Sol Food

“a spot that resonates deeply with my friends who were raised in mill valley, sensibly. last year, i had the pleasure of scooping up my very first mofongo: a pile of saucy creole prawns sautéed with garlic, onion, and tomato, served over mashed green plantain and avocado. we ate on her childhood patio just a few turns up the road, overlooking the curves of mount tamalpais.”

“oh my, so many delicious things. pollo al horno with pink beans, camarones empanizados (cilantro mayo - yum), bistec sandwich, ponche, coco-piña smoothie, and so much more. grab a bottle of pique and salad dressing to go.”

“I lived in a ramshackle house full of people in my early 20s. Every now and then one of my housemates and I would decide we wanted “Italian food”, our code word for Sol Food delivery. This is before food delivery apps and group texts, wrangling the rest of the household’s order was a chore. I would always get the sleeper menu item - a vegetarian sandwich with garlic fried plantains instead of bread. During this time of my life I would also occasionally treat myself to going to the restaurant for breakfast. Their rice with eggs and a cafe con leche on the side is perfect. During the mornings it’s less crowded and you can people watch or read a book.”

“Beloved north bay food stop 🤤”

“mention san rafael to anyone in SF and you will inevitably hear: "have you been to Sol Food? it's so good!" it really is a local rite of passage. even Bad Bunny brought his entire crew here during his 2022 tour, so don't worry mami, the food has a stamp of approval. i am a creature of habit and love a saucy dish, so i always order the Camarones Criollos - ask for 1 tostones/1 maduros, and add extra shrimp (everyone at the table will want a bite). if the plate is too much and want the insider take, get the Shrimpy Burrito (mm...the red sauce) off the "not-so-secret" menu, which is exclusive to the san rafael location. bad bunny ordered the Mofongo Relleno de Camarones, if you wanted to know. see the camarones!!”