Restaurants in San Francisco
For the classic San Francisco experience, it has to be seafood and sourdough bread at Fisherman's Wharf. Old-school classics like Swan Oyster Depot in Russian Hill and North Beach are neighbourhood favourites. The Mission District offers plenty of budget ethnic eateries, while dim sum isn't just found in Chinatown; Downtown's Yank Sing is among the best. Add a tip of least 15%, though 20% is typical. Last orders are usually around 10pm.
Quince
Quality organic ingredients
Book in advance to dine at Quince in the Jackson Square district. Its nightly
changing French/Italian-inspired menu has high-quality organic ingredients
obtained from nearby farms: artichoke ravioli, garganelli pasta with
English peas and prosciutto-spring garlic soufflé. Quince is ideal for a
romantic dinner for two.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 5.30pm-10pm
Address
470, Pacific Avenue, San Francisco CA 94133
Telephone
+1 415 775 8500
The Slanted Door
Bay-view Vietnamese
The Slanted Door started as a little family-run Vietnamese restaurant in the
Mission District and has since become one of San Francisco's best and
largest. The spacious and lively bay-view dining room within the Ferry Plaza
Marketplace is the perfect setting for flavourful dishes like cellophane
noodles with fresh Dungeness crab and aromatic peppercorn duck.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 11am-2.30pm & 5.30pm-10pm; Sun 11.30am-3pm & 5.30pm-10pm
Address
1, Ferry Building #3, San Francisco CA 94111
Telephone
+1 415 861 8032
Michael Mina
Modern American cuisine
Celebrity Chef Michael Mina serves contemporary American cuisine with
Japanese ingredients and French influence at this special occasion hotspot
at Battery Plaza. Dinner is served on custom ceramic dishware in a dark
walnut and cream dining room. Lunch at the bar features seasonal small
plates, soups, salads and delights such as ahi tuna tartare.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm; Sun-Thu 5.30pm-10pm; Fri & Sat 5.30pm-10.30pm
Address
252, California Street, San Francisco CA 94111
Telephone
+1 415 397 9222
Waterbar
Waterfront seafood
In a waterfront setting on San Francisco's Embarcadero with views of the Bay
Bridge and city skyline, Waterbar is a prime spot for dining on fresh
sustainable seafood. Shrimp tacos or juicy oysters are enticing appetisers
before main dishes such as Dover sole served whole or seared sea scallops
with ruby beetroot and crème fraiche.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11.30am-2pm; Sat & Sun 11.30am-2.45pm; Sun-Mon 5.30pm-9.30pm; Tue-Sat 5.30pm-10pm
Address
399, The Embarcadero South, San Francisco CA 94105
Telephone
+1 415 284 9922
Kokkari
Traditional Aegean dishes
Located downtown, Kokkari is the city's finest Greek/Mediterranean
restaurant, serving traditional Aegean dishes in a casually rustic yet
lively setting with a striking fireplace, exposed wood beams and oversized
furnishings. Start with the platter of whole crispy smelts (small fish) and
mesquite-grilled octopus salad. The rotisserie-roasted lamb chops and pork
loin are excellent as well.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Thu 11.30am-2.30pm & 5.30pm-10pm; Fri 11.30am-2.30pm & 5.30pm-11pm; Sat 5pm-11pm
Address
200, Jackson Street, San Francisco CA 94111
Telephone
+1 415 981 0983
Suppenküche
Traditional German cuisine
This lively restaurant in the Hayes Valley is one of the few in the city
serving traditionally prepared German dishes such as oxtail stew with
spatula and sautéed venison medallions in red wine plum. Suppenküche's
modest decor consists of unfinished pine tables within a vaulted dining
hall, a proper setting for such hearty, simple dishes.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 5pm-10pm; brunch Sun 10am-2.30pm
Address
525, Laguna Street, San Francisco CA 94102
Telephone
+1 415 252 9289
Absinthe
Fashionable French brasserie
This hotspot in Hayes Valley is sexy, fun, reasonably priced and frequented
by everyone from the theatre-going crowd to the young and fashionable.
Absinthe's brasserie-style decor includes French rattan café chairs,
copper-topped tables and a pressed-tin ceiling. Satisfying dishes range from
shellfish stew to coq au vin and steak frites. The weekend brunch is
excellent.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Tue-Fri 11.30am-12am; Sat 11am-12am; Sun 11am-10pm
Address
398, Hayes Street, San Francisco CA 94102
Telephone
+1 415 551 1590
Yank Sing
Downtown dim sum
Yank Sing is the most popular dim sum restaurant in the downtown area.
