“Dark Park” & Pizzeria Picco (Downtown Larkspur, CA)

I used to think “Larkspur” and“ ”Larkspur Landing” were one in the same.

I was wrong. Larkspur is a little town with one main drag (Magnolia Avenue) versus Larkspur Landing (a combo of ferry terminal and a cool mall (Marin Country Mart).

So, yesterday, we checked out “Downtown Larkspur” — and it was worth the visit!

Coffee First

We started at Equator Coffees at 240 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, CA 94939. (Parking on Magnolia Avenue was super-easy at 10:30am when we arrived).

The outdoor umbrella/table scene was lively with locals and their dogs and cyclists:

Equator Coffees on Magnolia Avenue in Downtown Larkspur, CA

The Equator coffee team was attentive (they whispered “Do you want whip cream” when I ordered a “kid’s cocoa”).

The inside of Equator Coffees (Downtown Larkspur, CA)

Their Latte (Oat milk for me) was respectable (with love):

Oat Latte at Equator Coffees (Downtown Larkspur, California)

“Dark Park”

Next we walked over to Dolliver Park. Locals call this “Dark Park” because of the shade from the awesome redwood trees.

Redwood Grove in “Dark Park”, Larkspur, CA

You can easily find shade (or sun) and our 6-year old loved climbing on the old tree trunks.

Cool tree trunks that look like the letter “M” in Dark Park, Larkspur, CA

A creek runs alongside Dark Park, attracting our son for a solid 45 minutes.

A creek in Dark Park in Larkspur

Pizza on Magnolia Avenue

For food, we walked to Pizzeria Picco on 316 Magnolia Avenue. They don’t take reservations so I lined up at 11:53am for their 12p opening (I was first in line).

Pizzeria Picco on Magnolia Avenue in Downtown Larkspur

We ordered 2 Margharita Pizzas. I’d give the pizza an 8/10 (a little cheesy):

…and this Gem Salad (with both Buttermilk and Vinaigrette dressings on side) was a 10/10 (crispy onion rings and pickled onion on top!):

…and a Shirley Temple and a carafe of Pinot Gris:

They take their wine seriously:

Pizzeria Picco had warm neighbors including this pup:

Though we ate outside, the inside is thoughtfully done with some nice art work:

Things We’ll Do Next Time!

First off, we’d definitely go back to Downtown Larkspur.

A couple of things we’d love to try next time:

Perry’s Restaurant (American Traditional) (234 Magnolia Ave, Larkspur, CA 94939)

Don Antonio (Italian) (455 Magnolia Ave Larkspur, CA 94939)

If you know of any day trips (within 90 minutes) of Oakland/San Francisco, please ping us with a comment. Have fun in Larkspur!