Pescadero, California is a small coastal town on San Mateo County’s coast, the kind of place you drive through on the way to somewhere else until you find out about Duarte’s Tavern. Open since 1894, it appeared in Season 2, Episode 4 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “Local Flavor,” aired October 22, 2007 — and brought a level of history and craft to that episode that most restaurants can only dream about. Guy Fieri declared the Crab Cioppino the best he had ever tasted. That’s the kind of line that sends people three hours out of their way, and it’s earned.
Duarte’s also holds a James Beard American Classic Award, received in 2003 — one of the most respected recognitions in American food culture, given to restaurants with timeless appeal and quality that endures.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Duarte’s Tavern
City: Pescadero, California
Cuisine: American / Tavern Fare
DDD Season: 2
DDD Episode: 4
Episode Title: Local Flavor
Original Air Date: October 22, 2007
Address: 202 Stage Rd., Pescadero, CA 94060
Phone: 650-879-0464
Website: https://www.duartestavern.com/
Status: Open
About Duarte’s Tavern
Frank Duarte, a Portuguese immigrant, purchased the building in 1894 for approximately $12 in gold. It opened as a saloon and barbershop, closed during Prohibition, then reopened in the 1930s as a restaurant and bar. Business picked up during World War II when the nearby highway brought traveling workers and soldiers through. The tavern expanded in the 1960s and has been a California institution ever since.
As of 2017, the fourth generation of the Duarte family was running the restaurant. Tim Duarte now operates the place. Family and local history remain central to everything here — including the garden on the property that grows artichokes for the soup, along with beans and rhubarb brought to Pescadero from the Azores. Duarte’s has also been featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate, adding to a television record that reflects what the James Beard Foundation already confirmed: this place is the real deal.
What to Eat at Duarte’s Tavern
The Crab Cioppino is the dish that made Guy stop mid-bite. Dungeness crab, clams, and shrimp in a light tomato sauce seasoned with cumin, served with sourdough bread. Ask for the half and half: half artichoke soup and half green chile soup, which regulars call one of the most interesting combinations they’ve tried anywhere. The Abalone Sandwich on homemade sourdough was also featured during filming. And the Olallieberry Pie — made from a hybrid blackberry unique to the West Coast — is the dessert most people don’t skip.
Planning a road trip along the California coast? More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives maps out 60 more stops worth knowing about.
Plan Your Visit
Duarte’s Tavern is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Friday and Saturday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Sunday 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM for breakfast, then 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Closed Tuesdays.
Address: 202 Stage Rd., Pescadero, CA 94060
Phone: 650-879-0464
Website: https://www.duartestavern.com/
Status: Open
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Duarte’s Tavern appeared in Season 2, Episode 4 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Local Flavor,” originally aired October 22, 2007.