The Top 100 Places to Eat Near Golden Gate Bridge
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Rank 1. Mandalay
Burmese
Mandalay has been around forever and still carries itself like it knows something the newer spots don't. This is a casual neighborhood Burmese restaurant on the Inner Richmond, the kind of place regulars treat like a second kitchen. The tea leaf salad is the real reason to go, built closer to what you'd actually find in Myanmar than anywhere else in the Bay Area. Bring someone curious and order widely.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Winner · America's Classics: California
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- The Infatuation #4 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
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Rank 2. Noodle in a Haystack
Ramen Noodles
A ramen omakase in the Richmond that landed on the New York Times restaurant list, which is a sentence you'll want to read twice. The team walks you through a multi-course tasting menu built entirely around noodles, and somehow it never feels gimmicky. The room is small, the tickets aren't cheap, and the crowd looks like people who planned this dinner weeks out and are thrilled they did.
- The Infatuation Infatuation’s Highest-Rated Restaurants In America
- The New York Times 2023 · The Restaurant List
- Bon Appétit 2023 · America's Best New Restaurants
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Rank 3. Breadbelly
Asian American bakery
This James Beard-winning bakery on Clement Street has built a cult following around Asian American pastries that change often enough to keep regulars guessing. The kaya toast, all coconut-pandan jam and pillowy bread, is the thing to get, but the sandwiches on house-made pan de sal hold their own too. Grab something, find a spot outside, and watch the Richmond do its thing.
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #7 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best bakeries in San Francisco Bay Area
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Rank 4. Dalida
Mediterranean
Tucked into the Presidio, Dalida is a lively Eastern Mediterranean spot that draws a devoted crowd of couples and groups who come ready to share everything on the table. The menu nods to Istanbul, built for passing plates around, and the pita alone is worth the detour: rolled and hearth-baked to order, impossibly pillowy, arriving with spreads and pickles. The rest of the menu keeps pace, so bring a group and clear your schedule.
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
- Esquire 2023 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
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Rank 5. Kitchen Istanbul
Turkish
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #55 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The Best Turkish Restaurants In SF
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
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Rank 6. Spruce
Modern New American
Spruce is the kind of polished neighborhood restaurant that actually earns its reputation, a proper sit-down dinner spot in Presidio Heights where the regulars look like they own at least one piece of real estate nearby. The cooking is refined California seasonal without being precious about it, and the wine list leans into the state's best producers. Lunch is relaxed; dinner turns up the formality a notch. Worth the splurge either way.
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Rank 7. Aziza
Moroccan Mediterranean
Mourad Lahlou is one of those celebrity chefs casual diners actually know, so his return to the Richmond district after years away is worth paying attention to. Aziza is a proper sit-down Moroccan restaurant with a California accent, pale walls, and a colorful bar that says "date night" without trying too hard. The staff knows the menu cold and doesn't make you feel like a tourist for asking. The basteeya alone justifies the trip.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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Rank 8. Lily
Vietnamese
Lily is the rare Vietnamese restaurant in the Inner Richmond that's actually trying to do something new, and mostly pulling it off. The chef riffs on classics without wrecking them, so the chicken phở still tastes like the real thing, just noticeably more considered. The crowd skews curious and a little food-forward, the kind of people who actually read menus. Casual enough to show up in jeans, but the cooking is clearly taking itself seriously.
- San Francisco Chronicle The best Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #42 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 9. Arsicault
Bakery
A bakery with a weekend line that forms like a religion, and honestly the croissants earn it. They're so airy and layered they feel structurally improbable, the kind of thing that ruins every airport croissant for the rest of your life. The Inner Richmond spot is takeout only, so join the faithful, grab one warm, and eat it immediately on the sidewalk like everyone else out there is doing.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best French restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best bakeries in San Francisco Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 10. Cinderella Bakery
Russian Bakery
This cheerful Russian bakery and cafe has been a fixture in the Richmond District's Russian neighborhood for years, and it earns its place. Come for borsch, pillowy piroshki, and pelmeni that feel like someone's grandmother made them, even if yours never did. The crowd is a warm mix of regulars who know exactly what they want and newcomers slowing down to read the case. Save room for cake.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- The Infatuation Honey Cake · The San Francisco Dessert Bucket List
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 11. Pearl 6101
Cal- Italian
A Cal-Italian neighborhood spot that actually feels like a neighborhood spot, Pearl 6101 lives in a converted retro drugstore out in the Richmond and pulls in the kind of locals who know all the servers by name. The pasta is the move, the wine list is genuinely well chosen without being exhausting, and the menu gives vegetarians a real seat at the table rather than an afterthought. Casual enough for a Tuesday, good enough to plan around.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Condé Nast Traveler The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco for Casual Diners, Twelve-Course Tasting Counters, and Late-Night Eats
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 12. Sorrel
Contemporary Italian
Sorrel is a Michelin-starred fine dining spot in Pacific Heights where the pasta alone justifies the reservation. The chef trained at Quince and it shows, turning out impossibly light gnudi and boldly sauced shapes that feel like the whole point of the meal. The rooftop garden keeps things genuinely seasonal. Expect a well-dressed crowd being very careful not to look like they're trying too hard. Go hungry, and order the pasta.
