The 50 Best Restaurants in San Francisco​

1. Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

Kalbijjim is a Korean braised short rib that was served only to the Royal families of Korea for over 400 years. It is now available to San Francisco locals at Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup in Japantown. Come taste the rich history and flavors of this dish in the form of their spicy stewed Kalbijim, topped with cheese you can pull for miles. There’s a line down the street half the time you come here, so anticipate and embrace the wait for the best Korean food in town.

Best for: Bringing a big group and indulging.

Korean

Lunch and dinner

Japantown

$$$

2. Mandalay

If we’re making a list of the tried and true best restaurants in SF, we’d be remiss to not mention Mandalay. They have been serving award-winning Burmese food to satisfied San Franciscans since they opened in 1984. They are recommended by the Michelin Guide and were winners of the coveted James Beard Foundation Award in 2024. Locals keep coming back for the comforting Samusa soup and the traditional fermented tea leaf salad.

Best For: Impressing visiting out-of-towners who have never tried Burmese cuisine.

Burmese

Dinner, weekend lunch

Richmond

$$

3. Zuni Café

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

Zuni Café has been a fixture of the San Francisco dining scene since its conception in 1979. From its very humble beginnings (a kitchen that was composed of a toaster and an espresso machine that doubled as an egg cooker), Zuni Café has gone on to catch the eye of the Michelin Guide and has won two James Beard Awards. This is possibly the best plate of chicken and fries you’ll ever eat, all the while enjoying that old-school scrappy San Francisco energy Zuni Café has maintained all these years.

Best For: Taking in a piece of San Francisco history over a comforting meal.

Californian

Brunch, lunch, dinner

Hayes Valley

$$$

4. Taqueria Can-cún

In a district known for its burritos, you might imagine it’s hard to stand out. Taqueria Cancun doesn’t find that a difficult task with the two-pound super-burrito being the most popular item on their menu. They have been a star of the Mission District’s dining scene since they opened in 1991. We’re not saying this ends the debate for best burrito in the Mission District, but it’s undeniable that Taqueria Can-Cún has been doing something right all these years.

Best For: Showing out-of-towners how a real “mission-style” burrito should taste.

Mexican

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Mission District

$

5. Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant

Old Mandarin Islamic Restaurant was the city’s first (and for a long time only) Muslim Chinese restaurant when it opened in 1997. Take in the beautiful sites of Ocean Beach while enjoying indulgent Beef Pancakes, flavorful Spiced Lamb, and fluffy mochi for dessert. You may have had good Chinese food before, but unless you hail from Northern China you’ve never had anything quite like this.

Best For: Grabbing a group of Chinese food-loving-friends, and blowing their minds

Chinese

Lunch, dinner

Ocean Beach

$$

6. El Farolito

Legend has it that El Farolito was the first restaurant to put the Mission Burrito on their menu. But where they really shine, is with their award-winning tacos. Their Carne Asada is tender and oozing with juices, their carnitas melt in your mouth, and the al pastor is a savory, sweet, miracle. They’ve been a mainstay of the San Francisco Mexican food scene since 1983 and don’t show any signs of going anywhere anytime soon.

Best For: Grabbing a quick bite, or takeout.

Mexican

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night

Mission District

$

7. The Bird

In a hurry? Head to The Bird and grab a Fried Chicken Sandwich or some Fully Loaded Fries! If you’re in the mood for something a little healthier, their bird salad is jam packed with goodies and you can top it with their signature chicken. And finally, for that sweet tooth, you must try their house-made apple fritters. Be right back, just drooling over this meal!

Best For: A quick and comforting meal.

Fried Chicken

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

SOMA, Hayes Valley

$

8. Beit Rima

Beit Rima might be serving up the best Arabic food in all of San Francisco. Bring a big group and order the delectable mezze platter or the unforgettable whole-fried branzino for a feast you’ll be talking about for years to come. They have two locations, one in the Castro and the other in Hayes Valley. Be sure to stop by when you’re in the mood for affordable, comforting Arabic food.

