These are our favorites ("the best") in each category; see the neighborhood listings, below, for more details (especially the ones with *** next to the name).
Bread/Pastries: Tartine Bakery
kouign amann: B Patisserie
buttery croissants: Arsicault (chocolate croissants: Maison Nico; inventive flavors but a hassle to get: Butter & Crumble)
Italian (Southern): A16
Italian (Seafood/Sardinian): La Ciccia
Pizza (Naples-style): Tony's Pizza Napoletana (and Il Casaro)
California-Italian: Flour and Water and Cotogna
mixed with California Cuisine: Penny Roma
Locavore California Cuisine:
delicious for a snack or sit down dinner: Tartine Manufactory
very expensive but very good: Lazy Bear
Southern Indian: Udupi Palace
Mexican/Tacos: La Taqueria
Peruvian/Ceviche: La Mar
Sushi:
old school "sushi nazi" in East Bay: Hanazen
midrange super fresh: Sake Bomb
best takeaway (downtown): Ebiko Sushi
fancy top-end sushi: Omakase
Thai: Kin Khao
Less Fancy Thai: Farmhouse Thai Kitchen
Casual French: Chez Maman
California French: Routier
Jewish Deli: Wise Sons
Greek fast casual: Souvla
Brunch: Plow
Casual Seafood/Fish & Chips: Woodhouse Fish Company
Super-Fresh Seafood/Fish & Chips: Hook Fish Co
See the separate page for best grocery stores, farmers markets, and CSAs
*** = especially recommended
# = places we want to go but haven't tried yet
Embarcadero
***Peruvian/Ceviche: La Mar - Pier 1.5 on Embarcadero (north of Ferry Building), great ceviche and upscale Peruvian classics, also great Pisco cocktails, on the water
***Ferry Building: This place is stuffed with fun places to eat, almost a "best of San Francisco" collection. Some favorites include Acme Bread, Dandelion Chocolate, Grand Crêperie, and when the truck is around, Roli Roti
Dim Sum: Yank Sing - one of the fanciest (and most popular) dim sum establishments, SF Eater praises their clean flavors, especially in xiao long bao and custard tarts, Michelin Bib Gourmand...two locations (Rincon Center is near Embarcadero, 49 Stevenson St is near Montgomery)
Spanish/Tapas: Coqueta - won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015-2019 although not anymore in 2022, tapas & other Spanish stuff on the water, very nice
Prospect - popular brunch spot but also serves lunch/dinner, expensive/fancy fare near Google's SF office...Luke hasn't been for brunch but thought that dinner was good but not worth coming back for (especially given the prices)
Kokkari Estiatorio - between Embarcadero & FiDi, Cal-Greek rec'd by SF Eater, Michelin
Good Deals With A Cause: Delancy Street Restaurant - a ho-hum food but a neat cause: it's run by people recovering from rehab or prison; they also have pretty good prices.
Reliable Upscale American: Hillstone - this 2016 ode to Hillstone restaurants in Bon Appétit got me interested in this place, which is SF's branch of the small chain with a cult following
Union Square/Powell/Nob Hill/Russian Hill
***Thai: Kin Khao - in Parc 55 hotel (near Powell BART station), opened in 2014, Thai restaurant billed by Michelin culinary guide director Michael Ellis as "the first time I've really had authentic Thai food outside of Thailand" (it won a Bib Gourmand in 2015, new that year, and has stayed in the guidebook since); we've been there a few times and loved it!
