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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42 Recommendations
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1. Alta CA
$$$ | Civic Center | AmericanThe creation of lauded chef Daniel Patterson, this pretty restaurant has creativity to rival that of Patterson's Michelin-starred Coi, but a much less formal vibe. A 25-seat circular bar dominates the dining room, while small plates dominate the menu. The fried brussels sprouts are pure crunchy bliss, while the delicate homemade pierogi is a mainstay but with seasonal accents, like pumpkin. Located across from the Twitter and Uber HQs, it attracts the hoodies, but also the pretheater crowd. This is one of the city's few great food experiences after midnight on weekends.
1420 Market St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA415-590–2585Known For
- Homemade pierogi with seasonal fillings
- Creative cuisine
- Good cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed for lunch on weekends, Closed Sun. -
2. Atelier Crenn
$$$ | 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, USA415-440–0460Known For
- Extraordinary, whimsical pescatarian tasting menu
- Stellar desserts
- Hip-elegant atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
3. Kin Khao
$$$ | Union Sq. |Casual eaters of Americanized Thai food probably won’t recognize much at this modern, Michelin-star restaurant, but travelers to Thailand will likely see a few familiar items on the short, focused menu. Ingredients are sourced—more accurately, tracked down with dedication—from regional purveyors to create a range of powerful, unique dishes ranging from a mushroom curry mousse with crispy rice cakes to spicy charred squid.
55 Cyril Magnin St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA415-362–7456Known For
- Fish sauce chicken wings
- Sharp cocktails and wine program
- Odd location in the back of a hotel
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch -
4. Octavia
$$$ | Lower Pacific Heights |Regardless of the time of year, Melissa Perello’s upscale restaurant is a perennial favorite for diners seeking out what California cuisine really tastes like. The warm, immaculate dining room is a perfect setting for edgier dishes like the chilled squid-ink noodles starter, along with more comforting produce-driven small plates and entrées. Imaginative desserts and a top-tier wine program round out what is one of San Francisco's definitive dining experiences.
1701 Octavia St., San Francisco, California, 94109, USA415-408–7507Known For
- Exciting preparations with peak-of-season produce
- Spicy deviled egg starter
- Truly professional service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
5. Rich Table
$$$ | Hayes Valley |Sardine chips and porcini doughnuts are popular bites at co-chef Evan and Sarah Rich's lively, creative restaurant; mains are also clever stunners, including pastas like the sea urchin cacio e pepe. The room's weathered-wood wallboards, repurposed from a Northern California sawmill, give it a homey vibe. There's a nice selection of wines by the glass and artisanal cocktails. Reservations are not an easy acquisition, but twelve bar seats are available for walk-ins. Try their fast-casual option a block away, RT Rotisserie, if you need a quick pre-theater sandwich or roast chicken plate.
199 Gough St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA415-355–9085Known For
- Tough-to-get reservations
- Freshly baked bread
- Seasonal ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. ROOH
$$$ | SoMa |Traditional Indian dishes get a captivating, innovative spin at this hot spot near Oracle Park. Look for tandoori octopus and chili garlic escargots, complemented by equally inventive cocktails and a splashy, colorful space. Every dish seems to have a modern catch, whether it's artificial fog in a barbecue oysters preparation or butter powder on the paneer pinwheel. This is fun, unique dining at its best. Note that there is an equally great location in Palo Alto, as well.
333 Brannan St., San Francisco, California, 94107, USA415-525–4174Known For
- SF's best butter chicken
- Green pea, goat cheese, and truffle kulcha bread
- Best dining choice before a Giants game
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch -
7. Trou Normand
$$$ | SoMa | Modern AmericanThad Vogler's second endeavor (Bar Agricole was the first) delivers a fun boozy evening in stunning surroundings. Located off the lobby of the art deco–era Pacific Telephone building, it excels at house-cured salami and charcuterie and classic cocktails. Arancini, seasonal salads and pickles, and mains of burgers and fresh fish round out the offerings. An enclosed patio reads like a Parisian garden conservatory. Unfortunately, noise is a real issue out there, since it's an after-work escape.
