Central KitchenAbsolutely wonderfulThe whole experience at Central Kitchen was wonderful. We were mesmerized by the cozy, yet hip decor upon arrival. Once seated, our waiter was absolutely wonderful - knowledgable and opinionated in the best possible way. Every dish was an explosion of flavor and the wine we chose was incredible. I would definitely recommend Central Kitchen!6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative food, but music too loudThe seared squid was delicious, pork dish well done, and servers friendly and efficient. I just don't understand why the music has to be that loud, especially early in the evening when the restaurant had only a few couples.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of our Favorite Meals in SFWe've eaten at a number of great restaurants in SF, and in this city, good is easy to find. But Central Kitchen was excellent. The flavors were complex and full of flavor; the ingredients were unique (not only focused on food trends), and the servings were surprisingly plentiful. And not only that, but the service was incredible. My water was always refilled, half the time without me even noticing; the food was brought out slowly - they weren't concerned with getting us in and out as quickly as possible, but instead were nicely pacing our courses. I'm sad to be leaving SF and not have another opportunity to return.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMNoisy & DeliciousGreat food & phenomenal service. The music was good, but way too loud for normal conversation. I was there to have brunch and catch up with an old friend. We had to use raised voices so didn't get to catch up as we had hoped.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMCentral Kitchen never dissapoints!Central Kitchen never dissapoints! They're always on their game and is absolutely beautiful all around. One word...#Deliciousness6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it!My husband and I had a few hours one Sunday morning while we had a babysitter watching our five month old and decided we wanted to have brunch at a new place and I discovered Central Kitchen in an article about new restaurants in SF in Travel + Leisure. Great space - love the high ceilings, windows and open space. The food was fantastic too. Glad we discovered it!6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic place. The foodFantastic place. The food was great and the service good. The tasting menu is on par with some of the best in the country. We will be back.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMDifferent and deliciousCentra Kitchen prepares both interesting and unique food combinations. The menu is small but there seems to be something for everyone from fish to poultry to vegetarian choices. The wine list offers selections from around the world.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMBest brunch everGreat service, great food. Just turn down the heat it was like a sauna in there when we first arrived but the heat was turned down after we requested it.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMthe food was very creativethe food was very creative and very good. The only downer was the noise level. As the tables avre very cllose together but because of all the hard surfaces the noise in very loud and everyone has to pretty much shout to be heard. In addition to that, the music is very loud. If you are a large group this might be ok, but not good for a twosome.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMFun fun funThis is the first time I've been to central kitchen and I must say the food is great. Did the course tasting and it was phenomenal! If you appreciate vegetables, you'll love the creativity of the chef's dishes. Also, they're not stingy and give a good quantity of food for a great price. Very casual atmosphere too.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative and delicious food.Creative and delicious food. Great service as well! Overall a great experience - only complaint was the music was too loud, although a good playlist5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMUnusual and delicious!In the 20th and Mission area, this restaurant is small and cozy and very noisy. They play loud thumping music, which then makes the patrons raise their voices. Within 10 minutes, I had a headache. To their benefit, they were able and willing to turn the music down a bit, but they were kind of scolding while they did it. Anyway, the food was really fantastic. Though we ordered pork loin and halibut, which were good, the real standouts were the vegetable accompaniments. I had large white beans with a delicious flavor, artichoke hearts, and other nice bits, and my husband had the most incredible kale flavored with bacon and mushrooms. I could be a vegetarian in this restaurant.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious foodThe food was amazing... had the mousse and salmon for apps and the gnocci (think they call it ricotta ravioli) and halibut. Everything perfectly prepared and seasonal. Great price too, dinner for two with two glasses of wine and two non-alco bevs was $100. Can't beat that for a top price restaurant. I thought it was better than flour + water (but admittedly am not a pizza fan, although if I could have the pizza at flour + water every day I would probably turn into one).5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMVibrant food scene tucked awayIn a quiet neighborhood , Central Kitchen has an unassuming prescence.
