35 Best Restaurants in San Francisco, California

The original Swensen's has been a neighborhood favorite since 1948.

Tacos and lobster rolls aren't a standard duo, but they're the staples of the menu at this fast-casual favorite a block downhill from Union Street. The connection is Nantucket (ACK is Nantucket's airport code), as the owner grew up in New England and honors the Massachusetts summer destination in this eatery with an East Coast yacht club vibe.

Plenty of locals come to this tidy space known for remarkably friendly service and the dry chicken wings fried in garlic and roasted red peppers, as well as for thinly sliced Mongolian beef and dan dan noodles. Run by two former Hong Kong restaurant owners, it specializes in mostly southern Chinese fare, like Cantonese cuisine, and has a few Sichuan specialties, too.

Repeatedly crowned the World Champion Pizza Maker at the World Pizza Cup in Naples, Tony Gemignani is a carb-friendly legend in the city for his flavorful dough and myriad versions. The multiple gas, electric, and wood-burning ovens in his casual, modern pizzeria turn out many different styles of pies—the famed Neapolitan-style Margherita, but also Sicilian, Roman, and Detroit styles—with salads, antipasti, homemade pastas, and calzone rounding out the menu. They don't take reservations, and wait times are notoriously long, so add your name to the online wait list (very) early.

One of the city's best Wagyu beef briskets is served in an unassuming (from the exterior) former factory in trendy Dogpatch. Several American styles—Kansas City, Texas, and the Carolinas—are showcased on an extra-large chalkboard that lists daily specials, priced by the pound. The 10,000-square-foot warehouse has been strikingly redone by New York design firm Nothing Something, which has thoughtfully elevated the old in a steampunkish vibe. The lion’s share of footage is for Magnolia Brewery, with tanks in the back room. When the tech set descends, the volume cranks, which can be a plus for families—frankly, a tantrum would probably go unnoticed.