The rooms worth a reservation in San Francisco, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in San Francisco. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Zuni Cafe in San Francisco is the city's most enduring California room: Judy Rodgers' roast chicken for two with bread salad has not left the menu since 1987.
Signature: Roast chicken with bread salad, Caesar salad, Burger
Order: The Judy Rodgers roast chicken for two with bread salad, ordered the moment you sit.
Tip: The chicken takes an hour to fire from order; book a table and ask the server to start it as you arrive.
State Bird Provisions in San Francisco runs a small-plate dim-sum-cart format under Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, James Beard winners in 2015.
Signature: State Bird with provisions, Sourdough pancake with ricotta
Order: The State Bird itself, a brined and fried quail with sweet and sour onions.
Tip: Reservations open exactly 60 days out at 7:30am Pacific; set an alarm or join the standing-room line at 5pm.
Mister Jiu's in San Francisco is Brandon Jew's Cal-Chinese flagship in old Chinatown, holding a Michelin star and a separate cocktail bar worth a visit alone.
Signature: Hot and sour Dungeness, Quail in roses, Whole crispy duck
Order: The whole roast Mongolian duck with house pancakes, ordered ahead.
Tip: Sit in the upstairs bar Moongate Lounge and order from the full menu without committing to the tasting.
Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco is Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt's larger Mission site, with bread, pastry, plates and a wine bar under one roof.
Signature: Country loaf, Morning bun, Wood-oven pizza
Order: The morning bun and a country loaf to take home.
Tip: Skip the queue at the Guerrero Street original; the Manufactory has the same bakes plus a sit-down kitchen.
Nopa in San Francisco is the neighbourhood room that defines the western Divisadero corridor: wood-grilled California food, kitchen open until 01:00.
Signature: Wood-grilled flatbreads, Rotisserie chicken, Burger
Order: The Nopa burger, available at the bar after the dinner rush.
Tip: Bar seats are first-come; arrive at 17:00 or after 22:30 for the late-night menu without a wait.
Foreign Cinema in San Francisco is the Mission's open-air courtyard room from Gayle Pirie and John Clark, with a film projected on the back wall after dark.
Signature: Pomegranate-glazed lamb, Brunch oysters, Fried chicken
Order: Brunch fried chicken with cornmeal waffle, between a 10:30 oyster start.
Tip: Brunch on a sunny Saturday is the move; book the courtyard, not the indoor room.
Rich Table in San Francisco is Sarah and Evan Rich's Hayes Valley California room near the opera house, holding a Michelin star and a strong house pasta menu.
Signature: Sardine chips, Porcini doughnuts, Pasta of the day
Order: Porcini doughnuts with raclette for the table; the dish that put the room on the map.
Tip: The bar seats see the whole pass; book one of the two and order the chef-counter pasta supplement.
Kin Khao in San Francisco is Pim Techamuanvivit's Michelin-starred Thai room near Union Square, with regional cooking far from the safe pad thai script.
Signature: Rabbit green curry, Pretty hot wings, Khao soi
Order: The rabbit green curry over jasmine rice; the dish that won the Michelin star.
Tip: The bar pours a sharp Riesling list; ask for the off-menu cold larb when it is available.
Marlowe in San Francisco is the Anna Weinberg and Jennifer Puccio bistro south of Market, with the city's most reliable burger after Nopa's.
Signature: Burger, Brussels sprout chips, Roast chicken
Order: The Marlowe burger, on a Pretzel bun with Cabot cheddar.
Tip: Sit at the bar and ask for the burger plus the kale Caesar; that is the full Marlowe order.
Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco is Ravi Kapur's Hawaiian-leaning room above the Tenderloin, with one of the city's strongest fun-dinner energies.
Signature: Spam fried rice, Tuna poke, Baked Hawaii
Order: Tuna poke with sesame nori chips, followed by spam fried rice.
Tip: The bar room takes walk-ins; the dining room is two months out.
Burma Superstar in San Francisco is the Clement Street Burmese room that taught the city to eat lahpet thoke; the tea leaf salad is the order.
Signature: Tea leaf salad, Rainbow salad, Samusa soup
Order: The tea leaf salad, tossed table-side with crunchy lentils and fried garlic.
Tip: No reservations; put your name in then walk down Clement to B Star for tea while you wait.
Anchor Oyster Bar in San Francisco is a 22-seat Castro counter that has served Dungeness, cioppino and clam chowder the same way since 1977.
Signature: Cioppino, Clam chowder, Cracked Dungeness
Order: The cioppino in season, with a side of garlic bread.
Tip: No bookings; arrive at 16:30 for the early seating or after 21:00 when the line thins.
Swan Oyster Depot in San Francisco is a Polk Street counter that has served cold-house Dungeness, oysters and clam chowder since 1912 in 18 stools.
