The best restaurants San Francisco

A very nice, trendy place in Cow Hollow, with a pleasant glass roof overlooking refreshing plants, banquettes with pretty, comfortable cushions. The à la carte menu offers excellent breakfasts and brunches at weekends, as well as a range of healthy dishes and more substantial specialties at lunchtime (salads, sandwiches, vitamin-packed bowls). Cocktails are also among the most popular after-dinner specialties. As a café, restaurant and bar, the Palm House offers a great atmosphere at any time of day.

Elegant decor for this high-flying Japanese restaurant, which takes you straight to the Japanese archipelago with two swipes of its chopsticks. You first pass through a small, relaxing courtyard, then take your seat in the wood-panelled interior room, where each table is separated by panels that allow a certain intimacy. The à la carte menu features exceptional dishes in the purest Japanese tradition, combining simplicity and freshness. Skewers and sashimi are particularly good. One of the best Japanese addresses in town.

This is Hayes Valley's new vegan restaurant, a must with its corner-block location, large bay windows and 70s revival signage. A few tables on the terrace precede a pleasant interior. The à la carte menu features vegan dishes, from breakfast to dinner. The ingredients are carefully selected and carefully composed. The popular "impossible burger" is served with veggie meat, avocado toast, vitamin-packed salads and a delicious vegetarian masala. To order, go to the self-service tables.

In a city where everything is overpriced, this restaurant stands there. It is very simple, looks a bit like any other neighborhood restaurant. And its small terrace, although ordinary, is very pleasant. But we eat well there. Moreover, the tables are full and we see a lot of Asians there, which is of course a very good sign. The cuisine is Cantonese, with excellent duck and delicious grilled pork. But the specialty is the salted pork dumpling. And the Dim Sum are very good too. In fact, the menu is very rich and we liked everything!

If you have to try one and only one fast-food restaurant during your trip, no hesitation, go to In-N-Out Burger, a Californian chain created in 1948 by Esther Snyder. It's simple, when you enter it, you feel like you're in an American movie from the 50's with the red leather design sofas, the neon signs and the molded plastic outdoor furniture. From the kitchen point of view, its philosophy remains unchanged since the beginning: work with fresh and quality products. It's still a hamburger, but the result is delicious!

With its surfboards, hanging shark and colorful cheap cocktails, it's a bit of a surf bar cliché. Without surfers, of course, since we're at Pier 39, a sort of small shopping mall doubled with a series of restaurants, all set on the water's edge, and it's mostly families and tourists. That said, you can sit outside, which is always nice, and enjoy a bowl of tuna chunks and a plate of fried fish with good fries. Drake's IPA beer is also tasty.

In Chinatown, this family-run Vietnamese restaurant is very authentic. It's frequented by many Asians throughout the day, which is a good sign and convenient when you've skipped lunch. Indeed, the dishes are delicious, especially the Pho soups (the most popular in the house, a beef noodle soup ), bo buns, spring rolls and imperial egg rolls, hearty and crispy. We recommend one of the very original special dishes.

An institution of the Fisherman's Wharf district with its Italian colors. You can eat on the terrace near the wharf under the umbrellas or in a large room. It is crowded, but the service is efficient and attentive. The menu features fish from the nearby bays. The speciality of the house: the Cioppino which marries with talent tomatoes, fennel seeds, clams, fish, shrimps, crab... But the pizzas are delicious too. This family business has been in existence for over 20 years and has built a solid reputation.

In the face of such a wide and varied menu, one solution: Let yourself be worn by your desires and you will certainly not be disappointed. A map full of surprises from Thailand, in a refined but warm decor. Very good value for money in the neighborhood. Emporter dishes also available.

On the quayside, a large, cosy dining room with bar and terrace offers views of the Bay Bridge and Waterfront. This restaurant offers a good selection of fish and seafood in a very chic atmosphere. Without breaking the bank, sit at the counter and order a glass of Napa Valley wine and a small plate of shellfish during happy hour. You can also take the time to enjoy a good meal - you won't regret it. It's a great place to stop off before visiting the nearbyExploratorium.

It's the latest trendy restaurant in Hayes Valley, but also in DogPatch and Mission, where it has opened identical signs. A Mediterranean blue-and-white universe with Greek flavors. The star of the menu? Sandwiches and gyros, grilled meat on skewers (lamb, pork or chicken) served in sandwiches or salads, as well as other Cretan and Greek specialties in olive oil, frozen yogurts, wines... A place that's often full at lunchtime, whatever the neighborhood, because the flavors are authentic and delicious.

With its Michelin star the prices of this establishment are high. Despite some culinary research, One Market is disappointed for a large kitchen facility. Belonging to a large group of restaurants, the "chain" side appears in the decor, relatively sober but of bad taste. Accordingly: to avoid, your wallet will be better off.

When you exit BART's^24th Street station, don't hesitate: head straight to El Farolito taquería for a 100% Mission experience and a killer burrito. El Farolito proudly represents Mission's Latino identity. Don't be fooled by the tiny, suspicious entrance to this joint, you'll be surprised at what can be done in the way of food for so little money. We'll round out the meal with a great burrito, quesadilla, nachos or ceviche. Believe us, you'll love it!

This Japanese restaurant, very popular in the Sunset area, offers one of the best sushi options in the area. Unfortunately, wait for rush hours, especially Saturday. In this true sushi restaurant you can see the chefs working behind the bar - it is nice to sit there and eat. For an even more authentic atmosphere, so-vous, déchaussés, on the ² to taste your sashimis and other delicate dishes.

