Best Lunch Restaurants in San Mateo

84 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Pacific Catch San Mateo restaurant

1. Pacific Catch San Mateo

4.8

Exceptional(1440)

Price: Moderate

• Seafood • San Mateo

Booked 18 times today

Pacific Catch is a WestCoast Fish House dedicated to delivering high quality sustainable seafood with a unique perspective. From the day we opened we've been mindful about where our ingredients come from and how to bring to life the vibrant flavors and feeling of the Pacific. It's our commitment to our guests to keep things interesting, innovative, wholesome and thoughtfully sourced. That's why we've formalized our relationship with the Monterey Bay Seafood Aquarium's Seafood Watch, James Beard Foundation's Smart Catch and the Surfrider Foundation by becoming a partner and bringing on a director of sustainability to help steward these efforts.We will be following the most stringent protocols on cleaning, sanitization, social distancing, and protections for employee health including temperature taking and the use of protective masks and gloves.

A photo of The Barrel Bistro & Wine Bar restaurant

2. The Barrel Bistro & Wine Bar

4.6

Exceptional(375)

Price: Moderate

• French American • San Mateo

Booked 21 times today

The Barrel Bistro and Wine Bar welcomes everyone with selective wines selection and many pairings superbly with a wide variety of cuisine. With selective cheeses and charcutiers, hundreds of different wines, seafood,and meats.The Barrel Bistro&Wine Bar attracts colleagues for a drink after work, business dinners, a quick bite or drink before a show, late night revelers, families for Sunday brunch and more.

A photo of Rise Woodfire - San Mateo restaurant

3. Rise Woodfire - San Mateo

4.4

Awesome(638)

Price: Moderate

• American • San Mateo

Booked 21 times today

Proudly local and family-owned, we serve elevated comfort food including wood-fired pizza and rotisserie fare in the heart of Downtown San Mateo (located inside a historical train station!). Try local favorites like our signature pizzas, prime ribs and roast chickens, as well as many vegan and vegetarian-friendly dishes to choose from. Our indoor and outdoor dining are open, so come experience our grand main dining room or dine outside in our state-of-the-art heated covered patio -- kids love watching the trains go by! Takeout service for pickup and delivery are available - Order online through our website www.risewoodfire.com.For table reservations of 13 or more, please contact us directly at info@risewoodfire.com

A photo of Central Park Bistro restaurant

4. Central Park Bistro

4.8

Exceptional(1710)

Price: Expensive

• American • San Mateo

Booked 6 times today

Central Park Bistro is a 100 seat contemporary restaurant in downtown San Mateo featuring fresh seasonal American cuisine by Chef Ricardo Garcia, in the $15-$45 range. We offer a carefully chosen eclectic Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. Central Park Bistro is an affordable sophisticated, fun dining experience. Relax and unwind with a house specialty cocktail at our wonderful Martini Bar. We also have several intimate private dining rooms perfect for that corporate presentation business meeting, wedding rehearsal dinner, retirement/anniversary dinner, or any special function you may have in mind. Check out our private wine cellar room which seats up to 8 people for that extra special dining experience.For reservations larger than 12 or for private functions please contact the restaurant directly.

5. Avenida

4.4

Awesome(281)

Price: Expensive

• Filipino • San Mateo

Booked 7 times today

Avenida Modern Filipino Restaurant and Bar was inspired by the dynamic lifestyle of Avenida Rizal, one of the main thoroughfares in the Old Manila during the pre and post World War II era. It was named after the Philippine National Hero, Jose Rizal.For decades, Avenida Rizal was a melting pot as well as the mecca for entertainment and dining in the Philippines.Being the center of Old Manila’s social life, Avenida Rizal was also famous for its Art Deco as well as its theaters and opera house where performing arts lovers came to watch zarzuelas, vaudeville acts and stage plays. The theaters were designed by very well respected architects who were later honored as National Artists.Avenida Restaurant would like to pay homage to the glory days of the Old Manila.

A photo of Amour Amour Wine Bar & Tapas restaurant

6. Amour Amour Wine Bar & Tapas

4.5

Awesome(119)

Price: Moderate

• Tapas / Small Plates • San Mateo

Booked 2 times today

Amour Amour celebrates 10 years anniversary with the relaxed lifestyle, where small plates, good drinks and a cozy and tranquil atmosphere are all part of the experience. Guests can start with the sachet de prosciutto wrapped with goat cheese, fig jam, almonds and herbes de Provence for an introduction to Amour Amour’s culinary French and Spanish style. Popular hot tapas options include the Spanish seafood paella and Spanish meatballs in a sauce consisting of tomato, nutmeg and paprika, The roasted patatas bravas with spicy tomato aioli is another favorite. Amour Amour’s cold tapas plates, such as the Oregano octopus, capers , or the burrata capresse , are flavorful and refreshing ,squid ink paella . For a sweet bite, enjoy the tropical coconut panna cotta with mango puree. Be sure to wash your meal down with a house-made sangria. Bon appetit !!!Family owned and operated !

