SF to Salinas coastal trip

In two weeks myself and a friend will be bicycling from SF to Salinas, CA, mostly following Hwy 1 down the coast. Does anyone have food recommendations for Pescadero, Santa Cruz, Salinas or points in between (SF is covered, I figure we'll eat in the Richmond before setting out).

Do not miss Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero.

http://www.duartestavern.com/

You should also plan to visit the Giant Artichoke in Castroville.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/4024

Geo

I've been to Santa Cruz several times, and if there's any food there worth stopping for, it has thus far managed to elude me. I do like Penny Ice Creamery, which is very good.

Just finished this trip. I didn't make any highly noteworthy discoveries, although I certainly did eat a lot of food--fully-loaded bicycle touring down Hwy 1 burns some calories! I didn't manage to eat at Duarte's because our schedule mandated only a quick stop in Pescadero, but I did have a very good Italian panini sandwich at the place across the street (Arcangeli Market). I spent two days in Santa Cruz. Rolled into town and got a recommendation from the guy at the local bike shop to try Humble Seas Brewing, which just opened. Interesting IPAs and a pilsner, and they have some other good local stuff like Fieldwork on tap. They do have a limited food menu but we didn't get anything since we were heading for a spot on the other side of town that a local friend had recommended to my touring buddy for breakfast burritos. The Point Market is about a block from the beach, but it's very much a local's area about 1.5 miles away from the touristy areas, and all the other customers were local surfer types. The breakfast burritos absolutely lived up to the hype--I got a Barrel that day and then their giant burrito with three kinds of meat (don't remember the name) on our return trip the next day. Cheap, too--a large 'giant burrito' which staved off hunger for the next 7 hours of bicycling was $10. Super friendly service.

I sampled tacos at a couple places in Santa Cruz and points south, but nothing was better than 'good,' however I do recommend the (huge) tamales at El Rosal Bakery in Santa Cruz. I also made an impulse buy of two carne asada tacos at Olivia's Cafe right next to the train station in Salinas before hopping an Amtrak north. Tacos were solid, nothing amazing, but the fiery red salsa that came with them was great, and the place serves pupusas and a few other lesser seen dishes.

This was very much a bike-and-beach adventure first and a food trip second, and I wasn't able to check out some barbecue and destination taco places due to time constraints, but I enjoyed the area and will probably return at some point. And seriously, if in Santa Cruz, go eat a Barrel with the locals.