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Eos Restaurant & Wine Bar
A classic overachiever, Eos isn't content to have appreciative crowds licking the last of its classic shitake mushroom dumplings, chorizo sausage mussel small plates, and gooey cardamom chocolate cake. Instead it plies you with eclectic wine flights until you're proclaiming its genius to everyone who'll listen. Since tables are close, that could be everyone in the restaurant - good thing everyone's in a similar state.
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Escape From New York Pizza
Hot slices are the Manhattan post-bar crawl nosh of choice, but at this late-night standby it comes with California gourmet toppings. The pesto with roasted garlic and potato is a tasty carbo-load that'll put you right to sleep, but the sundried tomato with goat cheese, artichoke hearts, and spinach is all you need to recharge and go another round.
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Farmerbrown
Half of SF has a crush on this rebel from the wrong side of the block that dishes up a mean seasonal watermelon margarita with a cayenne salt rim (genius), ribs that stick to yours, and coleslaw with a kick that'll leave your lips buzzing. Chef-owner Jay Foster works with local organic and African American farmers to provide food with actual soul.
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Fleur De Lys
Long before celebrity chef Hubert Keller took his Fleur de Lys show on the road to Vegas, this was the ultimate over-the-top SF destination. There's nothing subtle about the swanky sultan's tent interiors, but it's oddly suited to princely repasts involving sweetbreads bejeweled with sea urchin roe, halibut crowned with rhubarb coulis and truffle, and a king's ransom of foie gras on every other dish.
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Forbes Island
No man is an island, except for an eccentric millionaire named Forbes Thor Kiddoo. A miniature lighthouse, thatched hut, waterfall, sandy beach, and swaying palms transformed his moored houseboat into the Hearst Castle of the Bay. Today this bizarre domicile is a restaurant strong on grilled meats and atmosphere. Reserve in advance and catch boat shuttles from Pier 39; landlubbers dining below deck should bring Dramamine.
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Foreign Cinema
When dinner conversation with your Craigslist date flags, don't you just wish Luis Buñel or François Truffaut were around to jumpstart it again? Foreign Cinema is way ahead of you, with nightly showings of classic films projected on the wall behind the courtyard picnic tables. Sure it's a gimmick, but with truffled swordfish and service this reliable, it works.
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Gary Danko
Smoked glass windows prevent passersby from tripping over their tongues at the sight of exquisite roasted lobster with morels, blushing duck breast with rhubarb compote, and the lavish cheese cart. Take your server's seasonal recommendations of three to six small courses from around US$60 to US$90 , and prepare to be impressed. You're paying for a class culinary act, and that's what you get from start to finish - ladies get tiny cakes as parting gifts.
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Geary Food Market
Get spoiled by prepared sundubu (Korean side dishes), killed with kimchee kindness, and bowled over by kim bop (Korean sushi) at this dim, packed mom-and-pop shop of Korean specialties. What this place lacks in lighting it makes up for in flavor - just grope that package atop the counter, get a container of whatever kimchee or sundubu seems handy, and hand over a fiver for whatever tangy treat you're about to enjoy.
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Genki
Life is always sweet at Genki, with aisles of packaged Japanese gummy candies nonsensically boasting of flavors 'shining in the cheeks of a snow-country child,' a dozen tropical fruit variations on tapioca bubble tea, and French crepes by way of Tokyo with green tea ice cream and Nutella. Stock up in the beauty supply/Pocky aisle to satisfy sudden snack/hair dye whims.
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Goat Hill Pizza
This part of town isn't a huge destination for dinner, but thin-crust sourdough pizza served with pitchers of Anchor Steam draws lures hungry crowds uphill from Bottom of the Hill and other downhill bars. When other restaurants are closed on Monday nights, here you can load up on all the pizza you can eat for around US$10 .
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Greens
Career carnivores won't realize there's no meat in the hearty black bean chili with créme fraiche and pickled jalapeños, or that roasted eggplant panino. You don't have to be vegetarian to appreciate these vibrant, full flavors .On sunny days, get yours to go so you can enjoy yours on a wharfside bench, but if you're planning a sit-down weekend dinner or Sunday brunch you'll need reservations.
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Greens & Greens to Go
Long-running Greens raises the standard for vegetarianism, with inventive cooking so good that even hard-core meat eaters leave sated. The former industrial space juts out over the water, with stupendous Golden Gate Bridge views. Or picnic by the bay with salads, sandwiches and fantastic black-bean chili from Greens to Go.
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Harvest Market
At this gourmet grocery store and deli, there are no tables, but the outdoor sidewalk benches provide a perfect resting spot while you indulge in the market's amazing assortment of improv edibles. You can choose among sandwiches, trays of sushi, fresh produce, bins of dried fruit, vegan baked goods, salads and much more.
