Café Tradition

The good: the entire desert menu, and the cod
The bad: the lamb, the chicken, the steak
The ugly: a very unimpressive dinner took 2.5 hours due to slow service.

Solid food, great presentation, very good people, my wife and I have come here a few times and have just really enjoyed it. Looking forward to dining again.

This evening was the first time we tried the French and Moroccan cuisine offered at Café Tradition. The ambiance was pleasant, the lighting dim but not too dark, and the music, French, tasteful and not too loud. I had the French onion soup and Moroccan cod with a glass pinot noir. Normally I would have paired the pinot with a beef dish, but it went nicely with the cod, which was flavored with delightful vegetables and spices. The soup was served piping hot, so hot that I probably should have waited to begin savoring it, but I just couldn’t resist the gruyère cheese. The meal was preceded by some of their homemade rolls, served with butter.
I would recommend this place for someone who is in search of quality cuisine and has plenty of time to enjoy it. It is not a place for those who are in a hurry as the wait time for both the soup and entrée was significant. Luckily, the waitress was pleasant and made conversation each time she checked on us. I plan on returning, if only to enjoy the crème brulee with a hot cup of coffee.

The food was good (not too many other French Moroccan places in the area), but the service was very slow.
Highlights were the French onion soup and the Moroccan appetizers. The tagine was a bit small and would have benefited from some couscous or bread on the side.
Service was very slow. This is a small place and they are lacking in wait staff. We had to wait quite a bit to get the entrée, order dessert, etc.

This place is wonderful! I read the reviews two years ago and have always wanted to try this place but every time I come by, it looks empty. Turns out I probably always walked by on the off hours, cuz the owner just told me they had a sell out weekend and Valentines is also booked. Well, I’m glad my girlfriend and I finally came cuz the food is WONDERFUL! It’s a mix of French and Morroccan food so it pleases two palates at the same time. My skinny girlfriend, who usually only eats half her plate, practically licked hers clean. (don’t get me wrong, portions are a good size) She and my other girlfriend both ordered the lamb dish. Both RAVED about the quality of the meat. flavor, tenderness, and so on and so on. I had an incredible Ravioli made with truffled mushrooms and something else with a light lobster sauce over it. I am not doing justice to these dishes with my descriptions but trust me, BOTH were wonderful. Save room for the chocolate mouse pyramid thing in the end. It’s also quality stuff! (my apologies to the Owner for my poorly written review) Without rewriting what’s already written, read Cheryl B’s review. This is a «take your time» and enjoy kinda place!

We were not quite sure what to expect when we walked into the restaurant since it just looked on in the old San Mateo downtown. But the service and food were great. If they spend a bit more on the interior it would have been nicer.
Because of the location (although you will have no problem on parking) it is rather quiet. we had lamb strew, french onion soup and salmon. They were all great.
Very friendly and relaxing place.

I love this little restaurant and try to go there whenever I’m in San Mateo. The owner is extraordinarily charming and friendly and the food is first rate.
It has never been busy when I’ve been there (which makes me sad) but the service was always very good, just attentive enough without being pushy. It’s not the fastest in the world but if you want speed, go to MacDonalds.

A fantastic meal!
Went to this café with friends who also are very good chefs and we all had a great time.
The atmosphere is very relaxed. This is a european-​style dining experience where it can be expected to linger and chat and enjoy the meal.
If I was short on time I’d choose a different café, mostly because I’d not want to rush and miss appreciating what the chefs here have to offer.
We all ordered something different off the menu and shared.
I am sorry I can’t remember what exactly we all ordered.
Guess I’ll have to go back!
YAY!

A neighborhood gem. San Mateo has more than it’s fair share of delightful, cozy, family-​run ethnic restaurants, and this is an important addition. Drissia, from Fez, and Jean-​Roger, from Marseilles, do everything here in an artfully understated French décor. The menu is brief, but included top notch escargot, crunchy-​cheesy-​sweet French onion soup, tagine poisson, and a delicious veal dish with an excellent reduction sauce. The vacherin & nougat desserts were superb!
I’m surprised to read so many 1 star reviews. The service was excellent when we went, although it was admittedly not too busy. French & Morrocan cuisines both have long shared traditions, and they blend beautifully. Prices are really quite reasonable, considering how challenging it is to prepare some of these dishes so well. We encourage locals to support restauranteurs like these to expand the culinary richness of the neighborhood!

