The best restaurants in San Francisco to eat at right now

Empress by Boon—from Malaysia-born Michelin-starred Chef Ho Chee Boon—is one of the most exciting restaurants to open in San Francisco recently. The restaurant opened its doors in June 2021, debuting a fully restored interior (inside the former space of Empress of China, an iconic Cantonese banquet hall in the heart of Chinatown that operated for roughly 50 years) that modernizes the space while keeping some of its original woodwork. Chef Ho, a Michelin-starred chef with experience at restaurants around the world (including Hakkasan), presents a prix fixe menu at a startingly reasonable rate of $78, as well as a separate small bites menu that’s served in a trendy bar area. The menu focuses on modern takes on traditional Cantonese fare prepared with local ingredients, many from the restaurant’s own organic farm in Gilroy, California.

Nari is the most recent restaurant from chef Pim Techamuanvivit. A bit more sophisticated in both decor and cuisine than her previous spot, Kin Khao, the restaurant is led by mostly women including chef de cuisine Meghan Clark and bar director Megan Daniel Hoang. A contemporary Thai restaurant, chefs swap out some traditional Thai ingredients for locally grown seasonal ones, all the while preserving classic flavor profiles. The menu features large format dishes appropriate for sharing including rich curries with lamb, eggplant, pork belly and Cornish game hen.

Liholiho brings a sunny dose of Hawaii to fog-shrouded San Francisco, from the bright yellow open kitchen to the “Aloha” spelled out in blue tile underfoot. The menu is divided into small, medium, and large plates, all designed for sharing. Dishes might include tuna poke on nori crackers, scallops with misoyaki pork belly, pecans, squash and grapes, or kimchi fried rice with smoked egg yolk, house-made spam and clamshell mushrooms. Save room for the Baked Hawaii, a fluffy, modern twist on the retro Baked Alaska made with caramelized pineapple ice cream and vanilla chiffon.

Chef Srijith Gopinathan creates Cal-Indian cuisine by imbuing farmer’s market ingredients with traditional Indian spices. The result is an exotic, high-end spin on Southern Indian food—one that has earned him at least one Michelin star every year since 2011. The Spice Route prix fixe menu ($167) features dishes like Maine lobster in a curry broth, duck breast with rhubarb and basil, and slow-cooked lamb served over basmati rice, snap peas, and cumin-lime yogurt. (The lamb and game bird dishes are cooked in an authentic tandoori oven.) For a more affordable but still luxurious experience, check out the weekend brunch service.

Acquerello may be one of the oldest restaurants on this list but it’s far from stuck in its ways. The Italian favorite keeps things innovative by showcasing talented young chefs alongside the expertise of master chef-partner Suzette Gresham. In one of the most Old World refined dining rooms in town, diners revel in a prix fixe ($115 for three courses, $135 for four, $150 for five) or seasonal tasting menu ($225) showcasing dishes like the decadent Dungeness crab risotto with asparagus, cured egg yolk and oxalis. A two-star Michelin restaurant, Acquarello is not just a place to celebrate, its food is a celebration in-and-of itself.

Appropriately located on the Embarcadero, this waterfront restaurant from chef Joshua Skenes, of Saison fame, relishes the taste of the sea with a raw bar and delicacies like Monterey abalone, giant octopus and scorpion fish roasted over an open wood fireplace. With walls hung in taxidermied game, it should be no surprise that Angler's earthly delights, too, are delightful—dishes like smoky, succulent cordycep mushrooms, the signature radicchio salad with vegetarian XO sauce and hot fried quail.

It’s back! After a long absence, Aziza is open again, and this time it’s a more neighborhood focused contemporary California restaurant with Moroccan influences. There are still some of the classic Moroccan dishes that diners loved, such as basteeya, beef tagine and hand rolled couscous with aged butter but also fresh new dishes like cured ocean trout with citrus, avocado and marash chile. A glowing new bar is beautiful with blue-green tiles. The airy main dining room can get loud on busy nights, so ask to be seated in the cozy back room if you want a quieter experience.

Dried fruit, flowers, and herbs hang overhead and the kitchen is visible through spotless glass at this three-Michelin-starred restaurant. The French-meets-Asian food is the vision of James Beard Award-winner Corey Lee, formerly the head chef at French Laundry. The nightly tasting menu skews primarily toward seafood and vegetables and Asian influences emerge in dishes like a thousand-year-old quail egg, lobster coral soup dumplings, and abalone-stuffed chicken wings. The wine list includes more than 300 bottles. 