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Rank 13. Dragon Beaux
Chinese
Dragon Beaux is a dim sum spot in the Richmond that feels a step dressier than your usual cart-and-chaos setup, with carpeted walls and glass displays like someone actually thought about the room. The crowd skews family celebrations and couples who coordinate outfits. The kitchen does a contemporary take on Cantonese classics, and the colorful soup dumplings will tempt you, but the siu mai topped with crab roe is the smarter call.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best dim sum restaurants in the SF Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 14. Atelier Crenn
Fine dining
Dominique Crenn is one of those chefs even non-food people have heard of, and her three Michelin stars make this pescatarian tasting menu one of the most serious meals you can have in the city. The cooking is rooted in Brittany but grown up in California, so everything feels refined without being stuffy. The room draws the kind of crowd that dressed intentionally for tonight and plans to talk about it for weeks.
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Rank 15. Rose Pizzeria
Thin-crust Pizza
- The Infatuation The Hit List: New San Francisco Restaurants To Try Right Now
- The Infatuation The 19 Best Pizza Places In San Francisco
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Rank 16. Lokma
California-inspired Turkish
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- The Infatuation The Best Turkish Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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A neighborhood deli that leans into the bit: pinball machines, vintage hats, cotton candy on the shelves, and sandwiches with names like Beefer Sutherland. The menu punches hard for vegetarians too, with options that actually want to be there rather than apologizing for the missing meat. It feels like the kind of place a college town would be smug about having, which San Francisco absolutely is.
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Rank 18. The Progress
Californian
This Michelin-starred sharing-plates spot near the Fillmore Theater pulls off something genuinely hard: food that looks stunning and actually tastes as good as it looks. The vibe is warm and lively, two floors of wood and stone filled with people who came dressed for a proper night out. The California-meets-Nordic cooking is bold and a little unexpected, and the duck, when it crosses the room, turns heads for good reason.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Esquire 2023 · The Progress Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski - Atomic Workshop
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Rank 19. State Bird Provisions
Californian
Michelin-starred State Bird Provisions runs dim sum-style service with California cooking, meaning carts roll past your table and you grab whatever looks good. It's a genuinely fun way to eat, letting you build a meal out of whims instead of a menu. The room is loud and full of people who planned ahead, because getting a reservation takes real effort. Worth every refresh of the booking page.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski - Atomic Workshop
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #36 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 20. Maria Isabel
Upscale Mexican
- The Infatuation The Hit List: New San Francisco Restaurants To Try Right Now
- Condé Nast Traveler The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco for Casual Diners, Twelve-Course Tasting Counters, and Late-Night Eats
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Rank 21. Acquerello
Italian
Acquerello is the kind of two-Michelin-star Italian fine dining room that actually earns the fuss, with handmade pasta and bold, precise cooking that makes other places feel like they're just trying. The vibe is warm and grown-up, full of people who dressed up and mean it. The Italian wine cellar goes embarrassingly deep, and when the mignardises cart rolls over at the end, you'll understand why everyone looks so smug.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Michelin Guide 2 Stars
- World Culinary Awards 2025 · Nominee · North America's Best Italian Cuisine Restaurant
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Rank 22. Quince
Fine dining
Three Michelin stars in a beautifully restored Jackson Square room, Quince is as serious as San Francisco fine dining gets. The chef and his team are obsessed with what's growing right now, most of it from their own farm, and the seasonal Italian-leaning menu shows it. The crowd is dressed up and unhurried, the kind of night that stretches past midnight without anyone noticing. Budget accordingly, and book well ahead.
- Michelin Guide 3 Stars
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Winner · Outstanding Chef · Michael Tusk
- AAA Four Diamonds
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Rank 23. Benu
Korean
Corey Lee's three-Michelin-star tasting menu in SoMa is the kind of meal people fly to San Francisco specifically to eat. The cooking is deeply technical but rooted in Asian flavors, and the progression from tiny precise bites to full courses feels almost architectural. The room is quiet and grown-up, full of people who booked months out and are absolutely keeping the receipt. Plan your whole evening around it.
