In downtown Half Moon Bay, there are tons of little coffee shops and restaurants to choose from. It’s kind of amazing considering the size of the town, but they’re there nonetheless, and it can be tough to choose which one to try. One of the best places offering coffee in town is Half Moon Bay Coffee Company, located at 20 Stone Pine Rd (#A). It’s a great place to go for breakfast (they serve the standard omelet and pancake fare), which can be hard to find on the coast. It’s right off of Main Street, so it’s perfect for a late brunch before getting a little shopping in at the downtown boutiques. Of course they offer coffee and other drinks for the kids and non-coffee drinkers, like juice, and I can personally vouch for their hot chocolate being way better than that of some other, chain establishments in the area (think rhymes with farducks). However, it’s their bakery that gives them that little something extra over the other “one of a kind” coffee shops in the area that makes them worthy of checking out when you’re in town. I have friends who rant and rave about the chocolate cake, which is definitely decadent. For me, it’s almost too much chocolate, and believe me when I say that I like chocolate. I’ve also been told that the carrot cake is all kinds of awesome. Everything is clean and bright, making it a comfortable place to grab a bite. If you want to grab a bite or something else, try GlobalYP.net, the local online directory.

1. Click Here to Open another Window and Go TO:  www.GlobalYP.net

2. Search for the Business you would like to Review using the name, City, and State. (You will want to use the correct business name, or you may not be able to find the business).

In this example I searched for “Mountain Mikes Pizza” in Belmont, CA -Make sure your spelling everything right, don’t use abbreviation, If I had searched for Mt. Mike’s Pizza, I would not have found the listing.

3. Because there is ONLY ONE Mt. Mikes Pizza in Belmont, CA I was directed to a page with a map, showing me the location of the business:

4. I then copied the URL of this page: http://globalyp.net/search/do_search?keyword=Mountain+Mikes+Pizza&location=Belmont%2C+CA&new_search=1

This long URL is what will direct people to my business’s listing on GYP, it also proves that I have review a legitimate business and it provides the contact information for that Business.

5. PROBLEMS FINDING THE BUSINESS LISTING:

-Some of the listings are not in our directory, but we want to add them. If you are reviewing a business that is NOT in our directory (please check) then gather the correct name, address, and phone number for the business from another website, by contacting the business, or by using a phone book. Place this information in the box below the GYP URL box. You will not be penalized if your business is not in the directory. However please make every attempt to find the business in the directory before classifying it as “new” business.

-You can also try searching under the type of businss, for example: Had I typed in Mt. Mikes Pizza, I would have have had NO RESULTS. However I might have then typed in just “pizza” in Belmont, CA and then I would have been given a list of listings and been able to find the listing I wanted. c. Broaden you location search. Your business might be located on a city line, and therefore you might be confused by which city it’s actually located in. Sometimes searching by just the State, can help to broaden the search so you can find the business you are reviewing.

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To Enter the Business Review Contest:

You must make sure that you submit the correct Business Name for the Company you are Reviewing

1. Please do not use abbreviation of the business title, or “local” names.

(For Example: If the Business Name is Bob’s Traditional Seafood and Grill, DO NOT call it: “Bob’s Grill” or “Bob’s Seafood” or Bob’s S&F)

2. Using the proper title will assist the Judges in validating information about the business being reviewed. If the judges question the authenticity of the reviews content, or question it’s uniqueness and they are unable to locate supporting information about that business then the review may not be considered to be a winner.

3. If the business has a cool nick name, tell us about it, in the review. Why does it have that nick name? This is a great way to showcase a business and tell people why its the best. For this box howevern, please use the business’s proper/ legal name.

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Sue’s Hair Factory is located in Springfield, VA and is one of the local treasures. Sue and her staff are always ready to take new customers and do what they can to meet their needs. They provide a wide variety of services for men, women, and children, from haircuts to coloring, highlights, and all of the rest. They are always willing to listen to what you want and try to work with you if you are looking for a new look or a different style. The services are very moderately priced, and the staff makes you feel extra special. Sue’s has a large local following that know about the great service and good prices, but they are always open to a new customer or someone just stopping by. Sue’s is a charming local business that provides the best service that can possibly be offered, it is refreshing to go there and enjoy the great treatment and service. I have been going to Sue’s on a regular basis for about two years and have always been pleased with the service and treatment I received, you can’t ask for a better track record than that. Stop by Sue’s Hair Factory, you will be glad you did! For directions to Sue’s Hair Factory and to find more great places to visit in Springfield, VA visit the local online directory GlobalYP.net.

