The 15 best restaurants in San Francisco

What is it? An Indian restaurant in the Fillmore, helmed by chef Srijith Gopinathan.

Why we love it: The food here is exquisite with many moments that’ll leave you closing your eyes to exult. Among every beautiful thing we ate, our favorite was the rasam poori with passionfruit, mint, sprouted chickpea and radish: It’s a delicate fried puri sphere into which you spoon a bit of soup and eat in one frisson-filled mouthful. For cocktails, the winner was the turmeric spritz with marigold amaro that was so light and fruity it provided perfect accompaniment. As far as a bit of refreshment, don’t fear that the dishes will be too spicy; everything was perfectly spiced to make lips tingle but not overwhelm the tongue. Plus, the interior is insanely pretty with macrame lighting features, two rooms delineated by changes in flooring (blonde wood to button tile) and an indoor gazebo marked by twining ivy. Muted brick, a two-story wall of cubbies holding amphoras and wicker furnishings lend an air of museum-like elegance.

Time Out tip: Ask your server to identify which menu items are unique to Copra (or at least the most innovative) and order those.

Address: 1700 Fillmore St, San Francisco, 94115

Opening hours: Mon–Sun 5–10pm; brunch Sat, Sun 11:30am–2pm

Expect to pay: During brunch, if you order several “littles” and a main with a few cocktails, you’ll walk out paying around $90.

What is it? A contemporary American restaurant carrying one Michelin star in the Fillmore.

Why we love it: On a quiet street near the edge of Japantown, 7 Adams bustles with attentive waitstaff, crazy-skilled chefs and blissed out diners. Behind the chef’s counter, there’s gorgeous backlit mod-shaped embedded wall compartments holding plants, stemware, candles and a miniature statue of the Michelin man petting a dog. Chef owners Serena Chow Fisher and David Fisher have created a space where the vibe is relaxed and down to earth, even though the exquisite food could easily deserve a snooty air. We especially loved the starter of hokkaido scallop crudo with koji kosho, pepita and pixie mandarin and all the mains, and lost our minds over the winter citrus dessert (pistachio cake, lemon curd and blood orange ice cream—intensely succulent and vibrant) and the salted malted s’more with chicory pastry cream.

Time Out tip: A 20 percent service charge is automatically added to the bill, so you can relax about tipping.

Address: 1963 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Opening hours: Mon–Thur 5:30–9pm; Fri, Sat 5–10pm; Sun 5–9pm

Expect to pay: The five-course tasting menu is $87 per person, while the chef’s counter (six people only) is 8 to 10 courses for $157 per person.

What is it? A French bistro with bright vibes at the Embarcadero.

Why we love it: Everything’s at bar level here, so you feel elevated and light while you indulge in French favorites “from Paris with love,” as the menu says—a nod to charming owner Kais Bouzidi’s Parisian roots. Plants are embedded in the mesh liquor cabinet that hovers above the bar, which itself is a beautiful wooden statement piece with carved out embeds for your knees. The croque monsieur was a fantastic confection of layers of thin ham, pickle and béchamel sauce: It was a “fondue with bread” in one gooey unit. We also loved the madeleines plate with anglaise and chocolate sauce. For a refreshing drink that’s adorably photogenic, try the citron pressé: fresh lemon juice and a separate cute vessel of housemade lemon cordial.

Time Out tip: Absolutely make reservations in advance; the walk-in party ahead of us was turned away.

Address: Pier 3, the Embarcadero, San Francisco, 94105

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 11:30am–2pm, 3–10pm; Sat 11:30am–3:30pm, 5–10pm; Sun 11:30am–3pm

Expect to pay: If your brunch includes an hors d’oeuvre, a main, a beverage and dessert, it will run about $60.

What is it? An Italian eatery in the Russian Hill neighborhood with a parklet out front

Why we love it: The menu is so full of great options I had pasta twice (and I’m glad I did, because the agnolotti was a true standout, and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the fettuccine blackened by squid ink and accompanied by generous lumps of Dungeness crab). Even though we were stuffed, the delightful server—chef Anthony Florian has assembled an amazing team with great wine guidance—wouldn’t let us go without trying the chocolate budino served in a mason jar: We’re glad we relented to the peer pressure.

Time Out tip: Request a seat in the back dining area if you would like a quieter space for conversation.

Address: 1896 Hyde St, San Francisco, 94109

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 5–9pm; Fri, Sat 5–9:30pm

Expect to pay: About $140 per person if you indulge in antipasti, salad, pasta and secondi with a few glasses of wine.

What is it: An Italian restaurant in North Beach with a parklet out front, owned by straight-up Italian chefs.

