7 California Restaurants Anthony Bourdain Loved
More than seven years have passed since the tragic death of beloved chef, author, and television personality Anthony Bourdain, but his story won't be forgotten anytime soon. One of Bourdain's greatest qualities — and ultimately, what made him a supremely relatable, ultra-watchable TV host — was his lack of pretension and his appreciation for food at all levels. Over the course of his storied career, Bourdain dined in plenty of Michelin-starred, award-winning establishments, but he managed to find just as much beauty, wonder, and joy in a home-cooked dinner or a kebab from a side-of-the-road food stall.
The traveling chef is perhaps best known for shedding light on historically underrepresented regions, territories, and countries, particularly those featured on his aptly named series, "Parts Unknown." However, you don't have to trek through the Amazon rainforest or barter with a street food vendor in Bangkok to eat like Anthony Bourdain. There are plenty of places right here in the United States that Bourdain held close to his heart.
While the chef's home base was New York City, he traveled extensively, and by default, often landed in California for filming. Cali is a stark contrast to NYC in many ways, but the Golden State is a foodie's utopia, and one that was perfectly suited to Bourdain's eclectic palate and passion for exploring diverse cuisines. From an oyster depot in San Fran to a first-class Italian steakhouse in LA, here are seven restaurants in California that snagged a coveted gold star from Anthony Bourdain himself.
Chili John's (Burbank)
A Burbank staple for nearly 80 years, Chili John's is beloved for its old-school diner aesthetic and for slinging plates of chili — a relatively straightforward and classic comfort food. The no-frills menu allows customers a choice of three varieties of chili (beef, chicken, and vegetarian) served in a variety of ways, from bowl-style to chili cheese fries to the "Sloppy John," Chili John's take on the sloppy Joe.
In true Hollywood style, the diner has made a mark on the entertainment world, appearing on TV shows such as "Twin Peaks" and in movies like Quentin Tarantino's 2019 hit, "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." It's also captured the hearts of several celebs over the years, including the legendary Walt Disney, Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme, and Anthony Bourdain.
Bourdain told Thrillist that it was QOTSA's Homme who clued him in to Chili John's in the first place. Bourdain was introduced while shooting his show "Raw Craft" in 2016, and absolutely raved about the restaurant's chili, which he ate over rice and beans: "It's really cheap thrills. Delicious, about as not-fancy as you get. It's not hipster chili. It's ground meat, you know, just really good. Slopped on top of some beans and rice. It was delicious." Unfortunately, with the entertainment world slowing down and industry jobs in peril, Chili John's is struggling to get customers in the door. The Bourdain-approved old-school California diner is in danger of shutting down, so if you want a taste of their famous chili, get your buns to Burbank ASAP.
(818) 846-3611
2018 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506
The French Laundry (Yountville)
Anthony Bourdain's penchant for obscure foods and love of off-the-beaten-path restaurants were part of what made him such an enjoyable TV personality, but that's not to say the chef eschewed fine dining establishments — far from it. Bourdain personally cooked in renowned restaurants like Les Halles and The Rainbow Room, and held a love for fine dining throughout his life. Given his accomplishments and connections, Bourdain had the opportunity to experience some of the world's finest restaurants, and The French Laundry was perhaps his all-time favorite. In a 2011 Men's Health article, he called his French Laundry experience "the best sit-down, multicourse, white-tablecloth meal of [his] life."
The French Laundry lies in Yountville in the stunning Napa Valley region. The restaurant has been owned and operated by Chef Thomas Keller (whom Bourdain referred to as his "idol" and declared to be one of the top chefs in America) since 1994. Anthony Bourdain first visited the 3-star Michelin restaurant for an episode of "A Cook's Tour" in 2002, and was blown away by the operation, from his visit to the local farm where the kitchen gets its fresh produce to the 20-course meal he devoured at the restaurant itself. Adorably giddy, Bourdain remarked, "Keller likes his food to evoke memories. You don't hear a lot of chefs talking like that, playing with magical forces like memory as if they were ingredients." It's not clear whether Bourdain returned to The French Laundry after his initial visit, but the Michelin-starred establishment obviously left an indelible mark on his heart and belly.
