Great Bay Area restaurants that aren't in San Francisco

Dining out doesn't mean a trip into the city. There are great eats all over the Bay Area.

Here are some of our favorites. Dining out doesn't mean a trip into the city. There are great eats all over the Bay Area.

Here are some of our favorites. Photo: Jason Henry, Jason Henry For Medium Photo: Jason Henry, Jason Henry For Medium Image 1 of / 87 Caption Close Great Bay Area restaurants that aren't in San Francisco 1 / 87 Back to Gallery

Living in San Francisco, you can easily get caught up in your own little enchanted foodie heaven, convinced the center of the food universe exists within its 49 square miles.

You might think there's no reason to deal with the hassle — the BART delays, the traffic, the giving up of your parking space — to leave to eat anywhere else on a Friday night, except maybe to head over to the nearly equally urban Oakland or Berkeley where many would agree the food rivals the city's.

READ ALSO: Fast food chains that never made it to the Bay Area

But outside that bubble, across the bridges, through the tunnels and into the suburbs, you'll find another world of inventive cooking, bold flavors, fresh ingredients and surprises that will dazzle your tastebuds.

In many cases the ethnic food is more authentic (Yep, the Japanese ramen and the Korean and Indian food are all tastier in the burbs) and the high-end dining is often more affordable outside the city. What's more, newer-to-the-scene chefs are opening up restaurants in suburbia because the costs on everything from rent to staff are lower compared to S.F.

Yes, the city is filled with great spots for a meal, but you'd be remiss to never venture outside its realms once in awhile.

We've put together a list of restaurants all within an hour's drive of San Francisco that are tucked away in the Bay Area's suburban communities. We've highlighted everything from the obvious world renowned classics such as the Chez Panisse Café in Berkeley, to the hottest reservations like Oakland's Comal, to old-time favorites such as Sam's Chowder House in Half Moon Bay. We hope you'll add more suggestions in the comments.

We didn't include wine country as we view its restaurants as destinations — places to dine during a weekend getaway — rather than spots for a weekend night out. For farther-afield dining options, check out our story on "Destination restaurants worth a day trip out of San Francisco."