Why we love it: People can and have lined up to get inside this small but mighty place with housemade pasta, pizza and dulce. Giuseppe Terminiello hails from Capri and Maurizio Bruschi from Rome—along with U.S.-born Shanna Bruschi, they run an aromatic and friendly spot where you’ll feel like a friend by the time you leave. Beautiful things happen here, like a dog coming in to get his expected three meatballs straight from Guiseppe’s hand. The gorgonzola gnocchi is out of this world. The pinsa flatbread which originates from Rome is made with a method of spreading the 72 hour-risen dough with three fingers. We particularly loved the pinse ideale with buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomato, arugula, parmigiano and marina.

Time Out tip: Even if you’re groaningly full, don’t miss the tiramisu and cannolo Siciliano filled with sweet ricotta—you deserve two desserts.

Address: 725 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94133

Opening hours: Mon, Wed–Sun 11:45am–10pm

Expect to pay: If you order the full slate of options—antipasti, pasta, pizza or secondi, dessert and a glass of wine—you’ll pay around $80.

What is it? A Chinese restaurant in the heart of Chinatown with lines out the door.

Why we love it: It’s in the name: The Peking duck is succulent inside its wildly crispy skin, taking 48 hours to prepare. The duck goes through a process involving air-pumping, blanching, drying and then roasting. It was once only prepared for Chinese emperors, so how lucky are we that we can have the same dish? It’s carved at a central station where you can watch and photograph, and it’s served as a half or full duck with pancakes, thinly sliced vegetables and sauce to create your own delicious roll. The table next to us was raving about their grilled sea bass, and we were attracted to the various Beijing dim sum offerings but knew we only had space for the generous portion of duck plus a very nice hot and sour soup with cilantro. We loved how the tables’ proximity encourages discussion among strangers—it makes for a fun night.

Don’t be confused as we were by the same-block proximity of Z & Y Restaurant, owned by the same kind family and also with lines out the door. Z & Y Restaurant dates to 2008 and has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction since 2012, serving Szechuan fare. Z & Y Peking Duck opened in 2024 to serve authentic Beijing-style Peking duck and presents a significantly more upscale dining room. Owner and executive chef Lijun Han continues to cook at both locations.

Time Out tip: The restaurant only serves about 30 Peking ducks each day, so it’s recommended that you reserve a duck at the same time that you book your reservation (if you’re ordering takeout, you’ll still want to reserve a duck in advance). Also: Don’t miss the wobbly gelatin cat dessert with its cute sesame seed eyes!

Address: 606 Jackson St, San Francisco, 94133

Opening hours: Thu–Tue 11:30am–3pm, 4:30–9pm

Expect to pay: $48 for a half duck (more than enough for two people) and $78 for a whole. Most dim sum is $10 for four pieces.

What is it? An Argentinian steakhouse in the heart of the Mission.

Why we love it: The ojo de bife Argentino rib eye (100 percent grass-fed) was supremely buttery in texture, and the wild mushroom sherry sauce had us trying to soak up more with each forkful like a sponge. The pollo skewer with perfectly blackened corn and aji amarillo almost surpassed the steak for me, but we also loved the yuca fries with rocoto aioli—and we had fun moderating our evening with the “sin licor” mocktails, an agridulce citrus beverage and a tutti frutti sweet one. Though I didn’t have room for the empanada options, I’d certainly try them next time. The décor is atmospherically dim and dominated by some fearsome underlit bull head statues, while beautiful chandeliers and metal fixtures that mimic wagon wheels adorn the ceilings.

Time Out tip: Arrive before your reservation and head to El Techo, the bar perched on Lolinda’s rooftop, for excellent city views. Also, as much as we love the colorful vibe of the Mission, the homelessness crisis may make visitors feel uncomfortable after dark, so consider that when planning your reservation and parking or transit plans.

Address: 2518 Mission St, San Francisco, 94110

Opening hours: Tue–Thu 5:30–10pm; Fri, Sat 5:30–11pm; Sun 5:30–10pm

Expect to pay: For a few pequeños (littles), a 12oz rib eye, a beverage and a dessert, you’ll pay around $85.

What is it? A Chinese dim sum house in Ghirardelli Square, halfway between Fisherman’s Wharf and Fort Mason.

Why we love it: Aesthetics rule the day here. The “palette” of the name refers to the plate you receive, shaped like an artist’s palette with five wells to hold differently colored sauces. One of the standout dishes, a xiaolongbao sampler, also evokes admiration with five soup dumplings arranged beautifully with their dough colored red (beets), green (spinach), yellow (turmeric), black (squid ink) and white, with various fillings. The taro puff black swan with a delicate cracker neck “floats” on an edible flower strewn plate, while the hot and sour soup is classically delicious. I indulged in an espresso martini and the Portuguese egg tart, while also stealing bites of my daughter’s mango pudding supreme with popping boba, coconut and fresh mango. Above you, large red lanterns glow with Chinese characters for the names of the food, including BBQ pork bao and pork soup dumpling. General manager and part owner Dennis Leung has created a beautiful space, where large red lanterns above you glow with Chinese characters that correspond to the names of the dishes. Make sure to make a pit stop at the bathroom, too, so you don’t miss the beautiful mosaic tiles in the hallway.

