598 Guerrero Street, The Mission
415 355 9191
Get Directions
More is usually more. Case in point: the 3600 block of 18th Street in the Mission, which has quietly stuffed itself with culinary landmarks for prosciutto pizza, morning buns, homemade ice cream and house-rolled pasta. Well, you'll be happy to know that there's a new gem set to bring a little surf to the mix. Introducing Ebb and Flow, a white-tablecloth seafood shanty opening in the Mission's gourmet ghetto for lunch and dinner starting this Wednesday. On those days when a laid-back California seafood shack is the only kind of seafood shack that will do, Ebb
is your spot—decked out with vintage navigational charts of the Bay, plenty of dock wood and fishnet-covered murals of...fish.
415 Sansome Street, Financial District
415 956 6900
Get Directions
The three-martini lunch... A symbol of that bygone era when everyone chain-smoked and drank like fish, and the three-piece suit was de rigueur. But we've found a present-day spot here to resurrect that gloried midday triple—and doing it so well, in fact, you'll be returning in a few short hours for happy hour. Introducing Georges, your sleek new gin-soaked, deal-making eatery opening next week in the shadows of the old Federal Reserve.
50 Clement Street, Inner Richmond
415 751 8000
Get Directions
We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Which is why, in a time when everyone is trying to be everything, we were glad to hear of a restaurant completely devoted to this singular meal. Hence Eats, your latest dime-size, all-American breakfast joint, just resurrected in the Inner Richmond. Even though the new Eats is brought to you by the same owners of Burma Superstar and B Star Bar, you'd never know when you step into this bright, farmhouse-styled eatery. Think of Eats as your permanent breakfast nook spot in Mom's kitchen. There's even a marble-topped chef's counter in back, if you want to watch your pancakes being tossed (they taste better that way).
1500 Irving Street, Sunset
415 742 5122
Get Directions
Ramen has long been your go-to bowl on cold, wet days. And while you're well aware of its many steaming charms, we're here today to make sure you're well-acquainted with its powers in the hangover remedy department... Which is why we're happy to tell you about ramen-equipped Izakaya Sozai, your new Japanese tapas bar in the Inner Sunset, ready to ply you with both hangover-inducing and hangover-preventing fare. Owned by a former Blowfish Sushi chef and his wife, Izakaya Sozai is a mom-and-pop you'd frequent for traditional Japanese pub food, ample beer, sake and shochu—all capped off with some of the best ramen in the city.
2832 Mission Street, Mission
415 970 9015
Get Directions
You know that beer and brats go together like New Year's Eve and endless champers (and a bottle of Advil on New Year's Day). Which is why we're used to running into you at Toronado with pint and sausage in hand—and why you'll be happy to hear that the second, bigger, beer-serving outpost Rosamunde Sausage Grill is now open in the Mission. While part of the charm of the shoebox-sized original is moving from Toronado to Rosamunde and back, it's hard to knock the convenience of having roughly 14 sausages, 22 local craft brews on tap and 30 beers by the bottle–all under one roof.
220 California Street, Financial District
415 955 1919
Get Directions
The first week back after the holidays is notoriously rough. We venture to say you've just barely made it. So we wouldn't normally rush to bring up Monday, except we managed to find something worth looking forward to. Welcome Barbacco Eno Trattoria, the casual trattoria version of Perbacco conveniently located next door to its dapper elder FiDi sibling, opening for lunch the day you may need it most. Barbacco is your solution for house-cured salumi and meatball cravings midday—and it hits that hard-to-find lunch sweet spot between expense-account Perbacco and the corner deli.
3308 Grand Avenue, Oakland
510 763 2668
Get Directions
Today, let's play a quick game of word association. We say Christmas, you think presents. We say Tiger, you think...golf. And when we say black leather polish, you think thin crusts and mozzarella. Allow us to explain… Introducing Boot and Shoe Service—Charlie Hallowell's much-anticipated sequel to his cult
favorite Pizzaiolo—soft-opening tomorrow in Oakland's Grand Lake neighborhood. You'll find the place inside an old shoe repair shop—the original "Boot and Shoe Service" sign still marks the spot.
