that are also included.

On the other hand, for La Bicyclette bistro in Carmel we’re told that it certainly isn’t a ‘cheap eat’, but only that it is about $10 cheaper than other similar places, with some wines at under $10 a glass. It may say something about Carmel, that there is only one other entry for the town: the Carmel Bakery. By contrast there are six entries for Santa Barbara, and six for Solvang. The lack of prices isn’t a major problem. You know most places in a road food guide will be affordable.

A coffee shop along the Pacific Coast Highway

Side Courses

In addition to all the very helpful reviews, there are lots of extra boxes of information about food and drink. These include, for example, a Portland Brewery Pub Crawl, the Sonoma County Farm Trails, Cannery Row, and local specialties such as the Santa Maria Barbecue, Monterey Jack Cheese, and California Olives.

A typical restaurant review from West Coast Road EatsA Typical Entry

Road Food Guide Verdict

The verdict on West Coast Road Eats is easy. Buy it. This is one which, instead of going on our bookshelves for reference, is going straight into the glove compartment for the next PCH road trip. We just know we’ll be using it. You can find it on Amazon.

Other books pages

  • The Santa Barbara Guidebook from Moon Handbooks also covers California’s Central Coast with Ventura, San Luis Obispo, wine country, and Hearst Castle.

    Santa Barbara Guidebook

    The Santa Barbara Guidebook from Moon Handbooks also covers California’s Central Coast with Ventura, San Luis Obispo, wine country, and Hearst Castle.

  • Expert advice and personal recommendations on where to eat and where to stay along the Pacific Coast Highway, including a guide to PCH Hotels that you can buy.

    Where to Eat and Stay on the Pacific Coast Highway

    Expert advice and personal recommendations on where to eat and where to stay along the Pacific Coast Highway, including a guide to PCH Hotels that you can buy.

  • Ravens' Restaurant in Mendocino at the Stanford Inn by the Sea is one of the top dining experiences in California with gourmet vegan and vegetarian cuisine.

    Ravens' Restaurant Mendocino

    Ravens' Restaurant in Mendocino at the Stanford Inn by the Sea is one of the top dining experiences in California with gourmet vegan and vegetarian cuisine.

  • The Miramar Santa Monica's restaurant, FIG, had a rave review from the Los Angeles Times for its romantic dining and tasty food.

    The Miramar Santa Monica Restaurant

    The Miramar Santa Monica's restaurant, FIG, had a rave review from the Los Angeles Times for its romantic dining and tasty food.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel reviews the Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip guide from Moon covering California, Oregon and Washington

    Pacific Coast Highway Moon Guide

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel reviews the Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip guide from Moon covering California, Oregon and Washington

  • Santa Barbara Wine Country is one of the top wine destinations says Wine Enthusiast, alongside Napa Valley, rating California vineyards alongside Champagne.

    Santa Barbara Wine Country

    Santa Barbara Wine Country is one of the top wine destinations says Wine Enthusiast, alongside Napa Valley, rating California vineyards alongside Champagne.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel's California Camping book review rates the 20th anniversary edition of Moon's complete guide to over 1400 tent and RV campgrounds.

    California Camping Book Review

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel's California Camping book review rates the 20th anniversary edition of Moon's complete guide to over 1400 tent and RV campgrounds.

  • Northwest Wine Country is a food and wine lover's guide to vineyards, fine dining, accommodation, restaurants in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia.

    Northwest Wine Country

    Northwest Wine Country is a food and wine lover's guide to vineyards, fine dining, accommodation, restaurants in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia.

  • Sonoma County is so associated with wine that it's easy to overlook the fact that it's also home to distilleries and here's a list of the main distillers.

    Sonoma County Distilleries

    Sonoma County is so associated with wine that it's easy to overlook the fact that it's also home to distilleries and here's a list of the main distillers.

  • Greetings from California is a beautiful coffee-table book which describes the legends, landmarks and lore of California, including the Pacific Coast Highway.

    Greetings from California

    Greetings from California is a beautiful coffee-table book which describes the legends, landmarks and lore of California, including the Pacific Coast Highway.

  • 101 free San Francisco attractions and things to do are in the Kindle guide, 101 Free Things to Do in San Francisco, in the Travel Free eGuidebooks series.

    Free San Francisco Kindle Guide to Free Attractions

    101 free San Francisco attractions and things to do are in the Kindle guide, 101 Free Things to Do in San Francisco, in the Travel Free eGuidebooks series.

  •  

    Pacific Coast Highway Guides. Book and ebook hotel guides to PCH

    Pacific Coast Highway guides include our own printed book and ebook guides to the best hotels along the PCH, available in paperback, PDF and Kindle formats.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel's book review of Insider's Guide to San Francisco guidebook by Jill Loeffler, publisher of the San Francisco Tourism Tips website.

