Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in San Francisco Bay Area? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Auro

4.9

4.9 (226)

$50 and over

American

Calistoga

About the restaurant

At Calistoga’s only MICHELIN-starred restaurant, Chef Rogelio Garcia presents a seven-course tasting menu rooted in Napa Valley’s seasonal bounty, shaped by French technique with Japanese and Mexican influences. Set within Four Seasons Napa Valley, the intimate dining room offers vineyard views, warm service, and a front-row seat to the kitchen. For an even closer look, reserve the Chef’s Table located inside the kitchen itself. Sommelier Derek Stevenson curates a 450+ label wine list — recognized with Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence — spotlighting Napa’s top producers alongside rare global finds. Join us and let your senses linger.

Top review

KenVIP

Dined 3 days ago

This was a meal I will never forget (in a good way😊) The incredible experience was not just the food and service, but like a carefully choreographed award winning Broadway play! We were met by the Som and greeted with bubbles, our waiter was the bomb -Adam, he was awesome from start to finish, bussers were Andreas and Patience - EXCELLENT -Lilly was one of the pastry Chefs and there were so so many more excellence excellent members of Chef Rogelio’s team! he was amazingly down to earth, and clearly the orchestra leader of this production. I know I haven’t talked about food because there was too many items to recall, and they were each complex and delicious in their own way. Can’t wait to go back.!!

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Experience

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Saison

4.9

4.9 (51)

$50 and over

American

SOMA

About the restaurant

Saison is a two Michelin-starred, open wood fire restaurant under the leadership of Executive Chef Richard Lee, emphasizing the bounty of California’s evolving terroir and its incredible farmers, ranchers, and fishermen and women. Saison is driven by Lee’s dedication to purity and innovation, paired with a Grand Award-winning wine list in a dynamic space where guest and team celebrate an intimate, culture-shifting experience. Chef Lee builds upon Saison’s formidable foundation as the original fine dining establishment in the U.S. to use open hearth cooking, crafting nuanced flavors with intention that are inspired by the culinary diversity of Northern California.

Saison has one of the country’s largest and most remarkable selections of Old and New World wine, with a special emphasis on Burgundy, originally established by Saison Hospitality co-founder and Saison Winery winemaker Mark Bright and now curated by Beverage Director and Assistant General Manager Molly Greene.

Top review

Alex

Dined 3 days ago

Absolutely incredible across the board. From first to last bites, everything was perfectly executed.

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Experience

Saison Bar Experience

Troya

4.8

4.8 (502)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Pacific Heights

About the restaurant

Troya, is a Mediterranean restaurant served delicious food in a stylish cozy settings

Top review

Dined 1 day ago

My 3rd visit to Troya - always a reliable choice for delicious food, attentive and kind service and a beautiful space.

ROOH San Francisco

4.6

4.6 (909)

$31 to $50

Contemporary Indian

SOMA

About the restaurant

ROOH is a progressive Indian Table and Bar located in the heart of San Francisco’s burgeoning SoMa district. Meaning soul or spirit, Rooh brings the spirit of India to San Francisco through the restaurant experience. Renowned Executive Chef, Valice Francis, delicately balances rich traditional flavors with fresh local ingredients prepared with modern techniques.

Top review

Tapan

Dined on Apr 4, 2025

Excellent food and ambience, service was very good but could be excellent by reducing waiting time/delay in food and drinks

Bevri - Palo Alto

4.6

4.6 (358)

$31 to $50

Georgian

Palo Alto

About the restaurant

Bevri (which means “a lot” in Georgian) is the Bay Area’s first Georgian restaurant, famous for its hot gooey cheese bread khachapuri, juicy and flavorful dumplings khinkali, mouth-watering grilled meats and, of course, unique luscious Georgian wines.

Top review

Dave

Dined on Apr 18, 2025

Friendly and informative servers. Exotic cuisine. We enjoyed the experience.

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4.5

4.5 (761)

$30 and under

Regional Mexican

San Jose

About the restaurant

Located in Downtown San Jose, Mezcal boasts one of the most distinctive dining rooms in San Jose. The brick exterior, metal work and indigenous Mexican motifs, sets the restaurant apart from its neighbors. Although the design is urban upscale, there is nothing watered down about the menu. Mezcal proudly serves authentic Oaxacan regional cuisine utilizing family recipes passed on from previous generations.

Top review

MichelleVIP

Dined on Apr 19, 2025

Food was excellent. The mole negra was rich and luscious. Take a step outside the box. I highly recommend trying the crickets. High in protein salty and smoky. Jalapeño margaritas had a nice amount of heat. Definitely recommend.

Broma

4.5

4.5 (222)

$50 and over

Spanish

Mountain View

About the restaurant

A modern palette blended with regional tastes embodies an atmosphere that welcomes novel thought and casual gatherings. Inspired by Spanish cuisine, yet influenced by many places, our restaurant is a culinary journey—one that’s as bold and diverse as the flavors found on our menu.
Inspired by his travels through Spain and Portugal, Michelin-starred chef Jarad Gallagher Latin influenced cuisine at Broma.
We work closely with our purveyors to source only the finest ingredients, both local and abroad.
In addition, we offer hand-crafted cocktails from The Emerald Hour, craft beer, American and international wines, and a variety of delightful non-alcoholic options.

Top review

Matt

Dined on Feb 15, 2025

Came for the Valentines Day special and had the tasting menu - food was excellent and the dishes had very complex textures and flavors, and everything was clearly curated very carefully and intentionally. The staff was surprisingly attentive and pleasant despite how busy it got, and they even took the time to take a polaroid of us and present us our photo with a small paper flower. 100% would return

Sushi Confidential - San Jose

4.1

4.1 (8)

$30 and under

Sushi

San Jose

About the restaurant

Sushi Confidential (San Jose) is located in the heart of historic San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose, just minutes away from the SAP Center (The Shark Tank). A bright, contemporary atmosphere, along with award-winning food, makes this a go-to place for San Jose locals, visitors, and celebrities alike. Sushi Confidential success started in downtown Campbell in 2012 which grew out of "Sushi Randy's" vision to bring fun and flair into the sushi dining experience.

Sushi Confidential (San Jose) has a contemporary atmosphere in the main dining room and a lively inside bar. A huge, trendy patio space on the San Pedro side of the property features an outside bar, along with lounge seating with fire pits. Come check it out!

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Mar 18, 2025

Great rolls and consistent quality with excellent service. .

Pinstripes - Walnut Creek

3.7

3.7 (20)

$31 to $50

American

Walnut Creek

About the restaurant

Our Walnut Creek location offers a unique variety of entertainment and events every day of the week. Enjoy our made-from-scratch Italian-American cuisine during Saturday & Sunday Brunch with the family, happy hour after work, or a night of bowling and bocce.

Top review

Michael

Dined on Apr 27, 2025

Good food and excellent service. Good menu selections.

Shosha

3.5

3.5 (208)

$30 and under

Indian

Sunnyvale

About the restaurant

A Trailblazing Restaurant which brings the Nostalgic flavors of India. Cooked with Creativity incorporating the Modern Gastronomic Techniques. An Endeavor with vision to demonstrate the Enormity Indian Cuisine has to offer, in its own Showy style, hence the name ShoSha, "Show Off" in Punjabi goes with it perfectly just like its Vibrant Ambience, Appetizing Food served in Flamboyance and Candid Hospitality.
We also offer Innovative Craft Cocktails with unique Indian flavors.

Top review

Pranav

Dined on Apr 20, 2025

Amazing Indian Food, Cocktails were great. Ambience was perfect and they had a little surprise for a birthday celebration.

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