Restaurant in Point Reyes Station, United States
Wood-fired pizza worth the detour.
A Michelin Plate winner in Point Reyes Station, Cafe Reyes runs two wood-fired ovens and ten pizzas named after local landmarks. At $$ pricing with a 4.4 Google rating across 835 reviews, it is the most credible meal on this stretch of Highway 1 and a strong anchor for any West Marin day trip. Easy to book, and worth it.
Getting a table at Cafe Reyes is easy — this is one of the few Michelin-recognized spots in the Bay Area where walk-ins are plausible and planning stress is low. The harder question is whether a wood-fired pizza stop in Point Reyes Station is worth building a day trip around. The short answer: yes, particularly if you are already heading out to the coast. A 4.4 Google rating across 835 reviews and a 2025 Michelin Plate confirm this is not just a convenient pitstop — it is the most credible meal you will find in this stretch of West Marin. Book if you can, but do not let availability anxiety stop you from showing up.
The first thing you notice at Cafe Reyes is the wood , stacked against the walls, piled under the counter, everywhere you look. It is not decorative. Two wood-fired ovens run the entire operation, and the barn-like dining room is built around them in a way that makes the cooking method feel like the architecture. The space is large, rustic, and deliberately unfussy: long tables, high ceilings, the kind of room that works for a group of six as easily as it works for two people after a hike at Point Reyes National Seashore.
If you have been here before and ordered conservatively, this visit is the time to work through the menu more deliberately. Cafe Reyes runs ten pizza varieties, each named after a local landmark , a detail that sounds gimmicky but is actually a useful orientation device. The Limantour, the Bodega, the Farallon: these are not random names, they are the geography of the surrounding coast translated onto a menu. The Farallon is the one to know: roasted garlic, mini pepperoni with crisped edges, and a generous pile of mozzarella on a crust that earns the word crusty without apology. If you came last time for the Margherita, this is the upgrade move.
The pizza spectrum runs from that classic Margherita through to meatier options anchored by fennel sausage and mushroom. The wood-fired method delivers the kind of char and structural integrity that oven-baked pizza in a casual setting rarely achieves. At $$ pricing, you are getting cooking quality that punches significantly above its price point , Michelin's Plate recognition in 2025 effectively confirms that the kitchen is doing something right, not just something adequate.
Cafe Reyes does not run a tasting menu, and nothing here is designed to unfold in a particular sequence. But if you approach the meal with some intention, there is a natural arc available. Start lighter , the Margherita or a vegetable-forward option gives you a clean read on the dough and the oven. Move to something with more weight, like the fennel sausage, in the second round. The Farallon works leading as the centerpiece: the roasted garlic sweetens as it cools slightly, the pepperoni crisps hold their texture, and the mozzarella ties it together without overwhelming the crust. Ordering in this sequence is not mandatory, but it makes the meal feel considered rather than random.
For a return visitor, the real decision is whether to share across multiple pies or commit fully to one. Sharing is the better call for a table of three or more , you get a broader read on the kitchen and the variety is part of the point. Solo diners and pairs should pick one pie and commit, the portion size is generous enough that half-and-half ordering is rarely necessary.
Point Reyes Station is a small town on Highway 1, most frequently visited as part of a day trip from San Francisco or a longer stay in West Marin. Cafe Reyes sits directly on CA-1 at 11101, making it easy to find and impossible to miss if you are driving through. The surrounding area rewards the trip independently , Point Reyes National Seashore, the local farms, and the coastal trails make this a full day rather than just a meal. For everything else the area offers, see our full Point Reyes Station restaurants guide, our Point Reyes Station hotels guide, our bars guide, our wineries guide, and our experiences guide.
For wood-fired pizza at a comparable technical level internationally, 50 Kalò in Naples and L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Singapore represent the category at its most rigorous. Closer to home, if the day trip becomes an overnight, the farm-to-table format of Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg is the logical upgrade for dinner. For destination dining that justifies longer travel, The French Laundry in Napa is in the same broader region at a completely different price tier and booking difficulty.
See the comparison section below for how Cafe Reyes sits relative to other notable restaurants in the region.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe Reyes | Michelin Plate (2025); This unassuming charmer in quaint Point Reyes Station is a perfect stop for day-trippers who are sure to enjoy the many delicious dishes that emerge from its duo of wood-fired ovens. Pizza is the focus, with ten varieties ranging from a classic Margherita to meaty staples like fennel sausage and mushroom. The deliciously crusty pies are named after local destinations, like the Limantour and Bodega, as well as the Farallon, with its slivers of roasted garlic, mini pepperoni with crisped edges and a pile of mozzarella.Given its cooking method, it’s no surprise that Cafe Reyes is stacked high with wood, both against the walls and under the counter. The big, spacious, barn-like dining room is rustic, unfussy and perfect for groups. | $$ | — |
| Le Bernardin | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Lazy Bear | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Atomix | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Atelier Crenn | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Benu | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
A quick look at how Cafe Reyes measures up.
Walk-ins are genuinely viable here, which is rare for a Michelin Plate restaurant. That said, the barn-style dining room fills up on weekends and during peak day-trip season on Highway 1. If you're visiting on a Saturday or Sunday, calling ahead or arriving early gives you more control. Weekday visits are low-pressure.
The Farallon is the pizza to order: roasted garlic, mini pepperoni with crisped edges, and mozzarella, all pulled from a wood-fired oven. The ten-pizza menu spans a classic Margherita through to fennel sausage and mushroom options, each named after local West Marin destinations. The wood-fired crust is the main event — order at least two pies for a table of two.
Yes. The spacious, unfussy dining room has no format pressure — no tasting menu, no set seatings. A single pizza at $$ pricing makes for an easy solo lunch without the commitment of a multi-course meal. It is a better solo stop than most Highway 1 options in the same price range.
At $$ per head, yes — this is among the better value-to-recognition ratios on the Northern California coast. A Michelin Plate in 2025 at this price point is uncommon. The cooking method is wood-fired, the room is large and relaxed, and the pizza is the focus rather than a supporting act. You are not paying for service theatre or a view.
Point Reyes Station is a small town, so the options are limited. For a sit-down meal in the immediate area, the Station House Cafe covers broader American fare if pizza is not the priority. For more serious cooking in West Marin, Saltwater Oyster Depot in Inverness is a short drive north and focuses on local oysters and seafood — a different format entirely.
It works for a low-key celebration — a birthday lunch or a milestone day trip — but not for a formal anniversary dinner. The room is rustic and barn-like, the format is casual, and the menu is pizza-focused. If the occasion calls for something more considered, Atelier Crenn or Lazy Bear in San Francisco are the appropriate step up.
Cafe Reyes does not offer a tasting menu. The format is straightforwardly a la carte pizza from a ten-item list. If you are specifically looking for a sequenced tasting experience in the Bay Area, that is a different category — Benu, Lazy Bear, or Atomix in New York are the relevant comparisons. Cafe Reyes is the right choice when the goal is excellent wood-fired pizza in a relaxed setting.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
