Bakersfield, California offers hungry visitors fantastic dining options spanning varied international cuisines, classic American favorites and restaurants putting unique Central Valley spins on familiar dishes.
| Restaurant | Description |
|---|---|
| The Mark | Fine dining with classic continental cuisine and an extensive wine list. |
| Sandrini’s | A legendary Italian restaurant and cocktail bar with hearty portions and live entertainment. |
| Luigi’s | Authentic old-world Italian cuisine with a focus on regional flavors. |
| Wool Growers | Basque restaurant offering set-course family-style feasts in a charming cottage. |
| Noriega Hotel | Old-school Basque dining institution serving communal tables and comfort food. |
| Muertos Kitchen + Lounge | Vibrant Latin fusion fare with modern vibes and craft cocktails. |
| Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar | Casual Pan-Asian restaurant known for handmade noodles and complex broths. |
From white tablecloth establishments to local holes-in-the-wall, the city’s eclectic food scene has something to satisfy every palate. Here are 12 of the best restaurants to try in Bakersfield showcasing this unexpected foodie haven.
The Mark
Name and Location:
The Mark, located in downtown Bakersfield, California.
History and Significance:
A contemporary restaurant set in a historical building, combining modern dining with the rich history of the area.
What to Expect:
A menu featuring modern American cuisine, a full bar, and a sophisticated ambiance.
Visitor Information:
Reservations are recommended. Dress code is smart casual.
For over 50 years, The Mark has defined fine dining in Bakersfield with its classic continental cuisine served inside an elegant space rivaling big city venues. Under gleaming chandeliers, relish special occasion worthy dishes like pepper crusted filet mignon drowned in béarnaise or grilled lamb chops paired perfectly with Cabernet Sauvignon from their extensive wine list. Daily fresh seafood arrivals yield stunning entrees such as seared ahi tuna and jumbo prawns baked in garlic herb butter. And don’t miss their tableside Caesars salad or Bananas Foster flambéed for two. With white glove service amid romantic ambiance, The Mark remains the beloved special events venue in Bakersfield.
Sandrini’s
Name and Location:
The Mark, located in downtown Bakersfield, California.
History and Significance:
A contemporary restaurant set in a historical building, combining modern dining with the rich history of the area.
What to Expect:
A menu featuring modern American cuisine, a full bar, and a sophisticated ambiance.
Visitor Information:
Reservations are recommended. Dress code is smart casual.
A legendary Bakersfield icon since 1956, Sandrini’s combo red-sauce Italian restaurant and cocktail bar helped pioneer the city’s nightlife scene with its welcoming vibe, hearty portions and talented entertainers gracing its stage. Locals and celebrities alike flock here for heaping plates of ravioli, cioppino seafood stew brimming with crab and shrimp, perfect chicken marsala kissed with wine reduction, and signature zippy linguine ladled in spicy marinara. Numerous martinis and wine options help everything go down smoothly alongside live piano singalongs. Visit Sandrini’s to understand Bakersfield’s party pedigree through strong drinks, big flavors and fun vibes doing Rat Pack era traditions proud.
Luigi’s
Name and Location:
Luigi’s, located in Bakersfield, California.
History and Significance:
A long-standing family-owned Italian restaurant and deli, Luigi’s has been a staple in the community for generations.
What to Expect:
Traditional Italian cuisine, a deli with various Italian goods, and a warm, family-friendly environment.
Visitor Information:
Open for lunch and early dinner. Closed on Sundays and Mondays. Casual dress code.
For authentic old-world Italian cuisine crafted using family recipes, beloved local favorite Luigi’s delights diners in an unassuming storefront space. No fusion or California pretense interferes with regional Italian flavors shining at this husband-wife owned labor of love. Feast on perfect dishes from Luigi’s home Emilia-Romagna like golden fried squash blossoms, hand-rolled tortellini en brodo swimming in savory capon broth, and tagliatelle noodles embracing luxurious bolognese meat sauce. Pizza baked in their woodstone oven emerges bubbling hot with delicate sourdough crust you’ll dream about. And the wine list offers affordable Italian bottles proper for toasting la dolce vita the way Luigi intended.