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Rank 24. Hong Kong Lounge
Chinese
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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A cozy Richmond District Thai spot that goes well beyond the usual suspects. The menu is massive and leans into street food and regional specialties you won't find at your average pad thai joint, which is exactly the point. The crowd is a mix of regulars who clearly have a system and curious newcomers still working through the options. Come hungry and willing to explore.
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Rank 26. Kiln
Nordic New American
A two-Michelin-star tasting menu in a stark warehouse space that somehow feels warm once you're inside. The kitchen leans Nordic, leaning hard into curing, fermenting, and drying things until something quietly extraordinary comes out the other side. The food looks almost too simple, then lands with real force. The crowd tends toward people who planned the reservation months ago and are dressed just enough to feel like they earned it.
- Michelin Guide 2 Stars
- Condé Nast Traveler 2024 · The best new restaurants in the world
- Esquire 2023 · The Best New Restaurants in America
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Rank 27. Kissaten HiFi
Coffee
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Rank 28. Nari
Thai
Nari is a Michelin-starred prix-fixe spot inside Hotel Kabuki where the cooking genuinely earns the dramatic room it's served in. The chef runs contemporary Thai through a California filter, and the results are sharper and more interesting than that sounds. Dishes come family-style, which loosens things up nicely. The curries alone are worth the trip. Expect well-dressed couples and food-curious locals who definitely Googled the menu beforehand.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Best Chef: California · Pim Techamuanvivit
- The New York Times 2021 · The Restaurant List
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The sandwiches here look so good you'll wonder if the whole thing is just a content farm with a bread permit. It isn't. This tiny Japanese-influenced sandwich shop on Clement does egg salad on fluffy shokupan that's genuinely luxurious, and a solid chicken katsu if you need something more substantial. No seating, just a window ledge built for the inevitable photo. The crowd knows exactly what they came for.
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Rank 30. Lazy Bear
Fine dining
A two-Michelin-star tasting menu spot in the Mission that somehow feels like a very wealthy person's mountain cabin, and pulls it off without irony. The food is big and confident, the kind of cooking that winks at comfort and nostalgia while doing something genuinely ambitious with it. The crowd leans festive and dressed up, people celebrating something or just treating a Tuesday like it deserves a occasion.
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Rank 31. Pasta Supply Co
Italian
- The Infatuation The 13 Best Pasta Restaurants In SF
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 32. Kiss of Matcha
Japanese Coffee Shop
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Rank 33. Californios
Fine dining
Two Michelin stars for a Mexican tasting menu sounds like a fever dream, but Californios pulls it off without a trace of self-importance. The room feels more like a dinner party than a temple, with colorful art on the walls and a playlist that actually slaps. The chef takes Mexico's culinary heritage seriously and then runs with it somewhere unexpected. Dress up a little, bring someone you want to impress, and clear your evening.
- Michelin Guide 2 Stars
- Eater 2015 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Rank 34. Mister Jiu's
Chinese
Mister Jiu's is a Michelin-starred fine dining room in the heart of Chinatown that does something genuinely hard: it makes modern California cooking feel completely at home in Cantonese tradition. The crowd skews date-night and special-occasion, everyone dressed just enough. The Peking duck is the move, and the cocktails are serious enough to linger over. Go hungry, go with someone you want to impress.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- World Culinary Awards 2025 · Nominee · North America's Best Chinese Cuisine Restaurant
- Time Out The best Chinese restaurants in America
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Rank 36. 7 Adams
Californian New American
A Michelin-starred tasting menu in a slim, railway-style room on Sutter, where the open kitchen runs so quietly it makes everywhere else feel chaotic by comparison. The cooking is Californian in the best sense, technically sharp and totally unshowy, the kind of meal where every course feels inevitable rather than clever. Couples on milestone dinners and serious food people who actually dress for the occasion tend to fill the seats.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Esquire 2024 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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Rank 37. Sons & Daughters
Fine dining
Two Michelin stars in a spot that feels more like a dinner party than a temple of fine dining. Sons & Daughters does a Nordic-influenced tasting menu where vegetables and foraged things get treated with the same obsessive care as anything else on the plate. The room is roomier now, the service is genuinely world-class without being stiff, and the crowd leans creative and curious rather than expense-account.
