It’s no secret that some of Japan’s most unassuming storefronts have earned a reputation for holding the most wonderfully unexpected things. True to form, Little Japan (2848 F St., Eureka), tucked away in Eureka’s Henderson Center, is a small but mighty culinary treasure trove. Little Japan came to fruition through community. In the early 2000s, […]
Food
Posted inRestaurants
Stopping to Savor the Woodrose Cafe
The Woodrose Cafe has been keeping travelers fueled and locals fed for nearly 50 years. Since opening its doors in 1977 in downtown Garberville, the Woodrose Cafe has become a must-visit destination for anyone exploring Northern California’s spectacular redwood country, and a dining staple for those who spend their lives here. It delivers exactly what […]
Posted inRestaurants
Froth Brews Up Coffee and Community
At the bottom of California Avenue, just a few easy blocks from Cal Poly Humboldt, a familiar storefront is quietly buzzing with new life. Longtime locals might recognize the address as the former home of Blondies — a place that carried its fair share of stories, laughter and late nights. These days, though, the space […]
Posted inRestaurants
Fresh Fare and Old-fashioned Charm at Café Waterfront
Evening fog rolls in from the Humboldt Bay Marina onto First and F streets in Old Town, Eureka. Streetlamps flicker on, a foghorn sounds across the water and a cool breeze carries the salty scent of the sea. Tinkling glasses and a warm glow usher you inside the doors of Café Waterfront as the sky […]
Posted inRestaurants
New Location, Same Traditional Flavors
In late summer of last year, Loleta residents rejoiced at rumors that a new restaurant was coming to town. Small talk among neighbors turned into reality in September of 2025, when Luis’s Mexican Cuisine opened its doors at the corner of Loleta and Scenic drives. A stone’s throw from the sleepy downtown, Luis’s serves up […]
Posted inRestaurants
A Feast of Crab at Trinidad Bay Eatery
Is there any greater luxury than a delicate mouthful of sweet Humboldt Dungeness crab that’s been picked for you? Or finding a finger of leg meat intact or the trembling point of a claw on your fork? What about on your fries? The Crabby Fries at Trinidad Bay Eatery and Gallery began as a fun […]
Posted inFood
Cocina Oaxaqeña’s Regional Riches
A surefire way to pull yourself out of your knee-jerk Mexican restaurant order is to go regional. Don’t worry, your steady burrito won’t forget you. Tucked along Walnut Drive in Cutten, Cocina Oaxaqueña offers the flavors and specialties of its namesake, the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. The coastal region’s Indigenous culture and flavors come through […]
Posted inMy Humboldt Life
The View from Mario’s Marina Bar
Amy Ogle is enjoying a Shelter Cove December. “It feels like we finally got our summer,” she says, noting the warm temperatures, sunshine and calm waters along the coastline. “We always get kind of a good shoulder season because the weather is beautiful.” She’s in the right place to enjoy it, too, on the patio […]
Posted inFood
Slice of Humboldt Pie Season
November isn’t so much pie season — open your mind and it’s pie season all year — as it is Pie All Day season. Spring and summer offer their stone fruits and berries, baked and fresh, as you’ll see if you peruse Slice of Humboldt’s monthly menus. But November is where it gets serious. Thanksgiving […]
Posted inMy Humboldt Life
Kokoro Warms Up Old Town
As we move into fall with fewer sunny days and drizzly weather in the forecast, outdoor gatherings that sustained friendships all summer long shift indoors. Instead of scanning maps for new river spots and community calendars for festivals, you search for indoor fixes for food and drink to quell hunger and accompany conversation. Kokoro Ramen […]
Posted inFood
El Patron, the Torta Boss
Maybe it’s a symptom of being a millennial (or maybe just a symptom of humanity in general), but I think we spend a lot of our lives chasing nostalgia, looking to recreate the long-remembered comforts of our pasts. Down south where I’m from in the Inland Empire, there’s a particular kind of casual Mexican food, […]
Posted inFood
Keeping it in the Family at Kebab Cafe
Tucked away in the southeast corner of the Valley West shopping center is an innocuous little restaurant with a big following. More often than not, there’s a line out the door and the phone is busy when you try calling in your order, but it’s worth the wait. In the 28 years Kebab Cafe’s (5000 […]