San Francisco Restaurants

We’ve compiled the best of the best in San Francisco - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.

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  • 1. Abacá

    $$

    Defeating the cliché that restaurants in hotels can't be citywide draws, chef Francis Ang's longtime Pinoy Heritage pop-up is thriving at its permanent home within the Kimpton Alton Hotel. Ang's exciting contemporary Filipino cooking has gained rave reviews from national publications and well-deserved awards. The chic space has a slight tropical edge to it and includes a small patio at the front and a bar reserved for those who can't score a reservation. 

    2700 Jones St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA
    486–0788

    Known For

    • Any pancit noodle dish
    • Innovative desserts and terrific weekend morning pastries
    • Cocktails that are as exciting as the food

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner Sun. No lunch weekdays
  • 2. Acquerello

    $$$$ | Polk Gulch

    Chef and co-owner Suzette Gresham has elicited swoons over the years with high-end but soulful Italian cooking that is worth every penny. Her cuttlefish "tagliatelle" is a star of the menu, which features both classic and cutting-edge dishes. Dinners are prix fixe, with three, four, or five courses and several choices within each course. Co-owner Giancarlo Paterlini oversees the service, and his son Gianpaolo presides over the roughly 2,000-bottle list of Italian wines. The room, in a former chapel, with a vaulted ceiling and terra-cotta and pale-ocher palette, is refined but never stuffy.

    1722 Sacramento St., San Francisco, California, 94109, USA
    415-567–5432

    Known For

    • Sensational prix-fixe dining
    • City's premier Italian cheese selection
    • Extensive Italian wine list

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
  • 3. Alta CA

    $$$ | Civic Center | American

    The creation of lauded chef Daniel Patterson, this pretty restaurant has creativity to rival that of Patterson's Michelin-starred Coi, but a much less formal vibe. A 25-seat circular bar dominates the dining room, while small plates dominate the menu. The fried brussels sprouts are pure crunchy bliss, while the delicate homemade pierogi is a mainstay but with seasonal accents, like pumpkin. Located across from the Twitter and Uber HQs, it attracts the hoodies, but also the pretheater crowd. This is one of the city's few great food experiences after midnight on weekends.

    1420 Market St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA
    415-590–2585

    Known For

    • Homemade pierogi with seasonal fillings
    • Creative cuisine
    • Good cocktails

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed for lunch on weekends, Closed Sun.
  • 4. Arsicault

    $ | Richmond | Coffee

    The search for the best, flakiest croissant in San Francisco ends at this tiny French bakery off Clement Street. Other popular items include an assortment of scones, cookies, and kouign-amann (a Breton pastry); coffee and tea complete your treat. Lines may be long but move fast and are well worth the wait.

    397 Arguello Blvd., San Francisco, California, 94118, USA

    Known For

    • Best croissants in the city
    • Long lines
    • Unassuming, take-out-only storefront
  • 5. Arsicault

    $ | Civic Center | Coffee

    This white, high-ceilinged space offers what some claim are the best croissants—not only outside France, but in the world. You simply can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Try for the almond croissant or anything with berries, and enjoy it in-store or to go. The original location thrives in the Inner Richmond (397 Arguello Blvd.).

    87 McAllister St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA
    415-926–5155

    Known For

    • Enthusiastic following
    • Exquisite croissants
    • Specials run out quickly
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

  • 6. Atelier Crenn

    $$$ | Cow Hollow

    Dinner at the spectacularly inventive flagship of San Francisco’s most celebrated chef of the moment, Dominique Crenn, is an exploration of both Crenn's journey as a chef and California's distinct geography and history. Each course is usually eye-opening (and downright delicious) and many dishes feature produce from Crenn's own Bleu Belle Farm. The presentations, textures, and tastes will stay with diners for years after the final chocolate bite from pastry wizard Juan Contreras.

    3127 Fillmore St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
    415-440–0460

    Known For

    • Extraordinary, whimsical pescatarian tasting menu
    • Stellar desserts
    • Hip-elegant atmosphere

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
  • 7. Benu

    $$$$ | SoMa

    Chef Corey Lee's three-Michelin-star fine dining mecca is a must-stop for those who hop from city to city collecting memorable meals. Lee, formerly of French Laundry, meticulously ties together cooking techniques and ingredients commonly seen in different cuisines of Asia—such as xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and kimchi—with a deft gastronomic touch. You may find spectacular dishes like an haute take on barbecued quail with black truffle steamed buns, or charcoal noodles with caviar and giant squid. Bare-wood tables and a hip, minimalistic interior guarantee concentration on the plate. The tasting menu is mandatory and memorable, with a couple of choices for diners in the final two large presentation savory courses.