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Rank 38. Prik Hom
Thai
A laid-back neighborhood Thai spot on Geary that quietly punches well above its weight. The chef brought real fine-dining chops home from Bangkok and applied them to a compact menu that feels fresh without being fussy. The cooking leans into aroma in a way most Thai places don't bother with, from hand-pounded curry pastes to a dessert finished with a wisp of incense smoke. Locals who've found it treat it like a personal secret.
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Rank 39. Lou's Cafe
Sandwiches
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Meals For Under $15 In SF
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 40. Gary Danko
Contemporary French
Fine dining at its most old-school San Francisco, Gary Danko is the kind of place where the servers wear dark suits and wheel an actual cheese trolley to your table. The prix-fixe menu runs three to five courses of contemporary French cooking with global touches, and the room is full of anniversaries being celebrated, deals being closed, and someone's parents in town looking very pleased with themselves.
- AAA Five Diamonds
- Forbes Travel Guide Forbes Four Star
- Wine Enthusiast The Wine Restaurant Hall of Fame
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Rank 41. House of Prime Rib
Steakhouse
A classic SF steakhouse that's been around forever and shows zero interest in changing. The drill is simple: a salad spun tableside in an icy metal bowl, then a carving cart rolls up and someone in a white coat slices you a serious slab of roast beef with potato and gravy. The room is dark, the martinis are cold, and everyone is dressed like they're celebrating something, even if they're not.
- Esquire 2025 · Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Outstanding Hospitality
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
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Rank 42. Kin Khao
Thai
Michelin-starred Thai in a hotel lobby sounds like a trap, but Kin Khao is the real deal. The room is nothing to write home about, yet the cooking is genuinely exciting, drawing on Thai tradition while leaning hard into Northern California produce. It's creative without being precious, and the spice levels are no joke. The crowd skews adventurous eater over tourist, which tells you something.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Thai restaurants in the SF Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #58 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 43. Le Soleil
Contemporary Asian
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Rank 44. Le Comptoir
Pescatarian French
A Michelin-starred counter tucked beside Atelier Crenn, where a small handful of guests each night get a front-row seat to a pescatarian French tasting menu being plated right in front of them. The marble bar, the careful pours, the intricate little courses, it all feels like a dinner party where the host is showing off, and you're genuinely glad they are. Dress like you mean it.
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Rank 45. Routier
French
A neighborhood bistro in the best sense: the kind of place where the food is clearly French but the ingredients are clearly Californian, and somehow that tension makes everything taste better. The room feels lived-in without being shabby, and the crowd matches, locals who know the menu cold mixing with people who just discovered it. The real closer is that dessert comes from the celebrated patisserie next door, which is genuinely unfair to everywhere else.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best French restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation Chocolate Mousse · The San Francisco Dessert Bucket List
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Rank 46. Saison
Fine dining
Everything at this two-Michelin-star warehouse spot revolves around a roaring open hearth, which sets the mood instantly. The crowd is Bay Area tech money dressed down just enough to seem unbothered, and the kitchen matches that studied cool with wildly creative Californian cooking. The wine team is genuinely great and won't make you feel bad about your budget. Wear something nice but not a suit, and clear your evening.
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Rank 47. Hilda & Jesse
Fine dining
A Michelin-starred brunch spot where the menu is a surprise, because they don't hand you one. The team has serious fine dining pedigree, and it shows in a cooking style that's bold and a little chaotic in the best way, big flavors and genuinely unexpected combinations. The room feels like a modernist diner, bright and unpretentious, and the crowd shows up dressed like they might have places to be later but aren't sure.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- San Francisco Chronicle Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #32 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 48. Copra
South Indian
Kerala cuisine finally gets the swanky Fillmore treatment at Copra, where the chef channels his home region of southwestern India into a menu built for sharing. The room is lush, the lighting is great, and the crowd knows it, so expect a few people angling for the shot. Order generously, because the portions reward ambition, and maybe reconsider your white shirt before the crab curry arrives.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Srijith Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Rank 49. Good Luck Dim Sum
Chinese
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Rank 50. Nisei
Japanese
A Michelin-starred tasting menu on Polk Street built around a genuinely interesting idea: what does Japanese cooking look like when it grows up in America. The chef is a real presence here, and the room takes the food seriously without taking itself too seriously. Couples and curious diners fill the seats, dressed up but not stiff. The sake pairing is worth doing, and the wagashi cart at the end is a lovely, unexpected touch.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Semifinalist · Emerging Chef · David Yoshimura
- Condé Nast Traveler The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco for Casual Diners, Twelve-Course Tasting Counters, and Late-Night Eats
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Rank 51. Pizzetta 211
Thin-crust Pizza
- The Infatuation The 19 Best Pizza Places In San Francisco
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 52. Volcano
Japanese
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Meals For Under $15 In SF
- The Infatuation The 25 Best Restaurants In The Richmond
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Rank 53. Moku Yakitori-Ya
Japanese
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Rank 54. Tommy’s
Mexican
Tommy's is a no-frills Mexican restaurant on Geary that's been around forever, and the red pleather booths and complimentary shredded-lettuce salad will make you feel like you time-traveled. The real draw is the bar, where Julio runs one of the most serious tequila collections in the country and will happily school you on agave until you forget what you came in for. Regulars and converts fill the room in equal measure.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
- San Francisco Chronicle The Best Classic Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 55. Four Kings
Cantonese
Snagging a reservation here is basically a sport, and if you lose, you line up outside before doors open and hope for the best. This buzzy Chinatown spot does contemporary Cantonese in a lively, quirky room where the crowd is young, loud, and very pleased with themselves for getting in. The cooking leans on traditional flavors but wears them loosely, and somehow that formula just works.
