Restaurant in San Anselmo, United States
Marin's best-value Mediterranean. Book it.
Insalata's is San Anselmo's most credentialed value dining option: a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner in both 2024 and 2025, with a 4.6 Google rating across 503 reviews and $$ pricing that makes it one of the better-value Michelin-recognized tables in the Bay Area. Chef Franz Rank leads a Mediterranean kitchen that rewards repeat visits. Easy to book, relaxed in format, and consistently well-executed.
If you are a regular at Insalata's and wondering what to order next, or if you are a Marin County local deciding where to take a group that does not want to drive to the city, this is your answer. Insalata's in San Anselmo is the kind of Mediterranean restaurant that earns repeat business: honest cooking at a $$ price point, twice recognized with the Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024 and 2025), and relaxed enough to work for a Tuesday dinner or a low-key celebration. It is not a splurge destination — it is a reliable, well-priced neighbourhood anchor with a credential that matters.
The energy at Insalata's runs warm and conversational without tipping into loud. The ambient level is set for groups catching up rather than for quiet, focused dining, which makes it a better call for a table of four than for a business dinner where you need to hear every word. The mood is consistent: not trying to be fashionable, not austere. If you have been once, you already know what to expect from the room — and that steadiness is part of the value. For something livelier and more design-forward in town, Madcap (Contemporary) offers a different register. For context on everything else the town has to offer, browse our full San Anselmo restaurants guide.
Mediterranean cuisine at this price tier in Marin often skews generic, but two consecutive Bib Gourmands signal that the kitchen under chef Franz Rank is doing something more considered. The Bib Gourmand designation from Michelin is specifically awarded to restaurants offering good cooking at moderate prices , it is a value credential, not a prestige one, and that distinction matters here. You are not paying for theatre or tasting-menu ceremony. You are paying for well-executed, ingredient-led cooking in a format that lets you order, eat, and leave without a three-hour commitment.
On the drinks side, a Mediterranean kitchen of this standing typically supports its food with a wine list oriented toward southern European producers , the kinds of bottles that work with olive oil, bright acids, and grilled proteins rather than fighting them. While specific list details are not confirmed here, the overall program at Insalata's is consistent with its food philosophy: approachable, complementary, not trying to be a destination bar. If a serious cocktail program is your priority for the evening, the San Anselmo bars guide is a better starting point. Insalata's drinks are leading treated as a well-chosen support act for the food rather than a reason to visit on their own terms.
Regulars would do well to ask what the kitchen is featuring on the current menu rather than defaulting to past orders , a Mediterranean format at this quality level tends to track seasonal availability, and what worked well in one visit may have rotated.
Insalata's holds a 4.6 rating across 503 Google reviews, which is a meaningful signal at that volume. Scores above 4.5 with 500-plus reviews in a competitive dining market indicate consistent execution rather than a single strong run. Paired with back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmands, the picture is clear: this is a restaurant that delivers reliably at its price point. For comparison, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg and The French Laundry in Napa operate at a completely different price tier and ambition level , Insalata's is not competing with either of them, and that is the point. Within its actual category, the credentials are strong.
Reservations: Booking difficulty is rated Easy , you are unlikely to be locked out weeks in advance, though weekend dinners warrant booking a few days ahead to secure your preferred time. Dress: No dress code confirmed; the casual neighbourhood setting suggests smart-casual is more than sufficient. Budget: $$ pricing makes this one of the more accessible Michelin-recognized tables in the Bay Area , expect a comfortable dinner for two without a significant outlay. Location: 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo, CA 94960 , walkable from the town centre and accessible by car from most of Marin County. If you are planning a broader Marin visit, the San Anselmo hotels guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide are worth consulting.
Insalata's works for a low-key celebration , a birthday dinner where the guest of honour prefers good food over fuss, or a family catch-up that needs a reliable room rather than a statement reservation. It is less well-suited to a milestone splurge where the occasion calls for something more theatrical. For that, Atelier Crenn in San Francisco or Lazy Bear would better serve the moment , but both will cost significantly more and require more planning. Insalata's sweet spot is the occasion that wants quality without ceremony.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insalata's | Michelin Bib Gourmand (2025); Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024) | $$ | — |
| Le Bernardin | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Atomix | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Lazy Bear | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Alinea | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Atelier Crenn | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Come as you are — Insalata's is a $$ Mediterranean spot in San Anselmo, not a dress-up destination. Neat casual fits the room: jeans and a shirt work fine for both dinner and a group lunch. There is no formality signal in a two-time Bib Gourmand at this price point.
Insalata's has held the Michelin Bib Gourmand in both 2024 and 2025, which means the inspectors have consistently judged it good value at the $$ price range. Booking is rated easy, so you do not need to plan weeks ahead, but weekend evenings are worth reserving a few days out. Chef Franz Rank runs the kitchen, and the Mediterranean focus at this price tier in Marin is the core draw.
Bar seating details are not in our venue record for Insalata's. Given the easy booking difficulty and warm, conversational room feel, walk-in seating options are worth checking directly with the restaurant at 120 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Insalata's is a $$ Mediterranean restaurant, not a tasting-menu format — that is not the offer here. If a multi-course prix fixe is what you want, look at Lazy Bear in San Francisco. Insalata's case is built on everyday-accessible Mediterranean food that punches above its price, backed by two Bib Gourmands.
Yes, for the right kind of occasion. A birthday where the guest of honour cares about good food over ceremony, or a family dinner that needs to work across age groups — Insalata's handles those well at $$. For a milestone that calls for a formal setting or a long tasting menu, it is not the right fit.
At $$, yes — two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands are a direct endorsement of value over price. The Bib Gourmand is specifically awarded to restaurants where inspectors judge the quality exceptional for the cost, which is a harder standard to hold year-on-year than a single star. For Marin County, where Mediterranean restaurants at this tier often underdeliver, that consistency matters.
San Anselmo's restaurant options are limited in scope, so the practical comparison is across Marin County rather than the town itself. If you want to step up in formality or format, San Francisco's Bib Gourmand and starred options are within driving distance. Within the casual, good-value Mediterranean category in the North Bay, Insalata's has few direct competitors at the same recognition level.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
