An honest answer to where to eat.

Restaurant reviews for the destinations, the weeknight rotation we go to, or the new restaurant in town — written by someone who actually lives here.

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The first question

What are the best restaurants near me?

We've all been there time and time again — Google, what are the best restaurants near me? Or, Google, who has the best tacos near me? What we get is every business in the area, their average star reviews, and no clear answer. We built Guiding Post to answer this question definitively — with actual recommendations, honest critiques, and the full story on why, all from a chef's eye. We pay for every meal, we visit more than once, and we don't write about the places we wouldn't send our family to.

Near me
0 reviewed · 8 on the list
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Reviews & Regulars

Two editorial formats.

Each restaurant we talk about is either a Review or a Regular. We don't frame our decision on a rating — we ask: is this a restaurant worth going out of your way for, or somewhere we'd go once a week? Some places are both. Either way, every piece requires two visits.

No comped meals, no press dinners, no paid placement.

The Review

For the plan-ahead nights.

Restaurants worth planning the evening around — drive for them, book ahead, give them the evening.

First piece landing soon.
The Regular

For the rotation.

The places we actually eat at on a Tuesday — weeknight family dinners, the reliable takeout, the spot we're at when we're not on a review visit.

First piece landing soon.
Frequently asked

The honest answers.

What is Guiding Post?
A chef-credentialed, hand-curated restaurant publication for greater Roseville. Reviews, guides, and openings from a working chef's perspective — covering Roseville, Rocklin, Granite Bay, Lincoln, Loomis, and Auburn.
How is this different from Yelp or Google?
Aggregators average together millions of strangers' stars, which guarantees every restaurant ends up a 4-point-something. We don't average anything. If we've written about a place, it's because we think it's worth your time and money in the specific frame the piece describes.
Do you take free meals or press dinners?
No. Every meal is paid for. No comps, no invites, no press dinners. Industry best practice (The NYT, Eater, The Infatuation) is self-funded dining, and we hold to it. If a restaurant recognizes us and sends out something extra, we note it and weight the experience accordingly.
How many times do you visit before publishing?
Every Review is based on a minimum of two visits, ideally across different days and different sections of the menu. The Regular format is written about places we've already eaten at many times, and we'll say so.
Why are there so few reviews so far?
Because we're new, because we visit twice before publishing, and because what we leave out is a message too. If a place in the coverage area hasn't shown up on the site, it's usually because we didn't think it met the bar.
Who writes it?
A CIA Hyde Park graduate with eight years on the line in professional kitchens, currently living in the area and eating out several nights a week. Every piece carries a byline and a credential. AI doesn't write editorial content here.
The newsletter

The opening, the menu change, the one worth driving for.

One issue, once a week-ish. New reviews, the occasional guide, whichever opening or closing actually matters. No ads in the editorial. Unsubscribe with one click.

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The weekly

Every Review, every Regular, and the occasional short — as they publish. Plus the things worth forwarding.

  • New Reviews and Regulars, in full
  • Openings, closings, chef moves worth knowing
  • First look at each quarterly guide
  • No ads in the editorial body
Coming later

Founding reader

A future paid tier for readers who want to fund the project directly. Details coming once the site has legs under it.

  • Everything in the weekly
  • Early access to guides and pillars
  • The occasional chef-hosted dinner
  • No ads, anywhere