Family Dining in Marin (with a View): The Mountain Home Inn

Our family loves to explore Mt. Tamalpais. Usually, we pack a picnic for lunch during our hikes, but on our last visit we decided to take the kids to the Mountain Home Inn, one of the few restaurants up on the mountain. It was a gorgeous, clear day, and we knew the views from the restaurant's deck would be amazing.

The Mountain Home Inn has been a fixture on Mt. Tam for a century, and it's a great place to stop for breakfast, lunch, or dinner before or after your Mt. Tam adventure. Of course we opted to sit outside on the deck, taking in the spectacular views of Marin County and relaxing in the shade of the patio umbrellas. Our friendly and attentive server brought us a bottle of water infused with mint as we perused the menu.

The Mountain home inn offers a variety of dishes, from bratwurst on a bun with house-made potato chips (a nod to the inn's beginnings as a Swiss/German roadhouse) and burgers to fresh pastas and a vegetable frittata. There's also a children's menu, which is offered up with crayons for coloring, that includes favorites like chicken fingers and fries, kids' pasta with butter and parmesan, french toast, and more.

I had the fresh-tasting goat cheese and vegetable frittata, which was served with a green salad and some of the Inn's crispy house-made potato chips ($11). My husband had what he assured me was a very delicious turkey club with bacon, avocado, and tomatoes, served with a citrusy coleslaw along with more of those chips ($13).

The kids opted for the pasta and chicken fingers ($5 each), which, while being pretty standard kids' menu fare, made them happy. Since we were in a festive mood, the kids ordered Shirley Temples, which were served in large pint glasses.

For grownups, the Mountain Home Inn offers a variety of beers on tap as well as an extensive wine list.

The Mountain Home Inn is located at 810 Panoramic Highway in Mill Valley, near Muir Woods and Mt. Tamalpais State Park. They're open for lunch Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesdays) from 11:30 am to 3 pm, and dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. It's also open for dining from its bar menu on Mondays from May through October until 7 pm.

Parking in the area can be a bit of a challenge; the West Marin Stagecoach stops right in front of the Inn, so public transportation is definitely an option. The Mountain Home Inn also offers overnight accomodations in its 10 rustic guest rooms.

For more information, visit www.mtnhomeinn.com or call (415) 381-9000.