A photo of Tomatina - San Mateo restaurant

7. Tomatina - San Mateo

4.1

Excellent(143)

Price: Moderate

• Italian • San Mateo

For parties over 4 guests or if desired time not available, please contact us directly at 650-918-5030 to book your reservationWE CATER ANY EVENT no celebration is too large or too small!You’re always welcome at San Mateo’s Tomatina, our family-friendly Italian restaurant at the corner of 4th and B Streets in the heart of downtown San Mateo just off Highway 101. Located just 10 minutes from San Francisco International Airport, minutes from the San Mateo Event Center and a block from Century 12 San Mateo, we are here for any occasion. Tomatina is designed to appeal to as many people as possible, which is why they carry a vegetarian, gluten-free and children's menu in addition to their regular ones. Each month, Tomatina offers seasonal specials in addition to the normal menu.

A photo of Vespucci Ristorante Italiano restaurant

8. Vespucci Ristorante Italiano

4.8

Exceptional(855)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • San Mateo

Booked 1 time today

Please consider:*Kitchen closes at 8:30pm, we place last order at 8:15pm and we don’t accept any reservation after 8:00pm*Being a small restaurant, it is crucial for us to know in advance if the number of guests in your party changes, or you want to change the time, or you are planning to not come at all. Please avoid to just not show up, but kindly call to inform us, it will be much appreciated. If we don’t hear from you, we will re-assign the table after 15 minutes. If you need to increase the number of guests on a reservation made through Open Table, please call the restaurant.*We don’t take groups larger than 10 people on Fridays and Saturdays. *About birthday celebrations : we don’t have a free dessert policy, if you order one from our dessert chart, we will bring it to the table with the candle. You can also bring your own cake, our cutting fee is $3 per person.*Corkage fee is $25 per bottle.*We don't longer offer outdoor seating, only indoor dining and take out.

9. Sapore Express

4.5

Awesome(16)

Price: Moderate

• Italian • San Mateo

Sapore Italiano opened on Burlingame Avenue, Ca in 2001 and has been a family favorite for over 19 years. Home-made pasta in rich sauces made with the finest quality ingredients has made Sapore Italiano a success and now we bring you a fast, casual dining experience with the same taste and quality Sapore is known for. Sapore Express offers the best of what our flagship restaurant has to offer in a casual dining experience that is fast-paced. At Sapore Express, you won’t sacrifice quality for price and you won’t have to choose between taste and time. Ciao-- and see you at Sapore Express in San Mateo!

10. Twelvemonth

4.6

Exceptional(590)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Burlingame

Booked 11 times today

At Twelvemonth, our approach begins with passion and respect for people and the planet. Everyone can play a part in imagining a healthier, more sustainable world. Our role is to bring people together with delicious, 100% plant-based food. Our passion and respect have driven us to craft a culinary destination to suit every occasion: from your morning coffee to a happy hour beer at the bar to an eight-course tasting menu. We source from local farmers, champion waste reduction, and push the boundaries of vegetable-first creativity. Twelvemonth exists to foster genuine connections. It’s a place where we share compelling stories and aim to build a better future together—one that works in closer, tastier harmony with the environment.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

J
JudithVIP
San Francisco Bay Area •38 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
It's a wonderful neighborhood restaurant for the food, staff and ambience. It's pretty expensive but well worth it! I go there frequently for lunch and dinner.
More info
Central Park BistroPrice: Expensive• American• San Mateo
•
4.8
K
Kris
San Francisco Bay Area •4 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
Great food and service. The food was brought out in an odd order but was very tasty.
More info
Rise Woodfire - San MateoPrice: Moderate• American• San Mateo
•
4.4
K
Karen
San Francisco Bay Area •18 reviews
4.0
Dined 3 days ago
The food was excellent as always. But we felt more cramped as so many more tables were added. There were rows of 5+ tables of 2 stacked a few inches apart, so we felt a loss of intimacy. But the restaurant got more packed, so it's popular, with a slightly different vibe.
More info
The Barrel Bistro & Wine BarPrice: Moderate• French American• San Mateo
•
4.6
A
AnitaVIP
San Francisco Bay Area •81 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
We've been here several times before. First time was great and we were so happy to have a filipino restaurant close to us. Second time wasn't as great but it was during covid . Third time was good so we vowed to go again. This time the food was excellent! We felt that they really stepped up their game. Each dish was delicious. Service was good but they were busy so we had to wait to get someone to come to our table when we needed something. The room has loud acoustics so it gets loud when it fills up so it's an energetic vibe. We brought our own wine and corkage was only $15 which is AWESOME! I'm always happy with reasonable corkage fees. So happy to be able to get tasty yummy filipino food close by!
More info
AvenidaPrice: Expensive• Filipino• San Mateo
•
4.4
N
Noa
San Francisco Bay Area •1 review
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
We had a lovely experience at Pacific Catch! We were sat down immediately and service was so fast (we were done with everything in around 25 minutes). Our waitress was very nice. We were there during happy hour so we were able to save on our favorite appetizer (the guaca-poke). We also split a house salad and each had an order of the sushi taco trio. Everything was delicious. Would highly recommend!
More info
Pacific Catch San MateoPrice: Moderate• Seafood• San Mateo
•
4.8

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Best Lunch Restaurants in San Mateo

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84 restaurants available nearby

1. Pacific Catch San Mateo

2. The Barrel Bistro & Wine Bar

3. Rise Woodfire - San Mateo

4. Central Park Bistro

5. Avenida

6. Amour Amour Wine Bar & Tapas

7. Tomatina - San Mateo

8. Vespucci Ristorante Italiano

9. Sapore Express

10. Twelvemonth

See what locals rave about

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