SAUSALITO – 9 options for Coffee, Pastry, Sandwiches and Brunch

Visiting Sausalito? Looking for breakfast and a good cup of coffee?  The choices are endless, from 40-year-old diners to upscale brunch spots and the finest locally made pastry  — it’s all here, served in charming venues with views so beautiful, they almost outshine the eats.

Whether you arrive by car, by ferry from San Francisco, or have cycled across the Golden Gate Bridge, come along with me as we explore your options for a good cup of coffee and something delicious to eat.

These locations are ordered beginning with the Alexander Avenue entrance, after crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and ending with the Sausalito/Marin City exit before returning to the 101 Freeway. The route takes us along Bridgeway.

GOLDEN GATE MARKET

This is a favorite stop for cyclists and people on the go who want a super wholesome sandwich followed by a delicious Cibo pastry and a fresh cup of piping hot Sightglass coffee (or a cold beer) served in their remodeled cafe, sitting at the indoor bar, or at an outside table. Everything served in the cafe is local and sustainable.   With good reason, this is a busy breakfast spot.

The Grab and Go deli has a selection of in-house sandwiches, presented on Acme bread, using homemade Italian meatballs, pulled pork, roast beef, vegetarian, or whatever is on the menu of the day and there are two chefs on duty at all times. Craft Beer and Energy drinks are listed on the large wall menus. Good background music and welcoming waitstaff.

Lots of space to park or leave your bike along the side of Golden Gate Market. 

Golden Gate Market

221 Second Street, corner Bridgeway
Sausalito, CA
www.ggmsausalito.com
Tel.  415/332-3040
Hours: 7.30 a.m. – 8.00 p.m.

SAUSALITO BAKERY AND CAFE

Healthy sustainable Mediterranean delicatessen, and homemade pastries, all made fresh every day in the onsite kitchen. This is a family business, operated by likable Chef Joshua, his wife, and other members of the clan. As you enter, feast your eyes on the homemade delicatessen. The fridge is lined with an array of different salads, featuring fresh from the ocean seafood, deli meats, a selection of fresh vegetable salads, mixed olives, and cheeses. Begin with these, but leave room for the pastries that are made lovingly by Chef Joshua who studied at the NAPA Culinary institute. And there is always a tray of Greek baklava with layers of phyllo pastry with sweet pistachio filling doused in a syrupy sauce.  Make sure to try the Viennese apple strudel, made the classic way, with hand-pulled, light-as-a-feather pastry, that envelops fresh local apples, plus a selection of old-fashioned homemade cookies.  Good coffee and cappuccino are available as well as an extensive “drinks” menu. Tables inside and out, facing a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. Chef Joshua has a legion of fans who come in regularly for their “fix” and to say hello to the always-welcoming Chef Joshua.

SAUSALITO BAKERY AND CAFE.

571 Bridgeway
Sausalito, CA94965
Tel. 415/331-9552
Website: www.oursausalito.com
Hours: 6.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m.

CIBO PASTRIES AND COFFEE AT THE PASTRY BAR INSIDE ANGELINO’S RESTAURANT.

Serving the best pastries on the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge and, to go out on a limb, on both sides of the Bridge is Pastry Chef Tera at CIBO. A graduate of the CIA in NYC, who started her career at One Market and Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio in San Franciso, she is the creative genius at this pastry bar within the Angelinos restaurant. All the pastries are made fresh daily in a commercial kitchen a few streets away by a team of six women bakers plus head baker Tera. Only the best local ingredients are used,  and the selection is tantalizing: yeast buns, light as a feather Danish, the most unusual scones, and fresh fruit galettes to name a few. This is a family business going back forty years, opened by immigrants from Naples who chose “Cibo,” meaning food in Italian, for the name. Each Saturday they feature a special pie and the day I was there it was the refreshing Meyer lemon pie. And did I mention the selection of focaccia with different herb toppings?  Or the German cupcakes that look like little beehives?  Make sure you try the Pastry Bar. Load up your plate with deliciousness and grab a table outside, facing the view of San Franciso and the GoldenGate Bridge in the distance. Be sure to get there early because they always sell out. CIBO is open from Friday to Sunday only.

Parking is available in the adjacent parking lot, and cyclists can keep their bicycles nearby on the sidewalk.

ANGELINO’S — CIBO — THE PASTRY BAR.

621 Bridgeway,
Sausalito CA94965.
Tel. 415/331`-5225
Website: www.cibobakery.com
Hours Fri, Sat, Sun. 8.00 a. m.   – 1.00 p.m.

NAPA VALLEY BURGER

“Gourmet made from scratch burgers” — that’s the promise, here, where the ingredients are sourced from local farmers. There is a selection of 8 burgers on the menu including beef burgers, a turkey, a fried chicken breast, and a meatless burger. I ordered the Yountville Burger, made with 100% certified Angus beef.  It came perfectly assembled on a brioche bun, with applewood smoked bacon extending out the sides,  tomato, onion, arugula, sharp cheddar cheese, drizzled with garlic aioli dressing, and “speared” with a parmesan cheese crisp into the top. To go with that, I felt I “needed” the sweet potato chips that were presented like a bouquet sitting in a silver cup, perfectly golden brown and crisp, accompanied by a honey mustard dressing for dipping. You may prefer regular potato chips, crispy onion rings or chips, and guacamole, though.