Half open roof it is a modern space. Delicious , creative dishes with farm to table philosophy5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMSimply deliciousThis was my first visit to Central Kitchen, and I left far from disappointed. Both the food and its presentation were stellar. The fava beens and peas with smoked salmon looked like a piece of art. I am looking forward to my next visit.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Neighborhood SpotI went to Central Kitchen for the first time last week with my wife, and my mom (she was visiting). The space is simply beautiful, with a open air feeling that gives the impression that you are dining outside even when you are not. The menu was well priced and everything that we ate was really great. BTW... get the french toast. It is amazing.
I just made reservations to go back for dinner. My recommendation is to get reservations now before this place becomes much tougher to get into.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMLove, Love, Love this place II(continued)
Noise can be really low early in the eve, thus suggested. Later it gets a little much for my late 40-something ears. This place is really lovely, it's the combination of things. Some of the food is unbelievably great--rabbit with kumquat small dish they were doing a while,--like the Mona Lisa of SF Cuisine, and all of it is very, very good, but it's the whole package that makes it a really enjoyable place5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food; distracted serviceThis out of the way place in an up and coming neighbourhood provided great food, but slightly distracted service. Our server kept looking over our heads at - what? Prettier and younger guests? Perhaps; the average age while we were there was somewhere north of 60. The food however was very good - fresh, delicate veggies with yummy sauces to start on the prix fixe menu. A very Eurocentric wine pairing was interesting (orange wine, anyone?). After a week of very good eating in the Napa valley followed by a couple of nights in SF, the menu is a bit of a blur - but my recollection is one of good food prepared with care and just a hint of eccentricity - in a good way of course!5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMMission GemI've been several times and this was by far the best meal I've had there and one of the best meals I've had in some time - vibrant, fresh ingredients cooked with subtlety and nuance...5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat tastes - inventive andGreat tastes - inventive and seasonal dishes. Delicious!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMMother's Day May Have Been OddWe had our first Mother's Day with our baby and celebrated here. It was fun as I am in the industry and there were several friends (chefs, bartenders and more) that were there as well. The food was outstanding but we had to literally flag someone down every single time we needed something. No one ever came back to check on us. They never asked us how things were, only asking us what else we needed. Maybe the staff was too young and inexperienced, especially for a place with such high acclaim. Maybe it was because of Mother's Day, but whatever the reason, I expected a place like this to not suffer from this amateur mistake. We'll give it another try though, for dinner and on a normal night.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMfabulous foodhad a great meal, menu fit for foodies. outstanding dishes were duck confit and beef tartare for appetizers and pork with green farro and herb & ricotta dumplings for main. be sure to check out the tasting menu and if you see something you like, ask waiter if that can be made a la carte.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of San Francisco's best.One of San Francisco's best. The food is inovative and amazing.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat weeknight dinnerThe apps were fantastic - shared the charred snap peas (hard to stop eating!). The flavors were delightful. The marinated squid was also delicious. Delicate, complementary flavors from the orange and elderflower. Don't miss the Ground Effect, Rock Garden red. It's become a new favorite wine.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMEclectic staff makes thisEclectic staff makes this a great city find with food to match. Menu options are simply crafted so that you focus on the elements of the dish and don't get lost in a myriad of choices. Wine selection is ok, beer selection could be improved. Noise level is certainly a consideration, but it's energetic and fun. Great meal, great service, really great space.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMSome hits, some missesMy boyfriend and I came here after hearing that it was the same chef as flour + water, which we love. The ambiance is great - we sat under the retractable awning which is nice on a rare warm evening, the lights add a romantic glow, and the noise level is just right. The food was good, although some dishes were better than others. We loved the snap peas and we couldn't get enough of the herb & ricotta dumplings. The halibut was bland, but the textures were good. We finished with the caramelized honey custard which was fantastic. Others have complained that the portions are too small, but we both left feeling satisfied. Would come here again.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMThe cool industrial vibe isThe cool industrial vibe is just hip enough. The staff are cordial and knowledgeable. The menu is interesting, and the flavors sing. Everything is in perfect balance, with no one ingredient overshadowing another. We are eager to return.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMeverything was delicious -everything was delicious - what struck us the most is the freshness of all the ingredients - it was almost like they were just picked from the back yard4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing foodSome of the best food I have ever has but seedy neighborhood nearby. You should take a cab one drive...definitely not the bus.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThe chef is brilliant to beginThe chef is brilliant to begin with, and so accommodating of preferences. Wait staff is really attentive and knowledgeable (and friendly). Recommend the cheese to start and they know how to pace the food and service and time things right so you don't feel rushed out. Please bring back the juice flight! (I understand they are working on it.) Also, even though 530 may seem like a lame early dinner time, on a sunny day the dining room is soaked in light, the ceiling rolls back and you can enjoy the great food, atmosphere, fresh air, and choices in music.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFun and delicious, great service;Fun and delicious, great service; some dishes amazing, others didn't quite work or were a bit skimpy; main downside was too loud.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMLovely lovely meal. We hadLovely lovely meal. We had the tasting menu with cheese plate. Delicious wine list. The service was very attentive and good. My only issue is that the meal itself felt like it took a long time. We started at around 7/7:30 and did not leave the restaurant until closer to 11. I've lived in Europe, and long meals are great. But it felt like it took forever between courses. I'm not sure if this was due to the tasting menu. We had multiple parties around us eat and leave.
