5 incredible food experiences in Sausalito, Mill Valley and beyond

I caught my first glimpse of majestic Mount Tamalpais three decades ago as my airport transit bus wound its way into downtown Mill Valley. The doors opened at Lytton Square, where the Depot Café & Bookstore beckoned, its patio filled with diners relishing a sunny alfresco lunch. Marin’s expansive open spaces, its tight-knit communities and cultural scene and its restaurants — oh, its restaurants! — quickly took me in. Whether you’re a local or just visiting for the day, here are five foodie experiences for your itinerary.

1 Explore the massive Marin Farmers Market, the third largest in California. Held year round just outside San Rafael’s Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Civic Center, the market draws more than 200 local vendors and puts the senses on overload with its brimming bins of enticing rainbow chard, Albion strawberries, Brandywine tomatoes and other seasonal treasures. Alluring aromas waft from pop-up kitchens, such as The Farmer’s Wife, where griddled sandwiches are layered with Prather Ranch beef, avocado, chimichurri and aged cheddar. You’ll find distinctive small-batch pastas  — think duck egg noodles and squid ink bucatini — at the Mill Valley Pasta Co. stand and gluten-free baked goods at Flour Chylde Bakery.

Details: Thursdays and Sundays at 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael; https://agriculturalinstitute.org

2 Sample the seafood and suds at the Hook Fish Co. and Proof Lab Beer Garden in Tam Valley. Pick up tacos ($15+ for two), filled with the day’s fresh catch, pickled slaw, pico de gallo, avocado and spicy aioli on housemade corn tortillas — perhaps with a drizzle of carrot-habañero hot sauce. Wash it all down with one of the 40 brews and ciders on tap, as you relax at one of the wooden booths outdoors in a serene setting that feels miles away from the congestion out front. There’s a crimson Equator Coffees shack here, too, and the Proof Lab Surf Shop, in case you need a shortboard with that macchiato.

Details: 254 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley; https://prooflab.com

3 Picnic on the mountain. A hike or bike ride to the upper reaches of Mount Tam is always a splendid idea. But the hills come alive every spring for the Mountain Play — expect “Into the Woods” hijinks in May — making it prime gathering time for outdoor enthusiasts, theatergoers and happy picnickers. Gather supplies for that amphitheater repast beforehand at Mill Valley Market, which offers both sandwiches and box lunches ($20), or Good Earth Natural Foods in Mill Valley. Or pick up fare onsite at the Mountain Play refreshment booths, where the barbecue comes courtesy of pitmaster Forrest Murray, Jr., and the beer hails from Lagunitas Brewing.

Details: Mill Valley Market; www.millvalleymarket.com. Good Earth Natural Foods, www.genatural.com. Find Mountain Play ticket and shuttle information at http://mountainplay.org.

4 Browse Sausalito’s restaurant row. The waterfront is enticing, no doubt. But Sausalito’s Caledonia Street boasts a full spectrum of cuisines, from Mediterranean fare to Indian, Thai and Japanese restaurants. Sandrino will transport you to Trento, Italy, the hometown of its chefs, who left their 10-year-old restaurant there to set roots by the sea. Topped with Italian cheeses and meats and fresh produce, the pizzas are glorious. The Stracciatella San Daniele ($27) showcases stracciatella, arugula and 24-month aged prosciutto di San Daniele, while the Trevigiana ($28) is topped with mozzarella, gorgonzola and grilled radicchio. Don’t miss the housemade panna cotta and tiramisu.

Details: 45 Caledonia St., Sausalito; http://sandrino.co. 

5 Tease your tastebuds at Corte Madera’s Burmatown, where chef Jenny Gee — and her daughter, Jennifer Fujitani — first began sharing the traditional foods of Gee’s Myanmar homeland in 2014 in cozy quarters. The love continues at their new, trendier and more expansive eatery just around the corner where locals flock for the fermented tea leaf salad, hoisin-glazed ribs, garlic noodles and miso-glazed black cod.

Details: 18 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera; http://burmatown.com

Leanne Battelle is a food and restaurant columnist at the Marin Independent Journal and the founder and creator of the forthcoming The Real Deal Marin restaurant guide.