3870 17th Street, Castro
415 621 3870
Get Directions
Chances are you had a bit of family time over the weekend—maybe a bit too much. So the last place on earth you probably want to go right now is grandma's place. And yet, that's exactly where we're taking you. Don't worry: it's someone else's grandma. And she brought booze. Introducing Frances, a new corner eatery serving up French and Mediterranean cuisine—not to mention some unusual takes on wine—now open in the Castro. Look, we're not insulting your grandmother—we're just saying that this is another place to get a good, hearty meal, only the chef won't ask prying questions about your date.
2491 Mission Street, Mission
415 681 7150
Get Directions
In Japan, there is a tradition. After work, the businessmen go out to something called an izakaya. There, they share food and drink sake until they can't drink any more. As Japanese traditions go, it's not all that crazy. But that doesn't mean you won't give it a try a little closer to home… Welcome to Nombe Restaurant, the Mission's only Japanese sake house and tapas bar.
La Mar Cebicheria, on The Embarcadero
415 397 8880
Get Directions
Sometimes life calls for tough choices. Like whether your unquenchable thirst for all things porcine should have you venture into the land of ingesting furry and potentially cute things. In the name of indigenous Peruvian tradition, we say go forth boldly and remorselessly. Allow us to introduce: the guinea pig. Before you have flashbacks to your 5th grade hamster Harry, these creatures are a little wilder and tougher—tracked down for centuries in the mountains of Peru by Andean tribes and eaten on celebratory occasions. Now available at La Mar Cebicheria, Cuy Pekingese is a new dish showcasing the Peruvian delicacy that the restaurant flies in from an organic farm outside of Lima.
1799 McAllister Street, Western Addition
415 674 8699
Get Directions
There are days when the efficacy of caffeine versus alcohol in your life is a toss-up. You no longer have to make these unnecessary, difficult choices with the brilliance of Matching Half, the latest Western Addition coffee-bar meets drinking-bar, offering you all sorts of essential liquids (in a potent trifecta of artisan coffee, wine and beer)—and it's now open on the corner of McAllister and Baker. Step up to the bar-style counter to order your morning drip—whether that's an individually brewed Ethiopian from Santa Cruz-based Verve, or, in the next few months, Sightglass coffee via Blue Bottle and Four Barrel vets (we suddenly feel warm and safe knowing this).
690 Sacramento Street, Financial District
415 391 7195
Get Directions
It happened this morning… You forced yourself out of your warm bed—in the pitch dark—only to dodge passing rain clouds and slip quietly into the office. It's Monday. You need something to look forward to. Something that warms your soul, like a solid home-cooked meal. Allow us to introduce Restaurant Ducroix, the Financial District's new casual bistro serving hearty heirloom dishes like what you'd find on countryside tables in France.
1911 Fillmore Street, Fillmore District
415 771 7779
Get Directions
We might be pointing out the obvious, but with Pizzeria Delfina's anniversary and tomorrow's debut of Out the Door, Pac Heights' restaurant scene is having a bit of a moment. Here to fan the flames, SPQR. Reopening tomorrow, your favorite little two-year-old Roman-inspired osteria is shaking things up with a new chef, a new way in and a few plush new touches… You'll remember back in the day—two weeks ago—when putting your name on the list meant waiting outside or hovering over fellow diners at the bar. No more.
3809 Geary Boulevard, Richmond
415 221 9800
Get Directions
The heat wave missed us. But there's still time… It's going to get hot out there. And when it does, we're thinking you could use a new place to quench your thirst. A place with soju-spiked cocktails and a streak of mischief. Welcome Mazu—a pan-Asian restaurant and lounge that for three (long) weeks has been missing its most important component: booze—opening to its full glory today. You might remember it as the old Rohan Lounge, so you'll rightly conjure up memories of cocktail-laden nights out in the Avenues. And we're happy to report that they're back.
