5 Best Restaurants in SoMa, Mission Bay, and Dogpatch, San Francisco

Every night is a party with excellent cocktails and vegetarian dishes from chef-owner Heena Patel's home state of Gujarat, on the western coast of India. A graduate of the La Cocina kitchen incubator, Patel is a truly gifted cook, carefully paying attention to the smallest details on the menu, like the spice level and tartness of the various pickles and chutneys, or the ideal texture for homemade paneer cheese. Most of the traditional and creative dishes can't be found anywhere else in the Bay Area. The restaurant is attached to the Minnesota Street Project and showcases a wall-sized mural from pop artist Maria Qamar.

San Francisco has plenty of great food options and coffee destinations, but rarely do the two merge together as well as they do at this Mission Bay roastery, which excels at sandwiches on terrific focaccia, virtuous lunch bowls, and coffee in myriad forms. With tall ceilings, ample windows, and a pleasant parklet, the café almost has a Parisian indoor-outdoor feel. Don't miss the juice shots for a quick, powerful jolt minus caffeine.

Hearty American bistro fare and hip design draw crowds to this neighborhood favorite that's ambitious enough to be a citywide draw. The menu boasts one of the city's best burgers, and the dining room gleams with white penny-tile floors and marble countertops. Weekend brunch is always a draw for candied bacon and Parmesan gougères (cheese pastries). The weekday lunch-only crispy fried chicken sandwich deserves to be in the city's sandwich hall of fame.  Avoid the crowds and order a burger at the bar.

Fresh seafood and waterfront views are some of the many reasons to swing by this fun restaurant in the shadow of the Chase Center (which, confusingly, is not within the Mission Rock development at the other end of the Mission Bay neighborhood). Everything here is casual but is also a big step above typical pub grub, from local rockfish in the ceviche and fish-and-chips to Dungeness crab on the deviled eggs. Some tables go for a proper multicourse meal, while others enjoy all of the tempting small plates tapas-style. Even if it isn't a sunny day, patio heaters and awnings keep diners (mostly) warm.

This waterfront, outdoor gathering place brings diners from all over town for sunny day brunches and a beachy-bohemian Key West vibe. This is San Francisco's definitive destination for leisurely daytime eating and drinking—always slinging beers, burgers, and fish tacos to guests fighting hangovers or just relaxing after a busy day of work.