Best Restaurants in San Francisco

San Francisco is a food lover’s paradise, with a culinary scene as diverse as its neighborhoods. Here’s a taste of what I think are some of the best restaurants in San Francisco (July 2024):

House of Prime Rib: A classic steakhouse experience similar to Lawry’s in LA, House of Prime Rib (HOPR) is known for its prime rib cooked to perfection and old-school charm. It’s great for taking out of town guests or family and actually has pretty reasonable pricing. There’s a secret menu and you can request a second slice on some thinner cuts if you’re still hungry. Reservations on OpenTable book up months in advance but sometimes open up closer to the date.
Nari: Chef Pim Techamuanvivit’s Thai restaurant offers a modern twist on traditional dishes, showcasing bold flavors and creative presentations. It’s one of my favorite newer restaurants.
Anchovy Bar: Sister restaurant to State Bird Provisions, Anchovy’s Bar is a seafood lover’s dream, offering a variety of delicious dishes featuring fresh, sustainable seafood. They now have a new seafood tower!
Izakaya Rintaro: A Japanese izakaya-style restaurant serving up delicious small plates and a wide selection of sake.
Thanh Long: A San Francisco classic and beloved spot for dungeness crab and garlic noodles off in the Outer Sunset. Their sister restaurant is Crustacean.
Z&Y: A popular destination for authentic Sichuan cuisine, known for its bold flavors and spicy dishes. The La Zi Ji and Water Boiled Fish are standouts but you really can’t go wrong.
R&G Lounge: This Chinatown institution is famous for its classic Cantonese dishes and bustling atmosphere. I love their salt and pepper crab.
La Cicca: A charming Italian restaurant near Noe Valley offering a menu of traditional Sardinian dishes and an extensive wine list. They changed ownership a year or two ago, but I still think it’s delicious.
Bodega: This Vietnamese spot features a 2nd generation refresh of old classics. Set in a sleek spot not far from Union Square, they also have a hip and vibey bar downstairs called Felix that I really like with great cocktails. Read about my favorite cocktails in San Francisco here.
Cotogna: A rustic Italian restaurant known for its house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas. This is the more casual sister of Quince. We had our wedding reception lunch here!
City View Restaurant: A go-to spot for dim sum lovers, offering a wide selection of traditional dishes in a bustling atmosphere.
Za’s Pizza: A neighborhood pizzeria serving up delicious pies with creative toppings and a friendly vibe. Some people think that the pizza place in the Pixar film, Inside Out, was based off of Za’s Pizza.
Cellarmaker House of Pizza: A must-visit for beer and Detroit-style pizza lovers, offering a rotating selection of craft beers and delicious pizzas. They’ve recently expanded their menu to include crudos and other more fancy bar bites.
Saigon Sandwich: Saigon Sandwich requires braving the Tenderloin for one of the cheapest meals in town but their banh mi is worth it.
Wildseed: A plant-based restaurant in Cow Hollow/Marina offering a creative menu of vegetarian and vegan dishes in a stylish setting. Even if you’re not vegetarian or vegan — I’m not! — it is surprisingly tasty. They recently opened up a new outpost in Palo Alto. Rad Radish is a newer sister restaurant of theirs.
Sotto Mare: A classic albeit touristy Italian seafood restaurant known for its fresh seafood dishes and welcoming atmosphere. Betty Lou’s is their sister restaurant and it is a little easier to get a reservation.
Daeho Kalbijim: A Korean BBQ restaurant offering delicious grilled meats and traditional Korean dishes. Their galbijim with torched mozzarella is a must-order. It’s pricey but can be shared with a large group. They have two locations in SF – one is in Japantown and the other is in the H-Mart food court.
The Italian Company: A cozy casual spot for homemade Italian dishes, including pasta, pizza, and more.
La Taqueria: A Mission District institution known for its delicious and authentic Mexican tacos. Pro tip: get the burrito dorado style (which means that it is toasted golden brown on the outside)!
Nopa: A popular spot for modern California-Mexican cuisine, known for its wood-fired dishes and fresh seasonal ingredients. Their guacamole and carnitas are my favorites.
Marugame Udon: A Japanese udon noodle restaurant offering freshly made noodles and delicious broth. There is usually a line but it moves fast. You can get a la carte tempura toppings.
Roli Roti: This truck must-visit for rotisserie chicken lovers, offering juicy and flavorful porchetta sandwiches and delicious potatoes covered in drippings. They park at various
Terra Cotta Warrior: A Chinese restaurant offering a menu of authentic dishes from the Shaanxi province. I love their lamb bread soup.
Arizmendi Bakery: A worker-owned bakery and pizza spot that is an offshoot of Cheeseboard Pizza in Berkeley. They have one pizza flavor a day.
Burma Superstar: A popular OG spot for Burmese cuisine, known for its flavorful dishes and unique flavors. There are sister restaurants and spin offs around the bay, though it’s hard to tell who is truly affiliated or not. Tea leaf salad, pumpkin curry, and samusa soup are must orders for me.
Beit Rima: This Arabic spot is casual but delicious and great for sharing. They have two locations in Cole Valley and Castro. My favorite dish is the chicken shish kawook.
Cafe Jacqueline: This spot has the most delicious souffles and is the painstaking creation by an elderly and lovely Jacqueline. It is hard to reserve and they literally use a ledger for this task. Chef Jacqueline was nursing a shoulder injury but apparently they are taking reservations again!
Reem’s California: A Palestinian bakery offering delicious flatbreads, pastries, and mezze dishes. They have a spot in the Mission as well as in the Ferry Building. There is a fantastic podcast about Reem’s on Storied SF.
Sandy’s: This started as a pop-up but quickly became so popular that they opened their own spot in the Haight. It’s a simple menu but their muffulettas are massive and super tasty. Huge fan of this place!
Four Kings: I came to their pop up at Buddy (on my list of hidden gem wine bars) and loved their chili oil pig ears so I was super excited to try out their full fledged restaurant…but man is it hard to get a reservation! So only 5 whole months of waiting later…My friends surprised me with a 9:30pm reservation for my birthday and i was beyond thrilled! Having lived in Taiwan during high school, the mandopop tunes really took me back. Get the tomato pork chop!

Fast-casual local chain restaurants in San Francisco

Souvla: A casual local chain spot for delicious Greek food, with salads, wraps, and juicy potatoes with chicken drippings. Their frozen yogurt is also delicious!
Rooster and Rice: A casual spot for delicious Khao Man Gai (thai version of Hainan chicken and rice).
Sushiritto: A fusion of sushi and burrito, offering a unique and delicious dining experience.
MIXT / Blue Barn: Think Sweetgreen. These salads aren’t cheap but they do taste good and tend to be large enough for 2 meals.

I enjoyed these restaurants but haven’t been in a little while, so I don’t know if anything has changed since!

State Bird Provisions: A unique dining experience featuring a rotating menu of inventive “dim sum” small plates inspired by global flavors.
Lazy Bear: A unique dining experience featuring communal seating and a multi-course tasting menu of innovative and seasonal dishes.
San Tung: A beloved spot for Chinese food, known for its delicious dry-fried chicken wings and other flavorful dishes.

Newer Restaurants I Want to Try

Bansang
Sam Ho Won
Piglet and Co.
Pasta Supply Co.
Prik Hom
Katsuo and Kombu

No matter what kind of cuisine you’re craving, San Francisco has a restaurant to satisfy your taste buds. So, get ready to embark on a culinary adventure through the city’s vibrant dining scene!

Have a favorite that I missed? Let me know in the comments section!