Fattoria e Mare is a labor of love for chef Pablo Estrada, and at this sunny market street, he has found the freedom and space to turn his culinary artistry into delectable dining experiences for each customer.
Discover Chef Pablo Estrada
Born in Mexico, Estrada grew up in his family’s bakery. He learned to make cakes and pies from his father and began to develop his ability to create art from food. After a move to San Francisco in 1993, he took up the family tradition, working as a baker at Cafe Pescatore.
In the three decades since, Estrada has worked with some of San Francisco’s top restaurants: Campton Place, Restaurant LuLu, Palio d’Asti, and many more. Estrada honed his craft with prominent chefs at Reed Hearon and Laurent Manrique and was awarded a Michelin Star four years in a row while at Luce. Furthermore, travels to Europe and the Americas helped him further refine his palate and sensibilities.
In 2014, Estrada left Rose Pistola to pursue his dream of owning a fine dining restaurant. A chance presented itself in the San Francisco suburb of Half Moon Bay at a location conveniently off the 101 freeway. After completely transforming the sunny space, he named his new restaurant Fattoria e Mare, Italian for “farm and sea.”
“Eighty percent of our food is locally sourced within 20 miles of the restaurant,” says Estrada. The restaurant’s menu is seasonal and served family style, offering authentic Italian dishes in a casual but elegant atmosphere. “I butcher my own meat and the fish is fresh from the pier nearby,” he says. Estrada’s history as a baker also comes into play; all the bread is made on site.
Food and Wine Pairing
At a recent tasting for food and wine writers, the enticing dishes such as tender pumpkin gnocchi, fresh margherita pizza, and Duroc pork chops were perfectly paired with curated selections from Barterra Winery, a tasting room located next door. Barterra sources grapes from small California producers creating wines representing the Golden State. The pourings for our seasonal menu, all on a “travel” theme, were selected for our luncheon.
The first course kicked off with roasted butternut squash with luscious burrata. Bright pomegranate seeds and toasted Pepitos decorated the dish. Chef Pablo also served a pillowy pumpkin gnocchi and butternut squash chips. The 2022 Vermentino, a crisp white from the Lodi region, highlighted the seasonal undertones of our dishes.
The second course spotlighted the 24-hour fermented pizza dough. We devoured the Meat Lover’s pizza, with tender crust and a perfect chew, topped with prosciutto, sausage, pepperoni, olives, and arugula. The Pizza Margherita boasted the freshest tomatoes and basil. The 2020 Sojourn Red Blend (Lodi) with Zinfandel and Petit Syrah complimented the red sauces.
Our next course continued the travel themed pairings with the 2019 Odyssey Red Blend (Lodi). The Syrah, Zinfandel and Petite Syrah complemented the pork and its tart huckleberry cherry sauce. Chicory and butternut squash puree rounded out the plate.
Finally, our meal’s last masterpiece was pumpkin gelato with pumpkin flan brûlée. The creamy custard and perfectly crisped sugar topping matched well with the 2022 French Colombard (Mendocino)’s semi-sweet finish — a fitting end to a beautiful meal.
Michele Baker and Julie Dee Suman co-authored this article. The San Francisco Peninsula hosted us.
Read more about our day in the San Francisco Peninsula: A Coastal Tour of the San Francisco Peninsula.
Learn about visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.