    22 Hawthorne St., San Francisco, California, 94105, USA
    415-685–4860

    Known For

    • High-end dining
    • Phenomenal wine pairings
    • Stellar service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
  • 8. Birdsong

    $$$$ | SoMa

    Despite its gritty location a block from Market Street's roughest section (take a cab or rideshare directly to the restaurant), this sweeping, elaborate tasting-menu restaurant with a refined forest-wilderness theme is a destination for discerning fine-dining lovers from all over the country. Chef and co-owner Christopher Bleidorn spread his wings here at his first solo project after working in the kitchen at some of San Francisco's top kitchens (Atelier Crenn, Saison, Benu), and each of the 11 or so dishes he and his team creates is a masterpiece in presentation and taste. Diners are usually still dreaming about the magnificent caviar and cornbread course months later. The superb wine program and sharp service further elevate the experience.

    1085 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94103, USA
    415-369–9161

    Known For

    • Incredible aged meat dishes
    • Beautiful open-kitchen setting
    • Creek-raised trout prepared three ways

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
  • 9. Boulevard

    $$$$

    Celebrated local chef Nancy Oakes' high-profile, high-priced eatery in the historic 1889 Audiffred Building has been attracting well-dressed locals and flush out-of-towners since 1993. A striking belle époque interior (originally designed by Pat Kuleto and later touched up by Ken Fulk, both star local architects) is the setting for sophisticated American food with a French accent and a distinct local California produce twist. The main dining room has a three-course set menu with several options in each course, while most of that menu is available à la carte in the bar area.

    1 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94105, USA
    415-543–6084

    Known For

    • Any pork chop preparation
    • Polished service
    • Lively bar area

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
  • 10. Californios

    $$$$ | SoMa

    This Californian-Mexican tasting-menu concept by chef Val M. Cantu continues to be one of the hottest tickets in the entire Bay Area. Cantu and his team's creations, along with Charlotte Randolph's acclaimed wine program, remain as special as ever (the restaurant had a great run in smaller Mission District digs before moving to SoMa), crafting what is possibly the country's leading Mexican-influenced fine dining experience. As wonderful as what's on the table is, the posh black-walled setting with contemporary art and dramatic chandeliers is just as notable. It's also possible to make a reservation for some tequila and mezcal cocktails in the front bar (no food, just drinks), allowing guests to feel the mystique without spending hundreds on dinner.

    355 11th St., San Francisco, California, 94103, USA
    415-757–0994

    Known For

    • House-made tortillas used in brilliant ways
    • Wonderful patio
    • Grilled banana with cold-smoked caviar

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
  • 11. Coi

    $$$$ | 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
    415-393–9000

    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
  • 12. Delfina

    $$

    Crowds are a constant fixture at Craig and Annie Stoll's cultishly adored northern Italian spot. Deceptively simple, exquisitely flavored dishes include excellent pastas and the city's greatest panna cotta. The casual chic space received a substantial renovation during the Covid-19 pandemic by increasing in size and adding a handsome bar with the restaurant's first-ever cocktail program. 

    3621 18th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
    415-552–4055

    Known For

    • Signature spaghetti with plum tomatoes
    • Hard to get reservations
    • Monterey Bay calamari with white bean salad

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch, Reservations essential
  • 13. Devil's Teeth Baking Company

    $ | Sunset | Coffee

    Folks line up on weekends for the amazing breakfast sandwiches here: fluffy eggs, thick bacon, pepper jack, avocado, and lemon-garlic aioli on a melt-in-your-mouth buttermilk biscuit. Made-to-order beignets are another favorite. Lunch options include chicken curry salad sandwiches, BLTs, and a seasonal soup of the day. Browse the bakery's selection of used books from local favorite Green Apple while you wait, and if you can't get a spot among the limited sidewalk seating, the beach is close by. A second location in the Outer Richmond (3619 Balboa St.) has the same crowd and delectable menu, but parking is much easier here.