2232 Bush Street, Pacific Heights
415 923 9575
Get Directions
It's only natural: when something's good, you want more of it. Which is why we spotted you Wednesday finishing off Shaking Beef at Slanted Door, and again yesterday ducking in for a bite at the Westfield—and why you'll soon be frequenting the latest outpost of Out the Door, opening next week on Bush. You've been hearing whispers about this Pac Heights joint for years. It looks a lot like its sit-down siblings, but half as big—making it an intimate, neighborhood spot (even if it's not exactly your neighborhood).
308 5th Avenue, Richmond
415 379 4678
Get Directions
Machines do excellent work. Really, kudos to all the robots out there. But sometimes it's better to do things by hand. Like when a restaurant starts butchering its own rib eyes and delivering them to your table for you to cook yourself. Introducing Prime Rib Shabu—a new Inner Richmond shabu-shabu restaurant brought to you by chef/owner Luke Sung (Isa, Domo) serving hand-cut rib eyes and other fresh ingredients for you to prepare tableside—open now. Ideal for a chilly, fog-filled night (which, let's face it, is just about every night in the Richmond) this is where you'll come with your buddies to cook all the steak you can eat in a boiling broth-based dashi.
680 Second Street, SOMA
415 896 1127
Get Directions
True, the Giants' hopes for a postseason wild card were dashed yesterday in LA. Normally that means you're boycotting anything within a mile radius of AT&T until the season picks back up. But we've just come across an inviting little hangout where you can get a quick bite and a brew just about any time of day, all year round, that might have you rethinking your boycott. Introducing Ironside, a new all-day café/eatery/bar serving the restaurant-starved block of Second and Townsend.
Clift, 495 Geary Street, Union Square
415 929 2300
Get Directions
It might sound like an odd fusion, but it works: tuna tartare on wonton chips with coconut, coffee-smoked baby back ribs, excellent mojitos and key-lime martinis, sky-high ceilings and velvet curtains provide drama.
55 Webster Street, Oakland
510 444 1233
Get Directions
Whether or not you made it to Oakland's Eat Real this weekend, you're no stranger to the buzz about Jack London Square's waterfront revitalization. And the buzz is about to rise to a roar this week with the unveiling of the first wave of openings. Welcome Bocanova, a new waterfront restaurant dishing out cuisine that spans the Americas from Argentinean-style grilled meats to Costa Rican suds. Brought to you by a husband-wife duo with Chez Panisse and MarketBar pedigree, Bocanova (literally "new mouth" in Portuguese) takes the translation a little more figuratively and creates new flavors incorporating recipes from across the hemispheres (sort of like the NATO of food).
524 Valencia Street, Mission
415 252 0918
Get Directions
There are good times for fires: weekend barbecues, candlelit dinners, hearthside nights in a mountaintop cabin with your leggy snow bunny… And then there are bad times: like a debilitating blaze that shuts down a restaurant for a year and a half. Knowing much too much about the latter, but making a comeback nonetheless: welcome back Limon, the Castillo family's prized Peruvian restaurant that put San Francisco on the Peruvian-food map, resurrected from the ashes of its former self and reopening tomorrow on Valencia. Chances are Limon was one of your go-to date spots prior to the fire, so you're more than familiar with its bi-level lounge/bar/restaurant layout.
55 Webster Street, Oakland
510 444 1233
Get Directions
Pan-American restaurant created by husband-and-wife team of executive chef Rick Hackett of San Francisco’s MarketBar and Meredith Melville. Offering a varied menu drawing from South American, Central American, Mexican, and also North American food and techniques. Bacanova has amazing views of the bay with plenty of patio seating to take full advantage.
1740 Church Street, Noe Valley
415 648 3337
Get Directions
New renovations and new interesting additions to the Deep Sushi menu. Just Deep still has the same great quality sushi, now with diverse Izakaya-style small plates too.
