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Discover the Best New Restaurants in San Francisco

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by The OpenTable Team
Updated October 23, 2019

As one of the world's most iconic destinations, San Francisco draws visitors from all over the globe to wind down Lombard Street, wander Fisherman's Wharf and take a boat trip to Alcatraz. For foodies, a different set of icons come into play – Dungeness crabs and oysters just plucked from the ocean, sourdough bread baked in the early morning hours and Mission burritos hearty enough to fuel the day's hill climbs. With such a beloved food scene, the best new restaurants in San Francisco really need to do something special. So where do the smartest, savviest diners go in San Francisco when they want to try a new hot spot? This is the Tastemaker 20. We studied data covering thousands of restaurants to find the best of them all according to OpenTable's most experienced users. The results prove that chefs can still pull off something original in San Francisco and entice locals away from their old favorites. A meal at one of these amazing new restaurants might mean endless dim sum with bay views or contemporary Italian fare in a cozy Castro neighborhood joint. We suggest booking a table at the most tempting of these 20 restaurants. Good luck picking just the one!

A photo of Lark restaurant
4.5
4.5 (78)
$30 and under
Mediterranean
The Castro
About the restaurant
One of the best new restaurants in San Francisco, Lark presents Mediterranean-influenced comfort food for dinner nightly, lunch and happy hour on weekdays and brunch on weekends. The charming Castro eatery is a rustic-chic space exuding warmth through exposed brick, dark woods and copper accents. Its menus include small plates and full-size entrees, all great for sharing. Standouts among the small bites include Kurdish meatballs in a tomato basil sauce, and cheese and charcuterie boards with ciabatta bread. Bigger plates include the signature Lark burger, a house-ground lamb and beef patty flecked with oregano and topped with burrata, and wraps filled with lamb or chicken souvlaki.
Top review
jennifer
Dined on Sep 21, 2024
Lovely intimate experience with friendly staff. Food was delicious.
A photo of Angler San Francisco restaurant
4.7
4.7 (191)
$50 and over
American
Financial District / Embarcadero
About the restaurant
Angler is a new venture from acclaimed chef Joshua Skenes, the man behind San Francisco’s celebrated Saison. Here, the focus is on sustainable seafood and wood fire, although raw preparations, game and vegetables deserve as much attention as the signature fire-roasted fish dishes. Angler’s menu is fully family-style, making it one of the best restaurants in San Francisco for dining as a group. Critics have universally celebrated Angler’s impeccable ingredients, meticulously selected by Skenes via a close network of local fishermen, ranchers, farmers, foragers and hunters. Augmenting the restaurant’s incredible cuisine is a bay-view venue on the Embarcadero with the aesthetic of a modern Scandinavian fishing lodge.
Top review
Taylor
Dined 1 day ago
My husband and I came here from New Jersey to celebrate the first night of our honeymoon and all I can say is RUN, don’t walk here. We chose the “let us cook for you” option instead of a la carte and this option was well worth the money and experience. The vibe of the place really set the tone for the evening. The decor was beautiful and warm, the staff were friendly and helpful without being pretentious, and the food was incredible. Everything we ate, we loved and each course was more mind blowing than the next. Thank you to the staff at Angler for an incredible evening!
A photo of The Vault Garden restaurant
4.2
4.2 (671)
$31 to $50
Californian
Financial District / Embarcadero
About the restaurant
The Vault Restaurant takes its name from the former bank vault at the base of the landmark Bank of America building in the Financial District, a space it transformed into a chic, modern and moody fine-dining establishment. Along with its notable venue, the restaurant presents some seriously good California-inspired cuisine by chef Robin Song for lunch, dinner and happy hour. Expect refined fare like truffle-stuffed chicken with salt-baked parsnips and Marin coast king salmon with summer squash, chanterelles and sauce gribiche on the dinner menu. Lunch leans a little more casual, with a fantastic cheeseburger and Monterey Bay black cod fish tacos among the options. Don’t miss the Parker House rolls with a choice of accompaniments.
Top review
Martyn
