Duarte's Tavern, a family tradition.

Duarte's Tavern sits on the main drag of the small coastal town of Pescadero.
When both my parents, my sister and her family lived on the other side of the coastal mountains, it was the perfect meeting place for us. We met there for lunch, to celebrate birthdays, before trips to fossil beach or as part of mussel gathering forays. We even had an informal wake there after my mother passed away.


I was surprised that my sister-in-law had never been, so last week we took her there as part of a day's excursion. It had been a while since I had last dined there. I wasn't sure what to expect. The food at Duarte's is tavern food with a local twist, lots of seafood and artichoke related dishes.

There are a few menu items that are "must haves ".

My favorite is the cream of green chili soup. It does have a bit of heat from the chilies, but not so much that a lightweight like me can't enjoy it.

Cream of artichoke soup is another favorite. They will even do a "half and half" bowl for you.

My brother ordered blended soups with a lovely quiche with artichoke hearts. I was impressed with the crust and filling of the quiche.

I split a spinach salad with Gina. We mentioned that as we ordered and the waitress was kind enough to split it for us.

It was quite good, the dressing was light but coated the leaves well, with bits of cheese and red onion. The croutons were too hard and rather pointless.

The Mexican coleslaw was recommended, so several in our party gave it a try.

It got good reviews, with added touches of fresh cilantro.

Two more menu items are famous at Duarte's: their bread and their pies.

Brought to your table warm with lots of crunchy crust and butter, it's hard not to eat too much bread. It's important to use restraint because you will want to save room for pie.

Their pies are all made fresh in house, our family favorite is the local olallieberry. Olallieberries, similar to a blackberry, are grown just down the coast. Pies are served warm with your choice of fresh whipped cream or ice cream. I wish I had a piece right now !!

So next time you want a great excuse to drive the scenic Highway 1, head to Duarte's.