(707) 944-2380
6640 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599
Tadich Grill (San Francisco)
In an age when restaurants frequently open their doors and shutter within a year, it feels nearly impossible to find a restaurant that's been open for over a century, but Tadich Grill has been serving up seafood delights to San Franciscans since 1913 (though it started as a coffee house in the mid-1800s). Located in San Francisco's Financial District, Tadich Grill is the oldest continuously-operating restaurant in California. While you'll find some meat dishes like lamb chops and filet mignon with shoestring potatoes among the 75+ scratch-made entrees, much of the menu takes advantage of Frisco's proximity to the Pacific and revolves around seafood. In fact, it's a seafood stew that earned Anthony Bourdain's recommendation when he dined there for an episode of "No Reservations."
The dish is Tadich Grill's seafood cioppino, which was created by Italian-American immigrants right in San Francisco. Recipes vary between restaurants and households, but typically include a medley of seafood such as clams, fish, shrimp, and/or mussels in a rich and complex tomato and wine broth. In addition to the cioppino, Bourdain sipped martinis and feasted on Tadich's "Hangtown Fry" dish, consisting of scrambled eggs, bacon, and oysters.
Bourdain wasn't alone in his appreciation for this longstanding institution. Tadich Grill has earned praise from respected publications like Forbes, Eater, and SFGate, and was named as one of TasteAtlas's 150 most legendary restaurants around the world in 2023.
(415) 391-1849
240 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Chi SPACCA (Los Angeles)
Los Angeles has a reputation for catering to whatever gluten-free, vegan, or macrobiotic diet the Hollywood crowd is latching onto in a given week, but the city has a population of nearly four million people — realistically, you can find literally any cuisine you're craving in LA. There's certainly no shortage of top-tier steakhouses, and Chef Nancy Silverton's Michelin-recommended Chi SPACCA on Melrose Avenue is one of the city's best.
Small and intimate, Chi SPACCA focuses on sustainability, sourcing locally wherever possible and committing to a "nose-to-tail" philosophy, aiming to use as many parts of an animal as possible. Chef Silverton is heralded for creating the first-ever dry-cure program for charcuterie and salumi in LA, and the carefully crafted menu is chock-full of innovative goodies like steak tartare, pork jowl, and a selection of savory pies.
Anthony Bourdain loved the LA Italian steakhouse, singing Chi SPACCA's praises after a meat-filled dinner in a 2016 Grub Street Diet piece. According to Bourdain, he and his guests kicked off the meal with a salumi platter and a few appetizers (warm figs, grilled octopus, stuffed zucchini blossoms, and amberjack collars) before diving into a main course of beef and marrow pies and a bone-in Fiorentina steak. In true chef fashion, he noted that the steak had been perfectly rested: "Already a beautifully sourced and aged thing of beauty, it makes all the difference in the world when you rest it for an appropriate period before slicing it. Perfection." Chi SPACCA remains in operation today, and although some of the items Bourdain mentioned in the "Grub Street" piece aren't currently listed on the menu, it's still possible to experience much of the magic that so enamored the traveling chef when dining at this LA institution.
(323) 297-1133
6610 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
In-N-Out (National)
Whether In-N-Out qualifies as a true restaurant or not is debatable, but given Anthony Bourdain's widely documented love for the dirt-cheap, California-based burger chain, we'd be remiss not to include it in a roundup of Cali eateries that the chef loved. In-N-Out was founded as a drive-through burger stand in 1948, and there are now over 400 stores across the United States.
