Visiting Gilroy, California for the first time and don’t know where to eat? Eating out when traveling is both an adventure, and a gamble. Unless you stop at a chain restaurant where menus are predictable, it’s challenging choosing from unknown venues, even in the Garlic Capital of the World.
You can play it safe with a franchise, but you’ll miss out on some of the best food in Gilroy. It’s time to think (and eat) outside the box. So back away from the clown head, step away from the golden arches, and get ready to discover some of Gilroy’s best off-the-beaten-path eateries. Here’s a days worth to get you started.
Breakfast
OD’s Kitchen- Ask any local where the best breakfast in Gilroy is, and you’ll likely hear, “OD’s Kitchen.” With a Yelp rating of 4.5 stars from 187 reviews, this is the place for the best breakfast in Gilroy. OD’s serves homemade biscuits and gravy that makes you want to kiss the cook. There is something here for everyone with prices under $9 for most meals.
OD’s Kitchen
28 Martin St
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 847-3818
Lunch
Barbeque 152- less than one mile from Gilroy’s Best Western Plus Forest Park Inn, Barbeque 152 serves up some of the most outstanding smoked meat this side of Texas. Who can resist a genuine pulled pork sandwich slathered in Hog Wash, a side of homemade potato salad, finished off with a warm berry cobbler piled high with vanilla ice cream? Can anyone say YeeHaw?
Barbeque 152
8295 Monterey Rd.
Gilroy CA 95020
(408) 842-4499
Dinner
Westside Grill- For dinner, the sophisticated palette will rave about Westside Grill. With appetizers like Wild Mushroom Bruschetta or Drunken Clams, followed by entrées such as Pan Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops, Bone-in Rib Eye, or Pork Tenderloin, dinner isn’t a meal—it’s an experience. Order a bottle of one of Gilroy’s local award-winning wines paired to your dish for a complete table d’hôte.
Westside Grill
8080 Santa Teresa Blvd.
Suite 100
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 847-3800
Written by Laura Wrede, Gilroy freelance writer and photographer