Servers briskly whirl stainless steel carts carrying moderately priced
plates of exotic dishes around the vast dining room: stuffed crab claws,
scallion pancakes, shrimp balls and steamed pork dumplings are just a
fraction of the offerings. The aroma alone is exhilarating.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 11am-3pm; Sat & Sun 10am-4pm
Address
101, Spear Street, San Francisco CA 94105
Telephone
+1 415 781 1111
Sodini's Green Valley Restaurant
Friendly Italian
Sodini's Green Valley Restaurant in North Beach is everything you would
expect from a small family-owned Italian restaurant. Friendly, vivacious
staff serve hearty Italian classics on tables topped with wax-encrusted
chianti-bottle candles. Both locals and tourists feast on large platters of
clam linguine and chicken parmigiana while Sinatra croons in the
background.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 5pm-10pm
Address
510, Green Street, San Francisco CA 94133
Telephone
+1 415 291 0499
Transport
Bus 9X, 39 or 45 to North Beach or Muni line F to Embarcadero
A16
Popular Neapolitan-style pizzas
This sleek, casual and lively restaurant in the Marina District is one of San
Francisco's best and busiest, featuring Neapolitan-style pizza and cuisine
from Campania in Italy, prepared in an open kitchen. Start with the roasted
sardine appetiser and don't miss the braised beef short ribs. A16 also
boasts 40 wines by the glass.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Wed-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm; Sun-Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri & Sat 5pm-11pm
Address
2355, Chestnut Street, San Francisco CA 94123
Telephone
+1 415 771 2216
Swan Oyster Depot
Classic San Francisco seafood
Opened 1912, Swan Oyster Depot is a tiny café in Russian Hill that offers a
classic San Francisco seafood dining experience. While patrons perch on
stools at the long marble bar, fast and friendly servers serve fresh crab,
shrimp, oysters, clams, and Boston-style clam chowder. Don't let the
lunchtime queue dissuade you - it moves fast.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 8am-5.30pm
Address
1517, Polk Street, San Francisco CA 94109
Telephone
+1 415 673 1101
Transport
Bus 1, 19, 47 or 49 to Russian Hill or California line cable car to Polk
House of Nanking
Chinatown favourite
House of Nanking fans happily wait up to an hour for a seat. An inconspicuous
little Chinatown restaurant, it serves Shanghai-style cuisine. The brusque
waiter asks about your spice/heat tolerance then recommends appropriate
dishes such as lemon noodle soup or dumplings with peanut sauce. Seating is
tight, so prepare to be squeezed in.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Daily 11am-10pm
Address
919, Kearny Street, San Francisco CA 94133
Telephone
+1 415 421 1429
Transport
Bus 9X, 12, 20 or 30 to Chinatown or California cable car to Kearny
Roosevelt Tamale Parlor
Mission District Mexican
Roosevelt Tamale Parlor, located in the heart of the Mission District, has
some of the Bay Area's best Mexican food. The taquitos are superb,
the chicken mole sublime and the chimichangas enormous, but
it's the handmade tamales that have made this humble place an icon.
Afterwards, check out the colourful murals in nearby Balmy Alley.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 9am-8pm (until 9pm Fri & Sat); Sun 9am-4pm
Address
2817, 24th Street, San Francisco CA 94110
Telephone
+1 415 824 2600
Transport
Bus 14, 14L or 49 to Mission District or BART/Muni to 24th St Mission Station
Website
AsiaSF
Cross-dressing dinner show
Part SoMa District restaurant, part gender-illusionist musical revue, AsiaSF
is an unforgettable dining experience. Guests are entertained by curvaceous
men dressed as women who lip-sync show tunes when they're not waiting on
tables. Surprisingly good Asian-Fusion dishes range from filet mignon with
Korean dipping sauce to baby back ribs in a honey tamarind glaze.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Tue & Wed 6.30pm-10pm, Thu & Sun 6pm-10pm, Fri 6.45pm-10pm, Sat 5pm-9pm
Address
201, Ninth Street, San Francisco CA 94103
Telephone
+1 415 255 2742
Boudin at the Wharf
Sourdough bakery/café
Located at Fisherman's Wharf, Boudin at the Wharf is an industrial-chic
shrine to the venerable bread company's famous sourdough loaf. Part bakery,
part museum, part restaurant, more than 3,000 loaves are baked here daily.
The casual lower-level café serves great clam chowder, while the more formal
upstairs restaurant offers classics like Dungeness crab Louis.
E-mail this item
Opening Hours
Café daily 8am-10pm, bistro Sun-Thu 11.30am-9pm; Fri & Sat 11.30am-10pm
Address
160, Jefferson Street, San Francisco CA 94133
Telephone
+1 415 928 1849
Transport
Bus 10, 15, or 47 to Fisherman's Wharf or Muni line F to Jefferson Street & Powell Street