Awful!!! If there was an option for a half star I would award them that!!! Service lacks! We waited over 90 minutes for dinner to be served without any explanation for the delay. The place was not busy at all – a first clue!
As a server I understand and respect the work yet the lack of service and apology is truly not acceptable. I even suggested the corkage fee be waived, which the server agreed to yet when the check arrived she only waived the fee for one of the bottles – not cool. Furthermore the server began to argue with me and blame my party since she had to return to the table to take the order duh lady that is how it works folks need time to view the menu prior to ordering. Oh and the customer is always right please learn some professionalism!

Is it French? Is it Moroccan? Is it a café? Is it a high-​end restaurant? It’s without an identity, and the food suffers for it. Both French and Moroccan are such strong and independent cuisines. To try to combine them makes each not great. And calling your place a café sends a certain message to anyone who knows better. This is most definitely NOT a café.
I really wanted a b’stilla, but it wasn’t on the menu. My first thought was «what kind of Moroccan place doesn’t have a b’stilla??» The prices were very, very high for a café, so I had high expectations. We started off with the soup du jour, which was a creamy asparagus soup and was quite good, as was the freshly baked bread. And then we waited for our main course. And waited. And waited. And then asked for more bread. And then waited some more. Considering we were one of only two tables in the restaurant, I wasn’t quite sure what the holdup was. Finally, we got our entrees. I ordered what was described as roast duck stuffed with veal, pork, and foie gras. Sounds yummy, right? What I got was some kind of terrine or pâté surrounded with duck fat and fatty skin. It was somewhat tasty, but not what I was expecting and certainly nothing I would go back for, even if I was in San Mateo again. My boyfriend ordered the lamb tagine, which we also had high hopes for since it actually came in a tagine. But alas, although it was somewhat tasty, it was cooked in another way and then just transferred to the tagine for presentation.
The server (owner?) was very nice, but nice won’t bring me back. I’ve had both Moroccan and French (at different places, thank you) that were half the price and twice as good right here in San Francisco. Café Tradition needs to find its identity and stick with it.

I’m wondering if I visited this place on an off night since my experience didn’t match what I’m reading from everyone else. The service was slow, our food was bland and the dessert profiteroles tasted like cardboard. My friends food was one color (brown). Mine was a different color (yellow). I did enjoy my appetizer of pastry wrapped cheese but it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t make at home with some Trader Joe’s chevre and a slab of Fillo.
We were only one of two tables in the restaurant so there really is no reason that my glasses were empty the entire time. I don’t think I’ll be giving this one a second chance.

Amazing food and the most wonderful owners!
I had a group dinner planned for earlier than the dinner hour. I left a message on the answering machine and the owner kindly called back to confirm the reservation, opening early just for our party.
Everything we ordered was wonderful! Loved the rich spices on the Moroccan fish and lamb dishes. Nice treat to have a nouveau beaujolais by the glass! The French appetizers (escargot, chevre tart) and desserts (profiterole, brulee) were perfect too!
Please support this neighborhood gem! What a fantastic gastronomic gift for San Mateo!

My wife and I visited for a winemaker’s dinner and the results were outstanding, from the food to the service. This was a ‘prix fixe’ dinner for $ 65 including wines, and was excellent value. The room is delightful.
We will return to sample the daily menu and will report on this experience for Unilocal but based on this first visit this is a place that is not to be missed.

