San Rafael, the funky, affordable anti-Marin, continues to thrive—even after the departure of its star-spangled neighbor.
Barbara Tannenbaum, Photography by Jenny Elia Pfeiffer
Lucas put this town on the map in 1973, when he filmed American Graffiti here—and boosted its image a few years later, when he fled Hollywood to set up shop several miles north of town. So some San Rafael locals were worried when Lucas moved his headquarters to the Presidio in 2005. Would the town lose whatever cachet it had gained from rubbing elbows with one of the country’s most successful filmmakers?
Turns out it wouldn’t, since San Rafael’s true appeal has long been its small-town, regular-folks vibe—and there’s no sign that’s about to change. After passing a string of seriously monied enclaves (Sausalito, Mill Valley, Ross) on the way up Highway 101, San Rafael is the first place you come to that’s relatively affordable—home prices clock in around $800,000, compared to a million-plus in surrounding towns—and its sizable working-class population gives the town an everyday mix its strikingly homogenous neighbors lack.
Plus, there’s actual nightlife in downtown San Rafael, another rarity in Marin. People flock from all over the county to catch indie films with visiting A-listers at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center. Starting each spring, the farmers’ market and outdoor patios at Fourth Street’s many restaurants keep the area bustling as late as—god forbid—10. North Beach’s Caffè Trieste opened on the City Plaza earlier this year, and a new branch of the East Bay’s now closed Kimball’s jazz club promises to debut soon. Outsiders may only stop at the big-box stores lining the highway, but it’s clear that San Rafael’s real asset is its downtown.
ONLY HERE
Celebrated actors and filmmakers regularly show up onstage at the revived art-deco Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center to participate in California Film Institute screenings and onstage Q&As. Audiences spill out to the sidewalk to photograph the likes of actors Adrien Brody and Josh Brolin and director David Lynch. 1118 4th St.
GRUB
There may not be any trade winds, but you’ll swear you’re in the Caribbean at palm-covered Sol Food Puerto Rican Cuisine. Linger over bistec encebollado (thinly sliced steak with onions), camarones criollos (sautéed prawns), and six ways to order plàtanos. 901 Lincoln Ave.; 732 4th St.
Catering to this movie-crazed town, Enrico Sbolci plays Italian movies on a flat-screen TV in his Cinecitta Ristorante Italiano (even the restaurant’s name is a nod to Fellini’s film studio). The bombolotti pastries filled with gorgonzola and porcini mushrooms, and the pasta with wild boar and black olive ragù, are as mouthwatering as Sophia Loren. 901 B St.
Two of Fourth Street’s Thai restaurants offer delicious entrées for around $10 in handsome settings. My Thai serves a standout seafood-pumpkin curry, while 10-month-old Citrus & Spice , a “Thai-California eatery,” goes the fusion route with portobellos stuffed with pork and basil, and sweet lychee saketinis. 1230 4th St.; 1444 4th St.
On the warm, balmy evenings so common in San Rafael, Lotus Cuisine of India opens up its retractable ceiling, letting the sizzling aromas of the tandoori oven, spinach pakoras, and chicken tikka masala waft outside. 704 4th St.
THE TALK
It’s been a year since federal agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 30 illegal immigrants from San Rafael’s Latino-populated Canal district. But Tom Wilson, executive director of the Canal Alliance, warns that ICE is still conducting sweeps, albeit on a smaller scale: “The disruption of family life in this community continues.”
SHOPFRONTS
Longtime boutique Viva Diva is arguably the most modern store on Fourth Street, offering women’s fashions from Free People, Weston Wear, and BCBG. 1327 4th St.
At Red Devil Records, Barry Lazarus carries a vintage collection of punk-rock vinyl with a good selection of jazz greats and classic rock, plus new and used CDs. 894 4th St.
Customers rave about the service and style at Bella. In addition to flirty dresses and tops, the store now sells consignment designer jeans, so you can snag those $165 Sevens for almost half off. 1332 4th St.
Clogs Unlimited’s name says it all. This specialty shop sells hundreds of styles by Dansko, Birkenstock, Joseph Seibel, and Sanita, to name a few. 1707 4th St.
HANGOUTS
Somehow, the family-owned Starbase Video Arcade has survived on Fourth Street for 26 years, despite the Wii in every household. Teens still gather here to compete in Dance Dance Revolution, Area 51, and
Pac-Man. 1545 4th St.
The Falkirk Cultural Center (above), isn’t just a beauty of a building—the 1888 Victorian mansion hosts a contemporary art gallery and the Marin Poetry Center, plus annual kid-friendly events such as the Alice in Wonderland Spring Faire and Mad Hatter Tea Party. 1408 Mission Ave.
There’s a Starbucks up the street, but Aroma Café still attracts an alt-weekly-reading fan base (and Isabel Allende) with its drip coffee, sizable salads, and Mediterranean plates. 1122 4th St.
Gary Fisher, co-inventor of the mountain bike, and Sean Penn have been known to sip a beer at Broken Drum Brewery and Wood Grill. 1132 4th St.
ON THIS SPOT
According to High Times, in 1971, a group of students called “the Waldos” used to meet at 4:20 p.m. to get high at San Rafael High School. Those students are credited as the originators of the slang term “420,” which now refers to anything related to Mary Jane. 185 Mission Ave.
