You Can Get Some of the Best Food in California at These Neo-Retro Diners

The West Coast is seeing a new wave of diners reimagining casual counter-service comfort food with chef-y techniques, thoughtful design, and a strong sense of place. Instead of bottomless burnt coffee and pancakes made from a mix, you’ll find natural wine next to pasture-raised pastrami sandwiches and soft-serve sundaes made with cream from local dairies. Here are a few of the nostalgic options on offer.

Jumbo’s Win Win

Thomas J. Story

Set along the scenic Highway 128 in the heart of Anderson Valley, this twist on a classic American roadside burger stand from former San Francisco cocktail whiz Scott Baird (of Trick Dog and 15 Romolo fame) is the pit stop you’ve always wished for. Here, you’ll find meticulously executed smash burgers, soft-serve from Straus Family Creamery, pickle dogs served alongside a house-brewed briny pickle beer, and a “Win Win Wedge” that absolutely lives up to its name. There’s also a secret menu of Mexican standbys worth trying, meant to serve the local agricultural community of Philo, complete with handmade tortillas and salsas, meaning there’s truly something for everyone.

Super Mensch

Thomas J. Story

In San Francisco’s Marina District, the traditional Jewish deli has been transformed into a petite restaurant and cocktail bar hybrid, courtesy of chef Adam Rosenblum and beverage director Elmer Mejicanos. The menu leans into deli staples like house-cured and smoked pastrami on rye, matzo ball soup, golden latkes, and towering slices of chocolate cake that even the most skeptical bubbe would approve of. She may question the likes of the bagel and lox martinis, but to each their own.

Max & Helen’s

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Located in one of L.A.’s great walkable neighborhoods along Larchmont Boulevard, Max & Helen’s is a retro ode to the classic diner from Somebody Feed Phil host Phil Rosenthal and legendary chef-restaurateur Nancy Silverton, both of whom call the area home. The space seamlessly channels midcentury Americana without being overly cheesy, and it’s the perfect spot to nosh on patty melts, breakfast plates, and milkshakes, all executed with the elevated technique and ingredient care you’d expect from these Angeleno restaurant vets.