Fairfield as a culinary destination? You better know it! Fairfield offers an array of restaurants, from coffee shops, to delis and fine dining establishments, to brew pubs, bakeries and popular franchise restaurants that satisfy any taste and appetite. Culinary delights served up by restaurants, cafés and delis include fall-off-the-bone barbecued ribs, four-napkin hamburgers, authentic Mexican tacos, gourmet pizza and Suisun Valley wine country cuisine.
International and domestic specialties include Mexican, Italian, Indian, Mediterranean, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, American, Cajun, Creole and Southern-style Cuisine. You’ll find restaurants with menus featuring locally grown seasonal produce, fresh ‘catch-of-the-day’ seafood, plus award-winning vintages produced by wineries dotting the Suisun Valley landscape.
Here’s a sampling of the many dining options that illustrate the culinary diversity of Fairfield…
Downtown Fairfield
Alejandro’s Taqueria,
936 Texas Street, (707) 429-2155. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Alejandro’s serves traditional Mexican favorites such as chicken, beef, pork or fish tacos, burritos, enchiladas, carnitas and chili rellenos.
Evelyn’s Big Italian Pizzeria & Ristorante, 704 Texas Street,
(707) 421-9000,
www.BigItalianPizza.com. Piero and Evelyn Tropeano welcome guests to their establishment, which serves classic Southern Italian fare with a little New York twist and attitude. Menu favorites include gourmet pizza, by the slice or up to a 32-incher, calzone, stromboli, spaghetti and baked lasagna.
Joe’s Buffet, 834 Texas Street,
(707) 425-2317. Open since 1949, Joe’s Buffet is known for their hot, fresh and hearty sandwiches piled high with meat plus some tasty sides. Give the French dip or roasted turkey sandwich a try along with a side of homemade mashed potatoes, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, cucumber salad, or cole slaw.
Mediterranean Food Center,
823 Texas Street, (707) 438-0911. The combination deli, grocery store and meat counter serves up authentic Mediterranean food made and cooked fresh daily. The Center is known for its chicken, lamb or beef shawarma wraps, falafel, beef gyros, hummus and baklava.
Around Town
Ahi’s Seafood & Chops Restaurant, 2200 Gateway Court, (707) 426-6900. Savor award-winning Pacific Rim cuisine in the Hilton Garden Inn’s lobby restaurant. Ahi’s renowned culinary team serves up a hearty breakfast buffet, salads, hearty sandwiches and fresh seafood creations at lunch, while dinner entrees range from seafood flown in fresh every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to mouthwatering steak and prime rib.
Blue Frog Grog & Grill, 1750 Travis Boulevard,
(707) 429-BEER, www.BigBlueFrog.com.
The popular northern California microbrewery offers more than your typical pub fare. Their extensive menu features wood-fired pizzas, soups and salads, burgers, steaks and chops, seafood and pasta. Oh yeah, the Blue Frog also serves their award-winning handcrafted brews on tap and in bottles to go.
Monsoon Burgers, 321 Texas Street, (707) 429-9888,
www.MonsoonBurgers.com. Craving a gourmet burger? Check out Monsoon Burgers and see what the fuss is all about. When in doubt, try their signature flame broiled Monsoon Burger, an 8 ounce cheeseburger topped with mushrooms, bacon and homemade guacamole.
Texas Roadhouse, 3333 North Texas Street, (707) 422-7623, www.TexasRoadhouse.com. Comfort food, Texas style. Popular menu items include freshly prepared hand-cut steaks, slow-cooked fall-off-the-bone ribs, made-from-scratch Texas Red Chili and fresh, baked bread. Complimentary peanuts, too!
In the Valley
Mankas Tapas Bar & Steakhouse, 2522 Mankas Corner Road, (707) 425-3207, www.MankasSteakhouse.com. Locally grown fresh ingredients are a mainstay of the menu for the area’s newest fine dining restaurant. The dinner menu features salads, fresh seafood, pasta and the finest aged steaks, chops and ribs. Wines from both Suisun and Green valleys are featured.
Rockville Grill, 4163 Suisun Valley Road, (707) 864-4325, www.RockvilleGrill.com. Located in historic Rockville, the Grill is open for lunch and dinner and offers burgers, sandwiches, salads, seafood, grilled steaks and specialties such as Rockville Chicken Fried Steak topped with shrimp, smoked ham and mushroom.
