by Gwen O’Neill

If you’re planning a road trip in your own “dream machine,” you might consider picking up some picnic fare to take along. Many local places have tempting offerings: here are just a few.

Salada Beach Café in Pacifica offers two panini favorites; a roasted turkey sandwich with tomato and melted cheese and a pesto sandwich with fresh mozzarella, fresh pesto and tomatoes.

Nona’ Kichen in Pacifica has a menu that changes daily. The day we looked, sandwiches included a corned beef reuben with melted swiss and sauerkraut and grilled meatloaf sandwich with cheddar cheese and sliced avocado. If you plan on stopping along the road for a picnic, their homemade artichoke raviolis in a lemon caper sauce might work.

Palmetto Organic Grocery in Pacifica sells Sweet Earth garden salads and lots of snack foods such as Clif Builder’s bars, Wallaby organic yogurt, Newman’s Own Organics salt-and-pepper round pretzels, and Alpsnack bars.

Blue Sky Farms Café in Half Moon Bay suggests the frittata breakfast sandwich — available all day — that consists of eggs baked with zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, onions and fontina cheese. The café’s baked goods also travel well.

Caffè Mezza Luna in El Granada has several panini to choose from. The tuna is served with celery, capers, lettuce and tomatoes. A traditional dish from Calabria is an eggplant bowl with vegetables. 

New Leaf Community Market in Half Moon Bay has an array of traveling food at its deli counter and throughout the store. Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips, Pacific Foods almond, hazelnut and oat non-dairy beverages, Hansen’s natural sodas, and Earth’s Best cookies and crackers will please many travelers.

Chez Shea in Half Moon Bay has a curry vegetable sandwich with sautéed bell pepper and onion, vegetarian curry sauce with raisins and veggies, jack cheese, white rice, romaine lettuce and salsa ranchera, all wrapped in a flour tortilla. Another choice is the Portabello mushroom sandwich grilled with caramelized onions, roasted peppers and braised greens, on house-made focaccia topped with a piquillo-pecan spread.

Casey’s Café in Half Moon Bay suggests a fresh-roasted turkey sandwich with cranberry on toasted ciabatta, whole wheat or sourdough bread, or select from the café’s wide array of entree salads that work well for picnics.

Café Classique in El Granada offers an array of bagel dishes: bagel and cream cheese, bagel and egg sandwich, lox and bagel (with cream cheese, red onion, tomato, cucumber and capers), and a veggie bagel. The café’s deli sandwich is made to order with the buyer’s choice of ingredients.

Duarte’s Tavern in Pescadero has an array of sandwiches on their menu such as linguica, turkey, tuna and grilled cheese but if you’re not going to be traveling too far so that a warm dish would cool too much, I would also include one of their great soups which are very “drinkable” like the cream of artichoke or cream of green chile. Folks in the know advise a mixture of the two.

Davenport Roadhouse further south in Davenport is an organic restaurant with take out items. The take out for the beach or road features locally unique, and wood oven-baked fare. They offer nine different pizzete and packaged meals

Cafe Soulstice in San Mateo creates healthy dips and snacks including a vegan “salmon” paté made from almond, carrot, kelp, onion, celery, lemon and tamari. A five-layer dip has sunflowers, guacamole, cashew sour cream, nacho sauce and salsa fresca. You can include flax crackers for dipping.

Que SeRAW SeRAW in Burlingame sells gourmet, organic, vegan and raw food. A “stand-up spoon” chili can be accompanied with a parsley kale salad with triple quinoa and avocado. It also sells organic crackers and desserts.