The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Follow the applause: that's the sound of organic tortilla-making in progress. You've found the Mission mother lode of handmade tamales, and pupusas …
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Follow the applause: that's the sound of organic tortilla-making in progress. You've found the Mission mother lode of handmade tamales, and pupusas …
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Since 1906, family-owned Benkyodo has survived earthquakes, world wars, even Japanese American internment – and still the Okamura family keeps making life…
North Beach & Chinatown
Observe this quasi-religious North Beach noontime ritual: enter Molinari, and grab a number and a crusty roll. When your number's called, let wisecracking…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
When you see happy dances break out on Mission sidewalks, you must be getting close to Mitchell's. One glance at the menu induces gleeful gluttony:…
North Beach & Chinatown
Graduate from ho-hum sweet-and-sour and middling mu shu to sensational Sichuan dishes that go down in a blaze of glory. Warm up with spicy pork dumplings…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Career carnivores won't realize there's zero meat in the hearty black-bean chili, or in Greens' other flavor-packed vegetarian dishes, made using…
North Beach & Chinatown
Ask Chinatown neighbors about their go-to dim sum and the answer is either grandma's or Good Mong Kok. Lines snake out the door of this counter bakery for…
Marin County
Open in 2015 to immediate acclaim, San Franciscans drive over the bridge for the izakaya (Japanese pub-style fare and tapas-like small dishes) paired with…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
The name means one meaty main course plus three sides – though only superheroes finish ham steak with Creole red-eye gravy and exemplary grits, let alone…
Oakland
Few breakfasts can match the sheer perfection of a good bagel loaded with cream cheese, salmon, tomatoes and capers, and the version at Beauty's is, well,…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
No Silicon Valley technology excites as much local geekery as a bowl of Marufuku ramen. Its advantages are much discussed: tonkotsu broth cooked for 20…
San Francisco
VIP all the way: Baccarat crystal chandeliers, tawny leather chairs, rotating art collections and 2500 wines. Ladies who lunch dispense with polite…
North Beach & Chinatown
Bleary-eyed art students and Italian grandmothers line up by 8am for cinnamon-raisin focaccia hot out of the 100-year-old oven, leaving 9am dawdlers a…
Oakland–Grand Lake Farmers Market
Oakland
A rival to San Francisco's Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, this bountiful weekly market hauls in bushels of fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, ranched meats,…
San Francisco
Stop by this little neighborhood gem for coffee and wood-fired bagels on your way to the Presidio, or return in the evening for unmissable martinis. Start…
Berkeley
Excellent Burmese fare includes some of the Bay Area's more authentic takes on mohinga (fish noodle soup), ohn no kauk swe (coconut-curry chicken soup),…
Berkeley
Berkeley does not lack for good Chinese food, but this enormous, upscale restaurant elevates the genre with Northern Chinese specialties like duck-bone…
Excelsior
Some of the best sandwiches in San Francisco are getting prepped and served in this little counter-service deli. The meats are fresh, and the cheeses are…
Marin County
This beach-chic canteen with bench seating and a chalkboard menu sits just under the lifeguard tower. Order quality, fresh tacos, nachos, fish and chips,…
Berkeley
Worker owned since 1971, this co-op boasts (surprise) a great collection of cheese, a bakery with a changing selection of fresh bread, and a new…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Sunny flavors, healthful ingredients, and easygoing elegance make Little Gem a San Francisco treasure. Chef David Cruz combines fine-dining tradecraft…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Live the dream at this bayfront bistro, where California-fresh, Vietnamese-inspired dishes are served with sparkling waterfront views. Chinatown-raised…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
SF's definitive burrito has no saffron rice, spinach tortilla or mango salsa – just perfectly grilled meats, slow-cooked beans and tomatillo or mesquite…
Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
California farm-to-table gets Thai street smarts in this warehouse restaurant showcasing organic local ingredients and regional Thai street-food…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Leave gimmicky waterfront bistros behind and find higher ground here, with rustic French seafood and easy social graces. Triple-Michelin-starred chef…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Like discovering a long-lost twin, Cala's California roots cuisine is a revelation. San Francisco's Mexican-ranchera origins are deeply honored here:…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Spring through fall, some 30 food trucks and pop-up cubes circle their wagons at SF's largest mobile-gourmet hootenannies on Friday night at Fort Mason…
North Beach & Chinatown
San Francisco has steadily craved Chinese food since 1848, and this fancy food hall delivers regional Chinese taste sensations with Californian flair – it…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Twenty years ago Delfina opened its doors on what was then a sketchy corner of the Mission. It served simple Italian cuisine prepared with fresh…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
This is not your nonni's Italian, and actually she might take issue with whether it's Italian at all. Many of the ingredients more commonly appear on…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Gary Danko wins James Beard Awards for his impeccable Californian haute cuisine. Smoked-glass windows prevent passersby from tripping over their tongues…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Do not attempt to order pad thai at this fashionable younger sibling of nearby Lers Ros, where the 120-dish menu is inspired by the cuisine of the lesser…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
One bite explains why SF is obsessed with pizza lately: Delfina's thin crust heroically supports the weight of fennel sausage and fresh mozzarella without…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
The sister bistro of State Bird Provisions seems laid-back – the wabi-sabi wooden decor resembles a weatherbeaten boat and Stuart Brioza and Nicole…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Indie-rock organic ice cream that may permanently spoil you for Top 40 flavors. Once 'Elvis: The Fat Years' (banana and peanut butter) and 'Hibiscus Beet…
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Never mind the name: once you've sampled the carnitas (slow-roasted pork) tacos and passion-fruit-habañero margaritas, you'll be in no position to debate…
San Francisco
Romans and San Franciscans converge around the table at this tiny Russian Hill storefront trattoria, where market-fresh ingredients find peak expression…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Ancient Greek philosophers didn't think too hard about lunch, and neither should you at Souvla. Get in line and make no-fail choices: pita or salad, wine…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
If all vegan meatballs, faux crispy chicken sandwiches and imitation salami subs tasted this good, every cow, chicken and pig could run free. Okay maybe…
San Francisco
Bond over mezze inspired by chef-owner Samir Mogannam's mom, plus stints at the Bay's top Mediterranean restaurants. Hummus tahina traditionalists and…