- Food & Wine 2024 · Squab · Best Dishes Our Editors Ate This Year
- The New York Times 2024 · The Restaurant List
- Esquire 2024 · Restaurant of the Year · The Best New Restaurants in America
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Rank 56. Tiya
Modern Indian
Tiya is a fine dining room in Cow Hollow where modern Indian cooking gets a California makeover, and it works better than it has any right to. The team leans into local, seasonal produce in ways that feel genuinely creative rather than gimmicky. The room is polished enough that you'll want to dress up a little, and the cocktail bar, with drinks named after SF neighborhoods, gives you a solid excuse to linger.
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Rank 57. San Ho Won
Korean
Korean BBQ gets the Michelin star treatment here, and somehow it doesn't feel ridiculous. San Ho Won is a nice-casual spot where the cooking lands somewhere between your favorite home-cooked Korean meal and something genuinely refined, with ingredients that earn the price tag. The room is sleek and minimal, packed with people who planned ahead to get a table. Book early, because you're not the only one who heard about this place.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- Esquire 2022 · #10 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- Eater 2022 · The Best New Restaurants in America
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Rank 58. Wako
Sushi
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This tiny 11-seat sushi bar on Balboa runs on pure devotion, the kind you can read on the hand-written notes covering the walls. Show up early because a line forms well before the doors open, and once you're in, you just eat whatever the chef puts in front of you. The nigiri here are genuinely massive compared to most spots, and the sashimi portions are almost absurdly generous. Cash in your Michelin-star reservations for this one.
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Rank 60. My Tofu House
Korean
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Rank 61. Birdsong
Contemporary
Live fire runs through everything at this two-Michelin-star tasting menu spot in SoMa, where the chef somehow makes open-flame cooking feel playful rather than primal. The room is tall and elegant, the crowd is dressed up and leaning in, and the kitchen keeps finding ways to surprise you right up to dessert. It's the kind of meal where rugged technique and genuine whimsy end up in the same bite.
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Rank 63. Niku Steakhouse
Japanese Steakhouse
A Michelin-starred Japanese steakhouse tucked behind a gold door in the Design District, Niku takes the idea of a steakhouse seriously in ways most don't. The kitchen runs a whole-animal butchery program, ages its beef carefully, and cooks everything over a binchōtan robata grill. The crowd skews tech money and special-occasion couples who dressed up for this. Grab a counter seat if you can and watch the fire do its thing.
- World's 101 Best #49 · World's Best Steak Restaurants
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Infatuation #20 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
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Rank 64. MuuKaTa6395
Thai
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Rank 65. Angler
Seafood
Angler is a Michelin-starred seafood spot on the Embarcadero where live fire does most of the talking. The open kitchen pulls focus the whole night, and you can taste the smoke in almost everything that comes out of it. It draws the kind of crowd that orders confidently and dresses like they mean it. The wine list is serious, and dessert is genuinely not optional. Budget accordingly, and snag a reservation.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Infatuation Soft Serve Sundae · The San Francisco Dessert Bucket List
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A tiny fish and wine bar from the team behind State Bird Provisions, which holds a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur. The whole menu orbits anchovies, which sounds like a bit, but it genuinely works. The crowd leans curious and adventurous, the kind of people who actually read the menu before ordering. Wine flows freely, the room is warm, and the vibe is convivial without trying too hard.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Outstanding Restaurateur · Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski - Atomic Workshop
- Esquire 2021 · #15 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- The New York Times 2021 · The Restaurant List
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Rank 67. Ssal
Modern Korean
A Michelin-starred tasting menu that takes modern Korean cooking seriously without taking itself too seriously. The couple behind it spotted a real gap in SF's dining scene and built something refined but grounded in flavors that feel genuinely familiar. The room runs small and intimate, the kind of place where couples lean in close and everyone seems slightly dressed up. Korean tradition and French technique share the table here, and neither one is showing off.