Pizza: Del Popolo - Neapolitan pizza near Union Square, also a popular food truck; pretty good although there are a few places that remind me more of Naples (Tony's, Il Casaro)
Upscale/Haute Cuisine: Sons & Daughters - expensive place, two Michelin stars
Seven Hills - Nob/Russian Hill, ravioli uovo is raved about, we ate here and enjoyed it a great deal, they have Panorama bread (tastes almost like Tartine)
Ula Restaurant & Tapas Bar - a "Mediterranean"/French place that opened in late 2022, Eater SF put them on their Most Romantic Restaurants list
West of Union Square (Tenderloin/Tendernob/Polk)
#Liholiho Yacht Club - Hawaiian with Indian/California twists, on Eater SF's 38 list in 2016
New Orleans: Brenda's French Soul Food - Polk St, great Cajun food, especially popular at brunch but also great lunch/dinner...expect long lines and delicious beignets
Midrange Japanese: Akira - just west of Polk St on Bush, this cozy little spot has nice sushi and other Japanese dishes
?Sushi Sato - Eater SF likes their fixed price tasting menu
Vietnamese/Banh Mi: Saigon Sandwich - 3 blocks N of Asian Art Museum
Shalimar - hole in the wall Indian/Pakistani rec'd by Anurag
Pakwan - hole in the wall Pakistani place rec'd by Anurag (also branches in the Mission & Ocean Ave)
Financial District (FiDi) / Montgomery
***Ebiko Sushi - near the Salesforce Tower, amazing sushi at fairly reasonable prices considering what you get...order in advance so you don't have to wait in line
Bar Sprezzatura - near the Embarcadero Center, this place is modeled after a Venetian bacaro (sort of like tapas-with-wine)
Onigilly - nice takeout place with Japanese rice balls (onigiri), good for a quick lunch
?Fancy/Upscale American: Wayfare Tavern - near Transamerica Pyramid/FiDi
?Fancy Omakase Sushi: The Shota - 1 Michelin star
Old School San Francisco: Tadich Grill - one of the more famous places to get cioppino, as well as sand dabs, clam chowder, etc.
Italian: Perbacco - highly rated Italian (focusing on Piemonte) with California twist; need reservation! Just down the street from Tadich Grill. won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015
***Italian: Cotogna - "rustic Italian",...wonderful place between Telegraph Hill and the Financial District, won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015 (still rec'd Michelin in 2022 but no longer Bib Gourmand)...the more casual cousin of the 3 Michelin star Quince (which is nice but we thought it was a bit much)
Barcha Restaurant - rec'd Michelin, close to Market street between Montgomery & Embarcadero, nice Mediterranean fare
Weekday Takeout: The Sentinel - near Market, people like their sandwiches
French places (a lot are near Belden Place; read this guide to various spots)
***Maison Nico - pastries & takeout food from chef Nicolas Delaroque who has worked in & run Michelin-starred restaurants; wonderful savory (e.g. pâté) and sweet (e.g. Luke's favorite chocolate croissant in SF) foods
French: Bouche - nice, relatively casual French bistro just north of Union Square (above the Stockton tunnel), we went here and liked it
Boulevard - 1 Michelin star, near the Embarcadero
Le Central - very old place specializes in cassoulet
***Neapolitan Pizza: Tony's Pizza Napoletana authentic Naples pizza made by Tony Gemignani, an Italian-American who won a prize for Best Pizza in a Naples competition in 2007...limited number of margheritas made per day
***Il Casaro Pizzeria - excellent Naples-style pizzas (although I slightly prefer Tony's) and other homestyle Italian dishes; I've heard mixed reviews about their pastas...also a location in the Castro
***Butter and Crumble - a little ways off the busy part of North Beach, this little place takes croissants (and other laminated dough products) very, very seriously, putting out butter croissants that (in my mind) rival Arsicault's. However, they are famous for their more inventive flavors like pistachio/cardamom. However, they are a PAIN to get. You either have to pre-order a box in advance, or you have to wait in line. Apparently Thursday/Friday is better than the weekend, but even on a Thurs/Fri, you probably have to get there 8 to 8:30 to avoid waiting a long time, since arriving at 9 gets you into the store by 10, and they usually sell out around 11 or noon.