Best For: Taking a big group and sharing everything.

Arabic

Lunch, dinner

Castro, Hayes Valley

$

9. Blue Plate

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

Blue Plate prides itself on being “where friends meet to eat.” It was the vision of two best friends who, with no restaurant experience, opened it in 1999. It’s been a favorite neighborhood spot ever since. Their Mediterranean-American comfort food menu is as eclectic as their decor. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a great glass of wine and order a bunch of small plates, like their rich mortadella fondue or zesty charred octopus.

Best For: Bringing an old friend or new crush for a night of great conversation and good eats.

American Restaurant

Dinner

Bernal Heights

$$

10. Golden Boy Pizza

The West Coast may not be known for its pizza, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great slice at the right place! Enjoy the sights and sounds of North Beach while waiting under Golden Boy’s iconic neon sign. Any pizza you order up at this spot is going to delight, but if you want something extra special, you have to try their clam & garlic pizza. The crust is thick enough to support the saucy garlic-y clam mixture —it’s truly a beautiful thing to behold.

Best For: Catering for an office party, or grabbing a slice before a fun night out.

Pizza

Lunch and dinner

North Beach

$

11. Outta Sight Pizza

If you’re more of a thin crust with new-age toppings fan, Outta Sight Pizza might just be your stop. Head to Chinatown for their one-of-a-kind Peking Duck or Butter Chicken pizza. Go to Tenderloin to check out what sub specials they’re serving up. If you shock your friends by enjoying pineapple on your pizza, you may have finally met your match at Outta Sight Pizza.

Best For: Proving to visitors that the San Francisco culinary scene can even improve upon pizza.

Pizza

Lunch, dinner

Tenderloin, Chinatown

$

12. Cinderella Bakery & Cafe

When we’re talking about culinary institutions in San Francisco, we have to discuss Cinderella Bakery & Cafe, which has been around since 1953. This Russian Bakery has been serving up piroshkis (meat hand pies), pelmeni (meat-filled dumplings), and authentic Russian breads and pastries ever since. If you’re low on time in the Richmond area and craving a comforting and quick meal, this is the place to go.

Best For: Grabbing a bite on the go, or picking up a crowd-pleasing dessert for a potluck.

Russian Bakery

Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Richmond

$

13. Quince

Quince has received the distinction of being a 3 Michelin Star establishment, so an incredible meal is a guarantee here. The ever-changing seasonal menu makes repeat dining a joy, and small touches like the vintage amaro cart they wheel to your table after the entree will leave you feeling impressed and pampered. You can choose between their decadent 10 course menu or dine a la carte, making this a perfect restaurant for a special celebration of any magnitude.

Best For: Impressing your partner, or taking the big brass out to celebrate a job well done.

Contemporary Californian

Lunch on Friday and Saturday, dinner

Jackson Square

$$$$

14. Sons and Daughters

When Chef Harrison Cheney took over Sons and Daughters in 2022 he made a big splash serving up seasonal New Nordic cuisine. He was awarded the Michelin Young Chef Award in 2023 and his work inarguably landed Sons and Daughters their second Michelin Star in 2024. Sit back and know you’re in good hands when eating his $295 tasting menu.

Best For: A special occasion worth breaking the bank for. 

New Nordic

Dinner

Mission District

$$$$

15. Californios

Californios is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant with a remarkable tasting menu. The dishes on the tasting menu are Mexican-inspired and exceptionally creative. Unlike some upscale restaurants that come off as stuffy, the atmosphere here is best described as festive. This is an accessible fine dining experience that can be enjoyed by all.

Best For: Showing VIP clients a good time, or impressing your friends.

Mexican NoCal Fusion

Dinner

SoMa

$$$$

16. Kiln

Kiln is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant that is not easily defined. The food is a boundary-pushing blend of New Nordic, Japanese, and Californian cuisine. The one thing everyone can agree on about Kiln is that it offers a unique and delectable dining experience you won’t soon forget. You might be served puffed beef tendon or squab breast with truffle jus. No matter what is on the plate placed in front of you, you will leave satisfied and impressed.

