Of course Marin has a laidback open-air shopping center, and a trip to Nordstrom or Tesla would not be complete without one of the most outrageous rooftop lunches of them all — the new RH Rooftop Restaurant, as in the company formerly known as Restoration Hardware. Opened during the pandemic, you can now feast on lobster roll and sip one of more than 40 wines under crystal chandeliers and olive trees. 

Often overlooked as actually the best mall in San Francisco (the glorious parking! the clean movie theater!), Stonestown is throwing down these days with a number of exciting dining options. The one that got the biggest buzz: Gram Cafe & Pancakes drew long lines when it opened in 2019, bringing its jiggly Japanese souffle pancakes to the mall. But should you require something savory, there’s also Kura Revolving Sushi Bar, which motored in with conveyor belt sushi in 2021.

There’s absolutely no shortage of excellent dining options within Japantown’s two malls. Craving ramen? Put your name in early at Marufuku. Want sushi? It’ll slide by on conveyor belts at Tenroku or come in tasting menu format at Oma San Francisco Station. But the pro-move is a retreat behind the warm wooden walls of Udon Mugizo, where you can lose yourself in a big bowl of creamy udon crowned with smoked cod roe or uni. There may be a wait but you can head just across the hall to browse the shelves at Kinokuniya bookstore while you wait.

The massive mall right on Market Street isn’t only nine stories tall, it also boasts dozens of dining options, from Shake Shack burgers to hot dogs topped with kimchi and bulgogi at Umai Savory hot dogs. But there are many downtown restaurants nearby, including the new location of the wildly popular Korean fried chicken chain Bonchon inside the Metreon. The pro move is to cut through Bloomingdale’s and cross Mission for that “hand-battered, double-fried, crazy crispy” Korean fried chicken.

Conveniently located halfway down the Peninsula, Hillsdale mall has a lot going for it. And while San Franciscans might head straight to the second location of their favorite Palette Tea House, and the San Carlos crowd will stick with the new spot for their favorite pastrami at the Refuge, the real wild card here is Pinstripes, the restaurant-slash-bowling-alley experience, where tired parents can snack on woodfired pizza with a glass of wine — and turn kids loose on the lanes. 

After some al fresco shopping at Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza, side-step the heavier options and opt instead for a healthy-ish meal at True Food Kitchen, restaurateur Sam Fox’s restaurant chain founded in partnership with Andrew Weil and backed by none other than Oprah. The menu puts on airs about being anti-inflammatory and generally good-for-you — but health claims aside, you can’t go wrong with menu favorites including the lemon and garlicky Tuscan kale salad and spaghetti squash casserole smothered in crushed tomatoes.

The original Fentons opened in Oakland in 1894 but you’ll still get a sweet sense of nostalgia at the Vacaville outpost. It’s a perfect stop for a mid-power shopping pick-me-up: choose from a bevy of ice cream flavors made with California’s own Guittard Chocolate and C&H Sugar. Plus there’s a long list of savory options including the popular crab sandwich, salads, hot dogs, burgers, and more. The Vacaville location is inside the Nut Tree Plaza just across I-80 from the sprawling outlet mall. 

From vibrant Indian cuisine to artful tapas, San Jose’s Santana Row hosts a veritable smorgasbord of dining options. But if you’re looking for something both elegant and relatively approachable, Left Bank Brasserie’s chic, bistro-inspired dining room makes a great choice. On the front patio you’ll have views of the Row’s towering tree and inside, the holidays usually mean flourishes like red ribbons tied up all into bows and twinkling lights draped around the window frames. On the menu expect well-done versions of French classics including escargots, beef bourguignon, and bouillabaisse.

Break up the shopping grind with a meal that’s both good-tasting and fun. This chain with outposts from Sacramento to San Jose is known for its high-tech approach to serving sushi; small plates arrive via conveyor belt after being ordered via a touch screen at the table. For every five plates your table orders, an animated video plays; for every 15 plates, you get a prize. The location near the San Francisco Premium Outlets, which are actually located in Livermore, is technically in Pleasanton but it’s just kitty-corner to the massive outlet mall in the same plaza as 99 Ranch Market. 

There are few better options for freshly baked pastries in the greater Sacramento area than Estelle’s, which moved to its current location at Downtown Commons (or DoCo, as the locals call it) in 2018. The menu spans breakfast and lunch with sweet options ranging from French toast topped with bananas, caramel, and pecans to savory bites likes croque monsieur and fluffy vegetable quiche. Even if you’re not in the market for a full meal, swing through to pick up some post-shopping treats like a delicate danish, a box of assorted macarons, or a canelé (available on weekends only).

Technically this beloved Sacramento-area sushi institution isn’t at Arden Fair mall, but it’s just across the parking lot at Market Square. For more than three decades, Mikuni has been the Sacramento area’s spot for solid sushi, whether you’re craving a generous rainbow-hued chirashi bowl or a roll smothered in sauce and sprinkled with masago. Open for lunch and dinner, the restaurant often has a wait but you can always browse Barnes & Noble across the way in the meantime.