If massive cupcakes, ginormous slices of moist cake, pies, extravagantly topped brownies, cinnamon rolls with warm frosting poured over them or cutely decorated cookies don’t sound amazing to you, then you’re a liar. Sweet Jill’s in Long Beach, at 5224 E 2nd St, is a little bakery that gives every customer a big dose of tasty. Everything in the display looks delicious, so it can be hard to make up your mind, but I can personally attest to the magnificence that is their German chocolate cake (it’s rich and not for the faint of heart, but it’s always nice to take a few bites now, and have some for later), and I know everyone loves their cinnamon rolls (they bring out a PITCHER of frosting). Everything is made by them, and it always looks professional (if you want a birthday cake for someone, which I did afterwards with the German chocolate, or some cookies to bring to the office party etc.). Most importantly, it tastes good. There’s nothing worse than being lured into a bakery by the scents wafting down the street, only to take that first bite and taste the betrayal. That is so not the case at Sweet Jill’s. You can taste the freshness and quality, and it’s certain to appease your appetite for a sweet treat and guilty pleasure. When you’re in Belmont Shore, stop in for some tea and/or a snack of your choice, because Sweet Jill’s puts the good in baked good. Look for some other places to stop in using globalYP.net, the local online directory.

As a college student, I feel comfortable in saying that I know my pizza. It may not be good for us, but when you get the urge for cheesy, bready deliciousness, what can you do? You can go to Straw Hat Pizza at 1535 Meridian Ave, in San Jose, CA (or you can call, because they also deliver). Yes Straw Hat is a chain pizza place that we all know has pizzas, a salad bar, sandwiches, fries and “groovy twists” (breadsticks) and the usual (including dessert, which other pizza chains tend not to do), but this one is a cut above the other Straw Hats I’ve been to. I’ve personally seen someone come in and tell the manager to just make them a pizza with whatever they want on it, but no tomatoes or sauce. As far as I was concerned, chain pizza places tend to be more “order off what you see here and wait for 20 minutes until it’s done”. Instead, the manager just took it in stride, brought out the pesto and made a pizza that was surprisingly upscale for a little chain like Straw Hat. Pizza places are a great place to have events like your team parties, to hang out with your friends and indulge in some arcade games and junk food (or you could go to the salad bar, but let’s be honest…no one’s going to Straw Hat for salad), but did you also know they can be a great place to hear live music? If banjo music is your thing, or you just want to people watch the type of people whose thing it is, at this particular Straw Hat, Tuesday nights starting at 8:00pm, are banjo nights with The Peninsula Banjo Band. Yes it’s a little random, but it’s usually packed, so there must be something good about it. I do know that the food and the people who run it are definitely something good about this Straw Hat, so if you crave some ‘za, check it out. If you’re craving something else, or want to know about places near you, try globalYP.net, the local online directory.

Fro-yo is basically one of the most amazing things in existence. I don’t know if it’s the texture, the taste, or some other quality that only frozen yogurt possesses, but whatever it is, it’s delicious. My absolute favorite place to go for frozen yogurt has to be Yumi Yogurt, at 3955 S El Camino Real, in San Mateo, CA. It’s really hard to find frozen yogurt in Northern California, and even in Southern California it’s mostly chains with yogurt that tastes like frozen bitter water (keep your faux-yo to yourself So Cal). Thank goodness for Yumi. It’s conveniently located near Hillsdale Mall (so you can just “happen” to be in the neighborhood and by that point you “might as well” go get some fro-yo), and they offer a ton of flavors. Their portion sizes are gigantic, a small is more than enough (unless you’re having a fro-yo attack, in which case I completely understand springing for the next size up for just a few cents more), they also have lots of different toppings (candy, nuts, fruit etc.), and offer regular ice cream, smoothies, and a few other frozen sweet treats. But really, let’s be honest, it’s all about the frozen yogurt itself. They rotate their flavors through, but there’s always some kind of vanilla and at least one kind of chocolate available (I’m a sucker for a half and half chocolate/vanilla deal), and they’ll give you a sample of anything you want to try. Whether you want tart, sweet, fruity or sugary, there are always several flavors to choose from. It’s pretty small inside, but there are some outside tables, and they’ll give you a to-go lid if you want. Depending on when you go, Yumi can have a line out the door, but it usually doesn’t take that long to make it to the front and to your cold creamy goodness. Yumi Yogurt is probably one of my favorite places to eat out in the Bay Area, and if you like frozen yogurt, try it and it will be one of yours too. If you like other things, and want to find more to try, try searching on globalYP.net, the local online directory.

