The San Francisco Chronicle listed East Brother as one of the best Bay Area views:

East Brother Light Station (as close as you can get without a reservation)

Dan Hernandez / The Chronicle

We could make an entire list featuring stunning views from our growing and affordable public ferry system. The city views from the Oakland/Alameda line (see below) was one of the recommendations on our first list.

But the Vallejo ferry’s pass by the East Brother Light Station, a small island just off Point San Pablo Harbor, is its own unforgettable experience. Heading outbound from San Francisco toward Vallejo, ferry captains will often split the 1,000 foot gap between the lighthouse and shore — as I said in my tribute to that Vallejo day trip: close enough that a guest at the island’s bed and breakfast might throw you a scone. It’s a thrilling moment that makes it feel like your commute is part of an old-school water ski stunt show.

CABBI Travel Blog featured an East Brother menu favorite:

Flemish Asparagus from East Brother Light Station

Perched on a tiny rocky island in the strait between San Francisco and San Pablo Bays, East Brother Light Station offers more than just spectacular views and Victorian charm. The historic lighthouse, which has guided mariners through these waters since 1874, is also home to one of the Bay Area’s most unique culinary experiences. The bed and breakfast inn’s four-course dinners have earned a reputation for excellence that surprises and delights guests who make the brief but exhilarating journey across the water.

East Brother Light Station at sunsetViews from East Brother Light Station

While the lighthouse’s breathtaking location and rich history often take center stage, the extraordinary dining experience deserves equal acclaim. Each evening begins with champagne and hors d’oeuvres as guests take in sweeping views of the San Francisco skyline, Mount Tamalpais, and the Marin coastline. But it’s the dinner that follows that truly showcases the innkeepers’ culinary talents.

The carefully crafted menus feature seasonal ingredients chosen with care, some harvested from the inn’s own garden. These artfully prepared dishes blend cultural influences from around the world, offering guests a memorable gastronomic journey to complement their island getaway.

Parlor of the East Brother Light StationSan Francisco room at East Brother Light Station

Among the treasure trove of recipes prepared by the innkeepers over the years is one for Flemish asparagus. This simple yet elegant dish celebrates the clean, fresh flavor of spring asparagus. The classic Belgian preparation enhances rather than overwhelms the vegetable’s natural taste with just a few quality ingredients: butter, lemon, eggs, and parsley.

This dish exemplifies the lighthouse’s culinary philosophy: simple ingredients, prepared with care, allowing the natural flavors to shine.

The dining room of the East Brother Light Station

The recipe is surprisingly easy to prepare at home, making it an ideal way to bring a taste of the lighthouse’s gourmet experience to your own table. Whether served as a sophisticated side dish or a light spring appetizer, this Flemish asparagus preparation transforms the humble vegetable into something worthy of East Brother’s elegant dining room.

Flemish asparagus, known as “asperges op Vlaamse wijze” in Belgium, has been a springtime delicacy in Belgian cuisine for centuries. Traditionally made with white asparagus, the dish exemplifies the Belgian approach to vegetable preparation—simple, respectful of the ingredient’s natural flavor, and enhanced with just a few complementary elements. In Belgium, the dish is often served as a first course during the brief but celebrated asparagus season that runs from April to June. The East Brother Light Station’s version adapts this classic preparation for the more widely available green asparagus while maintaining its elegant simplicity.

Top of the lighthouse at East Brother Light StationSailing near East Brother Island

While nothing compares to enjoying this dish while watching the fog roll in across the bay from the lighthouse’s cozy dining room, making it at home offers a small taste of the East Brother Light Station experience. The recipe serves as a delicious reminder of this historic lighthouse that continues to shine as both a beacon for ships and a culinary destination.

Beginning April 1, 2025, East Brother Light Station’s culinary traditions will be carried forward by newly appointed innkeepers Danielle La Vigne and Rachel (Rae) Colvin. The pair brings impressive credentials to their role as the 34th keepers of the lighthouse since 1874. Danielle holds a 100-ton Master’s License with experience as a chef, while Rae’s diverse background includes work as a bartender and gardener. They previously lived in Santa Barbara aboard a 70-foot sailing ship they worked on restoring together.

Flemish Asparagus

Courtesy of East Brother Light Station

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

·         3 pounds of green asparagus

·         2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

·         4 ounces of butter

·         1 tablespoon dried parsley or 1/4 cup of fresh parsley

·         Juice of 1 lemon

·         Salt and pepper to taste


Ingredients for East Brother Light Station’s Flemish Asparagus

Directions

Trim the woody bottoms from the asparagus (approximately 1/4 of the length). 

Starting under the head, peel the asparagus and set it in a pot of cold water with about a teaspoon of salt. If using green asparagus that’s pencil-thin or smaller, this step is optional.

Trim and peel the asparagus, then boil with salted water.

Boil the water and continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, until the asparagus is cooked but still slightly crispy. Set the cooked asparagus on a paper towel to dry.

Make the sauce by combining melted butter, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

To make the sauce, melt the butter slowly in a small pot, add the lemon juice, and combine thoroughly with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine chopped hard-boiled eggs with fresh or dried parsley.

Boil and chop the eggs, then combine them with the chopped fresh or dried parsley.

Place the asparagus on a warm plate. Place a heaping spoonful of the egg and parsley mixture on top. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the melted butter sauce over the asparagus.

Serve.