One of the better restaurants in the area that no one knows about. Part of that is because of the area itself. An homage to both French and Moroccan fare but not a real fusion between the two. So I had to sample both. Foie Gras Terrine, Lamb Tagine, and Onion soup really hit the spot. The wife of the couple runs the front of the house while you might see the husband pop his head in and out. The space it much more formal than you’d think from the outside but he ambiance is quite comfortable. A great oasis from the more run down joints in the area, where the meeting of two cuisines are woefully under represented in the area. 4.3 stars

We live in the neighborhood and so happy to have found this gem. Which is the perfect blend of Moroccan and French saveurs. The food was delicious. We started with the Hudson Valley Foie Gras then onto the chicken tagine with housemade preserved lemons. We will be back soon soon to support such a charming restaurant.
HD

Quite by chance, I came across Café Tradition when I had some business on San Mateo’s 25^th Avenue. This is a very «neighborhoody» neighborhood that is doing its best to survive the downturn and figure out what sort of image to project.
A newcomer to the mix, Café Tradition lends a bit of class to the neighborhood, but it isn’t fancy.
The décor here says Paris, but the menu is a mix of mostly French and some Moroccan dishes. It was lunchtime and I wanted something quick and filling so I went for the «Croque Madame.» Although I couldn’t say I was served quickly, the wait was made altogether delightful by the (not loud) French music, a mix of contemporary and some old standbys like Edith Piaf’s «Non, Je Né Regrette Rien.»
The «Croque Madame» was perfect. Good, dense white bread with quality ham and Gruyère cheese with a lovely Béchamel sauce and a perfectly cooked egg on top. I took my time and enjoyed every bite. No room for dessert, alas.
I’m glad I stopped in and I’ll be back. Most definitely, «je né regrette rien.»

Heard about Café Tradition from a coworker and couldn’t wait to give it a try! The food was VERY tasty and everyone in our party of 4 was quite happy with their selections.
The service was a tad bit slower than I would have preferred, but they are still new and figuring everything out, so I didn’t ding them for that.
I am hoping they are reading these reviews on Unilocal as I have a couple suggestions.
First DIM the lights! It is waaaaaay too bright, both at the entrance and inside the restaurant. It really takes away from the atmosphere. Also, until they become busier, and I certainly hope they do in the near future, take away some tables. It feels very crowded with all the furniture.
As the food is great, I think Café Tradition is sure to be a hit once they get the little kinks worked out. Can’t wait to return to sample more of their tasty offerings!

I don’t think you could find another restaurant serving French and/​or Moroccan cuisine as good as theirs in this area! They opened recently and I was eager to try it since I’m from Europe and have eaten so many times Moroccan and French cuisine before. I knew the owners/​chefs were real Moroccan/​French so I just assumed the cuisine was gonna be good. And it is. I don’t usually like beef but the way they cook it makes it melt in your mouth and it’s so super yumi. Also you’re greeted in French when you enter the place or call them on the phone which is fun! :-)

French and Moroccan. How do you say? Tres Magnifique!
MMMMArvevelous. Decadent! Delicious! Wow!
This place is cute, quaint, and tucked away on 25^th Street mixed in between all the other little stores. Its so cute and small, you might miss it, so keep your eyes open.
The food is amazing! I ordered the Sea Bass wrapped in lettuce leafs, drenched in a mushroom sauce, with a side of wrapped vegetables cooked into a casserole…
My friend ordered Le Beouf. (the Beef Casserole.) I don’t eat beef, but looking at this dish made me actually consider it momentarily. the beef looked oh-​so-​tender and when my friend cut it with his knife, it looked as though it was going to melt into the plate…
The owner helped us with our wine pairings, I had the Chardonnay with the Sea Bass and my friend had the Bordeaux with his beef.
We finished off our meal with some of their Chocolate Tart. YUM! We both struggled to share it, because it was so perfect!
The couple next to us had the Apple Tart which, they said was out of this world… not too sweet, not too crisp, absolutely perfect.
I think I’m in love. with Café Tradition! At least for tonight… :-)

Craving French? or perhaps Moroccan? Can’t decide? PERFECT. Head over to Café Tradition and get a bit of both worlds!
This restaurant just opened in San Mateo, and offers French-​Moroccan cuisine. It was quite an adventure and delight having been able to try terrine of duck foie gras and figs, lamb tagine (slow cooked lamb with honey, cinnamon, raisins, prunes and almonds) and sea scallops cooked with mushrooms wrapped in a puff pastry. How we managed to also have dessert (vanilla crème and orange blossom crème brûlée), I do not know.
The service was great, the meal — both taste and presentation — were wonderful, and in general, this restaurant offers a menu that is just a bit different and definitely unique. 4 stars!