The Refuge

Hand-carved navel pastrami and most Belgian ales on draught in Bay Area.

The Refuge opened in San Carlos in March 2008 under husband-and-wife team Matt Levin and Melanie Roth, who work alongside director of operations Luciano Marquez. Pastrami is the dish the restaurant builds its story around. Levin and Roth spent two years cooking in Paris in Michelin-starred kitchens including Les Ambassadeurs at Hotel de Crillon, Taillevent, and Le Pre Catelan, and the restaurant takes its name from Le Refuge, an old wine bistrot near their Montmartre metro stop.