#Trestle - fixed price dinners are supposed to be a good value; Eater SF has on their Most Romantic Restaurants in SF list
Soufflés: Cafe Jacqueline - rec'd Eater SF (who also have it on their Most Romantic Restaurants in SF list)
Italian Homemade Company - makes Emilia-Romagna style stuff (such as pasta with bolognese ragu), which is one of my favorite cuisines in Italy...they're good but I wasn't super impressed? also locations in Cow Hollow, Hayes Valley, and Berkeley
Italian/Neapolitan: Cafe Macaroni - Neapolitan experience although menu contains other Italian favorites, sometimes has squid ink pasta?
Liguria Bakery - old-school place known for focaccia (was featured on Somebody Feed Phil)
Ristorante Ideale - Roman cuisine including homemade pastas, rec'd by several folks
Tommasso's (old school Italian-American pizza) and Caffe Sport (old school family-style pasta, yelpers rec'd pesto) - SF Institutions but not "authentic" Italian
Cantonese: R&G Lounge - while most locals will tell you that Chinatown has worse Chinese food than the Richmond & Sunset districts, Chinatown has stepped up its game lately & this Cantonese institution has always been one of the better Chinatown restaurants (also on Eater SF's list). Famous for salt & pepper crab.
Sichuan: Z & Y - Chinatown, won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015 (new that year), on various Eater SF lists including their Best Places in Chinatown
Upscale Cantonese: Mister Jiu's - Brandon Jew's restaurant opened in 2016 to much acclaim, now has 1 Michelin star
"Chinese Eataly": China Live - sit-down restaurant and take-away options in this temple to Chinese cuisine, on Eater SF's list of places to eat in Chinatown
Egg Tarts: Golden Gate Bakery - delicious tarts, likely the best in the Bay Area, but the store has famously irregular hours (so much so that there's a Twitter account tracking them)...Eater SF says nearby Wong Lee Bakery is almost as good?
Gelato: Gelateria Naia - pretty good fruit flavors; creamy flavors are less exciting...at one point was the best in the Bay Area but I prefer Gio Gelato (Marina) or Hila (Mission) for fruit flavors and Philmore (Filmore District) for creamy flavors
***Upscale American: Zuni Cafe - a bit expensive for "comfort food," but their roast chicken is wonderful, as are their other dishes, American with Mediterranean influences, Roast Chicken with Bread Salad was on 7x7 Magazine's Things to Try Before You Die list and Eater SF's 38 best restaurants in SF list (they've been on the list from 2016-2025!), rec'd Michelin
***Arsicault Bakery - Bon Appetit named them the best new bakery in the country in 2016, especially for their croissants. Their croissants are very light and buttery—Luke's favorites. Also very nice kouign amann and other treats (e.g. their apple turnovers are amazing). Also a location in Inner Richmond.
***Greek: Souvla - rec'd Eater for rotisserie lamb/chicken/pork/sweet potato, as well as Greek-style frozen yogurt with baklava/olive oil/sea salt, great "fast casual" spot; also branch in Mission...one of our go-to places for easy/fast takeout or a drop-in meal
Sushi: Domo - won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015
#Octavia - new american dishes, same chef (Melissa Perello) as Frances, rec'd Eater
French: Absinthe Brasserie & Bar - a bit expensive, good french onion soup and other French standbys with a California cuisine twist.
Lers Ros Thai - ~Tenderknob and Hayes Valley locations, has appeared on Eater SF's 38 Essential Restaurants list...also location in Mission District, we prefer Basil Thai (SoMa) for green curry but their red curry (which includes a duck option!) is very nice, as is their green papaya salad
Rich Table - near Zuni Cafe, rec'd by Eater SF (esp. for sardine chips, flatbreads, and pastas), Domo - won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015, we ate there and were a little under-whelmed
German: Suppenküche - rec'd "the boot" beer, potato pancakes, wiener schnitzel...also have a satellite beer garden
***Southern Italian: A16 - named after highway from Naples to Nola, so it features food of Campania/Basilicata/Puglia...also certified to make "Vera Pizza Napoletana" (not bad, although we prefer Tony's); don't miss their budino (chocolate pudding) with olive oil and sea salt, Michelin Bib Gourmand since 2015
Dim Sum: Hong Kong Lounge II - won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015 (new that year)
Afghan: Helmand Palace - Russian Hill, owned by one of Hamid Karzai's brothers!
