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.
Address: 1701 Octavia Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
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.
Atelier Crenn in San Francisco is Dominique Crenn's three-Michelin-star Cow Hollow flagship, a poetry-of-cuisine vegetable-and-seafood tasting in 30 seats.
Tip: Sit at the chef's counter in the back for a longer hand-off and more conversation with the line.
Saison in San Francisco is a three-Michelin-star hearth-driven tasting in SoMa, with live-fire seafood and California game over an oak fire that runs all night.
Tip: Counter seats face the fire; the four-top tables at the back catch less of the kitchen action.
Quince in San Francisco is Michael Tusk's three-Michelin-star Jackson Square room, an Italian-inflected California tasting from the Fresh Run Farm produce supply.
Tip: The neighbouring Cotogna sister room runs the same kitchen at a quarter the price, with walk-in seating.