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Rank 68. Lung Fung Bakery
Chinese Bakery
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Rank 69. Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement
Soul food
Soul food done with real love, right in the Fillmore where the chef grew up dreaming of opening this very spot. Minnie Bell's is a full-service restaurant, and the fried chicken, fragrant with rosemary and made for dunking in homemade hot sauce, is genuinely the reason people keep coming back. The mac and cheese has its own fan club too. Wash it all down with a cold beer and settle in with the neighborhood regulars who look very pleased with themselves for living nearby.
- Bon Appétit 2025 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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Rank 70. Rintaro
Japanese
An izakaya that feels like someone built it in a forest, Rintaro holds a Bib Gourmand and earns it. The space is genuinely beautiful, all redwood and cedar, and the kitchen brings a NorCal farmers-market instinct to Japanese small plates. The crowd skews creative-class, speaking quietly over charcoal-grilled skewers and soft tofu that somehow tastes like a flex. Come hungry enough to order widely and you'll leave very happy.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Chef · Sylvan Mishima Brackett
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Rank 71. Piccino Presidio
Italian
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Rank 73. Yank Sing
Dim Sum Chinese
Yank Sing has been doing dim sum in the Financial District forever, and the suits filing in at lunch alongside families with strollers are all here for the same thing: cart after cart of genuinely great dumplings. The xiao long bao and har gow are the real draw, and if a cart rolls by without what you want, the staff will radio the kitchen for you. Bib Gourmand, reasonable prices, and almost no pretension.
- Time Out The best Chinese restaurants in America
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- San Francisco Chronicle Best dim sum restaurants in the SF Bay Area
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Rank 74. Reem’s
Middle Eastern
Reem's is an Arab bakery and cafe in the Mission that earned its James Beard Award by doing something simple really well. The star is the mana'eesh, flatbreads cooked on a dome-shaped grill called a saj, thin and crisp and genuinely hard to stop eating. The bright dining room draws a neighborhood crowd that looks like it actually lives here, which in the Mission these days is saying something.
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Outstanding Chef · Reem Assil
- Eater The All-Time Eater 38
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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The line out the door at this Mission District bakery isn't a fluke, it's a daily ritual. Tartine basically rewired how San Francisco thinks about sourdough, and the bread still sells out every afternoon. The crowd is a mix of locals who've been coming for years and visitors who've heard the hype and want to see if it's real. It is. Get there early, grab a morning bun, and don't overthink it.
- Time Out The best bakeries in America
- San Francisco Chronicle Best bakeries in San Francisco Bay Area
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Rank 76. Zuni Café
Californian
Zuni has been around forever and it still runs the room, a California institution where the wood-burning oven perfumes the whole place and the copper bar fills up early with people who know exactly what they're doing. The brick-roasted chicken for two is the reason most of them are here, and ordering it feels like passing a test. Business lunchers, tourist converts, and locals who never need the menu all share the same sun-drenched dining room.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
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Rank 77. Mijoté
French
A French prix fixe in a Mission wine bar that somehow feels like a Paris side street without any of the attitude. The chef trained in Japan and then went deep on French technique, and the cooking shows it: seasonal, ingredient-forward, nothing fussy. Natural wines pair well with pretty much everything on the table. The crowd is neighborhood regulars who know a good thing and aren't rushing anywhere.
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: California · Kosuke Tada
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Rank 78. Tony's Pizza Napoletana
Neapolitan Pizza
- 50 Top Pizza 2025 · #3 · 50 Top Pizza USA
- Sunset 2025 · Inspired Italian · Where to Eat and Drink
- The Infatuation The 19 Best Pizza Places In San Francisco
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The line down the block in North Beach is your first clue that something good is happening inside this pastry shop. Butter and Crumble does laminated doughs with real obsession, turning out croissants so flaky they should come with a bib. Flavors rotate constantly, so regulars always have an excuse to come back. It's mostly a grab-and-go situation, which is fine because you'll be eating yours on the sidewalk before you even realize it.
