The best restaurants San Francisco & Bay Area

Here's a restaurant that's out of the ordinary on Californian menus. Chef Brian Fernando, who spent many years in Sri Lanka, offers an inventive and daring cuisine that combines the island's traditions with Californian avant-gardism. This means, among other things, that the dishes are not too spicy, but are infused with exotic flavors. The modern dining room, with its intimate lighting, lends itself perfectly to dinners for two. To round off the evening, the owner, who is very Francophile, plays local music. A chic and expensive table.

Sanraku is one of Nob Hill's top sushi spots. You can eat there while watching the chefs create their wonders at the bar. If they are not too busy, they will even be happy to chat with you and share their knowledge. The decoration is a mix between contemporary Japanese-inspired posters and old-fashioned American furniture. For those who are allergic to raw fish, the udons, special lunch menus, and the donburis (fish or meat on a bed of rice) are excellent and more economical. A very good address

The same concept as its small brother and neighbour, the Crossroads Café, the servers and employees are ex-inmates in a reintegration program (the Delancey Street Foundation). The staff were very friendly and helpful. For the evening, typical American kitchen and excellent cakes (taste chocolate-based, a delight) for a few dollars. A very good address.

One of the few survivors of the 1906 earthquake, the Belle Epoque Audiffred Building, houses one of San Francisco's most respected restaurants today. Chef Nancy Oakes is inspired by French cuisine to create a refined Californian style. You can taste simple dishes worthy of the great masters. Enjoy a drink at the bar.

This charming Italian restaurant, located in Cow Hollow, offers a complete menu of watering antipasti and controlled dishes. In the programme: Ahi doughnuts, marinated octopus, fresh pasta stuffed handcrafted, asparagus ravioli and a wide selection of pizzas.

This somewhat isolated restaurant in Richmond's district is worth a visit, and if you explore the Golden Gate Park, you can easily go there. On the menu, dumplings made with talent and tradition including the few insiders who know the address! Vegetarians, pork or seafood are all recommended. Stuffed brioches are also delicious and perfectly accompanied by a steam ravioli base. Perfect to regain strength before returning to the park museums. 

This little Burmese jewel in the middle of Richmond will make you discover an exotic cuisine with an abundance of flavors, especially since it is proposed in a classic version, meaning not Americanized. You should try the tea leaf salad(Lap Pat Dok), refreshing and with surprising textures, or let yourself be tempted by the mandalay special noodles or the mandalay chicken, specialties of the chef. This is an excellent opportunity to discover Burmese cuisine, which is much less well known than its Chinese, Thai or Indian counterparts.

A local, no-frills address in the heart of Castro. Starbelly serves what Americans call comfort food: simple, tasty dishes. The wooden interior and herb-scented outdoor patio offer a unique setting for lunch or early evening. As for the cuisine, the menu changes according to the market and the chef's whims. The dishes are inventive and well-seasoned. We love the bacon-arugula (arugula) pizza, homemade pâté and flank steak. Good wine list at reasonable prices.

Brasserie atmosphere for the oldest French restaurant in San Francisco... In Bush Street, on the right going down to Market Street, impossible to miss! A vintage red Tabac sign in the French style marks this establishment which plays on the made in France. It exists since 1974 and it is an institution. The specialities? Cassoulet, black pudding and filet mignon. Unfortunately all this is a bit overrated and rather touristy. But the room is pleasant and the location, just a step away from Union Square, is convenient.

If you're not lucky enough to be staying on the floors of the luxurious and historic Westin Saint Francis, you can take a shopping break in the luxury boutiques on the first floor and enjoy a gourmet meal at the Oak Room, an elegant and cozy restaurant with thick carpeting, heavy curtains, a wood-paneled ceiling and leather chairs. The American menu is based on products and recipes from the Californian region, with a refined version of course, and excellent macaroons. A break from the hustle and bustle of Union Square.

It's the chic Sofitel Restaurant of the Bay. French service and gastronomy according to group standards. On the ground floor, just steps from the pool, comfortable spaces await you to enjoy the cuisine of Chef Alejandro Abad. On that day, a cute filet with small high-flying vegetables regaled us… Very attentive service with a touch of humour that adds to well-being.

Built in 1903, the building was long a pharmacy before becoming a café during the 1964 hippie movement. Magnolia Gastropub is now known for its Irish pub atmosphere with a rather classic interior design. Numerous draught beers made in-house and frankly good; traditional pub cuisine revisited. The fragrant homemade sausages are particularly worth a visit, as are the classic weekend brunches.

