Downtown Burlingame, CA: The Peninsula's Best Main Street
Tucked between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, downtown Burlingame punches well above its size. The city's two main commercial corridors — Burlingame Avenue and Broadway — offer the kind of walkable, small-town energy that's increasingly hard to find in the Bay Area.
Burlingame Avenue ("The Ave") is the main draw. Lined with boutiques, national names like Lululemon, Madewell, and Apple, and a dining scene that rivals San Francisco's best neighborhoods, it's a genuine destination. Standout restaurants include Mykonos Meze for Greek small plates, Pizzeria Delfina for wood-fired Neapolitan pies, Mingalaba for Burmese and Chinese cuisine, Copenhagen Bakery for European pastries, Maison Alyzee for French croissants and tarts, and Backhaus for sourdough and German-style baked goods. The side streets off The Ave — particularly Primrose Road — add even more to explore.
Broadway Offers a Completely Different Vibe: A Nostalgic, Mid-Century Feel With Mom-and-Pop Shops, Neighborhood Staples, and Local Institutions Like Preston's Candy and Ice Cream, a Burlingame Fixture for Over 75 Years. Getting around couldn't be easier. The historic 1894 Caltrain Depot sits at the foot of Burlingame Avenue, connecting residents directly to San Francisco to the north and the Peninsula cities to the south. Highway 101 is minutes away for Bay crossings or airport access — SFO is a 10-minute drive. Highway 280, one of the most scenic commute routes in the country, is easily accessible for those heading to Silicon Valley. Whether you're commuting, headed to a Giants game, or catching a flight, Burlingame's location is hard to beat.
It's also worth noting that neighboring Hillsborough — one of the most exclusive residential communities in the country — has no commercial zoning of any kind, making Burlingame Avenue the de facto downtown for both cities. That cross-border demand helps sustain the quality and variety of The Ave's dining and retail scene year-round.