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$$$$ | North Beach | Modern American
Although Daniel Patterson no longer presides over the kitchen, under chef Erik Anderson his Michelin three-star restaurant is still a can't-miss destination for exquisite, rarefied dining in a womblike space that features natural linens, soft lighting, and hand-crafted pottery. The eight-course tasting menu focuses on seafood and prizes obsessively sourced, highly seasonal ingredients in dishes such as Dungeness crab with grapefruit, Champagne, and bay leaf.
373 Broadway, San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Fine dining
- Seasonal ingredients and fresh seafood
- Three Michelin stars
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No lunch., Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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Persian dining is mostly done in homes, with fine dining a modern concept, but Maykadeh hits the mark with authenticity in Persian cooking as well as saucy, elevated, French-influenced twists. Those in the know come for succulent lamb specialties with saffron rice, served in a dining room with an old-school, white-shirt-and-tie vibe. Kebabs, like the chicken joojeh, and other marinated meats are great for sharing. Other options include ghorme sabzee, lamb shank braised with Persian aromatic herbs. There are plenty of starters, like strained-whey-drizzled eggplant dip, to tease the most hearty appetites.
470 Green St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Loyal following of Iranians, Iranian Americans, and Persian food enthusiasts
- Eggplant dip appetizer
- Kebabs and marinated meats good for sharing
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The whip-quick, no-nonsense, food-smart staff behind the counter at this take-out delicatessen have been serving up the most delicious, and quite possibly the biggest, sandwiches in town since 1896. Grab a number, revel in the time warp that Sinatra in the background provides, marvel at the Italian-style cured meats, and let the artists build you an unforgettable combo; then head to Washington Square Park for a picnic. The family-run shop is helmed by the fourth generation; its current torch holder is Italian-Filipino Nicholas Mastrelli, one of the Piedmont-hailing original owner's great-grandsons. Nick takes great pride in upholding his family's legacy and creating community with regulars.
373 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Italian combo sandwich
- Family business has old-time Italian vibe
- Traditional Italian products
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner
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Calabrian-born SF resident Francesco Covucci is determined to continue the Italian legacy of North Beach with trendy, casual, quality-driven regional Italian eateries (he also owns Il Casaro Pizzeria at 348 Columbus Avenue). Here you can slam Roman-style pinsa, which is a modern style of ciabatta-shape pizza made of a multigrain flour mix and gourmet toppings like burrata and pesto or pear, walnut, and Gorgonzola. They also serve the triad of Roman pastas—cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and carbonara—with grace. This is a solid spot to grab a Campari soda and a pinsa, then tuck into a plate of pasta with a bottle of wine and a friend.
431 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Roman pasta specialties
- Casual industrial-chic decor
- Craft cocktails and wines from Italy and California
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Caffe Trieste gives a glimmer of North Beach soul, along with generous slices of cake and possibly the best cappuccino in town that isn't trying to be part of a hipster latte-art competition. Open since 1956 and claiming to be the West Coast's first espresso coffeehouse, this fixture draws a diverse crowd, from young artists writing to the tune of their espresso buzz to old-timers reading the paper as they sip their drip cup. Linger a bit to experience what is left of a community neighborhood feel. Legend has it that Francis Ford Coppola wrote The Godfather screenplay here. The café is open until late, and on Saturday afternoons if conditions allow, you can generally catch local opera singers belting their hearts out.
601 Vallejo St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Saturday afternoon music
- Neighborhood vibe
- Retail annex next door
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Chinatown |
It's been compared to a Chinatown version of Eataly, but George Chen's ultra-ambitious market, restaurant, bar, and fine-dining-experience project is its own unique place. The main ground-floor Market Restaurant excels at a wide variety of specialties from dumplings to duck, served in a refined, industrial-style dining room surrounded by different cooking areas; upstairs, the intimate Eight Tables is one of San Francisco's most elaborate special-occasion tasting-menu experiences.
644 Broadway, San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Sheng jian bao pork dumplings
- "nine essential flavors of Chinese cuisine" dish at Eight Tables
- Outstanding tea selection
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$ | Chinatown |
For seriously good local roast in Chinatown, head to this tiny storefront at the entrance to St. Mary's Square.
433 Kearny St., San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
- Havana Latte, with sweetened condensed milk
- Unique seasonal coffee drinks
- High-quality joe in out-of-the-way spot
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends
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Wife-and-husband duo chef Jen McMahon and Oakland native Darren Lacy (front of house) strive to create the neighborhood's most thoughtful Italian dining experience. Handwritten menus and linen napkins set the tone for ingredient-driven, high-quality regional Italian–inspired cuisine. The menu includes fresh pastas stuffed with Italian cheeses, West Coast veg-heavy salad starters, and classic Italian desserts with gourmet flair, such as butterscotch panna cotta or torta di cioccolato (flourless) with Amarena cherries.
701 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- House-baked focaccia and fresh pastas
- Red walls and cozy, romantic decor
- Decadent Italian desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Tues. No lunch
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$ | Chinatown |
Claiming to be Chinatown's oldest bakery, this packed space is a must-stop, with the goods to back up its rep. Try the moon cakes and egg custard tarts. Cash only.
720 Grant St., San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
- Addictive coffee crunch cake topped with toffee pieces
- Moon cakes and flaky dan tat (egg tarts)
- Chinatown's oldest bakery, opened in 1924
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For a take-out sando shop for those in the North Beach know, Freddie's is where you need to go. The calling cards of this off-the-tourist-track time capsule, owned by Ed Sweileh, are the combo layered with mortadella, pressed ham, cheese, and salami galore, and the protein trio turkey, ham, and bacon club. No FOMO buzz means there are no lines compared to other institutions.