Atelier Crenn - we went here on a special date in 2015, and agreed with friends that it's like eating "poetry on a plate"...although we were somewhat disappointed overall in the savory courses (e.g. relatively bad accommodations for gluten-free restrictions despite contacting them about it well in advance, a duck dish was cold, relatively flavorless, and without crispy duck skin) we were *blown away* by the dessert, which was probably the best we've had anywhere. Maybe they've gotten better recently? (They got a 3rd Michelin star in 2018)
French Pastries: Le Marais Bakery - not bad renditions of French favorites; Luke prefers Arsicault, Tartine or B Patisserie for most stuff; also has branch in the Castro and in Ghiradelli Square
Pacific Heights/Fillmore:
Italian: SPQR - fancy California take on Italian food, well-deserves its 1 Michelin star (note: as of 2023 they're in the Michelin guide but no longer have a star?)
Cal-Italian: Mattina - SPQR chef's casual cousin, we've heard good things
Cal-Italian: Pizzeria Delfina - branch of the Mission district place; now has GF pizza!
***Seafood: Woodhouse Fish Company - awesome seafood, flaky fish & chips and very tasty crab sandwiches
Presidio Heights:
Spruce - 1 Michelin star
Sorrel - nice California cuisine, a bit fancy
Sociale - won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015
Upscale Indian: ROOH SF - Indian food with California influences, rec'd Eater SF. Also a branch in Palo Alto. Outstanding but expensive.
Sushi: Akikos - Eater SF has sung this place's praises for some time; it's on their 16 Top Sushi Restaurants list from 2023
MKT Restaurant and Bar - in the Four Seasons, bar has late-night options until midnight
Upscale Mexican: Californios - tasting menu, 2 Michelin stars
French: Chez Papa Resto - SOMA, used to be affiliated with the other Chez Papa in Potrero; a bit more upscale
Upscale: Benu - one of the former French Laundry chefs runs this very upscale place, probably one of the most expensive (but also one of the best) restaurants in SF, various Asian influences; won its 3rd Michelin star in 2015
?1601 Bar and Kitchen - Michelin Bib Gourmand, Sri Lankan
***Basil Thai - awesome Thai food, especially the green curry
Potrero
***French: Chez Maman - a smaller, more casual, slightly less expensive French place owned by the Chez Papa people...they don't take reservations and are tiny so be prepared for a wait!
Mexican: Papito - owned by the Chez Papa people.
***Brunch: Plow - consistently called the best brunch in the City. Especially recommended: ricotta pancakes and eggs benedict.
Dogpatch
#Besharam - Gujarati (West Indian) food rec'd Eater SF; gluten free & vegetarian
La Stazione Coffee & Wine Bar (good lattes, pastries)
Dig Wines (wine store) - good selection of Brunello (they have Sesti and Poggio Antico!)
Piccino - Italian restaurant
Neighbor Bakehouse - the Chronicle said they were SF's best croissants in 2015...you can find their stuff at Sightglass and Four Barrel coffee shops (among other places)...Luke prefers Arsicault & Chez Nico for croissants but they are pretty good
Marlowe - their Fried Chicken Sandwich is on 7x7's 100 things to eat before you die list, but don't miss their fried brussel sprouts.
Turtle Tower - near Hall of Justice and also near Civic Center, Vietnamese chicken Pho Ga
Saison - expensive (most expensive in the state!) but highly-rated place, 2 Michelin stars
Mission is organized roughly north to south, except taquerias have their own section...
Italian: Pink Onion - nice spot for mostly-American-style pizzas (their "magic mushroom" with crimini & truffles is great) and pastas (including gluten-free pastas)
#Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen - gluten-free Venezuelan arepas, supposedly good passionfruit
Lers Ros Thai - also outposts in Tendernob and Hayes Valley (see above for more)
Mayan/Yucatan: Poc Chuc - Mayan/Yucatan home cooking
Mexican: La Oaxaqueña Bakery and Restaurant - regional cuisine (including grasshopper tacos??)