Wool Growers
Name and Location:
Wool Growers, located in Bakersfield, California.
History and Significance:
A Basque restaurant, Wool Growers has been serving traditional Basque dishes in a familial setting for many years.
What to Expect:
Family-style Basque meals, hearty portions, and a convivial atmosphere.
Visitor Information:
Reservations recommended, especially for large groups. Casual attire.
Operating since 1953, the Wool Growers Basque Restaurant represents a portal straight to the Old Country through Bakersfield’s strong northern Spanish heritage. Located in an aging but charming whitewashed cottage, diners cram into communal tables for enormous set-course family-style feasts celebrating generations of sheepherder history. Expect heaping platters of slow-cooked ox tail stew, garlic studded baguettes for dipping, thin sliced jamón Serrano ham, fried chicken, beans simmering in goat milk whey broth, and homemade Basque salsa that will make your nose run. Go hungry, order pitcher of sangria, and leave stuffed beyond belief after an affordable experience immersed in Bakersfield’s vibrant Basque culture.
Noriega Hotel
Name and Location:
Noriega Hotel, situated in Bakersfield, California.
History and Significance:
Established in the early 20th century, it’s one of the oldest Basque boardinghouses in the United States.
What to Expect:
Traditional Basque dining in a communal setting, offering a unique and authentic experience.
Visitor Information:
Open for specific meal times. Communal seating. Reservations advised.
Next door to Wool Growers sits the Noriega Hotel – Bakersfield’s other old-school Basque dining institution continuously operating since 1893. Climb the creaky staircase to enter a step back in time filled with long communal tables packed by multi-generational families serving themselves courses of comfort food fare. Like Wool Growers, Noriega embraces guests as honorary Basques through specialties like slow braised oxtails, spicy chorizo links, tender beef tongue, and tender artichokes dipped in vinaigrette. Daily fresh and salt cod dishes showcase lighter fare alongside densely delicious layered bean and noodle casseroles. Plentiful carafes of housemade red wine complement hearty cuisine celebrating Bakersfield’s lasting Basque impact.
Muertos Kitchen + Lounge
Name and Location:
Muertos Kitchen + Lounge, located in downtown Bakersfield.
History and Significance:
A contemporary eatery known for its creative fusion cuisine and vibrant atmosphere.
What to Expect:
A fusion of different culinary traditions, creative cocktails, and an eclectic, lively setting.
Visitor Information:
Reservations are recommended. The venue often hosts live music and special events.
For vibrant Latin fusion fare alongside downtown’s hottest nightlife scene, Muertos Kitchen + Lounge fires things up with modern vibes and colorful shareable plates great for grazing across cuisines. The airy industrial space anchored by an open kitchen offers meals as electrifying as Muertos’s killer craft cocktails featuring spirits like tequila, rum, mezcal and whiskey. Graze on tacos bursting with chimichurri steak or spicy shrimp. Then move onto more plates showcasing both Chef Alex Gomez’s Mexican heritage and global travels through bright citrus cured salmon tostadas, duck confit empanadas and the heavenly cuban sandwich slinging roasted pork, ham, swiss and plenty of pickles like a mojito in sandwich form. From hip happy hours to late night DJ sets, Muertos energizes Bakersfield nights through its passionate melting pot cuisine and drinks bringing people together.
Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar
Name and Location:
Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar, located in Bakersfield, California.
History and Significance:
A popular spot for Asian fusion cuisine, offering a variety of noodle dishes and Asian-inspired meals.
What to Expect:
A diverse menu featuring Thai, Japanese, and other Asian cuisines, with an emphasis on fresh, flavorful noodle dishes.
Visitor Information:
Casual dining. No reservations required. Vegan and vegetarian options available.
For handmade noodles dancing across your tastebuds drenched in mouthwatering sauces, slurp your way through Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar just minutes from downtown. This casual Pan-Asian darling helmed by chef Chamnan Peter Panida presents diners with endless noodle bowl options crossing Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai flavors that have garnered nationwide press for the tiny spot. Silky fresh udon or rice noodles arrive swimming in complex bone broths fortified with chili oil, pork belly, or plump dumplings.