504 Broadway, North Beach
415 577 4951
Get Directions
Want a break from your usual lunch routine? With specialties like a foie gras and duck prosciutto sandwich and sweet corn soup, this restaurant ensures that your mid-day meal is always gourmet. True to its name, Naked Lunch is only open from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM, but don't worry -- nudity is by no means required!
3583 16th Street, Castro
415 252 7500
Get Directions
There are days when you just don't feel like going home, at least not yet. That's when you break out your list of trusty neighborhood hangouts—places that not only save your stool but also remember the way you take your old-fashioned. Welcome Starbelly, a new eatery open all day, every day until midnight that'll be like your home away from home, where you can crack open a few beers (from a list of more than 20) and satisfy your comfort-food fix at the same time, opening tomorrow on 16th Street.
1710 Mission Street, Mission
415 551 2632
Get Directions
Weekends are precious. But then again, so are weeknights. So if you're going to join a weeknight club, it should at least have live jazz. And Jameson-drizzled,
coffee-crusted pork loin… Welcome Coda—a new supper club combining the worlds of live jazz (everything from funk to
soul to Village Vanguard traditional), Cal-Mediterranean fare and classic cocktails—debuting in the Mission on Saturday. Consider Coda, brought to you by a Bruno's vet and tucked into the exposed-brick and lofty wood-beam ceiling warehouse that formerly housed Levende Lounge, the SF meal-and-music equivalent of New Orleans's Blue Nile—making it your spot to grab a bite and relive Jazz Fest on a nightly basis (and soon, Gospel Brunch on Sundays).
641 Vallejo Street, North Beach
415 829 7312
Get Directions
When a new Italian restaurant now open in North Beach promising authentic pizza, you, like us, would just as soon leave it for the tourists. But after learning that the pizza maker recently moved here from one of Naples' famed pizzerias, and they imported a Mugnaini Valoriani gas/wood-fired oven (the Tesla of pizza ovens) from their homeland, we started to get a little curious. And we think you'll like what we found. Welcome Pulcinella Pizzeria Ristorante—the latest, family-run Neapolitan-style pizzeria to grace North Beach. Brought to you by Luigi Pucci, heir of Antico Molino Caputo—the most widely used pizza flour in the world (and flour of choice for heavy-hitters like A16 and Tony's Pizzeria Napoletana)—Pulcinella isn't just Neapolitan in style, it's the spot that'll make you think you stumbled into a piazza in the Old World.
2809 24th Street, Mission
415 282 2001
Get Directions
The quest for that next great sushi spot is everlasting. So while you might've heard about an Inner Richmond sushi restaurant's unique offerings (Magic Mushrooms or Sexy Scallops, anyone?), chances are you probably haven't made it to the Avenues yet. No worries: they're delivering the Inner Richmond to you. Welcome Sushi Bistro on 24th Street. After more than a year in the making, the guys from Sushi Bistro on Balboa are expanding and bringing their sushi innovations and fresh-off-the-hook standards to the up-and-coming part of the Mission known more for Mexican bakeries than raw fish—and it's just opened.
2124 FOLSOM STREET, Mission District
reservations@saisonsf.com
Get Directions
Something new and exciting, and different every week. Saison opens it's rustic doors to the public only on Sundays. Serving four creative courses devised from local grown product and coupled with wine of region. You must have reservations which are only accepted online.
One Ferry Building, Embarcadero
415 705 5500
Get Directions
Judging by the mobs at yesterday's Street Food Thursdays and the stellar roster of spots helmed by some of the city's famed star-chefs, when it comes to the Mecca of food Meccas in this city, the Ferry Building is it. So you'll want to note the latest team to join the lineup: Say hello to Cane Rosso, the newest quick-serve, farm-loving Ferry Building eatery, brought to you by Daniel Patterson of Coi and Lauren Kiino (Delfina), opening early next week in the old Mistral Rotisserie spot across from Slanted Door. Cane Rosso, Italian for "red dog" (referring to Kiino's SPCA-adopted, three-legged dog that you'll recognize from the logo), will be like a restaurant version of your most loyal pal—always there for you.
