Flame & Fire Bakersfield Best Restaurants

The Best Restaurants in Bakersfield

By Mei Chen

Nestled in the heart of California's Central Valley, Bakersfield is a place where agriculture meets culture, and that blend extends to the food scene. Bakersfield’s restaurants are diverse, innovative, and full of local pride, offering something for everyone, whether you’re craving a steakhouse experience or a plate of handmade pasta.

1. Flame & Fire Brazilian Steakhouse

Yes, Bakersfield has a Brazilian steakhouse, and yes, it's worth it. Flame & Fire is where you go when you want to commit to the full experience: skewers of meat endlessly paraded around your table. Pro tip: go in hungry because they’re not shy with the portions. This is one place where gaucho pants wouldn’t feel out of place.

2. Luigi’s Restaurant & Delicatessen

This family-run spot has been dishing out Italian comfort food since 1910. But it’s more than nostalgia that brings people back to Luigi’s—think homemade pasta, massive portions, and sandwiches that are just this side of divine. Grab a bottle of wine from the deli while you're there.

3. The Padre Hotel

The restaurant inside The Padre Hotel is where locals go to eat, drink, and admire how they’ve managed to make a building that’s over a century old feel hip again. The Brimstone Bar offers everything from craft cocktails to inventive small plates, and let’s just say, it’s a far cry from the cowboy steak and whiskey scene of yesteryear.

4. Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar

When in doubt, noodles. Chef’s Choice has managed to perfect the casual, upscale balance without being, well, pretentious. It’s where you can tuck into a steaming bowl of pho or slurp down pad Thai without spending your whole paycheck, and the variety on the menu means you’ll never get bored.

5. Mamma Mia

While new on the scene, Mamma Mia has been quick to win over locals with its handmade pastas and Sicilian-style pizzas. It’s the kind of spot that feels like your friend’s kitchen, if your friend was a Sicilian grandmother who’s very serious about olive oil.

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