The Thursday San Rafael Farmers' Market in Marin County is one of my favorite markets. I'm almost loathe to talk about it because I love how uncrowded and unhurried it is. With such a perfect mix of vendors, I can pick up nearly every item I need: chorizo breakfast tacos, pomelo, mushrooms, sunchokes, and more. More

In all my travels across the U.S. and abroad, I've never found another restaurant like Sol Food. Granted, I've never been to Puerto Rico, but it's hard to imagine finding better Puerto Rican cuisine outside the home country than what this spunky little restaurant north of San Francisco turns out of its two kitchens (one for takeout, one for dine-in). I haven't lived in Marin County since 2004, but in the period since Sol Food opened the following year, I've probably eaten their pollo al horno more than any other dish at any other restaurant in the country. More