Discover Coastchef Scott Clark’s award-winning cookbook that brings together Californian design, photography, and 130 simple recipes for busy families.
Design and food often intersect in beautiful ways Coast is a good example. Created by acclaimed Chef Scott Clark, known for transforming fine dining into a beloved restaurant Papa’s Luncheonette in Half Moon BayCalifornia, the book is both a visual storybook and a functional guide for busy families looking for inspiration in creating simple seasonal recipes.
A cookbook as a visual journey
With more than 300 photos and 130 recipes, Coast celebrates the abundance and diversity of life in California. The book unfolds as a road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway, starting in Half Moon Bay and ending in Ventura County. Along the way, readers meet the fishermen, farmers, winemakers and foragers who shape the region’s food culture.
The photography, as seen in the picnic-by-the-seaside spread, is extensive and cinematic, yet personal: a lifestyle editorial and a family photo album. It captures the magic of golden hour meals, surfside snacks and everyday beauty along the coast. Coastal is known for its unique mix of design, storytelling and approachable cooking and was named Best Cookbook of Spring 2025 by Eater, the Los Angeles Times, And Epic.
Recipes designed for real life
Unlike many ambitious cookbooks, Coastal is based on accessibility. Clark translates the breadth of California cuisine into meals that are smart, accessible and adaptable to family life. The chapters are organized around lived experiences:
Road trip snacks – Furikake Popcorn, CA Muddy Buddies, Perfect Meyer Lemonade
Fishing and foraging – Dungeness crab rice, Lingcod Ceviche, fries with eyes
Lunch in the vineyard – Smoked mackerel with lemon-dill sauce, barley and wine grape salad
Back home with the child – Fish Stick Hand Roll Bar, Matcha Mochi Waffles, Watermelon Aqua Fresca
There are ironic texts everywhere that you don’t often find in cookbooks, playful asides and winks that make the recipes feel like a conversation with a friend, and not like a lecture from a chef.
Design details
The typographic choices reflect the atmosphere of the coast: round, friendly sans-serif letters combined with bold numbers that give the layout the clarity of road signs. The design feels both modern and approachable, emphasizing usability without sacrificing style. It’s a book you’ll want to have on your coffee table as much as on your kitchen counter.
More than a cookbook
Coastal blurs the line between cookbook and design object. It’s a celebration of California food culture and aesthetic sensibility, blending recipes, photography and storytelling into one cohesive experience. For design enthusiasts, the layout and images are inspiring. For home cooks, the recipes bring the spirit of the coast into the kitchen.
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