Editor’s note: Nosh is dedicated to exploring the full diversity of restaurants and foods found across the East Bay. With that in mind, welcome to a new series in which we highlight a favorite dish from a restaurant we return to again and again.
If your stomach starts rumbling in south Richmond, a mostly industrialized neighborhood criss-crossed by train tracks and shipping canals, you won’t find very many places to eat.
Golden Gate Bistro Restaurant
803 Wright Ave. (Harbour Way South) #101 Richmond; www.goldengatebistro.net
Open weekdays 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fortunately, the family-owned Golden Gate Bistro Restaurant, founded in 2021 and situated just off Interstate 580, is just minutes from downtown, providing an oasis of delicious dishes — from breakfast to salads and sandwiches, full entrees, and wine and beer. You’ll dine in a peaceful outdoor setting, a perfect pairing with an outing such as a ferry ride or a visit to the nearby historic Rosie the Riveter park.
The bistro offers an extensive menu that can be described as classic California cuisine with a strong Mexican influence and numerous seafood options.
But I’m here to tell you about the carnitas tacos ($16). The pork is deliciously seasoned, braised with orange peel, cloves, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary, and is served with a double-wrapping of tender fresh corn tortillas, onions and a generous heap of cilantro — finished off with Golden Gate’s addictively good green salsa, a mix of tomatillo, garlic, onions, and cilantro. The meat portions are so generous that this dish offers considerable value for the price. I took two of the three tacos home and repurposed them for another lunch and breakfast!
Offering counter service only, you can enjoy your selection on comfortable tables on a roomy shaded patio. I’ve been twice and both times my guests and I have been impressed with everything we tried, clearing our plates or, thanks to the generous portions, taking leftovers in to-go boxes.
Golden Gate Bistro: 803 Wright Ave., at Harbour Way South, Richmond. Open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