The Valley Café, 4171 Suisun Valley Road, (707) 864-2507. Open for breakfast and lunch, The Valley Café serves country-style breakfasts, soups, salads, sandwiches and hand-packed burgers. Be sure to try their fresh baked pastries and the best breakfast potatoes around.
Made in Fairfield
Need some gift ideas for that certain person on your holiday shopping list? A gift card or certificate for a Fairfield restaurant might fit the bill. Or how about a unique ‘Made in Fairfield’ food product? Here are a few ideas to consider:
Cal Yee Farm (www.CalYeeFarm.com, 1-800-225-9337), located in the heart of the Suisun Valley, this local farm has been producing dried fruits for more than 40 years. Cal Yee gift baskets of assorted dried fruits, nuts, seeds, candy and trail mix make wonderful holiday gifts. All of their products are Kosher Certified.
Erickson Ranch (www.EricksonRanch.com, (707) 864-0557) is open from late June to late November, offering customers a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables that are grown on site. But did you know that Erickson Ranch also makes more than 20 kinds of homemade jams and jellies? Fruit is picked at peak ripeness, which makes for a more ‘fruity’ jam requiring less sugar. You can find Erickson Ranch jams for sale at the Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company gift shop and at winter events at local Suisun Valley wineries, or you can email Erickson Ranch at info@ericksonranch.com with your request.
The Suisun Valley’s Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company
(www.IlFiorello.com, (707) 864-1529) grows and mills the finest quality artisan olive oil from their own groves. The retail shop in their new visitor center at 2625 Mankas Corner Road sells bottles of their handcrafted extra-virgin olive oils made from Frantoio, Leccino and Pendolino varieties of olives. You’ll also find specialty items such as blackberry balsamic vinegar reduction.
Candy is a huge part of the holiday season and when you’re talking candy, you can’t help but think about Jelly Belly. The Jelly Belly Candy Company
(www.JellyBelly.com, 1-800-953-5592) at One Jelly Belly Lane in Fairfield is the place to be for jelly beans (and other kinds of candy, too). Jelly Belly produces several specialty candies for the holidays, including Reindeer Corn and Sugar Plums, which are available at their Visitor Center while supplies last. While there, be sure to take the guided 40-minute walking tour of the Jelly Belly factory that produces more than 150 different sweet treats. If you’re hungry after your tour, stop by the Jelly Belly Café for a bite to eat, including a Jelly Belly-shaped hamburger or pizza.
For a truly decadent and tasty gift for the holidays, drop by Truffle Berries (www.TruffleBerries.com, (707) 673-4321) at 731 Texas Street in downtown Fairfield. As you might have guessed, the signature treat at Truffle Berries are delicious and sweet strawberries dipped in their smooth and creamy truffle recipe and then dipped in premium Guittard chocolate. Other tasty things you’ll find at Truffle Berries include chocolate and strawberry éclairs, Cheesecake Berries, Champagne cupcakes along with a variety of other cupcakes and cookies.
Holiday Celebration
Nothing goes better with gourmet food than a nice glass of wine. And at the Suisun Valley AVA Anniversary Celebration on Wednesday, December 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., visitors will be able to enjoy food and wine pairings at local wineries commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Suisun Valley being recognized as an AVA (American Viticultural Area). For $5, visitors will receive a commemorative logo glass along with delicious foods and award-winning wines from each winery. Other highlights include barrel tastings, vertical wine tastings and live music. For more details visit www.SuisunValley.com.
Whether you’re looking for a place for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or maybe an edible gift, satisfy your appetite with a culinary escape to Fairfield. Bon Appetit!
Anand Patel is the President/CEO of the Fairfield Conference & Visitors Bureau. The Fairfield Conference & Visitors Bureau is a destination marketing organization that was created by a Business Improvement District (BID) to market and promote tourism to the area, including overnight stays. The independent non-profit 501(c)(6) organization is funded by 18 lodging properties in Fairfield.
Fred Sater is the principal of Fred Sater Communications, a Sacramento-based public relations practice specializing in California tourism accounts, including the Fairfield Conference & Visitors Bureau. Prior to opening his PR practice, Sater served as the Director of Communications for the California Division of Tourism.