3859 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland
510 653 3902
Get Directions
We've missed the word "maverick." But we really didn't have a reason to bring it back until now. Say hello to star molecular gastronomist/chef/owner James Syhabout (Manresa, Coi and PlumpJack Cafe), about to shake up the stuffy, hippie, organic food movement with Commis, open now in Oakland. Don't expect to walk in and see James looking like a mad scientist in the kitchen, manning a thermocirculator over foaming beakers (the restaurant borders Berkeley, after all). But when you sit down in Commis's 30-seat eatery, you'll soon feel as if you're at an intimate yet slightly crazy East Bay friend's dinner party (if your friend knew how to wield dry ice).
56 Belden Place, Financial District
415 397 8800
Get Directions
Sometimes you need an escape, other times you want something familiar. And then there are those moments when you want a little bit of both. That's when you'll head to Trademark—an Americana-tinged bistro sibling of the Elite Cafe on Fillmore and the newest addition to the European café scene on Belden Place—opening this weekend. Since you've probably been to a few brunches and happy hours up on Fillmore, you'll feel right at home with Trademark's brisket sandwiches, rib eyes and other takes on comfort food. And since they're cooking up potent manhattans, sazeracs and other classic cocktails, you've got a new power lunch, happy hour or business dinner spot.
1775 Fulton Street, Western Addition
415 567 4400
Get Directions
There are times to go all out, and then other times when it's good to keep things low key. So after a few nights of unchecked Fourth of July revelry at Boulevard-caliber restaurants, you'll want to
pay a visit to Jannah, a new, casual Mosul-meets-San Francisco eatery brought to you by Iraqi-born chef Yahya Salih, opening north of the Panhandle tomorrow. Jannah, which translates as heaven or paradise in Arabic, marks Salih's return to the city—following a yearlong stint in Burlingame after twenty years of bringing his time-honored family recipes to San Francisco (most recently at Yaya Cuisine).
205 Oak Street, Hayes Valley
415 553 3986
Get Directions
It's been said that things—good or bad—happen in threes. And since there are already two great sushi joints in a three-block radius in Hayes Valley, you'll be happy to know that a new sushi gem is here to complete the trifecta. Make way for Otoro, the latest sushi/izakaya-inspired sliver of a restaurant now open in the old Laurel's Cuban restaurant space on Oak. Named after the most prized grade of bluefin tuna, Otoro is setting out to be your blue-ribbon sushi hangout, where you can throw back a few Sapporos and balance it all out with traditional Japanese fare crafted by Chef Maki—who not only has the name but also 15 years behind the sushi bar.
831 Main Street, Redwood City
650 366 4366
Get Directions
We've got nothing against Wyatt Earp. By all accounts he was a fine lawman. But we'll take a gastropub over a saloon any day. Introducing Martins West, a new Edinburgh-inspired gastropub that's breathing life back into a century-old saloon that was Earp's favorite watering hole, open now in Redwood City. Inspired by one of the owner's favorite pubs in Scotland, Martins West brings you the sort of hearty British fare you'd be hard-pressed to find this side of the pond, with a gourmet, farm-fresh California twist—think: haggis made with sweetbreads and a peat-grilled lamb T-bone. Add a scotch-centric bar, and it's the ideal spot for power lunch with an angel investor, or happy hour down the 101.
655 Divisadero Street, Nopa
415-409-0679
Get Directions
Generally speaking, finding the right date spot is harder than finding the right date. Which means when you find a standout place with the ideal lighting, just the right buzz and a solid menu (preferably with lots and lots of oysters)—like Bar Crudo—you hold onto it for dear life. Trouble is, waiting for a seat in that dime-sized raw bar meant you spent most of your date next door at Tunnel Top—not that you're complaining, but… Let us introduce the bigger, upgraded version of Bar Crudo now open on Divisadero. Twin brother/owners Tim and Mike Selvera didn't mess with a good thing—think of it as everything you liked before, and then some.