This Bernal Heights cafe is serving up authentic Chilango cuisine from Mexico-born chef Isabel Caudillo in a bright, casual space. Housemade tortillas, beans and rice complement a variety of guisados which change on a daily basis, ranging from slow-cooked stews like tinga (pulled chicken simmered in tomato, onion and chipotle) and albondigas to a variety of mole dishes. Tacos, sopes and tostadas are topped with chicharron in salsa verde, rajas con crema and papas con chorizo. Saturday and Sunday brunch feature irresistible chilaquiles smothered in red or green sauce.

This Michelin-starred Mexican spot is a design-lover’s dream, from the mirrored, unmarked facade to the neon art in the restroom. With its black walls, low lighting, and vibrant art, the decor matches the food: splurgy and surprising. Slip into the leather banquette or snag a spot at the bar for a view of the open kitchen. Chef Val Cantu’s decadent, 16-course tasting menu changes seasonally—expect heart-stoppingly rich dishes like lobster tacos, wagyu steak, and foie gras-garnished churros. The beverage pairing typically includes wine, beer, and cider.

You might not notice this hole-in-the-wall Nob Hill seafood joint if it weren’t for the long line outside. Part market, part restaurant, Swan Oyster Depot has been hocking fresh seafood since four Danish brothers started the business in 1912. Belly up to the bar to indulge in local oysters, Dungeness crab, chowder and smoked fish. If you’re looking for something a little different try one of their secret menu offerings like Sicilian sashimi (thinly sliced raw salmon, tuna and scallops drizzled in olive oil) or Crabsanthemum (crab legs in a flower arrangement with Louie sauce). Cash only.

The latest and greatest dim sum parlor is at Ghirardelli Square and features eye-popping, Instagram-ready dumplings and fresh seafood. A sister restaurant to Koi Palace and Dragon Beaux, Palette Tea House feels the most modern and sophisticated of the three. Share elevated versions of Chinese restaurant favorites like the rainbow-colored soup dumplings, swan-shaped taro puffs and wagyu beef chow fun noodles. 

You can't beat the panoramic views from Waterbar, which sits right along the Embarcadero. Take a seat outside on the patio (complete with heat lamps), or near the window for views of the stunning Bay Bridge—at night, it lights up as the sky turns dark. Primarily a seafood restaurant, Waterbar has especially high standards for sustainability and quality throughout menu favorites that include seared scallops, fish and chips, lobster rolls, and pretty much any of its fresh fish dishes (don't forget to start your meal with oysters, another top order). The perfectly prepared seafood, paired with the scenic atmosphere, has made Waterbar a favorite for tourists and locals alike for a special dining experience for years—you’ve gotta see it to believe it.

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This buzzy follow-up to State Bird Provisions by Nicole Krasinski and Stuart Brioza is named after The Progress Theatre, which opened in 1911. The spot serves banquet-style meals in an inviting, wood-swathed space. The shareable dishes are broken down into sections: raw and salads; vegetables and grains; and seafood and meats. We recommend the squid ink noodles with oyster mushrooms, tomato-kale dashi and toasted sesame, and the dry-fried brussels sprouts. Cocktails here are inventive and festive. For a kick, try the Wendy Peffercorn made with kampot pepper vodka, aperol, amaro, lemon and blood orange.

If you’ve only been to Manufactory for the line-out-the-door brunch, you’re missing out. The dinner menu consists of elevated comfort food, from roast chicken and fresh pasta to deftly dressed veggies and a daily-baked array of breads and spreads. Designed by architect Charles Hemminger—the aesthetic genius behind Progress, Cala, and State Bird Provisions—the wood-on-white space is somehow both chic and calming. Giant orb paper lanterns glow overhead, glinting off the white Heath tiles and Doug fir beams.

Chef Louis Maldonado leads the kitchen team at Gibson, where each chef bring dishes directly to the table in the elegant and richly colorful dining room. The menu offers succulent fire-roasted meats and seafood, often served with classic French touches like Bordelaise sauce on beef, scallops with smoked trout roe and brassicas with comte fondue. Adam Chapman, a chef-turned-operations director leads the innovative bar program with a flair for pairing drinks with food; his creative cocktails highlight a variety of sophisticated and savory flavor profiles.

