A century ago, Pacifica was mostly artichoke patches and sand dunes, part of what Jack London described as “the bleak sad coast of San Mateo County south of San Francisco.” As farms gave way to neighborhoods, the Ocean Shore Railroad was replaced by Highway 1, and surf culture took hold. “We used to surf alone or with a handful of other surfers,” says a second-generation resident, “so we’d look forward to seeing a car with a surfboard coming down the highway.”

Today, locals compete with out-of-towners for waves at Linda Mar Beach(true locals call it “Pedro”), and the city struggles to accommodate growth gracefully. Caltrans is building a two-bore tunnel to bypass the notoriously unstable Devil’s Slide; this year’s closing of the slide—which reopened in August—hurt business. In addition, a portion of Highway 1 could soon get widened from four lanes to six. Dubbed the Calera Parkway, it’s supposed to alleviate congestion, but more than a few locals oppose it—one called it “a six-lane speedway between two bottlenecks”—and the Sierra Club is in their camp. “It’s a short-term fix,” says the Sierra Club’s Melissa Hippard. “If you expand the highway, eventually all the lanes fill up.” Pacificans want their peaceful, foggy refuge to stay unspoiled, and they’re quickly becoming as protective as they are proud of the place. In this beach town, where it’s still possible to while away an entire day wandering the main drag and gazing at the waves, “progress” is a matter of opinion.


THE GRUB
Superfresh edamame, succulent sukiyaki cooked at your table, and a Northern California riff on sushi—warm Crespi rolls, made of halibut, cream cheese, and asparagus wrapped in nori and then deep-fried—are just a few of the nibbles at Kani-Kosen Japanese Seafood Cuisine. 580 Crespi Dr.

The owners of San Francisco’s Vignette Restaurant opened an Italian eatery here in June, romantic Barolo Restaurant, where they make their own pepperoni and serve entrées like whole roasted golden trout for less than $20. 404 San Pedro Ave.

Cozy, low-key Nona’s Kitchen offers hearty home-style lunches and dinners with a California twist, such as crab cakes with red pepper aioli on a bed of wild mixed greens. 5450 coast hwy.

Don’t dis Taco Bell till you’ve tried it on a foggy day. In Pacifica, the Bell is packed with the flip-flopped and the bikini-clad every summer, when it can be tough just getting a seat on the beachfront patio. Nachos, anyone? 5200 coast hwy.

SHOP FRONTS
Owned by one of the first surfers to ride the up-to-50-foot waves at Mavericks in Half Moon Bay, Nor-Cal Surf Shop caters to those who thrive on thick wetsuits and Great White lore. 5460 coast hwy.

The five riders who run Gearhead Bicycles keep busy setting up dirt jumps and ramps for the charity events they host, including one in their parking lot last Earth Day that drew 700 people and raised money for environmental causes. Next up: getting approval from the city to build a public bike park. 5460 coast hwy.

The ocean-minded will feel right at home at Pedro Point Sirens, a hip boutique due to open this month filled with Maui tropical soaps, Banana Patch Studio ceramics, and handmade sunrise-shell jewelry from Kauai. 5410 coast highway.


HANGOUTS
It’s still the best place to hang, but when the surf scene exploded in the ’60s, Linda Mar Beach had fewer rules and regs. Today, cars are not allowed to park in the dunes. Bonfires, glass bottles, and unleashed dogs are verboten. And the city council is considering an ordinance that would ban ciggies on the beach, too.


WHAT IT COSTS
…to rent: $3,500 a month for a fully furnished, three-bedroom house at Anza Dr. and De Solo Dr.
…to buy: $899,000 for a two-bedroom condo with an ocean view at 217 Roberts Rd. “Thirty-seven years ago, a home in Pacifica might have cost $19,000,” says longtime realtor Andy Breslin. “Now, that same house costs $750,000.”


THE TALK
Florida entrepreneur R. Donahue Peebles wants to build a mixed-use commercial and residential development that has some Pacificans ready to boot him back to the other coast. Supporters say the development—which would include about 350 homes and condos and a five-star, 350-room hotel—would generate much-needed tax dollars; opponents find the plan too dense for the quarry site it’s been designed for and worry about ensuing traffic issues. Peebles isn’t rattled. “Without question we are going to develop that site in some way or another.”

ONLY HERE
When fall arrives, the West Coast gets its first dose of “winter juice”—big waves generated by storms. Surfers put their toes on the nose every October at the Big Chill Out, Pedro Point Surf Club’s longboard contest. In November, wave riders from all along the coast come to vie for a cash prize during Uncle Dick’s Surf Fest, but contestants insist there’s more camaraderie here than competition.

ON THIS SPOT
Although Pedro Point had been noted by early explorers, it was Gaspar de Portolà who put Pacifica and San Francisco on the map. On a 1769 expedition, the first governor of Baja and Alta California stumbled on the bay from a ridge above Linda Mar Beach.