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Hog Island Oyster Company
Slurp down the bounty of the North Bay with a view of the East Bay. Take yours au naturel, with caper beurre blanc, spiked with bacon and paprika, or perhaps classic lemon and shallots… oh go on, try some of each. Mondays and Thursdays between and are happy hours indeed for shellfish fans, with package deals on California wines and oysters.
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Home
There's no place like it, especially if you enjoy your comfort food fireside with a US$3 happy hour margarita and a gaggle of gym-fresh men. Midwestern favorites get an upgrade here: mac-n-cheese with sneaky cayenne zing, roasted chicken spiked with rosemary, butter lettuce salads with Point Reyes blue cheese dressing. Make yourself at Home - your choice of carbs, political candidates, and dates won't be questioned at this dinner table.
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House Of Nanking
Give your server a general idea what interests you, and accept whatever fresh, Shanghai-style dishes land on the table: meltaway scallops, fragrant sautéed hollow-heart greens, lettuce-wrapped chicken. For bright, clean flavors at a price you'd expect to pay for food half this good, you can put up with bossy service, a strict cash-only policy, and the inevitable wait for a table.
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Imperial Tea Court
A tea break at the serene Imperial Tea Court, where birdcages hang above antique tables, is meant to be a relaxed, cultured experience. The helpful staff, whose knowledge and appreciation for tea rivals that of your above-average wine snob, will help you pick from a variety of aromatic green and black leaves. The tea is pricey - about the same as a premium cocktail. There's another branch at the Ferry Building.
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Inka's
Mission diners jaded by giant burritos and convoluted Californian dishes have another thing or two coming at this Peruvian restaurant, namely: tangy purple corn juice; marinated, skewered beef hearts (not nearly as twisted as it sounds, and oh-so tender); zesty, chunky ceviche; and chewy and not overly sweet pumpkin donuts. Grilled seafood and meats served with saffron rice are bland by comparison, but then so are most foods.
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Ino Sushi
Diminutive, reclusive, and bossy: San Franciscan sushi snobs expect nothing less from their sushi bars, and Ino doesn't disappoint. The 10-seat eatery is tucked behind a curtain in the J-Town mall, and the sushi sensei will give you a withering look if you smother his hand-picked fresh fish with soy sauce. There's no tempura or wacky maki to distract from the sashimi, sliced with diamond-faceting precision into small, perfect gems.
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Jai Yun
Reservations are required and menus superfluous at Jai Yun, where the San Francisco obsession with ripe seasonal produce is satisfied at last by a market menu du jour selected by Chef Nia. Inspired by whatever's freshest at the market that day, the chef concocts banquets of 10 ingenious cold dishes and six mouthwatering hot ones for around US$45 .
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Jardinière
Iron Chef champ and 2007 James Beard Award winner for best West Coast chef Traci Des Jardins has a way with organic vegetables, free-range meats, and sustainably caught seafood that's slightly naughty, bedding a rack of lamb on roasted eggplant and making scallops melt in your mouth with melon and caviar.
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Java Beach Café
The surf hangout of SF, where the fearless go to fuel up on coffee and carbs for the daunting wall-of-water Mavericks competition. This is the last stop on the N Judah and the first before you hit the beach, with plenty of outdoor seating in a small park to strike up conversations about sex wax - for your surfboard, of course.
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Kabuto
Even doubting sushi traditionalists and Japanese food agnostics will soon find themselves worshipping at the holy altar known as the sushi bar at Kabuto. Every night there's a line out the door to witness Eric administer the sacrament of unagi with foie gras and chocolate sauce, and ono with grapefruit and crème fraîche, served with a long list of rare sakes. As long as a meal this divine can be had for around US$30 , heaven seems terribly overrated.
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Koo
Sushi traditionalists flirt with this fusion Japanese joint, with sidelong glances at the scrumptious cream and dark wood interior with mid-century lamps. Surely this place must be getting by on looks alone? But Koo has smarts too: tuna with wild mushrooms and raspberry reduction, mint-miso spare ribs with potato noodles. Then there's the Spoonful of Happiness: uni and quail egg with truffle oil… uh-oh, this could be serious.
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L'Osteria del Forno
Off-the-boat waiters serve trattoria-style Italian dishes at this tiny, eight-table spot that lines 'em up every night. Though little on the menu is truly authentic, the crispy-thin pizzas and roasted meats have a soul-satisfying quality and prices are reasonable. For dessert: affogato (espresso poured over ice cream). Cash only.
