Manka's Inverness Lodge, Inverness

At Manka's, just an hour north of San Francisco amid patches of coastal forest, the offerings are full of whimsical dishes made daily from fresh local ingredients. The menus themselves describe each plate with weird platter. You can sometimes find "Mussels Topped with More Mussels" during Saturday Night Supper, while "Sunday Service in the Church of Culinary Delights" sometimes features "Sole Saved from the Surrounding Seas" (you are charged not for the food, but for "your penance"). Meals are often of the fixed-price persuasion, so prepare yourself for a full-on fine-dining experience. The kitchen prides itself on serving goods "farmed, fished and foraged within a half hour", and that attention to detail keeps appreciative patrons coming back for more.