Lockwood
It opened to long lines and social media fanfare.
The cult-favorite burger chain's billionaire owner dismissed speculation that the company could abandon California, branding the idea 'the dumbest business decision ever.'
A pilot program launched by CalFresh offers matching dollars to low-income California families on purchases of fruits and vegetables.
If someone told you that the best fish tacos in California were inside a gas station, you’d probably smile politely and then quietly make other plans for lunch. But the Whoa Nellie Deli in Lee Vining, California is the kind of place that exists specifically to make you feel bad about your assumptions, and it does that job extremely well.
Californians will happily argue over everything from who makes the best burrito to whether the local freeway is “the 405” or just “405.” But when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, it turns out the state actually agrees on something. Last November, pumpkin pie took the crown as California's most-searched Thanksgiving dessert, while sweet potatoes (casserole […]
Some of the best food finds in California hide behind plain signs, gravel lots, and humming deli cases that look like they have not changed in decades. Step inside one of these old-school butcher shops and you start to understand why so many families skip the big grocery chains. The...
In-N-Out is almost every California resident’s favorite fast food chain, and for good reason. The chain’s consistency in serving up juicy burgers combined with stellar customer service ensures that any In-N-Out will be at least semi-packed with people at all hours of the day. One thing In-N-Out has...
Inspectors sent to check on California prison kitchens found rotten tomatoes, moldy peppers, spiderwebs and bug-covered fly traps at Corcoran, and moldy ceilings at Corcoran and California State Prison, Sacramento, along with equipment failures and missing utensils serious enough to raise security concerns. The findings come from an audit by the state's Office of the Inspector General, which examined food programs and services inside California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities.
California’s Gold Rush towns still have a few old saloons where you can grab a midday meal under the same roof miners once knew. Some of these buildings date back to the 1850s, and they still open their doors for lunch today. This list covers six of them, from...
Santa Cruz County has plenty of ways to satisfy a sweet tooth, and some of its most beloved local businesses have spent decades perfecting the art. Whether it’s an ice cream cone after a day at the beach, a freshly baked doughnut to start the morning, or a box of handcrafted chocolates for a special occasion, these local favorites bring sweetness to the everyday lives of residents and visitors alike. Across the county, generations-old favorites and inventive local makers offer everything from old-fashioned classics to imaginative confections that are almost too beautiful to eat. In this guide, we’re exploring nine of Santa Cruz County’s sweetest spots, highlighting the signature treats, unexpected creations, and local traditions that make each one worth seeking out.
One San Francisco pizzeria has been firing pies in its original wood-burning oven since 1935. That oven has outlasted generations of diners, and I love that it still does its job. The longevity streak doesn’t stop there. In California, you’ll find singing waiters serving pasta, a family market slicing deli...
Pass the cranberry sauce as Thanksgiving dinner in Northern California is serving up something for every kind of table. The post Thanksgiving Dining in Northern California 2026 appeared first on Fabulous California .
Northern California and the Central Valley are agricultural hubs, so it’s no wonder that local farmers markets rank highly. The nonprofit American Farmland Trust just released its list of the top farmers markets based on nationwide votes. They’ve also drilled down to the top farmers markets by state. It is the third year in a row Sacramento’s Midtown Market claimed the No. 1 spot in the state. The Historic Folsom Farmers Market nabbed No. 2 spot. Here is how the rest of the state stacked up. Top 10 farmers markets in California Midtown Farmers Market | Sacramento | 2422 votes Historic Folsom Farmers Market | Folsom | 210 votes 29 Palms Farmers Market | Twentynine Palms | 159 votes State Street Farmers Market | Carlsbad | 110 votes Diablo Valley Farmers Market | Walnut Creek| 62 votes San Leandro Farmers Market at Bayfair | San Leandro | 43 votes Fort Bragg Farmers Market | Fort Bragg | 43 votes Mountain View Farmers’Market | Mountain View | 42 votes Morgan Hill Farmers Market | Morgan Hill | 39 votes Romano’s Certified Farmers Market | Beckwourth | 36 votes Topping the nationwide list was the Sarasota Downtown Farmers Market.
Nov. 10, 2026—Owner Dania Alvarez was blown away by the response to the opening of Con Azúcar Café (“with sugar” in Spanish) in Santa Cruz this past weekend. For weeks, people had been knocking on the door to ask when it would open. On soft-opening day, a line stretched down the block, including people who traveled from Watsonville.
November 12, 2026 // Franchising.com // YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Handel’s Ice Cream will celebrate the opening of its 200th location in Camarillo, California, on Nov. 12. The milestone comes during a record year of expansion for the 81-year-old ice cream brand, which has opened more new parlors in 2026 than in any previous year. Despite persistent inflation and uncertain consumer confidence, Handel’s continues to grow through major multi-unit development agreements and reinvestment from existing franchise owners. The brand attributes that growth in part to its unit-level economics, which rank among the strongest in the sweet treats category.
Why would a chicken restaurant ask you to sign a waiver before lunch? I keep turning that question over, and I love that it’s a real thing in California. Some menus here treat heat like a dare with paperwork attached. The top spice levels carry names that sound like...
Every town has that one table where the same group shows up each morning, orders the usual, and settles the news of the day before most people are awake. In California, some of those tables have been claimed for so long that the regulars outlasted the menus, the paint jobs, and a few of the coffee machines.
Every November, a lot of Californians quietly accept that their turkey is negotiable but the pie is not. The trouble is that the best pies in the state often come from tiny towns, mountain hamlets, and roadside farm stands, and those places run out fast once Thanksgiving week arrives. This...
When most of California is asleep, a whole other crowd is just clocking in or heading home. Nurses, bakers, airport crews, and delivery drivers all need fuel, and for generations a lot of them have found it in a pink box. The shops on this list keep the fryers going...
A California wine brand is writing a new playbook on getting Gen Z’s attention. But the wine industry might not like what it says.