Best For: Hosting a hip business dinner, or treating a foodie to the best night of their lives.

Seafood

Dinner

Hayes Valley

$$$$

17. Foreign Cinema

It doesn’t matter if it’s a first date, third date, or someone you’ve been dating for a while; if you want to take them out and impress them with one of the most mouth-watering restaurants San Francisco has to offer, you have to go to Foreign Cinema. The décor is stunning, the wine list is never-ending, and there’s a huge projector screen that plays classic and contemporary movies nightly. Order off their “Urban Picnic” menu, and enjoy warm olives, baked lavender goat cheese, and smoked salmon on buckwheat crackers with your special someone.

Best For: A date night your partner will never forget.

Californian

Weekend brunch, dinner

Mission District

$$$

18. Firefly

In 1993, Chef Brad Levy and artist and cook Veva Edelson had had enough of the impersonal nature of the food industry. They dreamed of a restaurant with great food and service that also prioritizes human interaction, is kind and encouraging to its servers, and makes customers feel like friends. So they launched Firefly in the fading remains of La Roca, and over many years of hard work, made that dream a reality! You’ll feel right at home here when you tuck into a hearty lamb stew or a zingy poblano enchilada.

Best For: A cozy date night or a dinner with loved ones.

American

Dinner

Noe Valley

$$

19. House of Prime Rib

House of Prime Rib has been a delicious part of San Francisco’s history since its inception in 1949. This place is old school—carts of their 21-day aged prime rib are wheeled to your table, cut to your specifications, and served with a slew of delectable sides. This place proves the rule that simple really is better. Especially when the meat being served is the highest quality corn-fed beef available.

Best For: Classy corporate dinners or impressing your parents.

English

Dinner

Nob Hill

$$$

20. Rintaro

Rintaro describes its cuisine as “Japanese Izakaya by way of California.” Izakaya is a type of Japanese pub-style dining where drinks and small snacks are shared. Rintaro’s menu takes these “small snacks” to the next level by serving dishes like chrysanthemum greens with duck breast, pork gyoza with chicken foot jelly, and Bigeye tuna with raw egg yolk. You can sit at the bar and watch the chefs grill chicken on the binchotan-burning Yakitori Grill or enjoy the good weather by snagging a seat in the scenic courtyard.

Best For: Taking a group of friends to celebrate your birthday.

Izakaya

Dinner

North Beach

$$

21. Verjus

Verjus is a charming wine bar with an elevated french menu. The atmosphere is romantic and European. We highly recommend ordering one of the house made sausages, but you’d be remiss not to pick at least one seafood dish off the menu as well. For dessert the brioche pan perdu is non-negotiable.

Best For: Date night!

French

Thurs-Sat lunch, dinner

Jackson Square

$$$

22. Nari

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

Nari is a Thai fine-dining restaurant, where both the name and the menu are inspired by the generations of Thai women who laid the foundations for this bold and remarkable cuisine. Enjoy the finest caviar on scallion roti with salted duck egg, or the tender lamb shank with massaman curry and grilled nectarines (if you can handle the spice.) This menu is drool worthy and with multiple private dining options there’s no excuse to not bring a big group and order everything.

Best For: Hip corporate events or a special birthday feast.

Thai

Dinner

Japantown

$$$

23. Tommaso’s

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

Tommaso’s has been serving up wood-fired pizzas to denizens of North Beach since 1935. The murals on the walls were painted almost a century ago by an Italian artist, and the wood-fired grill at the heart of their menu was once the first of its kind in all of SF. Order anything on the menu that the wood-fired grill touches to transcend to the highest level of Italian food heaven. Fun fact: Our SF lead guide, Nikki, loves Tommaso’s so much that she invited the owners to her wedding!