- The Infatuation Our Favorite Bakeries In The Country Right Now
- San Francisco Chronicle Best bakeries in San Francisco Bay Area
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Rank 80. O' by Claude Le Tohic
Fine French
Perched on the fifth floor of a six-story French food complex, this Michelin-starred tasting room is the serious, quiet-down-everyone capstone of the whole operation. The chef pulls off something genuinely tricky: classic French technique grounded in California ingredients, with results that feel neither fussy nor casual. The room runs on polished, unhurried service, and the crowd dresses accordingly.
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Rank 81. Ken
Omakase Japanese
Six seats, no sign on the door, and a chef who genuinely seems to enjoy surprising you. Ken is an omakase counter in the Lower Haight where the nigiri leans creative without being weird about it, and the small plates tend to steal the show anyway. The room is intimate in the way that actually means intimate, not just small. Expect a crowd that researched this pretty carefully before showing up.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation #6 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Sushi Restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area
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Rank 82. Yuanbao Jiaozi
Chinese
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
- The Infatuation #13 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Chinese food and restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 83. jū-ni
Omakase Sushi
A twelve-seat omakase counter just off Divisadero where the energy is younger and looser than the format usually allows. The team moves with the kind of confidence that makes a long tasting feel like a party rather than a ceremony. It draws the neighborhood's well-paid creative class, all smart-casual, leaning in. The nigiri is the heart of it, carefully sourced and precise without being stuffy about it.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Sushi Restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 18 Best Restaurants In NoPa
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Little Lucca is a sandwich counter that's been around forever, and the sandwiches are genuinely absurd in size. The bread is the real star and the garlic sauce has a cult following for good reason, though your travel companions will have opinions about that choice. The crowd is locals who know exactly what they're getting, plus the occasional wide-eyed first-timer who ordered two. Do yourself a favor and eat before you board.
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A sunny, easygoing brunch spot in NoPa with antique stained glass and the kind of vibe that makes you linger way past your second cup. The Southern-leaning menu means French toast loaded with seasonal fruit and a rotating doughnut worth ordering while you wait. The owner wanders the room with a coffee pot like someone who genuinely wants you to stay. Weekend warriors and neighborhood regulars pack the place, all equally unhurried.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best brunch restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- The Infatuation The 18 Best Restaurants In NoPa
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Rank 86. Verjus
French wine bar
Reservations here are tough to score, so show up early and charm your way onto a barstool. Verjus is a French wine bar and bistro tucked near the Transamerica Pyramid, where the crowd leans into natural wine with the conviction of people who've given it real thought. The kitchen keeps things deceptively simple, leaning on great seafood and whatever's in season, and the duck pâté en croûte has become something of a reason to return.
- The Infatuation 2025 · #9 · The Top-Rated New Restaurants
- The New York Times 2025 · The Restaurant List
- Bon Appétit 2019 · America's Best New Restaurants
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Rank 87. The Morris
New American
The wine list here is the real reason locals keep coming back to this unfussy Mission bistro, built by a sommelier who clearly knows what he's doing. The food holds its own too, leaning into California meat and seafood without any fuss. The smoked duck is genuinely worth ordering. Regulars at the bar look like they've never once glanced at the menu, which is always a good sign.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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Rank 88. Abacá
Filipino
Filipino cooking done with real creativity, not just nostalgia. Abacá sits inside the Kimpton Alton Hotel in Fisherman's Wharf, and it draws the kind of crowd that actually dresses for dinner but keeps things relaxed. The kitchen roots itself in traditional flavors and techniques, then goes somewhere interesting from there. If you can't decide, let them decide for you and go family-style. You'll eat well either way.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Nominee · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Vince Bugtong
- Esquire 2021 · #28 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- The New York Times 2022 · The Restaurant List
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Rank 89. Foreign Cinema
Californian New American
Foreign Cinema is a Californian restaurant on Mission Street with a secret courtyard out back where foreign films flicker on a 35mm projector while you eat. It's romantic in a way that feels genuinely accidental rather than engineered, and it's earned a James Beard Outstanding Restaurant nod to prove it's not just atmosphere. The crowd runs heavy on first dates and anniversaries, everyone quietly pleased they found the place.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
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Rank 90. The Happy Crane
Cantonese
Snagging a table here is half the battle, but this chef-driven Cantonese restaurant in Hayes Valley is absolutely worth the effort. The kitchen takes the food seriously without taking itself too seriously, folding in unexpected ingredients like artichoke and fennel alongside the classics without making it weird. The room runs young and food-curious, full of people who planned this dinner a week out and are visibly pleased with themselves for getting in.
