Designating a short list of the best restaurants in San Francisco means plucking from a multitude of award-winning spots. These include State Bird Provisions, which calls on California’s heritage and local bounty, and Montesacro SF, which imports traditional ingredients from Italy to give diners a taste true to the country it honors. Some neighborhoods are home to more options than others. SOMA and the Financial District feature in the list frequently. But, in almost every district within the Golden City, there’s either a hidden gem, a local staple, or a world-renowned restaurant that should be booked in advance.
| Restaurants: | State Bird Provisions, A16 - San Francisco, Campton Place… |
|---|---|
| Price Range: | $$$ - $$$$ |
| Cuisines: | Californian, Italian… |
| Neighborhoods: | Western Addition, Marina / Cow Hollow / Presidio, Downtown / Union Square… |
Serving unique American food since 2011, the iconic State Bird Provisions in the Western Addition provides diners with rustic, artful dishes bursting with color and richness, like red trout with a toa...
Boasting a cozy, lively trattoria-style setting, the celebrated A16 restaurant in the Marina serves dishes that take inspiration from classic Italian and Californian cuisine. But founding chef Christo...
Srijith Gopinathan, executive chef of the MICHELIN Star restaurant, Taj Campton Place in Union Square, has reached culinary excellence by using classical European techniques to craft Cal-Indian dishes...
Chef Erik Hopfinger has presented diners with unique dishes highlighting Northern Mexico’s most tantalizing flavors at Buena Vida Cantina since its opening in SOMA in May 2021. A casual, friendly atmo...
In September 2021, Estiatorio Ornos a Michael made its entrance to the San Francisco restaurant world to much fanfare. The casual dining spot located in Aventura is geared toward food with rich Greek ...
Offering Kyoto-style omakase, KUSAKABE is a Japanese restaurant pioneered by owner and chef Mitsunori Kusakabe in May 2014. The MICHELIN Star restaurant ranks highly in San Francisco year after year. ...
Joyful, rustic and communal, with a surprisingly elegant menu, Wako Japanese has been exciting diners’ taste buds since 2014. The restaurant, located in the Richmond neighborhood, is listed in the MIC...
Owner Nancy Oakes and executive chef Dana Younkin pay homage to Californian cuisine at this bistro-inspired upscale spot that features Golden State classics like wolfe quail—buttermilk fried quail wit...
Originally serving only Tokyo-style sushi when it opened its doors in the Mission District in 2013, the menu at Maruya has evolved. Today, it caters to different palates by offering both sushi omakase...
Dishes are presented with a focus on the art of the food on each plate served at Spruce in Presidio Heights since it opened in 2007. That same year, the restaurant was awarded "Best New Restaurant in ...
Octavia opened its doors in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights in 2015, and is helmed by award-winning executive chef Melissa Perello of sibling restaurant Frances. The simple, country décor lets the foo...
Tucked into the InterContinental Hotel in SOMA, the Luce Restaurant served its first dish in 2010. The contemporary American food of this MICHELIN Star establishment is highlighted by the dining room’...
Chefs and proprietors Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, the husband-and-wife team of State Bird Provisions and The Anchovy Bar, opened the doors of The Progress in 2011. A buzzing banquet-style dini...
Executive chef Mark Dommen celebrates contemporary Californian cuisine at this spacious and elegant fine-dining spot tucked into the Financial District. Serenaded by tinkling piano keys upon entering,...
A simple and intimate setting operates as the casual backdrop to owner and chef Melissa Perello’s contemporary Californian restaurant Frances, located in The Castro neighborhood. Opened in 2009 and na...
An icon in the San Francisco food scene since 1979, Zuni Café has counted among its achievements the coveted James Beard Awards for Outstanding Restaurant in 2003 and Outstanding Service in 2018. The ...
High-end steakhouse 5A5 Steak Lounge opened in the Financial District in 2009 with a grand dining room that suggests movement and energy. It’s a perfect pairing for the inventive menu that showcases c...
Delightful and classic Spanish small dishes served at Coqueta highlight the rich tapestry of seafood fare made possible by this waterfront city—and at a waterfront restaurant. Feast on dishes such as ...
Boasting a large, elegant dining room that accommodates a couple hundred diners, the Cantonese menu at Harborview in the Financial District is both uncomplicated and enticing. With dim sum and banquet...
Chef Erik Cosselmon’s Mediterranean menu at Kokkari Estiatorio is comforting and intimate. Rich shareable plates, mezethes, and honey-coated desserts are both casual and elegant—and the white tableclo...
Located on the same block as the original Z and Y Restaurant, this sibling bistro in Chinatown serves more contemporary Sichuan menu items, like the chef-recommended hot and numbing spicy beef jerky, ...
This original Chinatown favorite has been offering a Chinese fine-dining experience since 2008. The menu includes Sichuan offerings like the chicken with explosive chile pepper or the ox tripe with gr...
Fusing Italian and California culinary traditions, chef Julio Mis of Sociale has etched out a menu that is elegant and satisfying. With twinkling lights and a chic European bistro vibe, dishes like se...
Family-style tables and a casual dining room mark the character of Komaaj Kitchen, which opened in 2019. The restaurant’s hearty Northern Iranian menu is focused, and it features forward-thinking fare...
In 2016, chef and owner of Sasaki, Masaki Sasaki, opened the doors to his counter-only Japanese restaurant that heavily features coastal pickings. The seafood-driven omakase menu at this Mission Distr...
One of the three restaurants under the stewardship of husband-and-wife co-owners and chefs Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, The Anchovy Bar offers a seafood-driven menu that takes advantage of the ...
With an eclectic vibe that feels like Black Forest meets American diner, The Matterhorn in the Marina serves as both a Swiss restaurant and bakery. The hearty menu, with ingredients that have been tho...
In early 2018, Lokma, a Turkish and Mediterranean place in the Richmond District, opened its doors. With broad windows, brick walls, and contemporary seating, the spot offers a casual and unpretentiou...
Moody lighting, community tables, and an elegant setting offset the bright, but minimalist presentations at Sushi Hon. Opened in 2016 in the Mission, the restaurant’s omakase dishes can feature delica...
From executive chef Alex Kim, who also oversees the creations at Sushi Hon, Sushi Shio is a fine-dining Japanese restaurant that offers simple, preparation-focused dishes served omakase-style. Playing...
From executive chef Jason Halverson comes this home-style contemporary American restaurant in the Financial District. Serving farm fresh ingredients in a rustic, raw brick, and wood setting, Trestle o...
Dimly-lit, trendy, and a bit moody, the upscale Seven Hills Restaurant, which first opened its doors around 2010 in Russian Hill, serves farm-to-table food that is both fresh and delightful. Executive...
With a communal table, minimalist design, and an inviting vibe, omakase enthusiasts will rejoice at the opportunity to try the creations found on executive chef Jason Shimizu’s menu at Sushi Ondo in S...
An unassuming orange-lit sign identifies the entrance to a Neapolitan restaurant situated in the heart of San Francisco’s North Beach. Here, at Caffe Macaroni, which opened its doors in 1990, executiv...
A casual pizzeria with metal chairs and traditional tile flooring, Montesacro SF, America’s first pinseria, specializes in the art of blistered Roman-style flatbread. The restaurant, which made its de...
Seasonal selections and a bustling atmosphere make Palette an exciting, can’t-miss farm-to-table contemporary American restaurant. With vaulted ceilings, specially curated art, and a black and walnut ...
At Fiorella Clement in the Richmond District, the clanking of dishes adds energy to its black-walled modern and casual aesthetic. Here, chef Brandon Gillis has designed an Italian and pizzeria menu vi...