All and all, I'd come again. I'd just be prepared about length of meal.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was excellent andEverything was excellent and exquisite! We loved everything we ordered. The service was flawless. We love it!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was excellent and serviceFood was excellent and service was good. Our server was helpful without being pushy. He even took note that it was our anniversary!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a great gemBrought a group here for a celebration dinner. Service and meal were excellent. The spring pea salad was amazing.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMOasis in the MissionWe tried the tasking menu -- the variety was great and the portions perfect. The service was excellent, always there when needed and never in the way. We brought 2 bottles so did not dip into the wine list, however they have a number of excellent choices there (including the Skylark Grenache).4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat food, but they repeatedgreat food, but they repeated "wild horses" by the rolling stones TWICE, and spent nearly 1.5 hours playing nothing but rolling stones songs during our meal. not to say they aren't a great band, but i expected more taste from a restaurant of this caliber.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGetting everything right!This was my second time at this place and certainly will become one of my regular spots.. My friend and I were running late and they held our reservation for an additional 10 minutes past the 15 minute "courtesy wait"
I did not catch the name of the young lady that greeted us, however she explained they would need the table for the next seating. I cerrtainly understood this request and we had plenty of time to share some amazing dishes. I do however miss the "juice sampler" from my first visit. I do not drink alcohol anymore and loved having a thoughtful choice..
Cheers to your amazing new place!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved the food! It's wasWe loved the food! It's was a Gastronomic experience!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMwine was eh...wine list waswine was eh...wine list was eh
food was unique
A+ service and ambiance4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and service are alwaysThe food and service are always wonderful but the room is too smoky due to the open kitchen. Seems like they need to figure out how to prevent that.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food. Great atmosphere.Great food. Great atmosphere. It was especially loud, especially for brunch, but the menu and food was really wonderful.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat restaurant with innovativeGreat restaurant with innovative wholesome, organic menu. Fantastic, professional, laid-back, friendly and knowledgeable service.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMJust a fabulous experience.Just a fabulous experience. I loved the setting and ambiance. The food was excellent, great wine by the glass selections, nice desert. All around a great evening with fantastic food. Parking can be challenging.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful inventive and yetWonderful inventive and yet approachable food. Expert, attentive service. We used a gift certificate and still got full-on service. Asked for wine advice, giving taste and budget, and got a great recommendation. Would love to return.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is a great new spot inThis is a great new spot in SF. The food was amazing, but you MUST get the beef tartare if it is on the menu. My wife and I were fighting over the last few morsels of it.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMMcNaughton and his groupsMcNaughton and his groups ceases to amazes me. The food was incredible, fresh, and tasty. Our waitress was very attentive and was able to answer all of out questions. Although we were seated 45 minutes after our reservation time, the staff did everything they could to make us feel welcomed.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMprobably one of the top foodprobably one of the top food in SF
very creative an super passionate staff4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMBrunch, as always, was wonderful.Brunch, as always, was wonderful. We keep going back! My favorite is the poached egg on polenta.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AM