Bob's Giant Burgers, Pleasanton
It's an old-school burgerand-shake joint, the kind that once drew hot rods filled with giggly high school and college kids back in the '50s and '60s. It's still a popular spot were quick-bite aficionados can grab to-go orders or enjoy a sunny lunch inside or out on the patio.
This is the last Bay Area location of what was once a small Bob's empire. Founded by longtime East Bay resident Robert Lamont Jacobs in Fremont in the early '60s, the local burger chain included locations in Newark, Hayward and Pleasanton by the time Jacobs died in 2007. This Pleasanton location, which sits in a strip mall on First Street , is still run by the Jacobs family. (The Bob's in Modesto is not affiliated with the family.)
It might not look like much from inside or out, but Bob's is a sensational place for hamburgers (such as the bacon mushroom Swiss for $13), BLTs ($7), corn dogs ($4), Fruity Pebbles milkshakes ($6) and, of course, fries.
Bob's offers regular fries ($4) to accompany those burgers, but order the incredible Philly Fries ($13) and you won't need anything else. Piping hot fries are topped with a mix of chopped up burger and thinly sliced Philly-style steak, with melted Swiss to take the dish straight over the top. It's a meal all on its own.
Grab a couple of friends and, while you are pondering the menu, order a bowl ($15) of the umamipacked Duck Fat Fries, which are lightly dusted with truffle salt. They come with a housemade truffle ketchup for dipping; it's a well-balanced condiment that's not-too-truffley.
Open for lunch and dinner daily (closed weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. before evening service starts) at 378 Santana Row, near Olsen Drive; momosanramen.com
The menu at this craft kitchen and bar goes about 20 different directions — from deep-fried burrata to borracho taquitos and a sushi burger — but rest assured you're in capable hands.
Batch and Brine on Lafayette's restaurant row is a stylish place to watch the game with some smoky, juicy Memphis wings in hand, or bring your kids for a night out with chicken tendies and peanut-butter milkshakes. The place is spacious, with comfy booths for groups and a wrap-around patio. The friendly staff are quick to recommend a flight of beer to fit your tastes, or stir up a tasty cocktail, like a spicytequila Serrano Mi Hermano or a pineapple-rum Pirates Poison.
The sandwich portion of the menu ranges from a burger with whipped blue cheese and fig jam ($20) to duck banh mi ($21), and a fried-chicken sando ($18) with pickle-brined meat and Calabrian aioli. Everything is executed with confidence, highlighting local produce and farm-raised meats — and everything is served in big portions, so be sure to wear your stretchy
pants.
These fries are served hot and crispy, with the mineraly potato skin left on, similar to the winning formula at Five Guys. Order them gussied up with garlic-Parmesan ($8) or with exceedingly decadent duck confit and melting beer-cheese sauce ($16). Or get them naked ($6) and take advantage of the restaurant's dozen-or-so house sauces, ranging from Alabama White and Kansas City red barbecue to wasabi aioli or apricot mustard.
Open for lunch and dinner daily at 3602 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette; batchandbrine.com
Brew City Grill, Campbell
You know a restaurant is serious about French fries when it devotes an entire section of the menu to them.
Check out the Brew City Grill menu and you'll find “Craft Burgers” and “Artisan Pizzas” … and “Potatoes & Salt.” The latter include “long cut, crispy and salty” Naked Fries, Gilroy Garlic Fries, Truffle Fries and Nashville Fries plus Tater Tots embedded with sea salt and the real interloper, beer-battered Onion Rings.
Co-owners Matt Westley and Glenn Thompson keep things interesting with about 24 rotating beer taps and seasonal menu specials to supplement the lineup of
Pliny mussels, crispy calamari, burgers, wings, pizzas and salads. Fries come with most burgers and sandwiches, and you can upgrade to a specialty fry for just a bit more.
If you're a heatseeker, go for the Nashville Fries, which are tossed with a spicy dry rub and served with cooling ranch dip. We loved their version of Garlic Fries, which adds feta to the Christopher Ranch garlic.
Open for lunch and dinner daily at 651 W. Hamilton Ave., Campbell; brewcitygrill.com.
There's no shortage of great taquerias in East San Jose, but if you're thinking about carne asada fries — which we do quite frequently — make a beeline for a Santa Fe Taqueria.
They've got most of the taqueria bases covered here, including big burritos ($9-$10) stuffed with your choice of al pastor, barbacoa, carnitas, chile verde and more, as well as fish tacos ($5.49), tamales ($5.49) and chile relleno ($6).
These taquerias are part of the Santa Fe Foods company, which also operates several mercados and carnicerias in the area. The White Road and Newark taquerias are right next to these markets, so you can combine lunch with a quick shopping trip — or take a detour from your grocery
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Brothers John and A.J. Groppetti and their friend Sal Morales knew that March 2021 wasn't the best time to open a new restaurant, but the Concord High alums had always dreamed of making food together. So they went ahead and launched Corner Kitchen in an undistinguished commercial strip within walking distance of their homes, starting as a brisk take-out business and then transitioning into a go-to place for locals.
With its vintage-style red vinyl booths, this dineresque eatery offers a twist on American classics, serving a mouth-watering range of sliders that customers can mix and match. There are mini-beef burgers ($5$6) with bacon, blue cheese, roasted chiles or a brie and caramelized onion topping. Prefer something other than beef? They do sliders with chicken, pulled pork, salmon, oyster mushrooms or falafel patties too.
You can get your fries in classic fashion ($3), as twisty Sidewinders or topped with garlic, cheese sauce, chili, mushroom gravy and such. The popular Fully Loaded Fries ($7-$12) conjures up classic baked potato flavors: Sidewinder Fries topped with a Cheddar cheese sauce, bacon crumbles, scallions and ribbons of sour cream.
Open for lunch and dinner WednesdaySunday at 3606 Willow Pass Road, Concord; thecornerkitchen.com.