There is a good drinks menu, too, including Napa, Sonoma, and Central Valley wines, local beer, sangria, bloody Mary,  and a drink called “Frisky Whiskey”: a combination of  Bourbon, red wine, organic agave nectar, and freshly squeezed lime. Sounds good but I did not try it, as it was midday and I was driving!

There is seating inside and on the sidewalk where you can witness the passing scene and the service is friendly and attentive. These are quality burgers being served in an upscale burger restaurant — with slightly elevated pricing, which is to be expected.

An interesting fact: the building is one of Sausalito’s oldest brick buildings, dating from 1885, and was once the Fiedler General Store.

The parking lot is close by, with lots of space for cars and bicycles, and fills up over good weather weekends. Make sure you feed the meter because this is a good source of revenue for the local traffic department, which monitors regularly and has no mercy if you extend your stay and forget to pay.

NAPA VALLEY BURGER COMPANY.

670 Bridgeway,
Sausalito, CA 94965
Tel. 415/332-1454
Website: napavalleyburgercompany.com
Hours: Thursday – Sunday 11.30 a.m. – closing

POGGIO  TRATTORIA

One of Sausalito’s most popular neighborhood restaurants, Poggio Trattoria occupies a space on the first floor of the Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa. With tables inside and on the sidewalk, the sidewalk seating is more inviting with pots of flowering plants and fresh herbs placed among the tables that extend along its length.

The restaurant opens at 6.30 a.m. daily for breakfast and offers fresh organic food from their recently updated menu. This is some of the most beautiful food being offered in Sausalito, and no matter how hungry you may be, you will want to pause and eat with your eyes before taking your first bite. Classic eggs benedict on toasted ciabatta, with homemade hollandaise sauce, and crispy potatoes,  topped with cubed prosciutto and microgreens, vegetarian scrambled eggs loaded with vegetables,  and mouthwatering French toast dotted with berries, oatmeal, waffles, and pastries.

This can be accompanied by mimosas, a wine selection, or excellent coffees, chai, and freshly squeezed juices. The ambiance is upscale and delightful and invites one to relax and enjoy the passing scene. Service is gracious and attentive and you will want to return to this lovely spot again for dinner.

Metered street parking is available and there is space for cyclists to leave their bicycles locked on the street, or in the parking lot across from Poggio’s.

POGGIO TRATTORIA

777   Bridgeway
Sausalito,  CA
Tel. 415/332-7771
Website www.poggiotrattoria.com
Hours: Breakfast 6.30 a.m. – 11.30 a.m. daily.

EQUATOR COFFEE

Equator Coffee, founded by two women in their garage in Marin in 1995, is serving some of the best coffee and can be enjoyed at their coffee shop on Bridgeway. As importers and roasters, you can be sure the quality of this sustainable and fair trade coffee is a consistently, always excellent. With a full kitchen on-site, you’re free to add a frittata, avocado toast, or oatmeal and a selection of freshly baked items. Previously owned by Cibo, who has continued to supply  Equator Coffee with fresh baked goods from their Suaslito wholesale bakery. Look out for a selection of bagels and treats such as croissants, Danish bears claws,  sticky buns, cookies, muffins, and fresh fruit galettes. If you are in the mood for savory, there is a selection of toasts and a not-to-be-missed chicken flatbread sandwich. The menu is divided into breakfast, lunch, and bowls.

There is an extensive coffee menu as one would expect, as well as tea, latte, matcha,  hot and iced drinks, mimosas, wine, and beer.

Equator has seating inside but a welcoming seating area outside also has views of the water and the boats coming and going. Sweet or savory, this is not your average coffee shop.

Metered street parking on Bridgeway and surrounding streets and there is plenty of space for cyclists to leave their bikes while enjoying a refreshing stop.

EQUATOR COFFEE.

1201 Bridgeway,
Sausalito, CA 94965
Tel. 415/729-9656
Website:  www. Equatorcoffees.com
Hours: 7.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

LIGHTHOUSE COFFEE SHOP

In 1992, Annette and Garner Andressen, immigrants from Demark opened the Lighthouse Cafe on Bridgeway in Sausalito. Then and now, the food has Danish overtones, although they also serve favorite American classics in their coffee shop, like burgers, omelets, and combos of savory and sweet items from the menu. But the highlights are the Danish meatballs,  and the dinner plate size pancakes, both of which get a two thumbs up.  I tried the meatballs for lunch one day, which came with salad and they were delicious.  However, the pancake is a good early morning item — try the mixed fruit pancake, with banana, blueberry, and raspberry folded in. I started thinking I would not be able to finish it before realizing that my plate was empty — it was that good! They are open for breakfast and lunch and there is an all-day breakfast menu in case you’re recovering from a hangover and get there late. With only 30 seats inside and a few tables outside, expect a line over the weekend, unless you get there early. Service was good and it seemed like the waitstaff had been there forever.