- Eater 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Chinese food and restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The Hit List: New San Francisco Restaurants To Try Right Now
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Rank 91. A16
Italian Pizza
A16 is a rustic Italian pizzeria on Chestnut that's been earning its Bib Gourmand for years, and it shows. The wood-burning oven turns out deeply charred, properly Neapolitan pies, the pasta is legit, and the wine list leans into obscure southern Italian bottles that would impress even the snobs. Families, Marina regulars, and tourists who did their homework all share the room. Book ahead and try for a counter seat facing the kitchen.
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Rank 92. Beit Rima
Palestinian Middle Eastern
Beit Rima is a Middle Eastern small-plates spot where the room is as loud and maximalist as the food, giant pink roses on the walls, vintage plates everywhere, a Turkish coffee set hanging from the ceiling. The chef grew up eating this food, and it shows: Lebanese, Palestinian, and Jordanian flavors that feel personal rather than generic. Order a bunch of things and share them, which is exactly what everyone in here is already doing.
- The Infatuation #18 · The 25 Best Restaurants In SF
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Middle Eastern restaurants in the Bay Area
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
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- Time Out The best bakeries in America
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- The Infatuation The 19 Best Pizza Places In San Francisco
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Rank 94. The Laundromat
Pizza
A former coin-op laundry in the Outer Richmond that pivoted to bagels and pizza, and honestly the pivot worked out great. Mornings belong to the bagels, displayed in metal racks draped with white sheets as a nod to the building's past life. The rye is where it's at, and the Calabrian chile schmear is worth the trip alone. Afternoons shift to pizza, and the crowd is exactly the neighborhood mix you'd expect, locals who've clearly figured something out.
- San Francisco Chronicle Best bagels in the San Francisco Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #85 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- The Infatuation The 19 Best Pizza Places In San Francisco
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Rank 95. Cotogna
Italian
Cotogna is the kind of Italian spot where the pasta alone justifies the reservation, and the wood-fired meats make you wish you'd ordered more. It's a convivial, mid-upscale trattoria with exposed brick, a copper bar, and an open kitchen that keeps the room buzzing. The crowd runs from Pacific Heights regulars who know the menu cold to date-nighters who feel very sophisticated. Michael Tusk also runs the fancy place next door, so the pedigree is real.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Italian food and restaurants in SF Bay Area
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Rank 96. Outerlands
American
Way out near the beach, this cozy neighborhood restaurant built from reclaimed wood has a cult following that started with the bread and never really left. The sourdough here is genuinely the reason people cross the city, and the rest of the seasonal menu, simple and hearty and very good, keeps them coming back. Weekend brunch draws a mellow, fleece-heavy crowd who've learned to arrive early and order the sticky bun without being asked.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Infatuation The 20 Best Brunch Spots In SF
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 97. Anchor Oyster Bar
Old-School Seafood
This Castro seafood counter has been around forever, and the line out the door on any given night tells you everything you need to know. It's tiny, cash-register-and-checkered-tablecloth old-school, better suited for a date than a group. The oysters are the real deal, the cioppino is the reason regulars never open the menu, and the Bib Gourmand keeps the secret only barely a secret.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- San Francisco Chronicle Best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Francisco
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Rank 98. Azalina's
Malaysian Indian
Malaysian cuisine done with real California soul, in a prix fixe format that changes often enough to keep regulars guessing. The room feels like a tropical escape, which is a genuinely funny trick to pull off in the Tenderloin. The chef grew up eating this food, and it shows in every handmade detail. Expect a crowd that came specifically for this, not just to fill a table, and dessert that proves pastry training never goes to waste.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #64 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
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Rank 99. La Taqueria
Mexican
The line outside this Mission taqueria is basically self-explanatory. Counter service, no frills, and a crowd that runs from stroller-pushing families to hoodie-wearing tech workers who have clearly found religion. The burritos are the kind that ruin other burritos for you, and if you know to ask for your taco dorado-style, crisped on the plancha with cheese, you're already ahead of most people in line.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
- San Francisco Chronicle Best classic San Francisco restaurants
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Rank 100. SPQR
Italian
Fillmore's favorite loud Italian is a slim, skylighted room that somehow fits a crowd of people who all seem to know each other. The prix-fixe format keeps things moving through creative California-meets-Italy cooking that leans hard on whatever looks good at the market. The handmade pastas alone justify the trip. Dress like you made an effort, because everyone else did, and pace yourself on the wine list.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Italian food and restaurants in SF Bay Area