Seventy years after first opening, the House of Prime Rib can still be found on almost every "best of" list in San Francisco. It's just that good. The old school restaurant hasn't changed much over the years, and that's part of its charm. The dining rooms are still dominated by white tablecloths and oversized red booths. The simplified menu boasts five different cuts of prime rib, served to diners directly from rolling carving carts, and classic accompaniments like mashed potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and creamed spinach. On the cocktail menu, find simple favorites like martinis, Manhattans and cosmopolitans. 

Husband-and-wife team chef Kristoffer Toliao (who cooked for several years under Dominique Crenn) and GM Yuka Ioroi are responsible for a menu of modern California flavors like Spanish octopus and pork chop with rutabaga-green garlic sauce, cream of Brussels sprouts, sugar snap peas and garlic oil, and buttermilk fried chicken with sous-vide chicken thigh and chipotle aioli. The four-course tasting menu is a steal at just $48 (add the beverage pairing for an additional $34).

Chef Geoffrey Lee earned his stripes at Sushi Ran and Akiko’s before opening this intimate, 12-seat omakase bar. (The name translates to “twelve” in Japanese.) The expert training paid off—Ju Ni earned a Michelin star in 2017. Behind the bar, three sushi chefs toil over a dozen diners, meticulously preparing each bite of a chef's menu ($165) that spans 18 eye-opening courses, from sake-cured albacore to golden eye snapper flecked with kelp salt. The fish, which is all flown from Tokyo's Tsukiji Market, might be garnished with citrus, miso butter, or yuzu-tinged hot sauce.

Named for chef Mitsunori Kusakabe, an alum of Nobu and Sausalito's Sushi Ran, this restaurant has made a name for itself as one of the best sushi spots in the city. Omakase (chef's choice) is the only option here—either eight courses for $98 or 11 for $175—and they're well worth it. Dishes like shiizakana with braised white eel, monkfish liver, buckwheat risotto and wasabi leaf are carefully calibrated to balance taste, color and cooking methods (raw, roasted, steamed, fried, simmered). It's a meal that takes time, so order from KUSAKABE's extensive sake selection and settle in for an experience.

China Live is a multi-floored ode to modern Chinese food in a 30,000-foot space with two restaurants, a retail market, three bars and tea café. Upstairs, Eight Tables by George Chen, the emporium's fine dining restaurant, is a refined, intimate experience inspired by the historic Chinese concept of si fang cai or "private chateau cuisine." Its execution so impressed Time Magazine when it opened in 2018 that Eight Tables was named one of the world's 100 greatest destinations to experience right now. At the more laid-back first floor Market Restaurant, made-to-order Peking duck, soup dumplings and rice bowls are made at eight specialized culinary stations and served to diners seated in the cavernous yet stylish dining room.

This cozy Noe Valley mainstay is known for its neighborhood vibe and Italian hospitality. Co-owner Massimiliano Conti cooks recipes from his native Sardinia using organic produce and sustainable fish. Even the wine list is all Italian. The space is narrow and intimate, lit by candlelight and dotted with crisp white tablecloths. The specials change frequently, but a few local favorites are in regular rotation: The Prupisceddu in Umidu cun Tomatiga, a baby octopus stew in a spicy tomato base and the squid ink pasta with fresh seafood and citrus zest.   

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Owned by Miguel Jara for nearly 50 years, this modest Mission taqueria has rightfully earned national acclaim. Jara opened the spot in 1973 serving simple, authentic recipes cribbed from his mother and tasting tours across Mexico. La Taqueria has since been named a “classic” American restaurant by the James Beard Foundation, as well as the best burrito-maker in America by FiveThirtyEight. It’s known for quintessential Mission-style burritos; the carnitas, which are slow-cooked for hours with orange, garlic, and salt, are the way to go. Regulars know to order theirs dorado-style—seared on the grill for a crispy, golden-brown finish.

From humble beginnings as a food truck, Del Popolo has graduated to one of the city's best Neapolitan pizza purveyors. The stylish pizzeria boasts long wooden communal tables and a half-moon green tiled bar, behind which sits the massive wood-fired pizza oven. Small plates like cauliflower tempura served with horseradish crema and dill and charred mixed chicory with lady apple, pecorina jagas and hazelnuts hold their own against beloved classic thin-crust pies including two types of margherita and a mouthwatering bianca made with mozzarella, ricotta, basil and garlic.