Time Out tip: It’s housed in the same square as the iconic Gold Rush chocolatier Ghirardelli, and we’d also recommend a pre- or post-meal walk down the hill to the free, ship-shaped Maritime National Historic Park; its partnering visitor center on Jefferson Street offers fantastic exhibits in a 1907 warehouse.

Address: 900 North Point St, San Francisco, 94109

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11:30am–7:30pm; Fri, Sat 11:30am–8pm

Expect to pay: Dumplings and bao plates are $9 to $16, entrees and soups are $18 to $32, desserts are $7 to $9, and signature cocktails are $16.

What is it? An American restaurant inside the Beacon Grand hotel in Union Square

Why we love it: Want bountiful proof of why the food scene in San Francisco is so great? Look no further than the California market salad, with mixed greens in a citrus vinaigrette we adored, along with Point Reyes blue cheese, candied pecans and tender slivers of tangerine. Other dishes we loved were the wild king salmon with thinly shaved fennel, radish and cucumber in a dill vinaigrette, as well as the hand-rolled spinach and mushroom canelloni dotted with morels. Make your lunch truly inspiring by pairing it with the Spring Sour mocktail—bright and fresh enough to power through the day. Here for business? The prix-fixe “executive lunch” is only $28 Monday through Friday.

Time Out tip: Venture into the side chamber and look up: The painted ceiling and ornate grillwork on either side of the pedimented door are impressive. Want to fully appreciate the opulent architecture and décor of this 1928 beauty? Elect to spend the night (you should).

Address: 450 Powell St, San Francisco, 94102

Opening hours: Daily breakfast 7–11am, lunch 11:30am–1:30pm, dinner 4–10pm

Expect to pay: For brunch with a salad, salmon and mocktail, close to $70.

What is it? A Mexican bistro in the Presidio with a laid-back vibe and recipes that chef Edgar Castro learned from his mom in Merida, Mexico. Inside is an elegant dining room with glass pendant lamps and an array of white tapers in metal candelabra, while outside is the dog-friendly patio where our dog (mostly) behaved.

Why we love it: The ceviche de pescado paired with a glass of Scarpetta prosecco makes for an incredible light lunch, especially if family members give you a few bites of their enchiladas wrapped in handmade corn tortillas. The dulce limonada mocktail (lemon juice, hibiscus syrup, ginger beer) knocked our socks off, and we lusted all the way through the churros rellenos filled with cajeta caramel cream and slathered with chocolate. Don’t forget to check out a work on art on the way to the bathroom, Andy Goldworthy’s Earth Wall sphere made of eucalyptus branches embedded in the rammed earth wall.

Time Out tip: Order the pastel de chocolate, a warm Mexican chocolate cake, as soon as you sit down; it takes 20 minutes to bake.

Address: 50 Moraga Ave, San Francisco, 94129

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–9pm, Fri 11:30am–10pm, Sat 10:30am–10pm, Sun 10:30am–9pm. Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30am–3pm.

Expect to pay: Around $64 for antojitos, especialidades and a cocktail.

What is it? A traditional Financial District eatery serving American cuisine at new digs.

Why we love it: Multiple touches make this a distinctive place to dine: the pewter charger that makes you think you’ll be dining with Paul Revere, the taxidermy that made its way to the new location and the vibe of old world San Francisco. Current and former mayors eat here, finding their way two blocks from the old location on Sacramento Street—the restaurant’s home for 14 years—to the new one at the corner of Battery and Pine, where service started in late April. Interior design by Jon de la Cruz embraces the sumptuous velvet seating and gold leaf mural vibe, while two-time James Beard nominee Tyler Florence makes culinary magic happen.

We loved the amuse bouche of caviar, beef bacon and sundried tomatoes and chose the fried chicken sandwich for lunch, perfectly crispy with pickled chili coleslaw and frites. The restaurant is known for its vintage-leaning popovers and the devilled eggs with trout roe and dill. There are several experiences here: the bar/lounge, the main dining area, the chef’s area where you can watch cooking underway and “the cellar” where quieter dining can be had (and decadent event spaces upstairs—you may want to get married just to have a reception here).