Best For: Family gatherings and celebrations.

Italian

Lunch, dinner

North Beach

$$

24. Prelude

Prelude brings Southern cuisine to the West Coast. Executive Chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones may have grown up in California, but his tastes were majorly influenced by the cooking of his grandmother and great-grandmother from Alabama. He puts a fine-dining slant on classic southern dishes with creations like crayfish étouffé and smoked catfish dumplings. We recommend you put your trust in this great chef’s hands and order the tasting menu to get the best of everything, but you can’t go wrong ordering a la carte either.

Best For: Hosting an intimate end-of-quarter celebration for your team, or treating your parents to a nice meal.

Southern

Dinner

FiDi

$$$

25. The Progress

The Progress has made its home in an old silent film theater. The concept of the restaurant is described as “a [W]holistic approach to Modern Rustic Cooking.” Their inventive menu has caught the eye of the Michelin Guide, which has awarded them one star. The dish repeat diners say you cannot miss is the Liberty Farms barbecued duck.

Best For: Celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations.

Californian

Dinner

Fillmore District

$$$

26. Delfina

Delfina is a highly-awarded Cal-Italian Trattoria that has been serving satisfied customers since 1998. They immediately impressed locals and professionals alike when they opened, and executive chef and owner Craig Stoll was named The Best New Chef of 2001 by Food & Wine. The quality of their food has not changed all these years later! Bring a big group and get all the shareable plates from fresh anchovies and butter to melt-in-your-mouth duck ciccioli. Or take the whole famiglia and pig out on heaping plates of fresh pasta, whole grilled fish, and veggies that are covered in parm.

Best For: Family gatherings and catching up with old friends.

Italian

Dinner

Mission District

$$$

27. Lazy Bear

Lazy Bear is throwing the best dinner party in town every night. It’s no wonder, given its humble beginnings in Chef David Barzelay’s own apartment. His passion for hosting elaborate dinner parties became a career move when he was laid off from his job as a lawyer in 2009. He went from cooking out of the apartment to a secret warehouse, to this fabulous space in the Mission District where Lazy Bear resides today. You’ll be seated at long communal tables with friends and strangers alike, while you watch the chefs craft incredible dishes in the open kitchen. Lazy Bear proves that fine dining does not have to be boring or stuffy. It can be a party!

Fun Fact: Lazy Bear was the restaurant of choice for our 2024 $500 Michelin Gift Card Giveaway. Sign up for this year’s giveaway!

Best For: Treating yourself and your besties to the most memorable meal of the year.

New American

Dinner

Mission District

$$$$

28. Besheram

Besheram is Chef Heena Patel’s “shameless” Indian food (specifically from the region of Gujarat) restaurant, where she brings the flavors of her childhood right to your table. If you’re confused because your map app has led you to the doors of the Minnesota Street Project, an art gallery in the Dogpatch district, you’re actually in the right place! Stop in to indulge in creamy malai kofta, herbaceous jeera rice, and a diverse array of zingy, crunchy, pickles.

Best For: Bringing a big group with dietary restrictions, as this restaurant is extremely accommodating.

Gujarati/Indian

Brunch, lunch, dinner

Dogpatch

$$

29. Flour + Water

Who doesn’t love fresh hand-made pasta and Neapolitan-style pizza? Flour + Water changes their menu every day in order to serve you the best seasonal ingredients available, at their No-Cal-inspired Italian restaurant. They also have great private dining spaces, and host exciting pasta-making courses that you can take advantage of. If you’re in the mood to treat yourself, we highly recommend getting the tasting menu here. The halibut crudo is refreshing, the dulse seaweed rigatoni is completely original, and finishing the meal with the delicate flavorful quail, or the decadent chocolate budino is an unparalleled experience. 

Best For: Casual team-building dinners, or family events.

