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SoMa StrEat Food Park
The first permanent food truck plaza in San Francisco, SoMa StrEat Food Park established itself as one of the best places to sample a variety of outstanding foods. Each day eight or so…
Mission Chinese Food
For many foodies, eating at now-famous James-Beard-Award–winning chef Danny Bowien’s original restaurant is a rite of passage. While the Chinese food is indeed inventive (Kung Pao…
Taqueria Cancun
After a night on the town, visitors and locals looking for mouth-watering, cheap Mexican food walk, stagger, stumble, and shuffle into this tiny Mission taqueria, open nightly until…
Kokkari
A perfect choice for a date or large party, this upscale Mediterranean stalwart with cozy-chic environs never disappoints. Exposed wood, earthen pottery, soft lighting, an open…
Quince
Chef Michael Tusk’s formula for success is straightforward: Make friends with the best farmers, ranchers, and fishermen in the region, ensure they reserve the best of the best for you,…
The Slanted Door
Considered by many to be the best Vietnamese restaurant in America, the Slanted Door has become one of the most well-known must-tries when visiting the City by the Bay. The draw?…
U-Lee
The proverbial hole in the wall with no bells and whistles to jack up the price or distract you from the reliable menu, U-Lee offers some of the best Chinese food in the city for the…
Ace Wasabi Rock & Roll Sushi
This hopping neighborhood restaurant frequented by a casual, younger set infuses affordable, creative sushi with moody brick-walled environs and ‘80s hits that make you want to hang…
SPQR
Of the many reasons to visit the upscale shopping stretch of upper Fillmore, this perpetually crowded small restaurant tops my list. Locals flock here for the fine cooking of executive…
Tacolicious
This crowded, festive spot is popular for its delicious gourmet tacos and strong cocktails. With high ceilings, modern lighting, and warm green jewel tones on the walls, there’s nary a…
Coi
An intimate beacon of refinement on bawdy Broadway, Coi (pronounced “kwa,” an Old French word meaning tranquil) offers one of the city’s top iterations of haute cuisine with molecular…
Crepe Café
What started as a food cart in touristy Ghirardelli Square has become a favorite in a permanent location on Pier 39. The cafe serves up all the usual crepe toppings, both sweet (sugar,…
Nopa
A poster child for the gestalt of the San Francisco restaurant scene, large and airy Nopa combines seasonal “urban rustic” and “organic wood-fired” cuisine, served in high-ceilinged…
State Bird Provisions
One of the hottest destinations since its December 2011 opening (and still nearly impossible to get into, thanks to online reservations that are never available), State Bird snared a…
Barbacco Eno Trattoria
One of the most reliably satisfying dining experiences downtown, Barbacco shirks classic Italian restaurant trappings for sleek, modern, casual urban-surroundings and a menu that’s…
Bocadillos
A communal table, exposed brick, and shared small tapas-style plates lend this small, casual, lively restaurant anchored in the Financial District a European ambiance. Basque favorites…
Tadich Grill
California was not even a state when Tadich Grill opened in 1849. It’s the oldest continuously-run restaurant in San Francisco, owned by the Buich family since 1928. When you walk…
Buena Vista Cafe
Serving breakfast all day, along with a variety of fat burgers, sandwiches, salads, pasta, steaks, and crab cakes, the Buena Vista has become a tourist destination in its own right.…
Rich Table
Owners/chefs Evan and Sarah Rich have some serious kitchen cred behind them, with years of combined experience at gold-star San Francisco restaurants Michael Mina, Quince, and Coi.…
Central Kitchen
This is the epitome of California-chic dining in the trendy Mission District, brought to you by Thomas McNaughton, of upscale pizzeria flour + water fame (another worthy dining option;…
Foreign Cinema
One of the first hot spots during the late ‘90s dot-com boom, this culinary (and still cool) stalwart in the Mission remains at the top of my list for its one-two punch of fantastic…
Forbes Island
A truly one-of-a-kind experience, this “island” is actually a houseboat converted into a restaurant, complete with an elegant underwater dining room, beach, and climbable lighthouse,…
Restaurant Gary Danko
If there is one place to splurge in San Francisco, this is it. The sophisticated cuisine of chef/owner Gary Danko eschews over-the-top molecular gastronomy pomp to focus instead on…
Lemongrass Thai
The sweetest, most welcoming and humble Thai restaurant in town, Lemongrass is also delicious, which explains why it’s been popular for 20 years. Chef/owner Toi Sawatdee, one of the…
Swan Oyster Depot
Historic Swan Oyster Depot—the city’s most popular raw and seafood bar—opened in its current building in 1912, and little has changed since. Pull on a fish-shaped brass door handle,…