254 Fillmore Street, Lower Haight
415 ITS TWIN
Get Directions
You're a romantic type. Which occasionally means making sacrifices: watching Sarah Jessica Parker movies, giving up cold-pizza breakfasts…scouting organic ice cream spots. We can't help with those first two, but we can introduce Three Twins Ice Cream, the city's first stand-alone, certified organic ice cream joint, now open in the Lower Haight. Romancing a crunchy, eco-minded free spirit sometimes requires going the extra mile—and thankfully the extra mile, in this case, happens to be around the corner from Uva Enoteca, so at least you can start with wine and pasta before suggesting anice walk to "this little place I know that does dessert."
568 Sacramento Street, Financial District
415 983 0102
Get Directions
Barbecue is slowly making its way westward. And since there's no such thing as too many short ribs, we say it's about time. But in California, even a national treasure like BBQ isn't immune to some tweaks, and while we love us some traditional 'cue, we think we're onto something. Welcome to Wexler's, a new spot that brings together farm-fresh, fusion and barbecue into one of the most oddly enticing packages we've seen in some time—at the corner of Montgomery and Sacramento.
579 Hayes Street, Hayes Valley
415 626 1162
Get Directions
It all started with a taco truck… Then before we knew it, everybody was eating from carts, bikes and more trucks—only to be followed by the cops cracking down on our prized guerrilla movement. And while we love the underground street-food scene as much as the next guy, it might be time to move things indoors again. Introducing Marino—a new sit-down Mexican spot opening next week in Hayes Valley that'll keep you fully sated on tacos while the food police run roughshod over your favorite taco trucks.
Pier 3 The Embarcadero, The Embarcadero/FiDi
415-984-1973
Get Directions
The general rule used to be: the better the view, the worse the food. And we can only appreciate the irony of that now as tasty spots like La Mar Cebicheria and Epic Roasthouse are starting to populate our long-ignored waterfront. Here to help the cause: The Plant Café Organic, your new bay-side watering hole and organic restaurant outfitted with an airy Cass Calder Smith (La Mar, Terzo) design that's sort of…Finnish sauna meets Tokyo airport, opening Thursday under the Bloomberg offices at Pier 3.
1570 Stockton Street, North Beach
415 835 9888
Get Directions
You've had enough pizzas in your day to know that there's good pizza, and then there's great pizza. But you've probably never had a Naples certified-great pizza with a side of pie-making acrobatics—that is, until now… Welcome Tony's Pizza Napoletana, the new pizzeria backed by Italy's oldest pizza school and brought to you by Tony Gemignani—nine-time world pizza champ and Guinness World Records book's pizza acrobatics holder—open now off of Washington Square Park.
560 Divisadero St., Panhandle
415 864 8643
Get Directions
Filling the void of quality restaurants open past 10pm, Nopa is part killer Cal-Mediteranean kitchen, part mixology-minded bar, part neighborhood meeting hall, bustling and wild long past midnight.
42 Columbus Avenue, Jackson Square
415 421 2540
Get Directions
When it comes to burger joints, there's always room for one more. Especially if the burger joint in question is a spin-off of the crew from the legendary Myth. So without further ado, welcome to Pickles, your new go-to lunch spot—and soon late-night weekend spot (serving till a much-appreciated 3am)—grilling up burgers, hot dogs and steak sandwiches, opening tomorrow in the shadows of the Transamerica building. Walking into Pickles, you may feel a hint of a Tahoe ski-lodge vibe—the walls are covered with wood slats, cozy booths line the walls, and a roaring fire seals the deal.
1707 Powell Street, North Beach
415 433 1188
Get Directions
The days of three-martini lunches may have come and gone, but we smell a comeback. Here to lead the charge is Washington Square Bar & Grill, one of San Francisco's most adored stalwarts, reopening to its full glory on Monday. Even though it was shuttered for over a year, you can expect the same long, dark bar, crimson walls and banquettes and crisp white tablecloths from the 1970s original, which makes it perfect for when you're in the mood to relive San Francisco's old-school, bohemian days. This is the sort of spot you'd reserve for a guy's night or power lunch a la Mad Men. Step into the time-warped brasserie—complete with Herb Caen's typewriter and black-and-white photos of politico regulars—and order your first martini at the bar. Chances are that bartender Mike McCourt has been mixing gin with vermouth here longer than you've been alive.