    Your Insider's Guide to San Francisco

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel's book review of Insider's Guide to San Francisco guidebook by Jill Loeffler, publisher of the San Francisco Tourism Tips website.

  • To John Steinbeck Monterey's Cannery Row was a place of sardine canneries, bums and honky tonks, but today the Monterey Aquarium attracts visitors.

    Cannery Row in Monterey

    To John Steinbeck Monterey's Cannery Row was a place of sardine canneries, bums and honky tonks, but today the Monterey Aquarium attracts visitors.

  • The Pacific Coast Highway in California book shows in historic photos the building of the Pacific Coast Highway from its earliest beginnings in 1911.

    Pacific Coast Highway in California

    The Pacific Coast Highway in California book shows in historic photos the building of the Pacific Coast Highway from its earliest beginnings in 1911.

  • Epic Drives of the World from Lonely Planet describes 50 of the world's most exciting road trips, including, of course, the Pacific Coast Highway.

    Epic Drives of the World

    Epic Drives of the World from Lonely Planet describes 50 of the world's most exciting road trips, including, of course, the Pacific Coast Highway.

  • Pacific Coast Highway Travel reviews an Olympic Peninsula Travel Guide published by the Beautiful Pacific Northwest website.

    Olympic Peninsula Travel Guide

    Pacific Coast Highway Travel reviews an Olympic Peninsula Travel Guide published by the Beautiful Pacific Northwest website.

  • San Francisco has some of the best Chinatown restaurants in the USA, and its Chinese restaurants provide superb dining. Here are our top eating places.

    San Francisco Best Chinatown Restaurants

    San Francisco has some of the best Chinatown restaurants in the USA, and its Chinese restaurants provide superb dining. Here are our top eating places.

  • Brewpubs and good beer are at the heart of the Good Beer Guide to the West Coast USA which lists the best bars and breweries from Seattle to San Diego.

    Brewpubs and Good Beer on the West Coast USA

    Brewpubs and good beer are at the heart of the Good Beer Guide to the West Coast USA which lists the best bars and breweries from Seattle to San Diego.

  • The Best Coast is a west coast travel guide, sub-titled A Road Trip Atlas it doesn't use photos but instead has hundreds of beautiful illustrations.

    The Best Coast Book Review

    The Best Coast is a west coast travel guide, sub-titled A Road Trip Atlas it doesn't use photos but instead has hundreds of beautiful illustrations.

  • Where to eat on the Pacific Coast Highway: advice on the best fine dining options, budget restaurants, romantic locations in Oregon, Washington and California.

    Where to Eat on the Pacific Coast Highway

    Where to eat on the Pacific Coast Highway: advice on the best fine dining options, budget restaurants, romantic locations in Oregon, Washington and California.

  • The Green Guide to the USA West from Michelin covers California, the Pacific North West, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, New Mexico, and even Kansas and Alaska.

    Green Guide USA West

    The Green Guide to the USA West from Michelin covers California, the Pacific North West, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, New Mexico, and even Kansas and Alaska.

  • Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast, published by Voyageur Press, is a guide in words and pictures to historic lighthouses along the Pacific Coast Highway.

    Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast

    Lighthouses of the Pacific Coast, published by Voyageur Press, is a guide in words and pictures to historic lighthouses along the Pacific Coast Highway.

  • Review of the Pacific Coast Highway Road Trips book from Lonely Planet, which includes a California Driving Guide, by the Pacific Coast Highway Travel website.

    Pacific Coast Highway Road Trips: Lonely Planet Guidebook Review

    Review of the Pacific Coast Highway Road Trips book from Lonely Planet, which includes a California Driving Guide, by the Pacific Coast Highway Travel website.

  • Plant lovers can visit hundreds of gardens along or near the Pacific Coast Highway,ranging from lush gardens in the Pacific North-West to southern California.

    Gardens Of the Pacific Coast Highway

    Plant lovers can visit hundreds of gardens along or near the Pacific Coast Highway,ranging from lush gardens in the Pacific North-West to southern California.

Recent Articles

RSS

  1. Slingshots, Color, and Open Roads: How to Explore California’s Spring Wildflowers

    May 01, 24 11:10 AM

    Beaches. Mountains. Deserts. Cities. California has a lot, and it’s known for a lot, but in the mix of some of the most incredible scenery in the United States, one excellent feature is often overlook…

    Read More

  2. Best Things to Do in Monterey

    Apr 30, 24 07:57 PM

    fishermans-wharf-monterey.webp
    The best things to do in Monterey, chosen by Pacific Coast Highway Travel, include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, whale watching and Fisherman's Wharf.

    Read More

  3. Pacific Coast Highway Fully Reopens 2 Months After Mudslide

    Apr 24, 24 11:14 AM

    After two months of lane closures on PCH in Malibu, the highway has fully reopened.

    Read More