Dined on Sep 17, 2024
Great spot for lunch. Good service and food portions
A photo of Fiorella Polk restaurant
4.7
4.7 (502)
$30 and under
Italian
Russian Hill
About the restaurant
The original Fiorella proved popular enough to launch a second, larger venue – Fiorella Polk in Russian Hill. Just like the original, the new restaurant presents amazing pizzas with imaginative toppings plus a tempting array of antipasti and pasta dishes. With an open kitchen, diners get a glimpse of their pizzas coming in and out of the mosaic-clad wood-fired oven. Some choice sides to go with pizza or pasta main courses include braised local butter beans, wood-roasted broccoli, and a baby lettuce salad with avocado, pepitas and pistachios.
Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined on Sep 30, 2024
delish, good local spot. we sat outside and had a great night.
A photo of Harborview Restaurant & Bar restaurant
4.5
4.5 (1366)
$31 to $50
Chinese
Financial District / Embarcadero
About the restaurant
An enormous space on the Embarcadero, seemingly endless dim sum offerings and glorious waterfront views characterize Harborview Restaurant and Bar, one of the best new restaurants in San Francisco for authentic Cantonese cuisine. On a warmer day, score a seat on the huge patio to take in a panorama encompassing the Bay Bridge and Ferry Building. Order dim sum from roaming carts or off the menu, which also includes larger plates like Peking duck with steamed buns, salt-and-pepper fried Dungeness crab and a beef brisket hot pot. Be sure to sample the signature black and white xiao long bao, dumplings stuffed with black truffle and kurobuta pork.
Top review
Kristinvip
Dined 2 days ago
What a surprisingly special experience! The view is amazing, the staff is well informed, and really delightful, and the food...well, that is above and beyond any expectation I had. Every bite was more delicious than the last! A truly special place for any special event.
A photo of Blind Butcher restaurant
4.4
4.4 (473)
$31 to $50
Californian
The Castro
About the restaurant
Top-quality steaks and modern bistro fare are the signatures of Blind Butcher, an acclaimed newcomer to the Castro. The restaurant divides its dinner menu into small and big bites, boards (cheese, charcuterie or both), greens and sides. While prime steaks – a cowboy ribeye and a filet mignon – are certain highlights among the big bites, others like the seared rack of lamb, whole grilled branzino and green medley of roasted seasonal vegetables might be just as tempting. The same can be said of sides such as butcher’s roasted potatoes with chives and Brussels sprouts with reduced pomegranate balsamic.
Top review
Redwolf
Dined on Sep 16, 2024
Food is superb as well as the service. The room is a bit too loud; making conversation sometimes difficult. And the front half of the space too dimly lit for my taste.
A photo of Abrazo restaurant
4.9
4.9 (492)
$31 to $50
Spanish
Russian Hill
About the restaurant
For foodies who appreciate Spanish cuisine, Russian Hill’s Abrazo definitely stands out as one of the best new restaurants in San Francisco. Expect updated Spanish classics like the seafood paella (with a reasonable wait time required), octopus a la plancha and albondigas. Some other intriguing dishes include wagyu beef tartare with citrus aioli, rice puff and a herb-radish salad, and a red beet tortellini with goat cheese, greens and toasted hazelnuts. Spanish wines share space with local labels on the wine list along with a house red sangria. Abrazo offers brunch on Sundays.
Top review
Justin
Dined 6 days ago
Great food and service. The small plates were diverse and excellent. The entrees were solid. Come hungry!
A photo of Barbara Pinseria restaurant
4.4
4.4 (169)
$30 and under
Pizzeria
North Beach
About the restaurant
Pinserias, an ancient Roman flat bread baked in rectangular slabs and served by the slice, are the inspiration for Barbara Pinseria and the focal point of its menu. The hearty crusts hold up to liberal arrays of toppings, offered in seven variations including pear and gorgonzola, bufala and anchovies, burrata and pesto, and the San Francisco with spicy salami and sausage. The concept also focuses on Italian cocktails and house-made pasta dishes. Those include classics such as rigatoni carbonara, pappardelle Bolognese and spaghetti vongole. The casual venue features indoor and outdoor seating and sits next door to its take-out-only sister pizzeria, Barbara Express.
Top review
Jacqueline
Dined on Sep 1, 2024
Wonderful service. The papardelle funghi was our favorite!
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