Husband-and-wife chefs Evan and Sarah Rich serve creative, but down-to-earth fare in this wood-paneled Hayes Valley spot. For starters, that means thick, chewy slabs of Douglas fir-infused levain slathered in house cultured butter, porcini mushroom doughnuts, and addictive sardine chips dunked in a horseradish crème fraîche. But the true standouts are the house-made pastas in bold flavor combinations, from sea urchin cacio e pepe to roasted squash dumplings with spring onion and kumquat. Spring for the tasting menu ($99) to sample a bit of everything, from salads to sweetbreads to spaghetti.

Bar Agricole alum Brandon Jew opened this ambitious homage to Cantonese food in 2016, melding traditional flavors and modern cooking techniques. The restaurant serves inventive twists on classic dishes—think Dutch Crunch BBQ pork buns, chicken feet terrine flavored with lime, chili, and sorrel, and Hodo tofu skin served with sungold tomatoes, purslane, and cured egg yolk. The vibe is lively and fun, from the open kitchen to the spicy, sweet, and tea-steeped cocktails by bar manager Danny Louie. Upstairs is Moongate Lounge serving cocktails, snacks and larger format dishes such as salt and pepper squid and cha siu pork collar bao.

Chef Mourad Lahlou’s Michelin-starred Moroccan restaurant blends old-world flavors with modern cooking techniques and design. The glamorous 6,000-square-foot space is modeled after a grand Moroccan home, decked with intricate tiling, vibrant rugs, and twinkling lights. The highlight of the menu is the La’acha family-style dishes, such as lamb shoulder cooked with moyer prune, cumin, almond, and chicories, or snapper served alongside calcot onion, radish, summer beans, and charmoula. Pair your meal with a European red, displayed in the glass-encased wine cage suspended above the lounge.

At Nopalito, the authentic flavors of Mexico are combined with local, sustainable and organic ingredients to create complex, slow-cooked deliciousness. Here you’ll find traditional dishes like pozole rojo and gorditas campechanas as well as an offering or two featuring the restaurant’s namesake, nopales. The indoor-outdoor heated patio at the original location is pleasant no matter the weather outside but both the original location, and that in the Inner Sunset, have lively Mexican-inspired indoor spaces.

This little Italian joint has singlehandedly upped the foodie-cred of San Francisco's outerlands since opening in 2016. From the wood-fired pizza oven to the creative toile wallpaper featuring Bay Area legends, Fiorella is as much a neighborhood spot as it is a destination. Helmed by chef Brandon Gillis and Boris Nemchenok of Lower Haight's Uva Enoteca, the menu here is full of well-executed classics like spaghetti alla cacio e pepe and spicy salami pie with marinated onions, chilis and provolone picante. Brunch ranges from the sweet banana bread with whipped coconut, hazelnuts, cocoa and coconut crisps to the savory green, egg & ham pie (broccolini with egg, pancetta, fior di latte and Bellwether ricotta). 

This plant-based restaurant is easy breezy and the food is approachable and frankly, delicious. The menu offers snacks and salads (no surprise there) as well as heartier dishes like the Neatball Masala. What looks like meatballs are made from lentils and mushrooms, served with a creamy sauce and pickled carrots over a bowl of whole grains. While the Impossible Burger is incorporated into a bolognese and burger, the Wildseed burger made from mushrooms and spinach is particularly good, in part because it’s topped with roasted tomatoes and onions. The curried cauliflower is also a must as is the warm chocolate cake served with chocolate gelato.

Most know Outerlands for its perpetually-slammed weekend brunch, which includes Instagram-famous dishes like the Eggs-in-Jail and cast iron Dutch pancakes. But at night, the restaurant becomes the ideal neighborhood spot. Candlelight flickers off the driftwood-collaged walls, regulars congregate around the polished concrete bar (the cocktails are excellent), and the scent of baking bread and braised meats fill the air. Whatever you do, start with the bread and butter, which is baked in house and is some of the best in the city. The rotating menu marries inventive flavor profiles and seasonal ingredients in salads, roasted vegetable starters, steak, ricotta dumplings, clam and mussel stew, and butter drenched fish. 

Lazy Bear began a decade ago as a self-serious supper club in the home of David Barzelay. Then, it morphed into a Michelin-starred, ticketed affair where seats often sell out a month in advance and took place at two long, communal dining tables. Now, given the COVID pandemic, Lazy Bear re-opened with a tasting menu but not in a communal setting. Instead, diners can enjoy the meal outdoors in its parklets or indoors at separate tables. 

