The Haight & Hayes Valley
Velvety roast-duck banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) gives opera stars something to sing about at this sunny Vietnamese deli, right around the corner from San…
Must-see restaurants in California
Marin County
Exquisite Burmese fusion fare as good as you'd find in a major city – or better. Run by a mother and daughter of Burmese heritage, there's a warm, family…
Mammoth Lakes
Sweet treats such as cookies, marshmallows, jams, cakes, sweet cream pie and brownies are made on site at this ridiculously good dessert shop. Everything…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
The 1889 belle epoque Audiffred Building once housed the Coast Seamen's Union, but for 20-plus years James Beard Award–winning chef Nancy Oakes has made…
Coastal Highway 1
Located right on the water, this place specializes in sophisticated seafood options, with ingredients such as roasted cherry tomatoes accompanying dishes…
San Francisco
Hong Kong meets Vegas at SF's most glamorous, decadent Cantonese restaurant. Say yes to cartloads of succulent roast meats – hello, duck and pork belly –…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Once even Pacific Heights gourmands weren't sure how to pronounce kouign amann (it's 'queen-ah-man') – until James Beard–winning pastry chef Belinda Leong…
West Hollywood & Mid-City
The Farmers Market is a great spot for a casual meal any time of day, especially if the rug rats are tagging along. Its narrow walkways are lined with…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Wait: broccoli rabe on pizza with no sauce? Believe it – Pizzeria Delfina proves the Italian/Californian theory that a few farm-fresh ingredients, well…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Dinner theater can't beat brunch at Boulette's communal table, strategically placed inside a working kitchen amid a swirl of chefs with views of the Bay…
San Francisco
It's no surprise that the late, great Anthony Bourdain once dropped by this casual dim sum and noodle establishment, where the menu features oddities like…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
The pride and joy of SF foodies, the Ferry Building market showcases more than 100 prime purveyors of California-grown organic produce, pasture-raised…
San Francisco
Who knew such authentic dim sum was hiding in a Russian Hill motel? Chinese grandmas, of course. Families gather in this friendly dining room around lazy…
Laguna Beach
Macaws and toucans welcome you to this trendy, sophisticated, three-level ode to exotically spiced dishes from southern Africa – peri-peri prawns, chicken…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Wildly imaginative farm-to-table dining in a converted cinder-block Mission dive. Chef Jason Fox serves adventurous compositions like uni (sea urchin) and…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Chef-owner Brenda Buenviaje blends New Orleans–style Creole cooking with French technique to invent 'French soul food.' Expect updated classics like…
San Francisco
Head south of Golden Gate Park's border for upscale, sustainably sourced Cal-Mex, including succulent grass-fed beef empanadas, melt-in-your-mouth…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Chef-owner Michael Tusk racks up James Beard Awards for a quintessentially Italian culinary balancing act: he strikes ideal proportions among a few…
Healdsburg
With its tony grotto setting, sunny back patio and changing daily menu, this top restaurant focuses on pulling the freshest ingredients from local farms…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Jealous seagulls circle above your outdoor bayside table, eyeing your sustainable fish tacos and tangy jicama and grapefruit salad. James Beard Award…
West Hollywood & Mid-City
It's a veritable scene at the crossroads of WeHo, where reality TV's Vanderpump Rules star Lisa Vanderpump has opened this showplace. There's always a…
Santa Monica
At this 'wine bar and seasonal kitchen', almost all the ingredients for the daily-updated menus come from local organic producers (credited on the menu,…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Bootstrapping start-ups and venture capitalists alike hit Hakkasan for three-course lunch specials ($39) or elegant dim sum (get XO brandy scallop…
North Beach & Chinatown
The Colosseum is 6000 miles from the corner of Columbus and Broadway, but you'll eat like a gladiator at E' Tutto Qua (translation: It's All Here)…
Russian River Area
This restaurant is small, unassuming and serves absolutely delectable food. The menu only features a few starters, pizzas and mains but you cannot go…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
"Thou shalt boil thy bagels before baking," proclaimed Jewish grandmas everywhere – and who are Wise Sons to disobey? Fillmore was once the hub of SF's…
Anaheim
This 1919 former Sunkist orange packing house has a fabulous new life. Over 20 stalls and restaurants sell both sit-down and stroll-around eats and drinks…
Berkeley
Japanese expats gush that Ippuku reminds them of izakaya (Japanese gastropubs) back in Tokyo. Choose from a menu of yakitori (skewered meats and…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Breakfast routines are made to be broken by the infamous Rebel Within: a sausage-spiked Asiago-cheese muffin with a silken soft-boiled egg baked inside…
Los Angeles
'Donuts. Done differently' is its slogan, and it's not kidding. Here, holed treats are sprinkled with coconut bacon, stuffed with vegan cream cheese and…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Smile and say 'wine' at this cheese bar serving sublime pairings with expert advice and zero pretension. The all-domestic cheese menu ranges from triple…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Impress a dinner date on the cheap: load up Coleman Farms pork brats, wild-boar sausages, or fig-brandy free-range duck links with complimentary roasted…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
San Francisco's most iconic dim sum experience has earned its accolades, and remains the go-to choice for its pork and broth-filled Shanghai dumplings and…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Chef Gayle Pirie's acclaimed California classics such as grilled Monterey calamari and crisp sesame fried chicken are the star attractions here – but…
San Francisco
All the chintz you'd expect from an English tearoom, only with a San Francisco crowd: curators talk interactive art over Darjeeling, scones and clotted…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Rebel SF chef Dennis Leary revolutionizes the humble sandwich with top-notch seasonal ingredients: lamb gyros get radical with pesto and eggplant, and…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
A ray of sunshine in the concrete heart of the city, this plucky little storefront showcases seasonal California organics in just-baked breakfasts and…
North Beach & Chinatown
If you've got a start-up budget but venture capitalist tastes, you're in luck here: $38 brings three courses of tasty, rustic comfort food. You get two…
Los Angeles
The (neon) writing is on the (brick) wall: I Got Baked in Los Angeles. Mr Holmes promises highs of the sugary type at this airy, buzz-inducing bakery…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Don't get distracted by Tenderloin street scenes while you wait – be ready to order your banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) when the Saigon boss ladies call …