    3876 Noriega St., San Francisco, California, 94112, USA
    415-683–5533

    Known For

    • Loaded breakfast sandwiches on unforgettable biscuits
    • Donut muffins
    • Long weekend waits

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner
  • 14. Dosa on Fillmore

    $$ | Japantown | Indian

    As soon as the large door swings open to this happening two-level space, diners are greeted with bright colors, a lively bar, and the smell of spices in the air. This is the second location of the popular Dosa on Valencia, but it's definitely the glamorous younger sister, with an expanded menu and much more room. The menu entices with savory fish dishes, tender chicken dum korma, and papery dosas. The restaurant handles group dining often. At lunch, indulge in the Indian street-food selections, and the famed pani puri (little crisp puffs you fill with mint and tamarind water and pop all at once into your mouth).

    1700 Fillmore St., San Francisco, California, 94115, USA
    415-441–3672

    Known For

    • Street food
    • Papery dosas and tasty curries

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.– Wed.
  • 15. DOSA on Valencia

    $$ | Mission District | Indian

    Aside from the large, thin savory namesake pancake, this cheerful temple of South Indian cuisine also prepares curries, uttapam (open-face pancakes), and various starters, breads, rice dishes, and chutneys. Dosa fillings range from traditional potatoes, onions, and cashews to green chilies and cilantro, and other popular menu options include mango fish curry, roasted masala lamb shank, and Indian street-food additions such as vada pav (a vegetarian slider).

    995 Valencia St., at 21st St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
    415-642–3672

    Known For

    • Southern Indian food
    • Indian street food dishes
    • Tasty curries
    • Indian street-food dishes

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
  • 16. flour + water

    $$

    This handsome and boisterous hot spot with a tiny bar and a sleek yet rustic dining room is synonymous with pasta. The grand experience here is the seven-course pasta-tasting menu (extra charge for wine pairings) with seasonally changing dishes (the one standby is a meatless Taleggio scarpinocc with aged balsamic drizzled over the bow tie–shaped pasta). It also serve top-notch, blistery thin-crust Neapolitan pizzas.

    2401 Harrison St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
    415-826–7000

    Known For

    • Difficult-to-get reservations
    • Rarely seen pasta shapes
    • Italian wines from small producers

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 17. GOZU

    $$$$

    Chef-owner Marc Zimmerman's first personal restaurant project is the city's most compelling beef-centric dining experience. Elaborate small dishes, several of which incorporate prestigious Wagyu beef elements (blood, fat, or obscure parts, for example), make up a captivating tasting menu served to diners, most of whom are seated at a U-shaped counter that overlooks a centerpiece robata grill.

    201 Spear St., San Francisco, California, 94105, USA
    415-523–9745

    Known For

    • A steak restaurant that isn't a typical steak house
    • Japanese whisky list
    • Ultra high-end yet relaxed dining

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
  • 18. Hook Fish Co

    $ | Sunset

    Unpretentious yet undeniably chic, this neighborhood beach shack is famous for its simple, fresh seafood. The menu changes daily depending on the day's catch, so join hungry surfers and locals as they gobble up tacos, burritos, or fish-and-chips; wash your choice down with beer or wine. Come early and expect a wait for the long communal table or the coveted wooden stools along the counter.

    4542 Irving St., San Francisco, California, 94122, USA
    415-569–4984

    Known For

    • Possibly the best fish-and-chips in San Francisco
    • Blackboard oysters and specials
    • Long lines
  • 19. Kin Khao

    $$$ | Union Sq.

    Casual eaters of Americanized Thai food probably won’t recognize much at this modern, Michelin-star restaurant, but travelers to Thailand will likely see a few familiar items on the short, focused menu. Ingredients are sourced—more accurately, tracked down with dedication—from regional purveyors to create a range of powerful, unique dishes ranging from a mushroom curry mousse with crispy rice cakes to spicy charred squid.

    55 Cyril Magnin St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA
    415-362–7456

    Known For

    • Fish sauce chicken wings
    • Sharp cocktails and wine program
    • Odd location in the back of a hotel

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
  • 20. La Ciccia

    $$ | Noe Valley

    This charming neighborhood trattoria is the only restaurant in the city exclusively serving Sardinian food. The island's classics are all represented—octopus stew in a spicy tomato sauce; spaghetti with bottariga (cured roe); and macaroni with sea urchin and cured tuna heart. Many choices on the extensive wine list are Sardinian. The staff is both friendly and efficient. This is not only a locals' favorite, but a restaurant industry one as well, so book seats in this unassuming spot in advance. Ask for a table on the lovely, light-speckled patio to set the mood for a romantic date night.

    291 30th St., San Francisco, California, 94131, USA
    415-550–8114

    Known For

    • Romantic patio dining
    • Restaurant industry favorite
    • Extensive wine list including Sardinian wines

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch

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