Lazy Bear in San Francisco is David Barzelay's two-Michelin-star Mission tasting room run as a communal dinner party for 40 guests across two long tables.
Tip: Bring a notebook; the kitchen hands out a course list and pencils, and the menu rotates fast.
Address: 3416 19th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Birdsong in San Francisco is Christopher Bleidorn's two-Michelin-star Pacific Northwest tasting in SoMa, with a hearth-cooked menu rooted in foraging and shellfish.
Tip: The kitchen-counter four-top is the best seat; ask for it when booking opens at 09:00 Pacific.
Kin Khao in San Francisco is Pim Techamuanvivit's one-Michelin-star regional Thai room near Union Square, with a kitchen set menu rotating the rabbit green curry.
Tip: The $95 set menu is better value than ordering a la carte; ask whether the cold larb is running.
Octavia in San Francisco is Melissa Perello's one-Michelin-star Pacific Heights room with a day-boat fish set menu and a long market-driven a la carte.
Tip: The heirloom tomato course in August is the year's set piece; book at the end of July to land an August seat.
Mister Jiu's in San Francisco is Brandon Jew's one-Michelin-star Cal-Chinese flagship in Chinatown, with whole-duck dinners and an upstairs cocktail room.
Tip: Book the whole roast duck 48 hours ahead by phone; it does not appear on the website ordering form.
Rich Table in San Francisco is Evan and Sarah Rich's one-Michelin-star Hayes Valley room near the opera house, with the city's most-cited house pasta program.
Tip: The chef-counter tasting is the best seat in the room and adds a hand-rolled pasta supplement.
Spruce in San Francisco is Mark Sullivan's one-Michelin-star Presidio Heights bistro with a dry-aged steak programme and a cellar that runs into the thousands.
Tip: The bar room takes walk-ins; the side-cart cheese trolley is the closing move regardless of where you sit.