2231 Chestnut Street, Marina
415 292 2300
Get Directions
The Marina District has added “gastro” to its thriving pub scene in the form of the English-inspired Tipsy Pig. Hearty pub food with a locally farmed, seasonal pedigree such as pulled pork sliders, fried burrata and steak tartare. Its as if an upscale "Cheers" met an English pub and had a Pig.
2355 Chestnut Street, Marina
415 771 2216
Get Directions
Focused on serving local and fresh food, the ever changing menu brings the best of Campania fare to San Francisco.
Building A, Fort Mason Center, Marina
415 771 6222
Get Directions
With influence from the Mediterranean, Mexico and the American Southwest Greens offers imaginative and inspiring vegetarian dishes.
2031 Chestnut Street, Marina/Cow Hollow
415 346 5641
Get Directions
Spanish food served in a romantic and fun atmosphere. Must tries from the menu: Rosemary Infused Almonds, Octopus, the Bacon Wrapped Dates, and the Salted Chocolate Desert.
842 Valencia Street, Mission
415 282 8283
Get Directions
Well-designed and warm space in the Mission with inventive New American dishes and a chic bar.
240 California Street, Financial District
415 391 1849
Get Directions
Ambience draws heavily on its Gold Rush roots, with glossy dark-wood paneling, bentwood chairs and enclosed booths. Excellent steaks and local specialties like the seafood cioppino which brims with clams, prawns, scallops, bay shrimp, whitefish and crab meat. Expect to find a number of singles at the bar, both locals and tourists.
1517 Polk Street, Nob Hill
415 673 1101
Get Directions
Old school fish bar atmosphere and completely unpretentious while offering amazing fresh seafood. If you're looking for good seafood in SF and you dont want to break the bank or deal with a "scene", this is the place for you.
1658 Market Street, Hayes Valley, SOMA
415 552 2522
Get Directions
The ambience is great, the bar setup is elegant, and the whole structure of the restaurant makes for a unique experience. The building itself is in the shape of a cake wedge, so there are interesting corners to situate yourself if you're on a romantic date. The food is simple and organic, nothing overembellished. Their signature dish is the roasted chicken, but the cheeseburger is arguably the best in the city.
3560 18th Street, Mission
415 565 0360
Get Directions
The skylights and beautiful decor are positive mood altering remedies. Interesting wine list, and delicious food (if smallish portions). The pesto is famous among locals and the warm octopus salad is to die for! Complimentary almond cookies at the end of the meal are the perfect finish.
315 Linden Street, Hayes Valley
415 252 7535
Get Directions
Using the latest technology from Japan, complete with heat lamps and vacuum tubes, it looks like a mad scientist is making your coffee. The cafe is their first sit-down location, the space it open, airy, and modern, and the menu is small but well edited.
2016 Fillmore Street, at Pine Street, Pacific Heights
415 474 1419
Get Directions
They make a mean cuppa joe at this rustic yet cozy spot on Fillmore. The breakfast burrito or the oatmeal makes for an outstanding breakfast if you're in the mood.
500 Presidio Avenue, at California Street, Pacific Heights
415 441 5669
Get Directions
Up-and-at-'em! This homey pacific heights joint serves up the best brunch in town. If you sleep in, the chicken hash is well worth the wait for a table.
800 North Point Street, at Hyde Street, Russian Hill
415 749 2060
Get Directions
Renowned modern American (James Beard award winner), with an extensive wine list (1,300 and counting) and an outstanding cheese cart, perfect pheasant and undetectably cholesterol-free soufflés. Plan ahead: reservations usually require six to eight weeks.
260 Valencia Street, Inner Mission
415 552 2050
Get Directions
In a town in direly need of a good slice, Pauline's is a Godsend. It's civilized, too: this is serious gourmet pizza.
