All Spice

The story

All Spice San Mateo: Modern Californian Cuisine in a Charming Cottage

Modern Californian Cuisine with Global Roots

In a 1906 cottage on San Mateo's El Camino Real, All Spice delivers an evening of focused, modern Californian cuisine. Chef and owner Sachin Chopra draws on Indian, Asian, European, and contemporary American influences to create a menu that changes with the seasons. The result is a three-course prix fixe dinner that feels both grounded and surprising.

The restaurant has earned a Michelin star and continues to be a Michelin Recommended destination, a recognition that speaks to the kitchen's precision and the welcoming atmosphere cultivated by Chef Chopra and his wife, owner and general manager Shoshana Wolff. For them, the steady support of the local community over the years is just as meaningful as the accolades.

The Menu: A Three-Course Arc

The 75-dollar, three-course menu is designed to be a complete experience. Guests choose one main course and two additional items from the starter and dessert sections, allowing for a flexible, personal meal.

Starters range from the vegetarian "Couch Potato" – a roasted delicata squash stuffed with smoked sweet potato and topped with pistachio dukkah – to the "Samurai Caesar Salad," a bold twist on the classic with furikake and miso-parmesan dressing. The "Miso Soup" is a clever play on texture, featuring a wild mushroom panna cotta.

Main courses lean into global flavors. The chipotle-cumin cured king salmon comes with apple and peanut salsa macha, while the roasted chili marinated local black cod is paired with parmesan and tomato butter beans. For meat lovers, the not-braised prime beef shortrib is reverse-seared and served with celeriac purée. A vegetarian garnet yam kofta in a cashew-almond quorma sauce offers a rich, aromatic alternative.

Desserts are equally considered: a chocolate butter cake with roasted banana and blueberry, or a butternut squash cheesecake with maple cream and candied persimmon.

The Setting

The intimate cottage setting, with its warm atmosphere and professional service, makes All Spice suitable for date nights, small family celebrations, or quiet business dinners. The restaurant also offers private dining rooms for up to 18 guests and can be bought out for groups up to 40. Takeout is available for those who want to bring the chef's menu home.