<span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Willow Creek’s organic coffee shop and bakery, </span><b>The Osprey </b><b>Café</b><span style=”font-weight: 400;”>, is beloved by locals and visitors, alike. This cafe serves up prompt, friendly service, outstanding beverages and creative specials on both their breakfast and lunch menus. The Osprey offers a selection of baked goods, as well as waffles (sweet and savory — definitely try the </span><i><span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Cal Salmon Waffle</span></i><span style=”font-weight: 400;”>), quesadillas, smoothies, specialty teas and, of course, locally roasted organic coffee. Sunny mornings are best sipped outside, where you can sit and enjoy your </span><i><span style=”font-weight: 400;”>Reishi Maca Mocha</span></i><span style=”font-weight: 400;”> while taking stunning views of the quaint downtown and surrounding mountains. Grab a grilled sando to take down to the river with you or cool down post-swim on hot afternoons with a scoop of ice cream. </span>

Thai food may be unexpected in “Big Foot country”, but it has been warmly embraced by the local community—and with just cause. Lily’s Thai Kitchen is cooking up some made-from-scratch, authentic dishes beyond Pad Thai (which is excellent, btw). Check out the chalkboard for specials and start off with some tasty appetizers. Lily’s menu includes dumplings, eggrolls, spring rolls, crab rangoon, shrimp tempura, deep-fried tofu, wings (both sesame and spicy honey), chicken satay and shrimp tempura. Move on to soup or the extensive rice, noodle, stir fry, curry and soup dishes that come with tofu or your choice of meat and/or seafood. Favorites are Lily’s Fried Rice (Thai classic fried rice, pan fried chicken, pork, shrimp and beef with egg, broccoli, onions, peas, carrots, topped with cilantro); Cashew Nut (chicken, or your protein of choice, sautéed with cashews, mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, carrot, oyster sauce and sweet chili paste); Pad Thai, one of four different curry dishes getting rave reviews or a bowl of Tom Yum Kong (hot and sour soup with shrimp, tomato, mushroom, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and lime juice topped with cilantro and green onion and served with a side of steamed jasmine rice). For the complete Lily’s experience, have an Iced Thai Tea or Coffee.

This popular spot has been serving locals and tourists for nearly 50 years! Pull up a chair inside, or out on the patio, and sample food that has kept diners coming back to the Trinidad Bay Eatery for decades. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, their menu is creative, fresh and sources local, organic ingredients. Their seasonal mimosa and curated craft beer and wine list is an unexpected surprise. Breakfast items include the Loaded Cinnamon Roll with glaze, pecans and bacon, the Surfer Boy Bowl (scrambled eggs with shrimp, jalapeño, local goat cheese and green onions topped with avocado, served atop crispy hash browns) and true American classics like Biscuits n’ Gravy. If the sea on all sides didn’t cue you in, The Eatery is smack dab in the middle of a fishing village, so there’s always fresh fish specials on the menu. Humboldt oysters served raw or grilled are a classic, seasonal Fish Cakes, Spicy Cioppino, Cod Fish n’ Chips and lots of Dungeness Crab like their Crabby Fries are delicious. If there’s one thing the Eatery is known for, it’s their clam chowder, which has been on the menu for nearly 40 years. It’s made from scratch and served in a grilled sourdough bread bowl with housemade garlic cheese butter. Wait! Make that two things—don’t forget to order a slice of Blackberry Cobbler for dessert.

Tavern 1888, located in the Historic Eagle House on the Humboldt Bay offers “elevated coastal cuisine” with a focus on housemade and market fresh ingredients. The seasonal menu offers adventurous culinary creations while highlighting the best of Humboldt County’s land, sea and air. Innovative, craft cocktails and fine West Coast wines pair beautifully with the timeless, chic charm of this newly renovated and inviting Humboldt favorite. Definitely choose the Dungeness Crab Cakes or the Poke Tower as the opening act ahead of the varied main event options. Just a hint (this is a place where you want to leave room for the finale) because dessert is a must here. Part of the charm of Tavern 1888 is knowing that the original owners of this historic building were serving steamship passengers docking nearby. View the current menu online. Don’t miss delectable food and drink at the Tavern’s sister restaurant, Phasty Klines, also housed in the Eagle House (129 2nd St), which is open Tues-Sat 4-10:30. 

Looking for authentic Mexican food? Cocina Mariposa opened up in the pro shop at the Eureka Golf Course a few years ago to the delight of locals. Chef/Owner Marisela Carillo along with her mom, Graciela Salas serves up Michoacán favorites using local and organic ingredients when possible. Choose from five homemade salsas. Yes, as the menu says, the Salsa Macha packs a punch but is full of flavor. A housemade Horchata will take care of the heat. Traditional menu items include wet burritos, chili rellenos, street tacos with your choice of meat, tortas, vegan and vegetarian items or any of the daily specials highlighted on their social media. We recommend the Baja Fish Tacos. (There’s a “Not So Mexican” menu featuring Mary’s Organic chicken, too.) Dining space inside is limited, but there are outdoor tables and they do a big “to-go” business so call them to place your order.