1701 Octavia Street, at Bush Street
415 775 8500
Get Directions
Calling all foodies! This tiny pac heights newbie offers top notch Italian-French fare. And the impeccable service, wine list, and atmosphere only add to the experience.
2298 Union Street, at Steiner Street, Cow Hollow
415 775 2200
Get Directions
Perfect pizzas, delish salads (go for the chopped version in gorgonzola dressing), and the cozy outdoor patio make this spot just the place for a relaxing dinner. Breakfast is yummy, too.
2801 California Street at Divisadero
415 359 2122
Get Directions
Happening joint for food and drinks serves high-end comfort staples (gorgonzola mac 'n' cheese, anyone?) And inventive cocktails in a classy interior.
2170 Market Street (at Church), Mission
415 861 5016
Get Directions
Upper Market’s long awaited addition to the sparse coffee scene serves up hearty espressos, gourmet doughnuts and four choice beers on tap.
1963 Suder Street, Lower Pacific Heights
415 775 7313
Get Directions
Fusion cuisine taken yet another step further: the chefs essentially make whatever they want. Result? Sushi appetizers, southern pork loin, and goat-cheese salad-all well prepared and presented with flair (often vertically).
3621 18th Street, at Dolores Street, Mission
415 552 4055
Get Directions
Hubby-and-wife duo Craig Stoll and Anne Spencer have hit the spot with Italian mediterranean food, not a touch of snootiness in sight. Recent renovations have made more room for the neighborhood crowd.
3330 Steiner Street, at Lombard Street, Marina
415 345 1377
Get Directions
Calling all winos! Head straight to this minimalist wine bar and enjoy samplers of the mighty fine selection. Small plates will keep you sober (well, relatively) for longer. Reasonably priced.
181 Eddy Street, Downtown
415 673 8181
Get Directions
If clubs are your thing, this is your calling. Hit the dance floor where Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra once performed in this downtown building, which dates back to the 1930s. Forgot your dancing shoes? Then strut your stuff at the the pool tables in the back room.
299 9th Street
415 863 6334
Get Directions
This sleek new bistro and lounge just steps away from the clubs serves up revelry-inducing cocktails and hearty Italian fare.
600 Guerrero Street, at 18th Street
415 487 2600
Get Directions
Outstanding pastries, great lattes and ooh - the bread! Worth the wait, just savor the smells while in line...
56 Gold Street, Financial District
415 433 6300
Get Directions
They make a mean martini at this 1930s-esque supper club, try the potato pillows with crème fraiche and caviar to start. The chicken hash and kobe steak are solid entree choices.
1401 18th Street, at Missouri Street, Potrero Hill
415 824 8210
Get Directions
A slice of paris on Potrero Hill, complete with French waitstaff, minus l'attitude, have the chocolate-caramel-soufflé cake, you'll wallow in regret if you don't.
2534 Mission Street, Mission
415 648 7600
Get Directions
Hit the heated outdoor patio area, where foreign films are projected nightly onto the two-story wall, or duck into the soaring bar and dining room, or the quieter upstairs. Try the fresh oysters or the asparagus salad to start; main courses include filet mignon and Mediterranean-inspired fish.
317 Healdsburg Avenue, at Matherson Street, Healdsburg
707 922 5399
Get Directions
Yes, it's an hour out of town, but it's Charlie Palmer, precocious american cooking, a killer tasting menu, and an especially good breast of duck.
100 Brannan Street, at the Embarcadero, South Beach
415 861 8032
Get Directions
By far the best Vietnamese in town: Saigon Street food meets Nouvelle Cuisine (don't miss the shaking beef and the sea bass with glass noodles). Reasonably priced, casual, and chic, though it can be tough to get into.
107 Caledonia Street, at Pine Street, Sausalito
415 332 3620
Get Directions
Well worth the drive over the golden gate, both the fish and the scene are top notch at this Sausalito joint. Not to be missed on the menu: the salmon firecracker roll and the black cod.