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If you want to dine against a gorgeous backdrop, head to Navio, the fine-dining restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. The luxury hotel is perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and the restaurant has a design that speaks to its closeness to the sea. The refined coastal cuisine restaurant offers views of the blue waters as well as the verdant 18th hole of The Old Course (be sure to request a window-side table). The sea cuisine — such as petrale sole with orange, sunburst squash, and zucchini blossom or Flannery 28-day dry-aged striploin — is inviting and familiar, featuring seasonal ingredients and beautiful presentations. Navio makes a scenic and comfortable place to dine with an ocean view.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- One of the big events each weekend is Navio’s Saturday and Sunday brunch, with seatings from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. that often sell out. The scenic restaurant is a popular destination for people living in the Peninsula and San Francisco, so advance reservations are recommended.
- When you arrive at the luxury resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it's easy to feel that you're in a retreat far away from the bustling big city. But the hotel is actually just about 45 minutes south of San Francisco or San Jose, depending on traffic.
- The farm-to-table movement California is known for is prominent at the restaurant. In fact, they take it one step further — the majority of the cuisine is ocean to table with only the freshest seafood and shellfish served.
Things to Know
- As the signature restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, Navio is open Wednesday through Saturday serving dinner and weekend brunch.
- Navio is ideally located on the third floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. When you walk into the hotel, head straight back through the foyer and turn right. Walk through the light-filled Conservatory to reach Navio.
- The dress code for Navio is business casual or cocktail attire.
The Food
- At dinner, choose chef Francisco Simón's seven-course tasting menu or three-course seasonal prix fixe menu.
- Navio offers a special tasting menu for vegetarians with items like aquaponic farm leaves with heirloom tomato, compressed stone fruits, manzanilla olives and watercress risotto with alba clamshell mushrooms and seasonal truffles.
- Brunch is a two-hour experience with unlimited à la carte small plates, featuring a Dungeness crab Benedict, caviar tastings, wagyu beef sliders and chocolate chip pancakes.
The Look
- Plush carpeting in earthy hues and Italian Carrara marble counters mix with expanses of honey-toned paneling accented by unique sconces with nautical rope detail.
- White clothed tables are decorated simply with fresh flowers and understated pottery with ocean-inspired tones.
- The scene at the Half Moon Bay restaurant is comfortable and elegant, which is a perfect vibe when you’re on vacation.
Getting There
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