By Whitney Butler

 

The late Julia Child once said, “People who love to eat are always the best people.” While I tend to agree with this sentiment, I also think it must be twice as true for those who make good food.

When you factor in that 50 percent of Marin County is utilized to grow fruits, vegetables, olives and wine grapes (with even more land dedicated to dairy cows), Marin’s obsession with food comes into focus.

But don’t take my word for it: Famous words of foodie wisdom will help guide you along the way.

 

Farmshop Marin

“You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food,” said celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme. No place in Marin County makes this point better than Farmshop Marin.

Chef-owner Jeff Cerciello has curated a collection of chefs, cheesemongers, bakers and butchers to showcase humble ingredients in simple dishes inspired by California. The restaurant’s attention to local purveyors supports the idea that great food doesn’t have to be extravagant or exotic: merely the labor of an experienced hand.

Farmhouse Marin sources dairy and produce from nearby creameries and local farms. By focusing on the quality of the ingredients, menu offerings are stripped down to their most basic parts: avocado hummus with pistachio salsa verde; roasted bone marrow with caramelized shallots and fresh butter.

No silver spoon required—in fact, feel free to eat with your hands. This casual eatery makes great food really approachable.

 

Nick's Cove

Irish satirist Jonathan Swift may have joked about eating oysters, but Nick’s Cove is no laughing matter when it comes to good seafood.

“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster,” declared Swift. But it’s even bolder to reject the conveniences of big-city living and set up shop in a remote place.

A rural glimpse into Marin’s past, Nick’s Cove is one of a few enduring settlements that supplied the early California tourist trade near Tomales Bay coastland. Today, there are 12 luxury cottages for guests to enjoy in addition to the restaurant, which serves a bounty of seafood, including locally sourced oysters and fresh seafood prepared by executive chef Joshua Seibert.

 

For all you need to plan your Marin County vacation, visit the Marin Convention and Visitors Bureau’s website or Facebook page,