Sofa Outlet is a family owned and operated business located conveniently near El Camino Real in San Mateo. This little shop has tons of great deals to be had. If you’re even thinking about purchasing a ready made or have a sofa custom made this place needs to be at the top of your list for places to visit. The prices are beyond reasonable and the quality of their product is sensational. In addition they have a great side store that has all their discount furniture. They do sell items in addition to sofas, so if you’re looking to remodel the entire living room this is your one stop shop. The customer service was excellent and the selection is unbeatable. The next time you’re looking for a great place to take a load off, and possibly purchase a sofa, the Sofa Outlet in San Mateo is the place to be. You can easily find directions to the Sofa Outlet on GlobalYP.net, an online local search directory. Sofa Outlet has been featured on Channel 5’s Eye on the Bay in addition to HGTV, but don’t take their word for it, see for yourself and don’t let another day go by, when you could be sitting on the sofa of your dreams.

If you live on the coastside, you know that delivery is a rare thing to come by. If you live in El Granada, you know that take out and casual dining in general are even rarer to come by. If you don’t want to drive all the way downtown, try Harbor Pizza. Located at 65 Avenue Alhambra in Half Moon Bay (it’s actually located in El Granada for you locals), they offer the usual pizzas (make your own and a few specialty pizzas). However, Harbor Pizza doesn’t end there. You can get a calzone with anything you could ever want in it (which honestly, is really delicious and an excuse not to share), garlic bread, or even a burger and fries. They deliver locally and never have I personally had nor have I heard of an order arriving cold (one of my friends had their number memorized to the point she’d accidentally call me trying to order pizza, so I consider my sources well tested). The restaurant itself is pretty small inside, but the beauty of Harbor Pizza isn’t in the décor, it’s in the delivery. However, if you feel so inclined, they do have a few tables and some pinball machines (Clint Eastwood pinball? Do you feel lucky?). It’s great for those days when you don’t want to cook but you don’t want to actually dress up and go to the effort of either a sit down restaurant or driving into Half Moon Bay. Harbor Pizza’s also a great option if you’ve been visiting the beach and worked up an appetite. The temptation of pizza and fries in the same establishment is hard to overcome, and I will admit that on more than one occasion my friends and I have decided to split both in order to make ourselves feel a little bit better about pigging out. Their veggie pizza is your standard peppers, tomato, onion and so on, but I can remember getting a niffty feta/onion/pesto combo once that was kind of amazing, don’t knock the feta till you’ve tried it. If you want to try something other than the feta, try globalYP.net, the online local directory, for places to go.

Located in downtown San Francisco, Ca Buca Di Beppo is a popular Italian eatery for both locals and tourist alike. However while this restaurant has gained wide approval for its in house service, it has come to the attention of a few that their catering is simply fantastic. A lot of businesses are seeking ways to keep their workers happy and motivated have come to the conclusion that a great way to build up team moral in these tough economic times is the cater lunch one day a week for the office. San Francisco is filled with a large number of restaurants who claim to cater, but when it comes to service Buca Di Beppo is at the top of the game. While some catering or food delivery services will just drop the food and run, leaving you to set it up, figure out what it is, etc, Buca Di Beppo did more than just deliver, they actually catered the food. When the delivery man arrived, they were kind and courteous. He started by laying down a thin plastic table cloth and then began to unload the food and arrange it on the table. He carefully explained in detail each of the dishes, pointing out which dishes contained meat and which were wholly vegetarian. He not only provided plates and plastic utensils but in addition they provided serving tools, which is great because a lot of offices don’t have serving tools. Before leaving the delivery man made sure that he answered any questions and he even added the dressing and artfully tossed the salads so that all we had to do was serve our selves. The food was tasty and there were barely any leftovers. If you’re looking great food that tastes good in the restaurant as well as in your office, Buca Di Beppo is the place to go, or call them up and have them bring their great food and service to your office or catering event. To find the phone number and the locations of the nearest Buca Di Beppo Restraunt visit GlobalYp.net a local search directory. Buca Di Beppo has over 80 locations nationwide and has been serving patrons since 1993. If you haven’t tasted Buca Di Beppo you’re missing out on great Italian food and service that actually deserves a tip.