More expensive than its neighbors, the Great Eastern Restaurant is nonetheless worth a visit for its kitschy, gilded setting and its wonderful dim sum prepared at lunchtime. This Cantonese restaurant used to have a reputation as one of the best Chinese restaurants in San Francisco. Unfortunately, it has lost some of its former quality. Don't expect fancy service; the waiters are pretty gruff. But don't take offense - it's part of the charm! For the record, President Obama once dined here.

A magnificent gastronomic stopover in Vietnam at this two-storey restaurant with outdoor patio. Dine on the first floor, in the large, tropical dining room, then head upstairs for a cocktail at the bar, where you can listen to guest jazz players on certain evenings. On the menu, a fine selection of dishes blending Vietnamese and French inspirations. Specialties include swordfish stew with green bananas and rack of lamb with curry. A real delight. On the other hand, the bill is rather salty.

Chambers is the restaurant of the Phoenix Hotel, with the same pop chic ambience. In the evening, dine on the poolside terrace before gliding over to the library-bar, home to thousands of vinyl records. The menu features seasonal American dishes with French, Mediterranean and Japanese influences. The burger is a particular favorite with regulars. A splendid restaurant-bar frequented as much by hotel guests as by a host of Bay Area hipsters, as well as a poolside terrace.

Very popular, this small restaurant serves dishes from El Salvador (the chef's country of origin) in a warm, family atmosphere. You can spot it by the queue outside at dinnertime. Of course, it serves the famous Salvadoran pupusas. These are thick cornmeal or rice cakes, the equivalent of Colombian or Venezuelan arepas. They are stuffed with cheese, chicharrón (pork), squash or refried beans, and escorted by a spicy coleslaw called curtido and a tomato sauce.

The lobby of the Beacon Grand Hotel's Art Deco skyscraper is home to this restaurant-lounge bar. Chandeliers, mirrors, high ceilings and retro furniture lend an incredible Roaring Twenties majesty. Californian specialties with a Mediterranean accent, French nouvelle cuisine style. On our visit, the avocado tuna Ahi Tuna with sumac lime sauce was divine, as was the whole sea bass roasted with artichoke and pesto. The counter comes alive at the end of the evening, as the cocktails are as refined as the dishes. Concerts at weekends.

In Japantown, which is bursting with good addresses, this restaurant is very much in the Japanese spirit. Take a seat at the bar, equipped with screens, to order your sushi. We recommend tempura rolls, California-style dragon rolls and lobster rolls. Get ready, they're delivered by a little electric train that runs along the bar connected to the kitchens! When it arrives, it rings, and don't forget to send the wagon away!

If you're looking for American-style dining , head for Mel's Drive in. This Californian fast-food chain was the setting for the Happy Days series. The decor is retro 60's, with colorful neon lights in front. Each banquette table is equipped with its own jukebox, inviting you to put in a coin. The only thing missing are waitresses on rollerblades! The menu includes hamburgers, hot dogs, vanilla ice cream and marshmallows. You can also sit at the counter on comfortable retro chrome stools. Open very late. Other locations in Mission and Tenderloin.

A must-see restaurant, easy to spot in the long line outside the front door. It owes its popularity to its truly exquisite cuisine, and to its low prices. Contrary to what its name suggests, its cuisine is rather typical of Shanghai, but revisited. Nice canteen atmosphere, although a bit noisy. The kitchen is open to the restaurant. This is one of the favorite restaurants of San Franciscans and, after thirty years of existence, the couple of owners Peter and Lily opened a second restaurant which is managed by their daughter Kathy.

Established in 1908, John's Grill is not only one of the oldest restaurants in San Francisco, it is also the place that Dashiell Hammett chose as a backdrop for his novel The Maltese Falcon. The menu is extensive, you can order an omelette, a (huge and expensive) prime rib, or mussels marinière. But more than to dine, one comes there for a very gangster atmosphere of the 1930s, mythical of the West Coast, and one appreciates to drink there leaning on the bar of the restaurant, while listening to jazz.

In a pretty little barn on Chestnut Street, you'll find tasty sandwiches and salads, each more tempting than the last. You can even compose your own. The produce is fresh and the portions gargantuan. There are a few high tables if you'd like to sit down, but it's mostly take-away. The chain has two other restaurants, one in Nob Hill and the other in Corte Madera, north of San Francisco. Ideal for a healthy picnic before exploring the city.

