In the celebrated melting pot of culture and tech, California’s San Jose food scene has been crafted into an authentic bliss for taste buds from any walk of life.
San Jose has long been a thriving destination for those newly settling in the States. That’s become especially true with Silicon Valley attracting the best and brightest from around the world. With so many different cultures mixing in a city of only 180 square miles, the area has become as known for its global eateries as it is for state-of-the-art technology fronts. Here, we sample some of the best varieties the city has to offer, from their timeless Italian spots to East African bites to Spanish tapas from Santana Row. With so many options, you’re going to need a guide. Here’s your cultural bucket list of where to eat in San Jose.
Walia Ethiopian
Opened in 2011, Walia has become a go-to for authentic Ethiopian. Head cook Aster Teklemichael creates the kind of hearty dishes meant for sharing. Bring the whole bunch for this meal out because each heaping order of doro wot (chicken stewed in berbere sauce) and atikilt wot (cabbage, carrots, and potatoes in a mild sauce) is served family style. Here, that means with injera, a vaguely sour, light-as-air bread meant for scooping from a shared spread of different plates. Dig in!
Vung Tao Vietnamese
Expect more out of this place than your average pho shop. Vung Tao specializes in traditional, authentic Vietnamese that just can’t be found anywhere else. This dedication to the old way has made the restaurant a staple for the Bay Area’s Vietnamese population and local foodies, earning Vung Tao “best Vietnamese restaurant” by Silicon Valley Accent magazine. Native San Joseans swear by the Milpitas location, just to the northeast of San Jose, which they claim to be the best of the three and the most casual.
Menara Moroccan
Menara was the first Moroccan restaurant in the Bay Area, and after 50 years it is still Silicon Valley’s favorite stop for Moroccan eats. The food is the closest you’ll get to Maghreb without buying a plane ticket. And the location, festooned with tiles, low tables, and colorful rattan cushions, feels like a sultan’s palace. If the tagines and couscous aren’t enough reason to visit, every Thursday night includes a belly dancing show performed by traditionally trained dancers.
Back A Yard Caribbean
Back a Yard is a term used on the islands to refer to a place that is authentic and still belongs to the people of the Caribbean. That same atmosphere stretches all the way to San Jose and Back A Yard’s three locations, where they’re serving up beef oxtail, fried plantains, and all manner of jerked meats, just like their grandma used to make. Just look for the orange and teal storefront on N. Market Street for a little taste of the islands.
Oveja Negra
Hotel Valencia Santana Row’s new tapas restaurant blends the hotel’s atmosphere of Mediterranean sophistication with globally infused Spanish menu. Oveja Negra means “black sheep” in Spanish and it is in that spirit that Orssten creates unique and brazen blends of flavor like the daal shrimp and grits, which fuses traditional Indian with American southern comfort food.