Whether on weekdays or weekends, there is always a line for breakfast and bruch at Mama's in North Beach. In a very family and jovial atmosphere, you will be able to taste succulent French toasts, omelets, sandwiches, fresh fruit salads or pancakes covered with maple syrup. Cheap and filling. The house, opened in 1951 by Mike Sr. and Mama, has always remained in the hands of the same family. Tradition is good!

Call siam in the heart of Russian Hill. Owner and Chef Toi Sawatdee offers a map where curry is king, and a wide selection of vegetarian dishes.

A dim sum restaurant a little away from the hustle and bustle of Chinatown, City View offers a wide selection of small dishes in a simple and clean setting. The dim sum will be offered to you as it is made in the kitchen on a cart pushed by a waitress. Chinese families gather here for a tasty sharing of steams, pies and ravioli. Don't miss the sesame balls at the end of the meal, all washed down with jasmine tea. A find in the neighborhood where one can be intimidated by the abundance of culinary offerings.

This successful local restaurant has seven locations in California. It serves ocean-fresh fish and seafood. On the menu: fish'n'chips, sandwiches of all kinds, sushi, grilled squid, ceviche (beware, sometimes very spicy!) and other dishes to be enjoyed in a Japanese atmosphere. The establishment in front of the Botanical Gardens boasts a large wooden terrace, not particularly well decorated but pleasant enough to enjoy the sunshine. Perfect for a quick break before continuing your tour.

Here, they serve a typical Californian cuisine: simple and prepared with fresh and seasonal ingredients. We love their lunch formula to be tasted on the terrace (heated when it's cold) with a breathtaking view on the bay. In the evening, you can enjoy these dishes inside, nicely decorated. The menu is rather short, which is a good sign. The pizzas are excellent and very well garnished with good products. The restaurant also has a small garden that it cultivates in the farm-to-table spirit. A good address!

A warm welcome awaits you at this bistro serving French cuisine reinterpreted according to the chef's whims. You can enjoy coq au vin, beef tartare, mussels marinière or cod. The restaurant has also made roast chicken its specialty. For dessert, we recommend profiteroles and bananas with crème brûlée. Music in keeping with the decor, recalling the spirit of popular Parisian troquets. The cable car that passes incessantly in front of the restaurant will offer you a little more exoticism.

Open only at midday, it would be a shame to go next to this temple of dim sum which, since 1958, has become the high-end alternative of the restaurants of Chinatown. Everything is exquisite and we appreciate all the delicious dishes made to pork and barbecue sauce.

Chouquet's is a French restaurant. The staff were friendly and helpful. The sun terrace is very pleasant at noon.

This minimalist restaurant with its attractive metal counter is all about raw seafood. Delicious plates of scallops, tuna, butterflyfish, etc., all raw, but also oysters to delight your palate. Fish arrivals are local and sustainable. These feasts are accompanied by a (very good) glass of white wine. You can also enjoy the superbly stocked seafood platters, or a few hot dishes like the classic San Francisco chowder soup.

This Italian restaurant with its modern, refined decor is located on Chestnut Street, the shopping street in the Marina district. Very popular with San Franciscans, a second restaurant has opened in Union Square. Very welcoming, the pizzas are hearty and the dishes well-stocked. The kitchen is open, with a pizza oven in front of the restaurant, the bar has a wide selection of spirits and you can ask them for any cocktail, which they will prepare in front of you. It's advisable to get there in advance, as the address is quite coveted.

A successful Peruvian-Californian restaurant with several locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Specialties: ceviche, leche de tigre, grilled meats and the famous anticuchos, Peruvian chicken skewers with chimichurri potatoes and Peruvian corn. Delicious aji sauces and copious quantities. You can accompany your dish withyucca French fries. The atmosphere is noisy and lively. The cocktails are also delicious, like the Diablito (pisco, pomegranate juice, angostura, ginger syrup, lime).

In this Peruvian and Nikkei (fusion cuisine between Peru and Japan) restaurant, you enter the realm of ceviche in its most luxurious version. An emblematic dish of marinated raw fish, lime, onions and corn. It can be enjoyed in its most classic version, but also in other more creative and succulent forms. The menu also includes incredible tiraditos (a kind of Peruvian sashimi), causa (potato millefeuilles) and anticuchos (meat skewers). These marvels are served in a romantic setting.

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.

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.

We go there to brunch on French toast, eggs Benedict and black pudding (rather rare in California). Housed in a former architect's studio, this farm-to-table American comfort food restaurant serves organic, local fare in a post-industrial atmosphere beloved of the Potrero Hill and Dogpatch Boulders neighborhoods. Popular with locals, expect long lines, especially on weekends. The house also organizes dinners at local wineries - it's worth a try! Takeaway service.

Romantrattoria in the colors of La Botte, with a warm atmosphere. Chef Maurizio Bruschi serves a small but tasty selection of recipes taught by his grandmother. Everything here is homemade, from the bread to the fresh pasta, and it's all very well. Special mention goes to the octopus and, in a completely different genre, the tiramisus. There's also a good selection of Italian and Californian wines, mainly from the nearby Sonoma Valley. One of the best Italian restaurants in San Francisco, you can go there with your eyes closed.

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.