Italian

Dinner

Mission District

$$$

30. Niku Steakhouse

Niku Steakhouse has elevated the experience of enjoying a great steak and martini. It has a sleek, contemporary, business-casual vibe rather than the white tablecloth, buttoned-up, atmosphere of a classic steakhouse. Ordering the fatty A5 Wagyu is a life-affirming experience. All the meat is cooked to perfection and prominently displayed in the adjacent butcher shop’s window you pass as you enter. This is the coolest and most VIP you’ll ever get to feel while dining on steak.

Best For: Hip business dinners and anniversary celebrations.

Steakhouse

Dinner

Design District

$$$$

31. Sotto Mare

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

Let’s talk about Sotto Mare, in North Beach. The name itself means “under the sea.” You have so much to choose from, from their Seafood Pasta, Boston-Style Clam Chowder, or a good ‘ole fashioned Baccala, you can’t go wrong at Sotto Mare. Sotto Mare is the crowd-favorite, for both visitors and locals alike, on our North Beach food tour.

Best For: Sipping comforting bowls of cioppino with your family and friends.

Seafood

Lunch, dinner

North Beach

$$

32. Waterbar

If you’re in the mood for some seafood with a view, we know the perfect spot. You’re definitely going to want to check out Waterbar. With an up-close view of the Bay Bridge, this hip spot has great cocktails to go with its deliciously fresh seafood menu. Their raw bar is legendary, the oyster selection, unparalleled, and if you’re in the mood to feel fancy, they offer paddle fish or white sturgeon caviar.

Best For: a luxurious date night, or impressing the big boss with a phenomenal meal with a view.

Seafood

Lunch, dinner

The Embarcadero

$$$

33. Thanh Long

Thanh Long is a legendary Vietnamese restaurant that has been a favorite of locals and celebrities since it opened in 1971. Here you can get the most incredible garlic noodles you’ve ever tasted for just $15.00 or ball out and order the Drunken Crab at Market price (an entire crab simmered in Chardonnay, sake, brandy, with scallions, cracked black pepper.) But believe us, this crab is more than worth the price!

Best For: Bringing a big group of friends and ordering everything on the menu.

Vietnamese

Dinner

Outer Sunset

$$

34. Tadich Grill

Maybe you just want to sit at the bar by yourself, grab a martini, some oysters, or even a nice Rib-eye. In that case, we suggest checking out Tadich Grill. Not only is it the oldest continuously running restaurant in San Francisco, but it’s also the oldest restaurant in California! 

Best For: Classy business dinners, or celebrating Father’s Day in style.

Seafood

Weekday lunch, dinner

FiDi

$$$

35. Liholiho Yacht Club

Liholiho Yacht Club offers some of the most exciting private dining opportunities in San Francisco. Take the whole family (or 8-14 members) to the Ohana Table to have a shared family-style feast, featuring tuna poke, duck liver mousse, fried game hen, and more. Or book out the Gen Gen Room for 10-18 and enjoy a myriad of appetizers, one entree per guest (Ling Cod with a shrimp crust, Lyc Spamm with hurricane rice, or sweet and sour fried game hen), and two delectable desserts. 

Best For: Family-style group dining with your loved ones. You could host an unforgettable birthday party here!

Asian

Dinner

Nobb Hill

$$$

36. El Mansour

Take a trip to Morocco with El Mansour, a Moroccan restaurant has been around for almost 40 years–so you know it’s going to be good. This authentic experience will have you eating with your hands and trying real family recipes. To top it off, there’s a nightly belly-dancing show you will not want to miss. Dinner AND a show? We’re so in!

Best For: Big celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries, or graduations.

Moroccan

Dinner

Richmond

$$$

37. Chambers

Chambers is bound to BE AMAZING. At least that’s what the sign says above the bar. And truly, it is. If you’re looking for something with a little style and class and maybe a spot to boogie afterwards, Chambers is it. Their dinner menu is small but mighty and their cocktail menu will make your head spin (in more ways than one). So when you’re done eating, be sure to grab a delicious cocktail and check out their courtyard and pool (yes, pool).