140 New Montgomery St., San Francisco, California, 94105, USA415-975–0876Known For
- House-made charcuterie
- Brandy-based cocktails
- Cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential -
8. Zuni Café
$$$ | Hayes Valley |After one bite of Zuni's succulent brick-oven-roasted whole chicken with warm bread salad, you'll understand why the two-floor café is a perennial star. Its long copper bar is a hub for a disparate mix of patrons who commune over oysters on the half shell and cocktails and wine. Nearly as famous as the chicken are the Caesar salad with house-cured anchovies and the chocolatey flourless gâteau Victoire. The most cheerful spot to sit is at the tip of the pyramid window near the bar, easier to score if you plan a late lunch.
1658 Market St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USA415-552–2522Known For
- Seasonal Californian cooking at its best
- Under-the-radar lunch and late-night burger
- Beloved margarita
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. -
9. 54 Mint
$$$ | SoMa |Overlooking the always interesting Mint Plaza, a European-style plaza that surrounds the former U.S. Mint, this brick-walled, cozy-modern restaurant is one of San Francisco's best Roman trattorias, with both rustic traditional cooking and gentle spins on classic recipes. The exceptional cocktails by Jacopo Rosito are worth a trip on their own, and diners can wrap up dinner properly with an amaro and an espresso—this place truly feels and tastes like Rome. 54 Mint's sibling, Montesacro, a block away, introduced the city to pinsas, an oval sibling to pizza.
16 Mint Plaza, San Francisco, California, 94103, USA415-543–5100Known For
- Bottarga, sea urchin, and burrata bruschetta
- Homemade pastas
- Classic and creative Negroni renditions
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10. A16
$$$ | Marina |Named after a highway that runs through southern Italy, this bustling contemporary trattoria specializes in the food from that region, done very, very well. The menu is stocked with pizza, rustic pastas like maccaronara with ragù Napoletano (a meat sauce), and entrées like braised short rib with polenta. The selection of primarily southern Italian wines, augmented by some California vintages, supports the food perfectly.
2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA415-771–2216Known For
- Spicy arrabbiata pizza
- One of the city's best Italian wine programs
- Dark chocolate budino tart
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs., Reservations essential -
11. AltoVino
$$$ | Nob Hill |Hiking up Nob Hill can feel like trekking up a mountain, so the "alto" is indeed an apropos part of the name of this Italian neighborhood favorite run by husband-and-wife team Nick Kelly and Calli Martinez (he's the chef; she's the wine director). Kelly's menu effortlessly dances between haute and rustic Italian cooking, often with distinct California elements, and he's a master of pastas and in-house butchery. Martinez's wine list offers one of the city's best collections of Italian wines. The two-room setup is perfect for a casual bite at the entrance bar or a full four-course extravaganza in the elegant dining room. Both rooms (and the side sidewalk seating) have front-row seats on the cable cars rolling by outside.
1358 Mason St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-529–2435Known For
- Superior collection of Italian wines
- Secondi that are as special as the primi
- Beautifully upscale dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch -
12. Angler
$$$ | |Immaculately fresh seafood and a wood-burning hearth are the centerpieces of this bustling yet luxurious sibling to Saison. The menu descriptions might be brief, but it's really all about the ingredients and impeccable technique—whether it's a grilled hand-dived scallop or the signature thinly sliced potato with Sonoma cheeses—fulfilling their full potential on the plate with a few smart embellishments.
132 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA415-872–9442Known For
- Taxidermy-filled back room with Bay Bridge views
- Tuna tartare with tomato jelly
- Instagram-favorite radicchio salad
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun. and Mon. -
13. Arguello
$$$ | Presidio | MexicanWhether enjoying shrimp tacos at lunch on the beautiful, intimate patio or a perfect margarita with a host of small plates at the bar for a casual dinner, celebrated chef Traci Des Jardins’s Californian-Mexican restaurant always hits the right notes. Tortillas and salsas are made in-house, and the tequila and mezcal selection is one of the deepest in San Francisco. Lunch is fast-casual while dinner is full service.