***Tartine Manufactory - features many of the same breads & pastries as the Tartine Bakery, plus a bunch of savory dishes like great sandwiches...plus you can reserve tables for dinner (which is mostly smaller plates of super-fresh California cuisine food). Bon Appetit, Eater magazine has a nice "how to" guide to all the goodies they sell here. Note that as of 2022 they no longer have quite the same array of pastries as the original Guerrero store.
Italian: Delfina - ...and Pizzeria next door; Both are foodie havens; rec'd by Patricia Unterman, Delfina won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015. The pizza is more NYC than Italy, but still good.
Burmese: Yamo - nice
***Mission Chinese Food - self-advertised as "Americanized" Chinese food, Ma Po Tofu was on 7x7 Magazine's Things to Try Before You Die list, also featured in NY Times.
Salvadoran: Balompie - rec'd by Patricia Unterman for pupusas and more, also a branch near Bernal Heights
Senegalese: Bissap Baobab - cool spot for food that's hard to find in the Bay Area
***Tartine Café/Bakery - foodies from all over the world make pilgrimages to get bread from this tiny bakery, which also features some great French-style pastries. Bread is available at 5 PM every day, but usually you have to book ≥2 days ahead to get a loaf (occasionally they'll have some left over though...).
Tacolicious - fancy "yuppified" tacos, also locations in Marina & Ferry Building.
***Thai: Farmhouse Kitchen - a branch of Castro Brunch hotspot Kitchen Story, reasonably-priced Thai favorites including amazing BBQ chicken (Kai Yang Som Tum), scrumptious papaya salad, and hearty tom yum soup.
***Lazy Bear - a splurge (dinner often costs $200 a person!) but our favorite restaurant in SF if price is no option (the only meal we thought was a better experience was a place in Italy). You sit at communal tables and get the freshest, most tasty version of "California cuisine" I've ever seen. As an example, when we sat down we got the best rolls we'd ever eaten served with house-cultured butter that was the best butter we'd ever eaten...and that's just the beginning! Two Michelin stars.
Mexican: San Jalisco (formerly Los Jarritos) - old school "sit down" Mexican restaurant in the Mission
Trick Dog - SF eater rec's their beef tartare, kale salad, and headcheese tacos (and rec's for late night dining until 1:30 am)
***Italian: Flour & Water - California-style Italian food with lots of local, fresh ingredients; chocolate budino rec'd, won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015
***Cal-Italian/Upscale California: Penny Roma - in the former Central Kitchen space, delicious, fresh, seasonal, local food, including fresh-made pasta, run by the Flour & Water team, among our favorite restaurants in SF, Luke's longer review here
Mijoté - across from Flour & Water...great French-inspired food, Eater SF likes their fixed price meal
California/Local: Heirloom Cafe - good California-style cuisine, previously was rec'd Michelin
***South Indian: Udupi Palace - vegetarian South Indian food, more "home style" (cheaper, not as fancy) compared to Dosa, great dosas.
***Mediterranean/Wine Bar: Foreign Cinema - fun place which projects French films on the wall, rec'd by Patricia Unterman, a bit pricey but one of the highest-rated places in the Mission...Laszlo Bar is a nice bar in front with Soviet-era Russian decor
Italian/Wine Bar: Beretta - fun spot with Italian influences, also a branch on Divisadero
Pan-Asian: Spice Jar - nicely prepared dishes from Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai traditions, at reasonable prices. We especially liked the fries with nori (seaweed) and green curry chicken.
Hungarian/Czech/Sandwiches: Paprika - offers sandwiches for lunch and goulash for dinner
Discount Gourmet: Mr. Pollo - was famous for offering a fancy chef's tasting menu in a hole-in-the-wall for only $20 (now $40); after Chef Manny Torres Gimenez left, it went downhill but as of 2022 there's a new chef (Graham Bellefeuille) now so maybe it's better...?
