Touring is fun, but we’ve all got to eat
Blackened steak salad. Calamari Costa Brava with jalapeño pasta. Spider roll sushi.
If you can dream it up, chances are very good that the Lodi area offers it. With more than 100 restaurants to choose from, you will be sure to find something that will tempt your tastebuds and keep you coming back for more.
Here are some favorites in the area:Best breakfast: Hankering for the perfect omelet? Then head to the Omelet House (700 E. Victor Road.). With a menu of almost two dozen different omelet dishes, you’re bound to find what you are looking for and each dish is accompanied by country potatoes and a choice of pancakes or toast.
For some down-home country cuisine, Denis’ Country Kitchen (1327 Lockeford St.) is the place. Not only do they serve a mean chicken fried steak and biscuits and gravy, but they also have a separate low-carb menu for Atkins dieters.
Best desserts: Alexander’s M&W Dutch American Bakery (1100 W. Lodi Ave.) is the place to go for cakes — owner and baker Wolf Dalichau makes 48 different varieties including Dutch Whip and Princess cakes (a dome-shaped cake with raspberry and Bavarian cream, sponge cake and whipped cream).
If you have your eyes on pies, Phillips Farms (4580 W. Highway 12) makes their pies from scratch, using fresh, handpicked fruit.
Best burgers: Its whimsical farm mural and cheerful cow theme might lure you into Moo Moo’s Burger Barn (113 N. School St.) but their juicy burgers will keep you there. Moo Moo’s offers over a dozen juicy creations (for example, try the Chili Moo, for a chili cheese burger, or the Hula Moo, if you want yours topped with pineapple and sweet and sour sauce) along with a selection of fries and milkshakes, made with Breyers ice cream.
Place for romance: Wine & Roses (2505 W. Turner Road.) always sets the perfect mood with candlelit tables, its cozy fireplace, an elegant menu of California seasonal specials, and a local wine list.
At Rosewood Bar & Grill (28 S. School St.), there’s plenty of reasons to swoon, from the live nightly jazz to chef John Hitchcock’s modern take on classic American dishes.
Best smoothies: One of the best antidotes for a hot Lodi day is a smoothie. Andre’s Cafe (722 W. Lodi Ave.) has over a dozen dreamy flavors like banana split, Oreo blast, and chocolate monkey.
Lodi Spot (5 W. Elm St.) does jumbo versions of what they call “power smoothies” — fruit flavored concoctions made with frozen fruit and a boost of 117 vitamins and minerals.
Blasting Blenders (145 Lakewood Mall) pioneered the smoothie in Lodi and continues to churn out a variety of fruit, yogurt, and ice cream smoothies to satisfy the thirstiest of customers.
Best dining entertainment: If you want a side of comedy along with your meal, Kiley’s Dinner Theatre (1030 S. Hutchins St.) is the place to go Friday and Saturday nights. You’ll enjoy catering from Travis Cafe and some top rate entertainment ranging from stand-up comedy nights to three-act plays.
Best coffee: Think of Field of Beans (720 W. Lodi Ave.) as a home away from home. Grab a mocha or their house caffioco (a frozen blended coffee drink), cozy up on one of the sofas, catch up on your reading (they have a great selection of the day’s newspapers and magazines), and take in some of the local art hanging on the walls.
Best Mexican: For a spin on traditional Mexican cuisine, try Cactus (18961 N. Lower Sacramento Road., Woodbridge). Although they still prepare traditional favorites like tacos, burritos and homemade tamales, they also serve some Castillian-style dishes including camerones rancheros, an elegant dish with shrimp sautéed in butter, wine, and garlic, served with jalapeño pasta, beans and tortillas.
Best newcomer: In the past year, Lodi has seen some promising new restaurants open. Sleek and urban yet warm and comfortable, Keys’ Guild Street Grille and Bar (171 S. Guild Ave.) offers a menu of homestyle favorites like burgers, sandwiches and crepes.
224 West Pub and Grill (2401 W. Turner Road, Suite 224) is a cozy grill serving some of the best calamari and bread pudding in town.
Best pizza: Crisp, thin crust pizza and generous toppings — you’ll find this at Rick’s New York Style Pizza (1320 Lakewood Mall). But it is also a great neighborhood hangout, with video games, TV screens and enough room to accommodate big groups.
Family oriented: At Movie City (27 W. Elm St.), Monday and Tuesday nights are family nights, where kids come first. Not only can children eat for free but they will enjoy tableside entertainment from a yo-yo master, a juggler and a skilled balloonist. All this along with a family friendly menu of sandwiches, burgers, barbecue and more.
For kids who like trains, the extensive collector train collection at the Golden Ox (410 W. Kettleman Lane) will keep the kids mesmerized for hours. A train even circles the inside of the restaurant, high above the heads of diners. This casual restaurant also features 99 different items from salisbury steak to moussaka, gyros to chili.
Best barbecue: At Mydingr’s BBQ (13577 E. Highway 88, Lockeford), they prepare homestyle barbecue from their slow-cooked Southern pulled pork and coleslaw sandwiches to their dry rub ribs. But be warned —their barbecue is addictive and they are only open on Fridays and Saturdays.
Best landmark restaurant: A&W Root Beer, conceived by a local man, put Lodi on the map more than 80 years ago. Lodi’s A&W (216 E. Lodi Ave.) still lives and thrives. Still boasting an all-American menu, you’ll find top notch burgers, fries, milkshakes and root beer floats.
If you are looking for a quirky dining destination, try Al’s Place (formerly Al the Wop’s) (13936 Main St., Locke). Where else can you find dollar bills tacked to the ceiling and steaks served with toasted bread and peanut butter and jelly? At Al’s Place, anything goes. Its eccentricities have made this little saloon a legend in the area.