50 Moraga St., San Francisco, California, 94129, USA415-561–3650Known For
- Intimate outdoor patio
- Superb pozole verde
- Various lunch tacos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Tues. and Sun. -
14. Bar Agricole
$$$ | SoMa | Modern AmericanThanks to celebrated bartender/owner Thad Vogler, this sleek LEED-certified spot is a haven for cocktail hounds. Be sure to enjoy the creative libations, but don't neglect the terrific food, either. Settle in at a table, set with recycled denim napkins, either on the leafy patio or in the real looker of a dining room that uses reclaimed whiskey barrels as wall slats. The Cal-Med cuisine with local ingredients showcases land-and-sea snacks like salumi and fresh oysters. The bar gets boisterous at night, but the sophistication of the space entices all age groups. A downstairs room can seat larger groups.
355 11th St., San Francisco, California, 94103, USA415-355–9400Known For
- Cocktails
- Green design
- California-Mediterranean cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Tues.–Fri. -
15. Bar Sprezzatura
$$$ | |Guests can almost smell the Adriatic salt water–kissed air while digging into cicchetti (similar to open-faced crostini bites with various toppings) and other clever Venetian-inspired dishes at this gorgeous restaurant next to the Embarcadero Center. As delightful as the food is, the glamorous design and intricate cocktails are just as noteworthy. Mixologist Carlo Splendorini is one of the leading modern figures of the city's cocktail industry, and his drinks at this dolce vita–filled bar-restaurant are the perfect partner to the tall floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook a grand European capital-style plaza outside complete with a fountain.
300 Clay St., San Francisco, California, 94111, USA628-466–0230Known For
- Epic Cicchetti Martini presentation with snacks and olive brine
- Pizza al taglio with whipped artichoke
- Fish crudo
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends -
16. Beach Chalet
$$$ | Sunset |A perch on the second floor of a 1920s building provides first-rate looks at Ocean Beach across the Great Highway (it used to be a changing room for beachgoers). But the service is just okay, and the food is basic American—burgers, chowders, and steak. Beach Chalet brews its own beers on-site and the atmosphere makes you feel a million miles away from urbanity.
1000 Great Hwy., San Francisco, California, 94121, USA415-386–8439Known For
- Beach views
- House-brewed beer
- Variable service
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17. Bistro Aix
$$$ | Marina | FrenchIn a neighborhood full of trendy minichains, this over-two-decades-old Californian-French spot is the calm elder statesmen for the often rowdy Marina. The food is unfussy (perfect duck leg confit cassoulet; house-smoked salmon and potato galette) and doesn’t try to be anything overly ambitious, yet everything is consistently on the mark. Sit at the L-shape bar and you’re bound to meet a regular who visits every week.
3340 Steiner St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA415-202–0100Known For
- Honest bistro cooking with quality ingredients
- Rear courtyard with beautiful olive tree
- Warm, romantic atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
18. BIX
$$$ | |With its Jazz Age vibe, live music, discreet alley location behind the Transamerica Pyramid, and spectacular bar and bi-level dining room, BIX would be worth a visit for the impressive setting alone. However, it's also one of the city's finest restaurants for special occasions that don't require a tasting menu; continental and upscale American fare get fresh modern takes, often with a few haute elements.
56 Gold St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-433–6300Known For
- Classic cocktails
- Potato pillows with caviar
- Career servers who remember your name after one visit
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch -
19. Bodega SF
$$$ | Tenderloin |Chef Matthew Ho cut his teeth at his family's excellent, bare-bones Bodega Bistro, an anchor of the Little Saigon restaurant scene for years. This new incarnation elevates traditional Vietnamese recipes with a modern twist and the freshest ingredients. Popular dishes include citrusy bo tai chanh (beef carpaccio) and bun cha (pork belly and meatballs). Warm woods on the floors, ceiling, and walls soften the modern decor at this buzzy and inviting dining room, and black-and-white photos of San Francisco reflect deep city roots.
138 Mason St., San Francisco, California, 94102, USAKnown For
- Complex and delightful beef carpaccio
- Hopping late-night dining scene
- Well-paired cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. -
20. Chapeau!
$$$ | Richmond |A husband-and-wife team serves up classic French cooking and wines at this warm neighborhood bistro where you may run into romantic couples on date night or a small but convivial pre-wedding party. Favorites like bouillabaisse and filet mignon are beautifully served with loving attention. Servers are polite and friendly without being stuffy, and tables are set with white tablecloths and fresh flowers each night.
126 Clement St., San Francisco, California, 94118, USA415-750–9787Known For
- Garlicky escargot
- Delicious cassoulet
- Loyal following
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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