There is metered street parking on Bridgeway and Caledonia Street, (one street back), and a lot of space for bicycles.

LIGHTHOUSE COFFEE SHOP.

1311 Bridgeway,
Sausalito, CA 94965
Tel. 415/331-3034
Website: www.lighthouse-restaurants.com
Hours: 7.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. daily.

FRED’s DINER

Look for the yellow banner with the name Fred’s Diner, and you’ll find a Sausalito institution, since 1966, that I believe has improved with age. The food is sensational! I ordered the eggs benedict with hash browns and a cup of coffee. Served on a bed of spinach, the eggs were perfectly poached and the homemade hollandaise sauce was silky perfection. Paired with golden brown and crispy hashbrowns, I was pleased with my choice. Then I saw the French toast coming out of the kitchen, double dipped to make it crispy, crunchy on the outside, and gooey on the inside — one portion was enough for a family! This was followed by scrambled eggs and omelets and their famous millionaires’ bacon, extra thick and sweet. This is an extensive menu with a number of irresistible dishes. Since covid, extra tables are arranged on the sidewalk. Service is efficient and fast, and mostly polite — it is, after all, a diner!

For cyclists, there’s plenty of space next to the restaurant to park their bikes, and street parking for cars.

Fred’s Diner.

1817 Bridgeway Boulevard
Sausalito, CA 94965
Tel.. 415/332-4575
Hours: 7.00 a.m. – 2.00 p.m. daily.
No website

BAYSIDE CAFE

This American Diner is just off the freeway if you enter from the  Sausalito exit, having served delicious meals in the same location for 28 years using the freshest and best ingredients. This is a family business, begun by an  Italian immigrant who married a girl “from across the Golden Gate Bridge” — they and their daughter have been welcoming diners for the last 28  years. One look at the menu, and you’ll know why. This is an extensive menu: good luck deciding what you want to eat from the selection. They make a memorable burger and a selection of egg choices or go for the tooty, fruity platter exclusive to Bayside Cafe.  I tried the “Bringing Home the Bacon”, which translated into scrambled eggs, mushrooms, and bacon, with house fries, that I requested extra crispy, and they were exactly that!  For those who need them, there are Gluten-free and vegetarian selections. Check out the amazing fresh juice and smoothie bar offerings, like the combo mango, pineapple, peaches, raspberries, and orange juice smoothy to get you going after all those carbs and calories.  If traveling by car, you can be off the freeway in a few minutes.  For cyclists, there’s plenty of space to leave their bikes and load up on carbs or lighter, healthier fare. Adjacent to Mike’s Bikes if you need any repairs.

The family makes their guests welcome, showing warm hospitality: eating here is like eating in a friend’s home, plus a spectacular view of the houseboats in the surrounding docks from a side room inside the restaurant.

HOUSEBOATS: The restaurant is located in the heart of the houseboat community. When you have finished your meal, make sure to walk along one of the docks and admire the houseboats. This is something uniquely “Sausalito” where people have chosen to live their lives permanently on the water, rather than on land.

BAYSIDE CAFE.

1 Gate 6 Road, (Corner Bridgeway)
Sausalito, CA 94965
Tel. 415/331-2313
Email: baysidecafe@yahoo.com
Website: www.baysidecafe-sausalito.com
Hours: Daily 7.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m (Closed Tuesdays)

DAVEY JONES DELI INSIDE THE NEW BAIT SHOP.

This unique sandwich shop inside the New Bait Shop Market is under the creative and gastronomic direction of Captain Chef Davey Jones, a self-taught chef, and maverick whose colorful background, extensive sailing, and world travel play into the imaginative and creative soups, sandwiches, and wraps coming out of his kitchen. Eight full sandwich boards only give a hint of the magical combinations that can come out of this small kitchen. With one convection oven, they roast hormone-free turkey, pork, and beef daily — and every condiment used is made in-h0use, combining fresh herbs and spices, toasted and ground by hand.  This is exceptional, heart-healthy food, with gluten-free and vegetarian options. Discuss your food “likes” with the person taking your order and allow them to “create a unique and magical combination and experience”.

A well-established stop for hikers, boaters, and cyclists, as well as travelers to and from SFO airport looking for a wholesome, healthy sandwich for the road, the water or the air.

Easily accessible to the Sausalito/Marin City exit,  indulge in one of these exceptional sandwiches to fortify yourself as you drive north or south on the 101 freeway.

There is plenty of parking for cars in this busy little shopping center and lots of space for bikes or if you are a cyclist, you can make a quick stop at Mike’s Bikes in the same center. This is the beginning of the Mill Valley Sausalito bike path offering some spectacular cycling terrain.

You will find a grab-and-go fridge with ready-made sandwiches if you arrive after the sandwich-making counter is closed for the day.

DAVEY JONES DELI INSIDE THE NEW BAIT SHOP.

1 Gate 6 Road, (Corner Bridgeway)
Sausalito, CA 94965
Tel. 415/331-2282.
Email:daveyjonesdeli@gmail.com
Website www.daveyjonesdeli.com
Hours 9.30 a.m – 3.o0 p.m. daily. (or use the Grab and Go fridge if you arrive later).