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 dishes: Pizza alla diavola, Carbonara, Roman-Jewish artichokes
Must 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.
Address: 838 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
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.
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.