300 Francisco St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Corner store vibe
- Plenty of sandwich choices
- Excellent value for the price
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner
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$ | Chinatown |
At this line-around-the-corner, no-English-spoken bakery, the delicious dim sum is strictly to-go, so picnic at Woh Hei Yuen Park on Powell Street or Portsmouth Square.
1039 Stockton St., San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
- Large portions of authentic and yummy dim sum
- Low prices and good value
- Taciturn service
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$$ | Chinatown |
Dine here for fresh, simply prepared Cantonese cuisine, especially the seafood—from tanks that occupy a corner of the main dining room—as well as kid favorites, such as stir-fried noodles, cashew chicken, and fried rice. Dim sum starts at 10 am, but there aren't any carts—you order off a paper sheet, and the dumplings come out of the kitchen piping hot.
649 Jackson St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Shrimp dumplings
- Ornate pagoda-roof exterior
- Then-president Barack Obama ate takeout from here
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$ | Chinatown |
Enjoying the barbecue pork buns and curry chicken at this Chinatown icon dating to 1920 is a bite into both culinary history and San Francisco's past. Located on an alley, it's one of the smaller, more homey, and less frenetic sit-down dim sum choices in the city, with a small dining room simply decorated with pieces of Chinese art and a few Bruce Lee movie posters.
1 Pagoda Pl., San Francisco, California, 94108, USA
Known For
- The country's first dim sum house
- Soup dumplings
- Red-bean bun desserts decorated like cute animals
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$ | Chinatown |
It's impossible to miss this Stockton Street Cantonese barbecue butchery icon—just look for the air-drying ducks and pigs hanging from above and the sign in the window that reads "Go duck yourself," the name by which many locals know this to-go favorite. Roast duck, crispy roast pork, and succulent honey barbecue pork are the marquee items on the concise menu, and must-try signature tastes of Chinatown history. This isn't a café or an eatery—order a half pound of a few meats with rice and braised greens and enjoy it as a snack on the go or to bring back to the hotel/condo for dinner.
1261 Stockton St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Char siu (barbecue pork) with deliciously thick char
- Perfectly roasted duck
- Runs out of favorites later in the day
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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Francesco Covucci brings his concept for a modern, casual Italian pizzeria with quality-driven imported Italian ingredients to storied North Beach. Although hailing from Calabria (an agricultural region of Southern Italy neighboring Campania, Italy's pizza bastion), he has created an authentic Neapolitan-style pizzeria. Also look for appetizers involving imported buffalo milk mozzarella and burrata.
348 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- 'nduja pizza (a spicy, paste-like salami from Calabria)
- Fresh mozarella
- Traditional snacks like polpette and cured meats (like wild boar and truffle salame)
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One of North Beach's last blue-collar eateries has immense character, as if a rosticceria (a type of casual roast meat eat-in or take-away) was plopped here from a small quarter of Rome. This is a simple spot to get classic, hearty meals like half a roasted chicken and sides. Known as a beacon for chicken, Il Pollaio also does roast rabbit and rib eyes. They have a few simple wine options but allow BYOB in case you have a bottle snagged from a day of browsing among the neighborhood's independent food and bottle shops. There's another location in the Mission.
555 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- An icon for a chicken or rib-eye dinner since 1984
- Simple, cafeteria-style tables and chairs
- BYOB option, though there's wine and beer
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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The Soracco family has been baking Liguria's focaccia genovese for more than a century, and their fresh-baked Italian flatbreads (such as plain, rosemary, and tomato slathered with green onions) are the city's best. Bring cash and arrive before noon: when the focaccia is gone, the bakery closes.
1700 Stockton St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- The best focaccia in town
- A San Francisco time capsule
- Selling out daily
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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This intimate, triangular spot with a beautiful antique oak bar serves great hot focaccia sandwiches, sourcing from Liguria Bakery. Try the toasted combo (ham, salami, cheese), the breaded eggplant, or the meatball drenched in marinara. On sunny days, take your order across the street to Washington Square for a San Francisco picnic.
566 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
- Loaded focaccia sandwiches
- Old-school San Francisco vibe
- Great Washington Square views
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$$$$ | Chinatown |
Brandon Jew's ambitious, graceful restaurant offers the chef's delicious contemporary, farm-to-table interpretation of Chinese cuisine that sometimes tweaks classic dishes with a California spin (hot-and-sour soup with nasturtiums) or enhances fresh produce with unique Chinese flavors (local asparagus with smoked tofu). The elegant dining room—accented with plants and a chrysanthemum chandelier—provides beautiful views of Chinatown, while the menu breathes new life into it.
28 Waverly Pl., San Francisco, California, 94108, USA
Known For
- Sea urchin cheong fun (rice noodle rolls)
- Standout cocktails
- Large-format roast duck with pancakes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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$$$ | |
After a fire destroyed the old-school Italian American restaurant's Tenderloin building in 2007, it moved to North Beach; the "new" place has its charms, but it's quite a different restaurant, with far more sophisticated decor that includes some mid-century design elements. Original Joe's took over the former location of Fior D'Italia and carried on that space's legacy as a destination for fine dining, now marrying a higher-end experience with classic Italian American fare like eggplant parmigiana, saucy meatballs, and fettuccine dishes. It fit into the neighborhood right away and feels like it's been here much longer than its 2012 opening date indicates.
601 Union St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
Known For
- Classic Cal-Ital food
- House-made ravioli
- Excellent bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