This Italian deli has been in existence since 1897 and has been run by the same family for four generations! You can find in this grocery store products from Italy, and you can make yourself a sandwich from the cheeses, cold cuts and breads displayed in the window. You can also taste soups and salads at low prices. The tables on the terrace are often occupied by locals who like to come to Ratto's for its products and its atmosphere. Live jazz sessions on Saturdays.

For all those nostalgic for French dishes, particularly from the South of France, this restaurant, open from breakfast to lunch, is for you. La Note is an institution serving fine Provençal cuisine, with a choice of grilled vegetables with aïoli, duck with herbs and lavender honey or bouillabaisse. At lunchtime, there's a choice of salads (niçoise, spinach, market platters or ratatouille). Beware, though, of long waits at lunchtime. Trendy atmosphere and neat decor.

How can you resist these cheeses, including cantal, morbier, saint-nectaire, brie or etorki? Californians love this employee-owned store that also serves as a bakery: baguettes, focaccia, sunflower seed bread, olive bread, and warm cheese, onion and curry bread. At 1512 Shattuck Avenue, it's the pizzeria: they are all vegetarian and the dough and sauce are prepared daily. The pizzas on the menu change every day... Another strong point, live music groups regularly perform there.

This brewery is located on Cow Hollow's lively Union Street. Rose's Cafe is a friendly little neighborhood bistro where locals like to meet for a gargantuan breakfast or a light lunch - it's always busy. Popular with the ladies after a shopping spree, you may have to wait a while for a seat on the terrace, separated from the street by plants. Once you've settled in, it's time for light salads, quiches and healthy dishes. Hearty and tasty

Since 1973, the Flora has been an integral part of life in the Castro neighbourhood. Located at the crossroads of Market and 16 ^th Street, it is quietly protected by a screen of green plants. The favourite hobby of clients is to look at people: It is not surprising that Flora is considered one of the best places for the cruisin ' (dredge) among the gay community in San Francisco. Incidentally, we order a delicious breakfast or one of the excellent dishes of the day to enjoy on the lovely terrace.

At the beginning of the main street, you can come and have a bite to eat in this little unpretentious café-restaurant with reasonable prices for this city that can sometimes scare people away because of its high prices. Nice selection of Italian sandwiches, coffees of all kinds, starting with the café frappé which is very popular here, as well as a few smoothies that you can't say no to, especially in good weather. Finally, at Caffe Acri, you'll find regulars engaged in frenzied bridge games. A very nice address.

This Vietnamese sandwich shop in the Rancho San Antonio district of downtown Oakland doesn't look like much. However, it's worth the detour for its flagship Vietnamese street food sandwiches - chicken, pork or vegetarian - which are renowned throughout the city and unbeatable value. Ready-to-eat dishes that just need reheating are also available. Proof that you shouldn't be fooled by appearances: even the most unattractive storefronts can hide real treasures!

If you want to try one of the most typical dishes in North America, stop by Smoking Pig BBQ. Their ribs are renowned throughout the city for being the best. The barbecue sauce that coats them is simply marvelous, and the whole thing is as fatty as it is unforgettable. But you'll also find delicious chicken burgers, bacon burgers, cheese burgers... A kind of fast-food like you find on every street corner, but of much higher quality. For meat aficionados only, of course.

Burmese cuisine is delicate, rich in spices of all kinds. You'll find it in rice noodles, ginger salad, curried pork, beef with tofu and samosas. Discover them on Clement Street in Richmond, an increasingly gourmet neighborhood, as well as in the East Bay (in Alameda and Oakland). Don't miss the tea leaf salad, a subtle, gourmet blend of green tea, crunchy peanuts, crispy beans, sesame seeds, garlic and sautéed shrimp.

Oakland, like its neighbor Berkeley, has a large Vietnamese community, which is reflected in the city's choice of restaurants. This restaurant serves authentic, high-quality Vietnamese cuisine at an affordable price. Located in the heart of downtown, it's often busy with locals and Asians alike, who appreciate the tasty flavors of the dishes. With hearty portions and delicious pho and bo bun soups, you won't be disappointed. The room is very pleasant, recently renovated, a far cry from boui boui, and the dishes well presented.

A small wooden house under its giant tree houses this emblematic gourmet address. Why Panisse? In homage to Marcel Pagnol. In fact, you'll find posters of Raimu and Pierre Fresnay on the wall. Some consider it one of the best restaurants in the U.S., because Alice Waters is a pioneer of locavore and organic gastronomy. She discovered Provence in the 1970s, fell in love with it and in 1971 created this little jewel of Californian cuisine with accents of the South of France.

