SFBU’s Restaurant and Eateries Guide in Fremont, Silicon Valley, and Beyond!

Restaurants in Fremont

As a Bay Area university, we understand how special our home is. San Francisco Bay University is situated where the apex of art, culture, technology, and cuisine come together. SFBU is proud to be part of such a thriving community. The culinary opportunities are ripe in the area around Fremont, California - an area filled with California universities and colleges, technology companies, and more. Imagine the possibilities not just for SFBU students, but for parents, friends, family, and other visitors. From hamburgers to Michelin Stars, we’ve got it all.

Still, what if you’re an SFBU student not necessarily looking for the next Michelin Star or three? Maybe you just want to eat somewhere good and close to campus. Time is of the essence in your studies. That’s why we wanted to balance our list not just with excellent culinary opportunities but also with places that are close to campus and easily accessible. Of course, we want to give our local businesses here in Fremont, California some love. But still, let’s take a small trip around San Francisco and the Bay Area.

Why is the San Francisco Bay Area a Culinary Capital?

People usually talk about New York and Los Angeles. Go to Paris they say. But there are currently 115 options on the Michelin Star San Francisco List. There is a LOT of good food in the Bay Area. San Francisco has become known as a culinary destination for good reason. Northern California is a beautiful destination and a perfect place to create culinary expressions of taste and presentation.

When you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you know good food. The standard for fine dining excellence can be found right here. San Francisco restaurants are on the cutting edge of not just food preparation, but food design. The Bay Area is a place where gastronomy meets cuisine. Restaurants like Atelier Crenn set the standard for Bay Area innovation in dining and are still there creating delicious dishes for lucky diners. Other San Francisco legends perfect for a partner or visiting parents include Nopa and Ryoko’s.

Northern California is home to some of the country’s best wineries, the most fertile agricultural land, and the highest-quality seafood and meats. The restaurants with access to these treasures of land and sea create amazing things out of them. And it is they who have put San Francisco on the map as the cuisine capital of the country. Yet, there is more to San Francisco than Michelin Stars. Here, students attending colleges and universities in Fremont and the surrounding areas want to know where to eat. Maybe they don’t want to trek into town for a Michelin Star. Let’s get local.

A Bay Area University Beyond the Bay

We like to say “We are the bay.” But we are also a university beyond the Bay. And we mean that in a metaphorical sense. We are a part of the Bay Area, but we are in an area of our own. We are in Silicon Valley. There is an entirely different scene here and SFBU students can feel it. Whether seeking a U.S.-based education from another country or from the local area - attending university in Fremont is a different feeling.

And with that different feeling comes different culinary opportunities. When you talk about eating in Fremont, San Jose, or other areas, people wonder, what’s going on food-wise in the tech suburb? Well, quite a lot actually. Indeed, if San Jose has any distinguishing characteristic, it’s that it is, far and away, the Bay Area’s greatest immigrant food city.

Don’t let the tech-heavy narrative of the Silicon Valley area drown out the culinary identity of the place. Food hubs like the predominantly Mexican and Vietnamese enclaves of East San Jose came into being, in large part, because those neighborhoods were the only areas in San Jose where working-class immigrants and refugees could afford to live and open businesses.

It is also important to consider geographic proximity. Many of these small neighborhoods were so close together that a lot of the immigrant children who lived there went to school together, became friends, married, and intermingled their cuisine. This led to a vibrant fusion cuisine scene in the San Jose area, and it shows.

Top Tips for SFBU Students Looking for Eats in the Area

First, consider some of the Best of Fremont options in 2021! Although Fremont is part of the Silicon Valley area, we do have our own distinct flavor and lifestyle here. Each year the Best of Fremont list puts together some of the highlights of our hometown.

Otherwise, there are some quite decent places around the university students can choose from to get a quick, healthy, and tasty meal. We did an internal poll here of SFBU employees and admissions staff to figure out the places we like and would be happy to recommend to our students. Here’s where we would recommend if you want a good bite to eat in the area:

Paris Baguette: We found this to be a great option for someone seeking a sweet treat or a pastry on the go. They are a local bakery that tries to provide a personal feel. To them, pastries aren’t just a product, they are their passion. They have bakers, cakes, and baristas serving up freshly-baked loaves of bread, delicious coffee, and cakes more than worthy of SFBU students’ standards.

Sala Thai: This one was on more than a few internal lists. Not only is Sala Thai only a couple of blocks from the school, but it’s also one of the better Thai options in the area. Because Thai food isn’t hard to come by. It's great Thai food that stands out, and Sala Thai is pretty great. Students can eat in or order take-out and can expect fast service and affordable prices.

Chaat Bhavan: While we are going around the world with recommendations, we figured why not take students to India! Even better, Chaat Bhavan specializes in vegetarian food. For students who are a bit more discerning in terms of the meat they do or don’t eat, this option is just for them!

Fremont California is, of course, a vibrant city with lots of options. Students attending a Bay Area university here, whether SFBU or otherwise, have plenty of restaurants to choose from. Whether it be a delicious In-n-Out burger or a hot-fudge sundae from McDonald’s, all the options are right here!