Best For: Hosting an epic birthday bash.

American

Dinner

NoPa

$$

38. Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine

Chef Kasem Saengsawang says his “goal is to make sure people get enough spice.” He has absolutely succeeded in that mission at Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine. His restaurant was awarded “Best Thai Restaurant” in SF by Michelin Bib Gourmand 3 years in a row for a reason! If you want to taste the best of everything here we recommend bringing a date and getting the little lao platter set for two, which includes fresh rolls with peanut sauce, crispy Rolls, Samosa Rolls, Papaya Salad, short ribs, Fried Chicken Shrimp Fried Rice, Pad Thai Tofu Fried egg, Spicy Eggplant, Roti Bread and Blue Rice. Okay… maybe you should bring two dates to conquer that order.

Best For: A delicious date night or a family gathering.

Thai

Lunch, dinner

Mission District

$$

39. Abacá

Abacá marries traditional Filipino dishes with the best seasonal ingredients NoCal has to offer. This is a great place to take a big group for brunch or dinner because of the family-style prix fixe dining menus on offer. Or pick out your favorite small plates and share dishes like pork lumpia, oyster mushroom skewers, and bluefin tuna with smoked eggplant. Take advantage of the incredible light and greenery in this restaurant by dining during daylight hours at least once!

Best For: Dining with a big group of friends or family.

Filipino

Weekday breakfast, weekend brunch, dinner

Fisherman’s Wharf

$$

40. Prubechu

Prubechu is a fully outdoor restaurant that transports you right to Guam with huge plants, fairy lights, and arguably the best Chamorro food you can get in the States. If you’ve never tried this cuisine, and many Americans haven’t had the chance to, you have to put this restaurant on your SF bucket list. If you’re feeling lost looking at the menu, we highly recommend ordering the juicy Ko’ Ko’ wings with the citrusy fina’denne’ sauce and the whole fried garlic and turmeric branzino. But Prubechu is sure to win you over and have you coming back to try everything else soon after!

Best for: Hosting huge parties when the weather is good.

Chamorro

Lunch and dinner

Mission District

$$

41. The Wild

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

Chefs Marc Zimmerman and Peggy Tan describe The Wild as a restaurant that “embarks on a journey that delves into a reconnection with the natural world, emphasizing a return to our roots and the simplicity of nature.” What this means in layman’s terms is that they’re focused on using California’s best and most sustainable ingredients to create a menu that is intentional and lets the fresh protein and produce on your plate be the star of the meal. Their menu is constantly changing, which makes this a restaurant that their patrons keep returning to again and again.

Best for: Do a full restaurant buyout and bring the whole company, or bring your partner and feel good about the meal you two are sharing.

Contemporary Californian

Dinner

FiDi

$$$$

42. Outerlands

Outerlands is focused on sustainability, serving up local, organic food right by the beach. This is a favorite brunch spot for many SF locals. The asparagus and spring onion galette is hearty and comforting, and the Dutch pancakes are like eating a delicious fluffy pillow. The dinner menu is equally fabulous and has the added bonus of allowing you to make a reservation ahead of time. So if you can’t wait in the brunch line, head to Outerlands for dinner instead!

Best for: Brunch!

New American

Weekend Brunch, dinner

Ocean Beach

$$

43. Greens

For all you vegetarians (and non-vegetarians alike), head to Greens. The décor is rustic and cozy, the service is incredible, and the food will make you forget meat even exists. Not to mention, that view! When you’re not gazing into each other’s eyes, you can bask in the beauty around you.

Best for: Treating a vegetarian in your life to a wonderful meal, or showing a meat-lover what they’re missing!

Vegetarian

Weekend brunch, weekday lunch, dinner

Fort Mason

$$

44. Robin

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

Robin offers a non-traditional omakase experience that is deeply inventive and uniquely Californian. The first difference you’ll notice is that your server asks you on a sliding scale from $109-209 what you’re willing to spend per person. From there they bring plates of nigiri, noodles, and perhaps a potato chip with a dollop of caviar to your table. This is one of the best Omakase deals in the city, and its flavors are continuously pushing the envelope and impressing diners.