While in SoHum, don’t miss Il Forno Bakery, your stop for breakfast, lunch or to simply satisfy sweet tooth cravings. This place does it all and in record time with friendly service. Il Forno is a great place to grab a hot drink—they serve Signature Coffee from a local roaster and organic teas and a variety of other drinks. Grab a quick bite to go (the frittata and quiche both travel well) or stay and mingle with the locals. The bakery is also a cozy spot to linger over breakfast or lunch with family and friends. Each day the head baker starts at 2 in the morning to prepare delectable Il Forno Bakery staples (like those biscuits!) and unexpected specials like the Lime-Jalapeno Glazed Donuts. The Chicken Salad is a huge hit here and sells out regularly. If you plan to spend the day along the Avenue of the Giants adventuring in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, build your own picnic from deviled eggs, potato salad, sandwiches, vegan and vegetarian options, salads and (of course!) dessert for a feast worthy of your majestic surroundings.

Gyp·​po noun. (Jip-oh). In the same spirit as the craft beer industry, a Gyppo logging operation was small, independent and self-reliant. Gyppo Ale Mill celebrates that spirit and raises a pint to all living a freewheeling and independent life. The Gyppo Ale Mill’s brewhouse supplies Gyppos 12 taps with a rotating array of beer styles along with staples like Mexican Lager, Beach Beer and Dave’s Pilsner. The menu from the Gyppo kitchen utilizes the bounty of local ingredients including fish fresh from the Shelter Cove waters for fish and chips and baja tacos, free-range chicken, grass-fed beef and produce from SoHum farms. Have some free-wheeling fun in the outdoor, heated beer garden with an assortment of games the whole family can enjoy, and free music live on Friday and Saturday evenings. It’s a kid and dog-friendly atmosphere and there’s always a reason to gather there, whether that be Foosball and Cornhole Tournaments, Bingo & Beers, or Thinkin’ & Drinkin.’ While you’re there, pick up a growler or a 4-pack of your favorite brew to enjoy later and ask for Gyppo at markets, bars and restaurants throughout the county.

Double D Steak is a warm, comfortable “Friendly Fortuna” place to gather. The best advice you’ll get from those who’ve dined there is to show up hungry and save room for your main course. Entrees are served with freshly baked bread, an antipasto plate, cheese ravioli, soup, salad and your choice of side. Steak offerings, flame-broiled to perfection, include the classic Steak Oscar, a filet mignon with crab, grilled asparagus and lemon-caper hollandaise sauce, the Bacon Bleu Mushroom New York Strip or Surf and Turf filet medallions complemented by a broiled lobster tail. Seafood lovers order the Shrimp Lovers Trio of prawns, buttery calamari steak or fresh Pan-seared or Beer Battered Halibut. The Clam Chowder gets rave reviews, too. The menu is extensive and includes chicken and pasta specialties in addition to vegan and vegetarian options. Desserts are decadent and include daily specials. Happy hour is Tues-Sat 4-5 and Double D has a full bar, wine list and an ample selection of beers. 

Launched in April 2022, The Boardroom Ferndale is a restaurant and charcuterie tasting room located on Main Street in the Victorian Village of Ferndale. Their popular “boards” feature their own cured meats made in-house in the European tradition at their flagship restaurant and production facility in nearby Eureka, CA. Meats regularly available include salami, summer sausage, Canadian-style bacon and smoked duck, but don’t be surprised to see small-batch seasonal offerings like pickled veggies and country-style paté. Their lunch and dinner menu features slow-smoked specialties, amazing salads, huge pretzels and soup always made from scratch. Visit them every Thursday for live music, and don’t forget to drop-in for their amazing Sunday Brunch to enjoy sweet and savory crepes, frittatas, breakfast sausages and mimosas. Visit their website above for current hours, events and specials.

While visiting the picturesque Victorian village of Ferndale, be sure and stop in the vibrant Tuyas right on Main St for homemade Mexican food. Menu highlights range from traditional items like chicken tamales, burritos, street tacos and enchiladas to elevated, modern dishes. Try something new to start like Las Tazas, crisp lettuce cups filled with chicken mole, corn pico de gallo, avocado, queso fresco and sesame seeds, or panko-battered Avocado Bites. Don’t miss the Arugula & Beet Salad with roasted, beets, arugula, pecans, jicama, cotija cheese dressed with a bright mint-lemon vinaigrette. Tuyas has a diverse wine and cerveza selection, too. Enjoy a Michelada made with your favorite Mexican lager or a Tuyas Margarita crafted with tequila blanco-fortified sake and fresh citrus. Tuyas serves lunch and dinner and all food is made fresh everyday. Check the chalkboard for weekly specials. Go early and grab a small table outdoors or linger over wine in the mural-filled alleyway.

Take a tip from locals who are fired up about the Campground experience both for dinner and weekend brunch. This modern, California casual steakhouse serves prime cuts of meat (including in-house aged beef) cooked to perfection on an open fire of mesquite, almond and cherry wood. Start with Grilled Humboldt Bay Oysters, Carpaccio or a build-your-own Butcher’s Block of housemade  charcuterie with grilled bread. Campground’s garden options include arguably the best Wedge Salad ever (garnished with fried shallots). Diners can’t go wrong with any of the beef cuts, but it’s hard to choose with executive chef Kaitlin Smith’s seasonal menu, which includes lamb, pork ribs, prawns, fresh fish and innovative vegetarian entrees and sides. Campground’s slogan is “Gather, eat, tell stories,” but “drink” could certainly be included, given their extraordinary bar menu and international wine list. (P.S. We’re partial to the Lost in the Woods cocktail, or to accompany the seasonal market quiche at brunch, sip the Verde Maria.) Be sure to make reservations, it’s no secret that Campground tops the county’s list of best restaurants.