Silicon Valley's Culinary Capital
San Jose is the underdog of Bay Area dining. With no celebrity chef culture, it simply feeds its massive, diverse community brilliantly — producing some of the best Vietnamese, Mexican, and South Asian food anywhere in California.
San Jose's Little Saigon on Story Road is one of the largest Vietnamese commercial districts in the world outside Vietnam. The East San Jose corridor along Story and King Road is a culinary universe of its own — hundreds of Vietnamese restaurants, markets, and bakeries serving a community of over 100,000 Vietnamese-Americans.
Beyond its Vietnamese scene, San Jose has outstanding Mexican food in the Alum Rock and East Side communities, an excellent Japanese restaurant scene in Japantown (one of the few remaining in the US), superb Indian restaurants throughout the city, and downtown dining that has improved dramatically in recent years.
Little Saigon
Story Road's Vietnamese district is massive — hundreds of restaurants, bakeries, and markets producing pho, bún, chè, and bánh mì at prices and quality that are simply unmatched in the Bay Area.
East Side Mexican Excellence
San Jose's Mexican-American community has produced extraordinary restaurants — particularly in the Alum Rock and East Side neighbourhoods, where regional Mexican cuisines are cooked for the community.
Japantown San Jose
San Jose's Japantown on Jackson Avenue is one of only three remaining Japantowns in the US — authentic ramen, sushi, mochi, and izakayas in a historic cultural district.
Indian Restaurant Corridor
The Indian and Pakistani restaurant concentration along Jackson, Bascom, and in the Evergreen district is among California's strongest outside of Fremont.
Must-Try Dishes
Extra-large bowl of beef pho loaded with all the cuts — rare steak, brisket, tendon, tripe, and meatballs.
Slow-pit-cooked beef cheek wrapped in corn tortillas with onion, cilantro, and tomatillo salsa.
Fresh-made mochi ice cream from San Jose Japantown shops — seasonal flavours wrapped in soft rice cake.
Slow-dum-cooked Basmati rice layered with spiced lamb from San Jose's Pakistani restaurants.
Thick-cut corn masa stuffed with crispy pork crackling and salsa verde — SJ East Side street food.
Sweet bean dessert soups and drinks in dozens of variations from Little Saigon's dessert shops.
Neighborhoods & Food Districts
Every part of San Jose has its own food character. Here's where to focus your eating:
The Vietnamese district — hundreds of restaurants across miles of commercial corridor. An essential Bay Area food destination.
One of three remaining US Japantowns — authentic Japanese food in a historic and culturally rich district.
Rapidly improving dining scene with upscale restaurants, cocktail bars, and farm-to-table concepts.
The heart of San Jose's Mexican-American community with outstanding regional Mexican food.