Best for: This is a lovely place to celebrate an anniversary or impress the sushi snob in your life.

Sushi

Dinner

Menlo Park

$$$$

45. Hilda and Jesse

Hilda and Jesse is a unique queer-owned restaurant in North Beach that prides itself on cultivating an atmosphere of “fun-luxury.” Just last year, they earned their first Michelin star, proving this spot just keeps getting better with time. They originally made a splash by offering “brunch for dinner,” so their brunch is definitely worth indulging in. Or come around dinner time to experience the chef’s tasting menu that has historically featured dishes like aged duck breast, Mediterranean spicy cucumbers, and dandelion chocolate lava cake. 

Best for: A phenomenal Sunday brunch experience, or an eclectic date night.

American

Weekend brunch, dinner

North Beach

$$$

46. Mister Jiu’s

Mister Jiu’s is a bright sunny restaurant with big round tables where you and your party will have plenty of room to dig into incredible dishes, like their iconic Liberty Farms Peking-style whole roasted duck. Pair this with one of their signature cocktails, and you are halfway to food heaven!  At special reserved tables, you can also opt for the prix fixe menu that the Michelin Guide describes as “a light repast.” Perhaps that means you’ll still have room to indulge in one of their incredible desserts!

Best for: Birthday parties and reuniting with old friends.

Chinese

Dinner

Chinatown

$$$$

47. Breadbelly

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

This asian-inspired brunch spot might make the most delicious breakfast sandwiches and elevated toasts in the entire city! Repeat customers rave about their biscuit smash sandwich with peppery pork sausage, egg, charred scallion chimichurri, and american cheese. The Kaya Toast is also a must, the thick milk bread is smeared with coconut-pandan jam and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt. This bakery goes above and beyond in its elevation of what a grab and go breakfast can look like!

Best for: Grabbing a pastry or sandwich when you’re on the go.

Bakery

Breakfast, lunch

Richmond District/Dogpatch

$

48. Dalida

⭐️ Avital’s Favorite

Dalida is a Michelin recommended Mediterranean restaurant in the middle of the Presidio created by married couple and co-chefs Sayat and Laura Ozyilmaz. This restaurant has great shareable plates—the Michelin guide specifically shouts out the su borek and the short rib with sweetbreads. You also have to order the Breaking Bread to start, this platter features hummus, muhumarra, smoked yogurt, pickles, and their iconic chubby pita!

Best for: Bringing a group of friends so you can “break bread” together!

Mediterranean

Lunch, dinner

Presidio

$$$

49. Tosca Cafe

This North Beach Gem has been around since 1919! All their food is fabulous, but they are best known for their comforting meatballs and boozy hot chocolate that they call the “House Cappucino.” The only thing that rivals the flavors of the food here is the incredulousness of the stories! The staff will gladly tell you about the time Francis Ford Coppola cooked an Italian feast at the bar, Joanne Baez got kicked out for being shoeless, or when Bill Murray, Sam Shepard, and Billy Crystal played pool in the back.

Best for: Taking in a piece of SF history over a steaming plate of delicious pasta.

Italian

Dinner

North Beach

$$$

50. Leo’s Oyster Bar

Leo’s Oyster bar is an oasis in the midst of the concrete jungle that is the Financial District. Come right when doors open at 4pm before the 9-5ers beat you to the best seats in the house (the bar seats) and feast on fresh seafood, accompanied by delicious craft cocktails. If you come early, you can also take advantage of their fabulous happy hour menu where you can get criminally good prices on oysters, cocktails, and even caviar! Leo’s also has a stunning private events space that would be perfect for an upscale celebration like a wedding rehearsal dinner or an anniversary party.

Best for: Date night or a wedding rehearsal dinner.

Seafood

Dinner

FiDi

$$$