Signature: Cracked Dungeness, Sicilian sashimi, Clam chowder
Order: Crab Louie and a half-dozen Marin Miyagis on the half shell.
Tip: Open 10:30 to 17:00 only; queue forms at 09:45 on a weekend, takes an hour at peak.
Tadich Grill in San Francisco is California's oldest continuously running restaurant, opened in 1849 in the Financial District, still grilling over mesquite.
Signature: Cioppino, Hangtown Fry, Sand dabs
Order: Sand dabs grilled over mesquite, or the Hangtown Fry at lunch.
Tip: No reservations except for parties of six or more; lunch counter seats turn over fastest.
Sotto Mare in San Francisco is the North Beach Italian seafood room that does the city's best cioppino, a 12-table room that takes a few reservations.
Signature: Cioppino for two, Linguine vongole, Sand dabs
Order: The cioppino for two; the kitchen's whole reputation in one bowl.
Tip: Wear an apron, no exceptions; the cioppino is not negotiable on splatter.
True Laurel in San Francisco is Lazy Bear's sister cocktail-and-snack bar in the Mission, with David Barzelay's kitchen plates and a strong drinks list.
Signature: Caviar service, Burger, Brassicas
Order: Crispy brassicas and the cocktail tasting at the bar.
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins; book the dining room only if you want the bigger plates.
Che Fico in San Francisco is David Nayfeld's Roman-leaning Italian on Divisadero, with Roman-Jewish artichokes, real Vesuvian pizza and a long Italian wine list.
Signature: Pizza alla diavola, Carbonara, Roman-Jewish artichokes
Order: Roman-Jewish artichokes in spring, the pizza alla diavola otherwise.
Tip: The downstairs Che Fico Alimentari is the lunch counter with the same pasta at half the price.
Octavia in San Francisco is Melissa Perello's Michelin-starred Pacific Heights room, with day-boat fish and a market-led California plate at every service.
Signature: Heirloom tomato salad, Day boat fish, Whole grilled fish
Order: Whatever whole fish the kitchen has, with whatever vegetable lands that morning.
Tip: Tuesday and Wednesday are easier seatings; the heirloom tomato course is the August set piece.
Lazy Bear in San Francisco is David Barzelay's two-Michelin-star Mission tasting room run as a dinner party for 40 guests across two communal tables.
Signature: Communal tasting, Crispy duck, Bread course
Order: The bread course with the cultured butter; ten years on it is still the marker.
Tip: Tickets release on the 1st of each month for 60 days out; sign up to the email waitlist for advance notice.
Californios in San Francisco is Val Cantu's two-Michelin-star modern Mexican tasting room, 16 seats, the most cerebral table in the city right now.
Signature: Tasting menu, Tamal, Aguachile
Order: Whatever the corn course is on the night; the kitchen sources nixtamal heirloom corns directly.
Tip: There is only one seating a night; book six weeks out for any Friday or Saturday.
Yank Sing in San Francisco is the Chan family's Cantonese dim sum institution since 1958, with a SoMa flagship and weekend lines that run to 90 minutes.
Signature: Shanghai dumplings, Peking duck buns, Har gow
Order: Shanghai dumplings: the kitchen's most-ordered cart item for decades.
Tip: The Stevenson Street original is smaller and quieter; book the Spear Street flagship only if you want carts.
Frances in San Francisco is Melissa Perello's Castro neighbourhood room, holding a Michelin star with a 40-seat dining room and a wine list priced by the ounce.
Signature: Bacon beignets, Whole roast fish, House wine on tap
Order: Applewood-smoked bacon beignets with maple chive cream.
Tip: Reservations open 30 days out at 10:00; the bar room takes walk-ins from 17:30.
Scoma's in San Francisco is the 1965 Pier 47 seafood room at Fisherman's Wharf, with the Lazy Man's cioppino served from a 60-year-old family recipe.
Signature: Lazy Man's cioppino, Dungeness crab cocktail, Whole grilled petrale sole
Order: Lazy Man's cioppino, with the shells pre-cracked by the kitchen.
Tip: Reservations open 30 days out; the bar takes walk-ins from 12:00 and is the best seat for a single diner.
Dragon Beaux in San Francisco is a 2015 Outer Richmond room from the Koi Palace family, with modern dim sum at lunch and Cantonese hot pot at dinner.
Signature: Five Guys xiao long bao, Black truffle har gow, BBQ pork puff pastry
Order: The Five Guys xiao long bao (five colours, five flavours) and the BBQ pork puff with apple.
Tip: Dim sum is lunch-only; book ahead for weekend brunch or arrive before 11:30 for a walk-in seat.
Peak food season in San Francisco is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. San Francisco rewards trust.