***Jewish Deli: Wise Sons - the best pastrami west of the Mississippi and delicious chopped liver / latkes...also pretty good bagels (including gluten free)
Taquerias - the Mission is home to some of the best taquerias in the City, if not the state
El Tonayense - rec'd by Patricia Unterman, featured on Check Please, al pastor and super burrito are popular on Yelp
El Farolito - several locations, one of the better taco/burrito places
***La Palma Mexicatessen - fresh tortillas, carnitas, tamales, potato chips, masa, chicharrones, etc. as well as other Mexican/Latin American products, rec'd by Patricia Unterman
Tortas Los Picudos - tortas rec'd by Patricia Unterman
La Corneta - rec'd by Patricia Unterman
Papalote - a "gentrified" (i.e. mostly white people) but nevertheless high-quality taqueria known for its awesome burritos
***La Taqueria - 25th & Mission, slightly more expensive than other taquerias but still good, very fresh; carnitas taco is on on 7x7 Magazine's Things to Try Before You Die list. After extensive research, 538 also concluded that they serve the best burritos in the US.
Taqueria Cancún - popular taqueria
El Toro - not bad, good tacos
Vallarta - popular, cheap taqueria, yelpers recommend al pastor and carne asada
Ice Cream
Bi-Rite Creamery - people line up around the block for their small batches of innovative flavors made from fresh ingredients
Hila - gelato shop in former Xanath spot, run by Sicilian gelataia (opened in 2023, Mission Local article)
Smitten - branch of the Hayes Valley phenomenon
Garden Creamery - interesting flavors, very good...although Luke isn't a fan of how NIMBY they were when another ice cream place wanted to open nearby
Mitchell's - old school spot with interesting flavors
St. Francis Fountain & Grill - old school diner (they bill themselves as "San Francisco's Oldest Ice Cream Parlor") which serves breakfast all day, plus diner favorites and shakes/ice cream
Anthony's Cookies - not an ice cream shop but their crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside cookies go well with ice cream; don't miss their "double chocolate"!
La Lengua / Bernal Heights (south of the Mission)
***Komaaj - North Iranian/Persian place with amazing flavors; don't miss their Pomegranate & Lamb stew (also available in vegetarian Walnut version)
#Indian: Tilak - nice-looking small spot for Indian food (chef Tilak Gurung is originally from Nepal), rec'd Eater SF
#Chīsai Sushi Club - small place (the name means "small" in Japanese) with a cult following, does omakase (chef's choice) for $70-120 depending on which one you get
#Hawaiian/Fusion: Outer Orbit - opened in 2018, rec'd Eater SF
Nicaraguan: Oye! Managua, Nicoya favorites like platanos (plantains), gallo pinto (rice & beans) and queso frito (fried cheese). Yelpers recommend the Maria Elena platter for two, which lets you try almost everything.
Avendanos - great butcher shop (you can get some unusual cuts here), also has some prepared food
Zazie (Cole Valley, French) - 941 Cole Street, French-style bistro, popular brunch (in fact, no reservations allowed for weekend brunch!) but also good for lunch/dinner
***State Bird Provisions - near Geary, Western Addition/Japantown, very popular, trendy place, California-fresh cuisine served dim-sum style; they take reservations online starting 60 days in advance but are frequently booked; a bunch of tables / counter space are set aside for walk-ins, though...amazing food, if possible go in a larger group (so you can share more dishes), very accommodating for gluten-free
next door is The Progress, a Latin America-themed family-style restaurant by the same chef
Nopalito ( http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/impulse-shopping-nopa-nopalitos-chefs-farmers-market ), more sophisticated take on Mexican classics, panhandle
#Nopa - popular restaurant that spawned the neighborhood's name
***Philmore Creamery - probably our favorite gelato spot, in the Filmore district
Italian-Californian Pizzas: Gialina Pizza - near Glen Park BART station, inventive pizzas (including nettles and figs) with a crispy, thin crust
***Sardinian Italian: La Ciccia - outstanding Sardinian food focusing on seafood; squid ink and bottarga pastas are especially good (Note: they got new owners in 2022 but this 2023 Chronicle article claims that it's almost exactly the same.)
