Restaurant in San Mateo, United States
Michelin-recognized. Book ahead or miss out.
All Spice holds back-to-back Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) and a 4.7 Google rating across 348 reviews, making it one of San Mateo's most credentialed dinner options at the $$$$ price point. For a serious, internationally-focused meal without driving into San Francisco, it earns the spend. Book at least two to three weeks out — it fills fast.
At the $$$$ price point, All Spice is one of the more expensive dinner decisions you can make in San Mateo — and with two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025), it has the credentials to back that up. The question worth asking before you book isn't whether All Spice is good. It is. The question is whether $$$$ international cuisine on South El Camino Real is the right call for your night, given the other strong options in the same zip code. The short answer: if you want a considered, credential-backed dinner without driving to San Francisco, All Spice earns its place at that price.
San Mateo's dining scene punches well above its weight for a Peninsula city of its size, and All Spice sits near the leading of that local hierarchy. It's not a destination restaurant in the way that The French Laundry in Napa or Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg command a special trip from out of state. What it is, though, is the kind of neighbourhood anchor that gives residents a reason to stay local when they want a serious dinner. That Michelin is paying attention to a restaurant on South El Camino Real — not in SoMa, not in Hayes Valley , says something meaningful about what All Spice contributes to this specific stretch of the Bay Area.
International cuisine as a category can mean almost anything, and without a published menu in the database, it's not possible to describe specific dishes here. What the Michelin Plate recognition does confirm is consistent kitchen execution and a dining experience that meets a documented quality threshold. For a food enthusiast who wants depth and context rather than a casual bite, that signal matters. Think of the Michelin Plate not as a consolation prize below a star, but as Michelin's way of saying: this kitchen is doing the work correctly. Across the Bay, restaurants like Lazy Bear in San Francisco show what the leading end of that ambition looks like; All Spice is operating at a tier that doesn't require a San Francisco reservation or a San Francisco commute.
The Google rating of 4.7 across 348 reviews adds a second layer of confidence. That's a meaningful sample size, and a 4.7 average at a $$$$ restaurant with this many reviews is harder to sustain than it looks. Diners at this price point are more critical, not less. The combination of Michelin recognition and a strong public rating across a substantial review base positions All Spice as a venue where quality is consistent, not just occasionally impressive.
Without published hours in the database, specific service windows can't be confirmed here , check directly before booking. That said, for a $$$$ Michelin-recognised restaurant in a mid-size Peninsula city, the practical timing advice is direct: midweek evenings (Tuesday through Thursday) will give you a quieter room and a kitchen that isn't under weekend-rush pressure. Friday and Saturday nights at venues in this tier book out fastest, so if your schedule is flexible, a Wednesday reservation often means more attentive service and an easier booking window. For food enthusiasts who care about the full experience rather than the social spectacle, a midweek slot is the better call.
Seasonally, Bay Area restaurants at this price point often adjust their sourcing and menus as local produce shifts through the year. Visiting in late spring or early autumn, when California's agricultural output is at its most varied, tends to align with when kitchens at this level are working with the most interesting ingredients. This is a reasonable inference for any internationally-focused California kitchen operating at Michelin level, though the specifics of All Spice's menu approach would need to be confirmed at booking.
Booking difficulty is rated Hard. At $$$$ with Michelin recognition and a 4.7 public rating, All Spice is not a walk-in venue. Plan to book at minimum two to three weeks in advance for weekend tables; midweek may offer more availability but shouldn't be left to last minute. The booking method isn't confirmed in the database, so check the restaurant directly or use a third-party reservation platform. If you're coordinating a group, earlier is better , tables for four or more at this tier fill faster than they appear to.
For comparison, Sushi Yoshizumi and Wakuriya , both $$$$ Japanese venues in San Mateo , are notoriously difficult to book, often requiring weeks of lead time. All Spice operates in the same booking-difficulty tier.
See the comparison section below for a full breakdown, but the short version: if you want the most technically demanding experience in San Mateo at $$$$, Wakuriya and Sushi Yoshizumi are the obvious alternatives in the same price bracket. For a lower-commitment night out, Pausa at $$ delivers quality Italian without the financial outlay, and Wursthall Restaurant & Bierhaus is the right call when the mood is casual and communal rather than considered. All Spice sits in the middle of that range in terms of format , more accessible in concept than omakase, more serious in execution than a neighbourhood bistro.
Internationally, the international cuisine format at fine-dining level is a category where the ambition can vary wildly. Restaurants like Le Bernardin in New York City or Alinea in Chicago represent the ceiling of that ambition globally. All Spice isn't operating at that altitude, but it doesn't need to , it's the right restaurant for a serious Peninsula dinner, not a once-in-a-decade pilgrimage. That distinction matters when you're deciding whether to book locally or make the trip into the city.
Explore more options across our full San Mateo restaurants guide, or browse San Mateo hotels, bars, wineries, and experiences to plan around your dinner.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Spice | International | $$$$ | Hard |
| Wakuriya | Sushi, Japanese | $$$$ | Unknown |
| Pausa | Italian | $$ | Unknown |
| Wursthall Restaurant & Bierhaus | German-American | Unknown | |
| Kajiken | Noodles | $ | Unknown |
| Sushi Yoshizumi | Sushi, Japanese | $$$$ | Unknown |
A quick look at how All Spice measures up.
For Japanese precision at a comparable price, Sushi Yoshizumi and Wakuriya are the clearest alternatives on the Peninsula — both carry Michelin recognition. If you want to spend less without sacrificing quality, Pausa offers Italian-focused cooking at a lower price point. All Spice is the better call if you want international cuisine with two consecutive Michelin Plates behind it.
At $$$$ pricing with two Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025), All Spice has the credentials to justify the spend if a multi-course format suits you. The case for booking is stronger here than at comparable-priced venues without that recognition. If you prefer à la carte flexibility, this format may frustrate more than it rewards.
Bar seating availability at All Spice is not confirmed in available data — contact the restaurant at 1602 S El Camino Real, San Mateo directly to ask. At a $$$$ Michelin-recognized venue, bar seating sometimes offers a lower-commitment entry point, but do not assume it exists or that walk-ins are accepted without checking first.
Yes, with a caveat: the $$$$ price tag is among the higher commitments you can make in San Mateo dining, but two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024, 2025) confirm the kitchen is operating at a level that earns that bracket. If you are comparing it against less expensive options in the area, the gap in technical execution is the differentiator — not atmosphere or portion size.
Book well in advance — this is a hard reservation at $$$$ with Michelin recognition and a 4.7 public rating. Walk-ins are not a reliable strategy. The cuisine is international in scope, so do not arrive expecting a single-cuisine tasting format. Confirm hours directly with the restaurant before booking, as they are not publicly listed.
No dress code is documented for All Spice, but at $$$$ with Michelin Plate status, overly casual attire is likely out of place. Business casual or better is a reasonable baseline for a dinner at this price point. When in doubt, call ahead to 1602 S El Camino Real, San Mateo — the restaurant can confirm expectations directly.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
