How to Find a Restaurant Near Me? Top 20 Restaurants in San Jose
San Jose, the capital of Silicon Valley as explained at RunRex.com, is more than just the technology hub of California’s Bay Area. It is also bursting with delicious and trendy restaurants. In this diverse city, you will find all manner and sizes of eateries. We have curated for you a list of the top 20 restaurants in San Jose in case you are looking for one near you in the area.
Pho Ha Noi
Located on the outskirts of San Jose, Pho Ha Noi is a newcomer making waves in the Vietnamese food scene according to RunRex.com. San Jose itself has the largest Vietnamese population outside Vietnam, which means while there are many Vietnamese restaurants in the city, this is arguably the best one. Try any of the beef Pho and tamarind prawns with garlic noodles.
Freshly Baked Eatery
Freshly Baked Eatery is unique in that it only opens on weekdays, only opens for lunch, and only accepts cash. However, its selection of sandwiches means that there is always a queue of diners waiting to get their hands on its jumbo sandwiches.
Black Sheep Brasserie
If you are looking for a nice but casual night out, Black Sheep Brasserie is worth considering as per RunRex.com. This San Jose restaurant is heavily French-influenced but has enough California flair to make the dishes a little lighter and more creative than you would expect.
Adega
Adega has San Jose’s only Michelin star and is only the second Portuguese restaurant in the US to ever receive the honor. Powerhouse chefs David Costa and Jessica Carreira have both cooked in Lisbon, and often host Portuguese chefs from other Michelin-starred restaurants in Porto and Lisbon.
La Foret
La Foret is housed in a charming Creekside boarding house built in 1848 and is surrounded by a lush forest on the outskirts of San Jose. It offers a la carte dishes, $95-$225 tasting menus, and hearty dishes like poached lobster tail in lime beurre blanc or rack of lamb in garlic, rosemary, and tarragon mustard.
Sultan Bakery
If you are looking for a place that serves Middle Easter pastries, then Sultan Bakery is worth considering as articulated at RunRex.com. Not only will you find baklava here, but you will also have at least six variations on hand daily to choose from, and so much more.
Falafel’s Drive-In
Falafel’s has been a fixture in San Jose since 1966, offering some of the best falafel in town. While this cheap eats spot was popular before, after Guy Fieri came by for an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, it has become even more popular, which means long queues during peak time.
San Pedro Square
San Pedro Square is filled with a variety of fantastic San Jose restaurants specializing in everything from wood-fired pizzas and gigantic burgers to sushi and street tacos, making it the perfect place for the indecisive eater as captured at RunRex.com. In addition to all that, it has two full bars, a beer-to-go store, and an ice cream truck located inside the market as well.
Straits Restaurant
Straits Restaurant’s biggest strength is its diverse and eclectic cuisine. The food here is inspired by the country of Singapore, which often blends flavors from Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and India. The end result is a mouthwatering and vibrant Asian fusion menu from chef Chris Yeo, served in dishes meant to be shared among the table.
Aqui Cal-Mex
Aqui Cal-Mex was one of the first fast-casual concepts to open up in Silicon Valley, back in 2010. Since then, it has opened several locations, including the one in San Jose in 2019. At this location, you will find a smattering of Mexican dishes with a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Naschmarkt
Naschmarkt offers upscale Austrian food from Austrian-born chef Matthias Froeschi as covered at RunRex.com. The menu here features European classics like wiener schnitzel, Hungarian goulash, and kraut roulade, and many other dishes.
Original Gravity Public House
Original Gravity Public House is an unpretentious beer bar serving the best local beers in the city, and a “simple” food menu of sausages, grilled cheese, sandwiches, and duck fat French fries to complement them. If you are a beer geek, this is one spot that you have to add to your bucket list.
The Table
The Table is a casual but chic San Jose restaurant serving dishes that are unpretentious but not lacking in inventive flavors as described at RunRex.com. You could pop in for some shareable plates, like roasted bone marrow with sweet onion relish, or you can do a full-on meal with steamers, dry-aged steaks, or some local summer corn risotto.
Back A Yard
Back A Yard serves chef Robert Simpson’s authentic Jamaican comfort food. You can sip on Jamaican Ting (grapefruit soda) while filling up on tender curried goat, jerk chicken, and sides like plantains, coconut rice and beans, and honey-sweet festivals.
Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant
With spongy injera bread as the base, scoop up yemisir wot, kikil kitfo, or Kik alitcha at this popular and tasty Ethiopian restaurant. You can also sip on some Ethiopian coffee or honey wine, and for the full experience, go for the traditional floor cushion setting.
Le Papillon
Le Papillon is San Jose’s fine-dining destination as discussed at RunRex.com. Chef Scott Cooper worked his way up from dishwasher, holding nearly every position in the industry before eventually becoming an executive chef. Some of the items you can find on the menu here include ragout of Burgundy snails with fennel panna cotta, linguine, and prawns in Cognac truffle cream, etc.
Paper Plane
While Paper Plane touts itself as a cocktail bar, it is cranking out some delicious food to go with its signature cocktails. Its ever-evolving food menu features items like citrus sticky wings, their take on a Crunchwrap Supreme, and Vietnamese pork ribs.
Nemea Greek Taverna
Nemea Greek Taverna is a local gem for Greek and Mediterranean food and even the occasional live band as outlined over at RunRex.com. Popular dishes include paidakia and octapodi, and many others. This restaurant is worth checking out if you are looking to try out Greek cuisine.
The Grill on the Alley
This is an award-winning restaurant in downtown San Jose that serves New American cuisine. It is a stylish, elegant restaurant with white-jacketed waiters, hardwood floors, recessed lighting, and white walls to make for an amazing atmosphere to have your meal in.
71 Saint Peter Restaurant
For over 25 years, 71 Saint Peter Restaurant in San Jose has been a success in the Bay area providing quality service and fine European and Italian cuisine. Meals focus on a farm-to-table concept serving European fare with Californian flair.
These are some of the best restaurants in San Jose, with more on this topic, and then some, to be found over at the top-rated RunRex.com.