***Crepes: Le Marais Bistro - Luke prefers other places for French pastries (although the pastries here are pretty good), but they have excellent crepes at this location (and the one at the Ferry Building)
Anchor Oyster Bar - won Michelin Bib Gourmand 2015-2025
L'Ardoise Bistro - French place in Duboce Triangle, rec'd Eater SF in 2021, looks nice?
***Tea: Lovejoy's Tea Room - blast from the past tea-and-crumpets place...their scones are amazing!
##Seafood/raw bar: Billingsgate - in Noe Valley, a small grocery & fishmonger that also has a small menu of mostly raw seafood
Small Plates: Starbelly - wine bar/small plate place on Market in Castro district, won Michelin Bib Gourmand 2015-2019, excellent (we also know the former chef)
***Frances - nice, tiny restaurant, great California cuisine; reserve well in advance (they open up 2 months before...or get there early for one of the few walk-in tables or bar), 1 Michelin star (although as of 2023-2025 they are in the Michelin guide but no longer have a star?)
Il Casaro Pizzeria - excellent Naples-style pizzas (although I slightly prefer Tony's) and other homestyle Italian dishes; I've heard mixed reviews about their pastas...also a location in North Beach
Inner Sunset
***Persian: Lavash - awesome, authentic Persian food
Ebisu/Hotei (nice neighborhood sushi places)
Outer Richmond (W of Park Presidio)
Seafood: Pacific Cafe - nice, cozy old-school seafood place which serves free wine while you wait for your table
Moroccan: El Mansour - near Seacliff
***Upscale Moroccan: Aziza - amazing food (we especially liked the basteeya), although we haven't been since they re-opened in 2019
Inner Richmond
***French Pastries: B Patisserie - French pastry shop that has great stuff, especially kouign amann (Breton pastries that are like croissants stuffed with even more butter and sugar). Luke especially likes the kouign amann "ends", which is a bag full of very flaky, buttery pastry!
***California French: Routier - by Belinda Leong of B Patisserie fame along with a couple other chefs, this is our favorite date night restaurant, with delicious but unpretentious French food with a California twist...very good with dietary restrictions; they also have a good fixed-price "formula"
## Keeva Indian Kitchen - looks nice, rec'd Eater SF
Burma SuperStar - Burmese food, very popular
from Oct 2013 trip: tea leaf salad was delicious (try Rainbow next time?), samusa soup was nice (Luke didn't like bready samusas but flavor was nice), pumpkin pork stew was tasty, coconut rice goes with everything, rose tea is delicious and delicate, mango lassi is culturally wrong but super tasty (very intense, fresh mango flavor)
B Star Bar - Burma SuperStar's "little sister"
#Burmese Kitchen - supposedly even better than Burma SuperStar?
Arsicault Bakery - Bon Appetit named them the best new bakery in the country in 2016, especially for their croissants; as of mid-2017 they no longer sell out by 10 AM (!). Their croissants are very light and buttery...in a pinch Luke probably prefers Tartine's frangipane croissants (which are larger, darker, and very flaky) but they're both outstanding. Also a location in Civic Center.
French: Chapeau! - French place that's not too expensive with prix fixe specials, won Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2015. Used to be called Clementine.
Outer Sunset
***Outerlands - Cool restaurant by the water which features Tartine-style bread (see bread, below). Yelpers say not to miss the lemon ginger apple cider.
***Hook Fish Co - right near the ocean, this relatively small/casual spot serves ridiculously fresh seafood, including the best fish and chips I've ever had
##Korean: Toyose - in a repurposed garage (some people call it "The Korean Garage"), they grow their own vegetables, probably one of the most "authentic" Korean places in SF