International House has a student cafeteria open to all: Edmonds Cafe. You can help yourself to as much as you like. It's not great food by any means, but the wood-panelled, high-ceilinged dining room is pleasant and, above all, you're right in the heart of student life on campus. Festive atmosphere on the terrace on summer evenings. Barbecue evenings. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Perfect for soaking up the city's student atmosphere, while enjoying one of the city's most affordable offerings.

If you only have one fast-food restaurant to try during your stay in San Francisco or the South Bay, don't hesitate: head for one of the 10 Super Duper Burgers locations. Here, the burgers are simply succulent, made from local and mostly organic ingredients. The buns come from a local bakery, the meat from northern pastures and the cheese from a creamery in Tomales Bay. Fresh, quality products, cheerful, trendy decor: one of the most delicious and sustainable fast-food restaurants around!

A nice little bakery where you can buy pizza, focaccia or desserts to enjoy on a little bench or to take away for a picnic in Golden Gate Park. This cooperative, set up by its parent company in Oakland, produces all its breads and pastries with love: " make loaves , not war ". Prices are by weight, and if you're lucky enough to come across the roasted peach focaccia, go for it without hesitation, it's a delight. A small neighborhood address with a nice folkloric touch as we like them.

Among Berkeley's best Mexican Farm to Table restaurants, chef and owner of Sabor Mexicano (Sonoma), Jorge Saldana, originally from Guadalajara, Mexico opened his Cancun restaurant in 1994. Burritos, nachos, quesadillas, tacos and various homemade sauces are available to go with the tortilla chips as a side dish. With its Aztec decor and Latino ambiance, the restaurant uses fresh and organic products from a farm in Sonoma. Another restaurant of the same name, Tlaloc, is located in San Francisco.

Chef Daniel Olivella began his career over 30 years ago in his native Penedes region of Catalonia. After years of working in Spain and the United States, in 1999 he opened B44, a warmly-colored contemporary tavern in Barcelona, where he pays tribute to his rich, festive culinary roots with tapas, paellas, gambas, ham, tortillas, cheeses and calamari. He recently merged B44 with his French restaurant Café Bastille, and both menus are now available in the same Franco-Catalan restaurant.

The storefront of this coffee is a reflection of its card, simple and well thought out. Beautiful American breakfast proposals as well as salads, sandwiches and seasonal fruits. It's a good time to take a good time in its cosy atmosphere before going back to the streets of San Francisco.

If you're hungry as a wolf when you get out of bed, go to Kate's and enjoy her farmhouse breakfast, which is ultra complete with eggs, bacon, pancakes and other goodies. Enough to give you courage to walk around San Francisco. The little checkered tables are always full, but here there is no need to wait in line, even on weekends. Those who are tired of pancakes or eggs can choose the fruit orgy, a big bowl of muesli with yogurt and fresh fruit. Not to be missed!

The restaurant part of this beer bar serves enhanced salads and sandwiches in a fairly successful wooden decor. Enjoy a beer, naturally.

This establishment opened in 2015 and decorated with a Michelin star in 2016 offers to discover sushi made following the traditional technique known as Edomae. At the helm is Chef Jackson Yu who has been practicing this traditional cuisine for nearly 20 years. The fish comes from the Tokyo fish market every day (!). Two menus are served each evening, composed by the chef, who suggests you let yourself be guided in this culinary experience, no à la carte dishes. But you will have understood, everything is gathered to spend an exceptional moment.

A delightful French address for a gourmet breakfast or snack break. You can recognize Zazie from afar, with its sunny yellow awning. What we love here is the typical terrace. On weekends, customers, often with dogs (as they are allowed), flock here to sample the trout, snails, mussels marinière, steak tartare... And, exceptionally, the management prides itself on paying its employees well, as well as providing them with medical cover, and tells its customers that the tip is already included in the price.

Fior d'Italia was rebuilt in the Hotel San Remo after a devastating fire. A very old-school establishment established in 1886, it is, according to its owners, "the oldest Italian restaurant in America"! The menu, a traditional Italian version focusing on northern Italian specialties, offers a wide variety of antipasti, pasta, meat and fish dishes, served with great pomp and circumstance. The stars of the menu are the perfectly seasoned osso bucco, lasagne and clam pasta. The bill, however, is steep.

A little little hint still little known, for day after day breakfasts, salad, soup or a delicious sandwich on the thumb. Leslie and his team are really in the little care with the clientele of accustomed people, who love this place!