This 48-seat bistro serves upscale comfort food in an unpretentious setting. Founded by Paul Einbund, formerly the beverage director at Frances, the concise menu is inventive and a little fun, featuring items like a Chartreuse slushy, fried pork cracklins served with honey and cayenne, beef rib with chicories and mushroom bordelaise, and buckwheat doughnuts dunked in a whisky creme anglaise. The restaurant is known for smoked duck, which can be ordered whole ($140) or halved ($70) and is served with root vegetables.

Nopa is still holding strong on the corner of Hayes and Divisadero serving its "urban rustic" cuisine to a perennially packed house. Italian- and Mediterranean-inspired dishes like porchetta with potatoes, strawberry mostarda, peppercress and cracklings and cannellone made with housemade ricotta, tomato, leeks, radish and shiso are consistently delicious, as are brunch offerings like butter basted eggs with fried asparagus, shitake mushrooms, orange and horseradish creme fresh. If you come without a reservation at peak hours, be prepared to wait for seats at both the bar and restaurant.

Delfina has been a neighborhood mainstay since before the Mission was cool (read: gentrified). Owners Anne and Craig Stoll set up shop in 1998, offering fresh Italian fare in an upscale setting. The decor is minimalist, with wood accents and industrial fixtures; all the better for people-watching out the wrap-around windows facing Valencia Street. Delfina is known for its pasta, including the classic spaghetti, made with plump plum tomatoes and deftly spiced with pepperoncinis, and the tripe alla fiorentina. Heartier dishes include grilled fish, roast chicken, and wood-grilled steak. 

This Nob Hill restaurant exclusively serves a seasonal tasting menu. The nine-course, $145 menu is delicate and thoughtful with produce selected from local farms, including chef-owners Teague Moriarty and Matt McNamara's one-acre garden and orchard in Los Gatos. The NorCal preoccupation with the hyper-local is on full display here—you can watch the plating in the open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant. Expect dishes that spotlight each ingredient such as scallop crudo with asian pear aguachile and fresh wasabi and hibachi-grilled lamb crusted in local seaweed and peppercorn.

Kokkari is an upscale Greek restaurant that truly offers the “food of the gods.” Begin your meal with mezethes (small plates) like marithes tiganites (crispy smelt with garlic-potato skordalia and lemon, also affectionately referred to as “fries with eyes”) or some of the best grilled octopus in town. Once you’ve plowed through those, dig in to Kokkari’s traditional moussaka—a rich, creamy baked casserole of eggplant, lamb ragout and béchamel—or their famed lamb chops. For dessert? Various iterations of baklava and loukoumades, Greek donuts with honey, cinnamon and walnuts, round out the menu. 

The ambiance here is one of old-school elegance, from the Baccarat crystal chandelier overhead to the dark mohair walls. Chef Mark Sullivan turns out classic dishes that emphasize local ingredients, relying on SMIP Ranch, a private farm near Woodside, for his supply of  just-picked herbs, vegetables, and fruits. Spruce is particularly beloved by oenophiles: The wine list features more than 2,500 bottles from around the world. In addition, the restaurant works with distillers and wine-makers to create its own house spirits and wines, including a single barrel Kentucky bourbon, a single malt scotch, a Willamette Valley pinot noir, a German riesling, and an array of gins.

With its white tablecloths, glimmering chandeliers, and larger-than-life floral arrangements, this elegant California-French restaurant by chef Michael Tusk feels like a throwback to a more sophisticated time. The prix fixe tasting menu ($295) changes every night, revealing a choreographed array of elaborate, eclectic dishes that have earned the spot three Michelin stars. The organic fruits, vegetables, and flowers are all sourced from Fresh Run Farm in Bolinas, which supplies Tusk’s restaurants exclusively. You can opt for the more formal dining room or the salon, where there’s a menu of a dozen caviars, spanning California to Bulgaria. 

This cozy, narrow neighborhood restaurant serves peak Californian cuisine. All the ingredients are sourced from Northern California farms and local city markets, and the menu changes daily according to what’s fresh. Chef Melissa Perello named the restaurant after her grandmother, aiming for a homey, comfortable vibe. The food is refined without being intimidating, from a red snapper served with cranberry beans, tomatoes, kaffir lime, and red pepper jus to the spaghetti topped with basil, garlic, Sungold tomatoes, Grana Padano, and uni butter. Start with the chickpea fritters and order a smattering of the vegetable sides to share.