Time Out tip: Call us crazy sugarhounds, but we gravitated toward dessert: an olive oil cake in a trifle glass with strawberries and strawberry water consomme, candied tarragon and lemon zet, as well as the warm vanilla doughnut with cinnamon and meyer lemon cream—and the tiny doughnut hole included. As our server said, “If you don’t get the hole, you don’t get the whole… doughnut.”

Address: 201 Pine St, San Francisco, 94111

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11:30am–9pm; Fri, Sat 11:30am–10pm

Expect to pay: A lunch with a starter and a main will run about $50.

What is it: A ramen restaurant inside the Kinokuniya Building in Japantown.

Why we love it: We blissed out over the tender chunk of buta kakuni (braised thick port belly) that anchors the Hakata Tonkotsu Deluxe ramen bowl, along with regular toppings, corn, sesame seeds and nori seaweed in a thick pork broth. We also loved the sides we ordered like chicken karaage, shishito peppers and gyoza.

Time Out tip: The custom of overpouring sake—mori koboshi—into the vessel the cup sits in takes place here, a sweet way of demonstrating generosity and hospitality.

Address: 1581 Webster St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Opening hours: Daily 11am–10pm

Expect to pay: $35 for an appetizer, ramen and glass of sake.

What is it? A Mediterranean restaurant housed in a former army barracks in the Presidio.

Why we love it: Billed as “modern Eastern” rather than “Middle Eastern,” Dalida comes from husband-and-wife chef team Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz. The flavors here stretched our palates and made our eyebrows rise—even the hummus had some extra zing sitting under the Cypriot lamb chops wrapped in ground lamb and caul fat. Our family’s favorite was the Breaking Bread dish with round tins of spreads accompanied by chubby pita (baked in-house every five minutes). The cocktails were a highlight, served in fun vessels like a miniature silver tankard or with tall, glass-height ice cubes ordered by mail. Stay for dessert and you may catch some Top Chef magic with pistachio three-ways baklava and the sour cherry Maraş ice cream that chef Laura made for one of the show’s challenges. The interior’s muted lighting comes from rice paper chandeliers, and there’s a beautiful mural of trees in bloom. The historic building’s high ceilings really open up the interior, but that does mean the acoustics are rough for conversation. 

Time Out tip: If you want to make a night of it, book a room at the Lodge at the Presidio, just a four-minute walk away.

Address: 101 Montgomery St, San Francisco, 94129

Opening hours: Tue–Fri 11:30am–2pm, 5–9pm; Sat, Sun 11am–2:30pm, 5–9pm

Expect to pay: The chef’s menu is $85. Otherwise, you can expect to pay about $100 per person for appetizers, entrée, a vegetable dish and a few cocktails.

What is it? A vegan eatery in Cow Hollow with a parklet on Union Street.

Why we love it: In a world trying to adopt more sustainable practices, a vegan restaurant so great that omnivores won’t miss meat deserves notice. The interior at Wildseed has bright white walls adorned with modern art. When you open the completely plant-based menu, the first thing you’ll see is a list of what fruits and vegetables are in season that month. That’s not just something worth appreciating on paper: The chilaquiles with vegan “just egg” and coconut queso were gobble-quality, and the Wildseed burger made with a mushroom and spinach patty, vegan chipotle aioli and tomato chutney (and added-on tempeh bacon) was a fortifying delight.

Time Out tip: The grapefruit mimosa comes in a pretty vessel and makes brunch happier.

Address: 2000 Union St, San Francisco, 94123

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–9:30pm, Fri 11:30am–10:30pm, Sat 11am–10:30pm, Sun 11am–9:30pm

Expect to pay: About $70 per person if you have a small salad, brunch item, dessert and a few mimosas.

What is it? A seafood restaurant on the second story of Pier 39.

Why we love it: You can count on 100 percent sustainable seafood at this busy waterfront spot with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the bay. The clam chowder literally has “award-winning” in its name, and you can order it (as one does here) in a fresh house-baked sourdough bowl. We tried the dual lobster tails (oven roasted with seasonal vegetables), the Petrale sole (pan seared with a pesto cream sauce) and fried scallops, served with roasted jalapeno aioli. The cocktail game is wonderful here with drinks named for local landmarks, like the Alcatraz Escape and the Spicy Mission Margarita. For land-favoring folks just “along for the ride,” there are also sandwiches, steaks and pasta.

Time Out tip: Try to sit at the farthest end of the restaurant, where you’ll be able to catch the best view of the sea lions pushing each other off the docks. 

Address: Pier 39, San Francisco, 94133

Opening hours: Daily 11am–9pm

Expect to pay: Seafood mains run $29 to $56, while the clam chowder in sourdough is $16. House specialties include cioppino at $42 and a whole Dungeness crab for $64. Cocktails are $14 to $17.