Recent Articles
Travel

The Style Safari’s Guide to Sausalito

Nestled in the southernmost nook of Marin County, Sausalito is a famous shipbuilding and artistic enclave that overlooks the San Francisco Bay. It’s known for it’s ferry-ride proximity to San Francisco, house boat communities, bike touring and views, but there is so much more that only a local can share. Luckily, I am that local! While I do live in the next town over, my husband takes the Sausalito ferry to work in San Francisco, making it a popular place for me to hang out after I drop him off, or a great dinner spot when I pick him up in the evening.

We have so many restaurants that we return to time and again, places we take visitors, little shopping excursions and activities that we love, so it’s time to share with you Guide to Sausalito! Maybe I’ll even share with you a few of my favorite picture spots ;) Keep in mind most of these pictures are just snapped through an iPhone, collected over years of visiting our favorite spots!

The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - where to eat, where to take pictures, best picture spots
Let’s get started!

Eat & Drink

Cibo

Starting your Sausalito excursion early? Head to Cibo for the best coffee (and matcha!) in town, with made in house pastries, salads and sandwiches. Often we leave to take Mr. R to the ferry 5 minutes early so we can treat ourselves to a coffee and pastry before the work day starts, which always feels like a treat. They have ample indoor and outdoor seating, and although the cafe internet is shoddy, I am writing this entire post from Cibo with my coffee and avocado toast! Often I stop in to grab a sugar cookie in the afternoon if I have time, and love that this little place always makes me feel like I am on vacation, even though I am 8 minutes from my house.

Fred’s

I’ve spoken about how often Mr. R and I do date mornings… well this is one of our favorite spots to hit up, whether it’s the weekend or a weekday before work. It’s a no frills breakfast spot with gigantic proportions and delicious pancakes and omelettes. They also serve lunch but the later you arrive the longer you may have to wait to secure a table!

The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Freds

Sushi Ran

If you are looking for an upscale dinner with the highest quality of ingredients, then Sushi Ran is the restaurant for you. Pretty much every local here knows of the place, but for those visiting, it’s easy to overlook it’s modest exterior since it’s not on the main road (hence, no view). However, it’s easily the best japanese restaurant in Marin, and often voted the best in all of the Bay Area. What I love about it is the mixed offering; there is a mix of cooked and raw dishes, extremely unique salads, and complex desserts, making it the perfect place to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, pleasing a lot of palettes. My favorites are the spinach salad, the miso cod, and the creamy scallop roll, but you can’t go wrong with any of the dishes!
The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Sushi Ran The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Sushi Ran 3 The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Sushi Ran 2

Fish

This place is another local favorite, as it is a low-maintenance, high quality fish (obviously) restaurant on the water, but set back from the main drag. They have an array of everyday menu items, but they are known for their several catch-of-the-day options, always available in sandwich, salad, taco and plain preparations. I am pretty picky when it comes to what fish I like, but every time I come, there is something that I’m happy to eat, whether it be the Portuguese red chowder, fish ’n chips, bay scallops (seasonally!) or non-fish salads. The vibe is casual, with an order-at-the-table, find-a-picnic-bench set up, but the prices are not. Bring $$ as this place is cash only!

Joinery

Another favorite casual dinner spot, the Joinery is one of Mr. R and my favorite weeknight spots. Everything on their menu is delicious and large in proportion, so we usually share one of their incredible salads and a burger and it never disappoints. We bring family here often as it is a great place to come with kids or a large group, and again you pick your own tables. The back wall of the Joinery completely opens up, revealing a fantastic water and dock view that gives at least half of the tables an eating ‘alfresco’ vibe. While weeknights are not packed, weekday lunch and weekends are packed to the brim.
The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Joinery 3 The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Joinery 2 The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Joinery

Bar Bocce

This is a favorite of millennials and those with kids, as the main attraction to this pizza restaurant is the (pebbly) beach access and bocce court along the water. As this is the one restaurant with beach and not dock access, it has a unique view in Sausalito that truly makes you feel you are in a beach club in the Meditteranean. This is the perfect spot to watch the sunset for cocktail hour, or come during the day with your own picnic blanket and order food and drinks to be delivered to you… while you stand on the bocce court. They can’t deliver to the beach, but you are free to take the food there yourself!
The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito- Bar Bocce 3 The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Bar Bocce 2

Avatars

Albeit far from the main Sausalito drag, Avatars is a diamond in the rough. It’s a modern Indian restaurant, where the most popular dishes are the Punjabi ‘Enchiladas’ and the owner is also the class clown. He welcomes everyone to his restaurant as if they are in his home, and the food tastes like indian home cooking… except a lot more innovative. I love that this unassuming spot takes Indian food to the next level, because Mr. R typically doesn’t like Indian food, but is always happy to go here! https://enjoyavatars.com
The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Avatars 2 The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Avatars

To-Do

Heath Ceramics

This once niche ceramics brand is now the go-to for every wannabe California-cool home and restaurant. Despite how trendy it’s become in the past year, I pop into this factory and store once a month to see what they have available in their ‘seconds’ section, which is where they offer their slightly, and I mean slightly, imperfect production items for a significant discount. I have over 30 items of Heath in my home (mugs, vases, plates, serving bowls) and not one of them is from the perfect, full price section of the store. That said, I would love to own even more of their dishes and hope to one day decorate a fireplace hearth or kitchen with their beautiful ceramic tiles. Definitely worth a visit if you have room in your suitcase to take something beautiful home! http://www.heathceramics.com
The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Heath Ceramics 2 The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Heath Ceramics

Paddle Board or Kayak the Bay

If you’re looking for something more adventurous than a day of shopping, next door to Cibo is a great surf shop called F-One that offers stand up paddle boards and kayaks for rent for as little as $25/hour. You can easily walk across the street from the store with your board in hand and walk right into the water, and for 2 hours you have enough time to explore the house boats, maybe grab a beer at Bar Bocce and DEFINITELY see some local wildlife like seals! We loved it so much that Mr. R and I sprung for our own boards after renting a few times!
The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - stand up paddleboarding

Take an Art Class

As Sausalito is known for harboring (pun intended) many artists and galleries, a different way to enjoy the culture is by taking an art class at Studio 333. Not only does this creative work space offer classes on indigo dying, paint pouring, knitting with giant yarn and more, but it is also a showroom for many local artisans to display their wares. Every time I go I see something unique, from jewelry to pottery, to baby clothing and more. Check out the class schedule ahead of time at at Studio333.info

Where to Take Pictures

The Dock Locks

These white cabins are located on the boardwalk across the street from the Casa Madrona hotel, and to the left of the Book Passage. I shoot here all the time for the clean background and the perfect lighting!

The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Favorite Picture Spots

The Bank of America Building

The nautical flags on the side of the building spelling out Bank of America are specific, but fun for a more nautical themed outfit! It’s best to shoot here later in the day as the morning light is a bit harsh.

The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Favorite Picture Spots 2

Along the Water’s Edge

The closer side of Sausalito is filled with docks and piers, which makes it hard to get near the water. The far side, past the tourist-y downtown, has an open sidewalk along the water. Depending on which way you face you can see the homes cascading up the hillside behind you, which feels a lot like Positano!

The Style Safari's Guide to Sausalito - Favorite Picture Spots 4

Pin
Tweet
Share
2 comments
8
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest

You may also like

7 TIPS FOR SHOPPING THE SOUKS OF...

Everything I Wore in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

My 5 Favorite Shops in Paris