In-N-Out sets itself apart from the competition by using high-quality ingredients (the patties are 100% beef, free of additives), never freezing, pre-packaging, or microwaving food, and keeping prices low. All of this (plus the insanely tasty burgers themselves, of course) made Anthony Bourdain love the iconic California burger joint — in fact, in 2015, he told Eater that In-N-Out was always his first stop when he was in LA, lamenting the fact that there were no In-N-Out locations to be found in his home base of New York.
While acknowledging that Los Angeles has a plethora of fantastic sit-down restaurants, Bourdain described himself as a "cheap, nasty, low-down, trailer park burger slut" at heart, and proclaimed In-N-Out to be the sole fast-food burger he actually liked. What makes the burgers themselves so special? Per the man himself, it's just about every aspect of the burger: a solid bun, fresh lettuce, good cheese ("You don't want fancy cheese [...] This cheese-like substance is perfect"), and thin patties, which allow for maximum surface area exposure on the tongue. Bourdain liked his In-N-Out burgers "animal style," a not-so-secret preparation in which the burgers are topped with additional mustard sauce and grilled onions.
Multiple locations
Swan Oyster Depot (San Francisco)
With the demanding schedule typical of a high-profile chef, author, and TV personality, there weren't many restaurants Anthony Bourdain returned to again and again, but one exception to that rule was Swan Oyster Depot. As Bourdain mused during an episode of Parts Unknown, "It's like "Every show you've ever done in San Francisco, you come to Swan Oyster Depot." Yes, that's correct. True love cannot be denied."
Swan Oyster Depot was established in 1912 in the Nob Hill District. It's accumulated a loyal fan base over the course of 100+ years of operation, and its small interior, packed counter, and charmingly dingy atmosphere were all part of the draw for Bourdain. His first visit to the restaurant took place during the same episode of "A Cook's Tour" in which he visited The French Laundry. Over a breakfast of oysters and crab back, Bourdain waxed poetic, remarking that "this is the kind of place you wish you could find in New York. Beautiful, fresh seafood served by a bunch of regular Joes who are proud of what they do, and have been doing it this way for nearly 100 years."
There are few pleasures greater than a cold beer and a platter of freshly shucked oysters, and the restaurant's no-frills style, old-school allure, and impeccable seafood offerings drew Bourdain back many times over the years. The greasy spoon ultimately became something of a Frisco home base for the chef. As Bourdain summed it up on "Parts Unknown," "Swan Oyster Depot — the touchstone in my worldwide wanderings. A happy zone. If I read about myself dying at this counter, I'd say to myself, "That was one lucky guy.""
(415) 673-1101
1517 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Musso & Frank Grill (Los Angeles)
For a true old-school Hollywood vibe, there's no better restaurant than Musso & Frank Grill. Family-owned for three generations, the restaurant holds a coveted Hollywood Boulevard address and even has its own Hollywood star on the Walk of Fame — the first-ever restaurant to have been granted the honor. The historic institution has been in operation for over 100 years and has served scores of true entertainment royalty, from silver screen stars like Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe, to literary giants such as Raymond Chandler and Kurt Vonnegut, to modern-day luminaries like Quentin Tarantino and, yes, Anthony Bourdain.
Musso & Frank's has an extensive menu packed with some truly drool-worthy bites. Burrata with strawberries, walnuts, and truffled honey; branzino with pistachio-date gremolata; and a delightful array of desserts are all up for grabs. There are certainly some inventive, modern dishes, but many menu items are as timeless as the restaurant itself, and Bourdain liked to keep it simple when dining there.
When quizzed on the perfect food pairing at Musso & Frank Grill, Bourdain told Haute Living, "I'd go super-classic: iceberg wedge, bone-in ribeye, creamed spinach, and sautéed mushrooms." Delicious food aside, it was the bar that ultimately captivated the traveling chef. As he told LA Weekly, "I love the bar at Musso & Frank's. That's something that L.A. does really, really well. It has great old bars, and old institutions that are still going in a complete[ly] un-ironic way. There's no irony at Musso & Frank's."
(323) 467-7788
6667 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028