25 upscale rooms in San Francisco, editor-picked. occasion rooms in San Francisco — destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All San Francisco food.
Zuni Cafe ★ 4.8
hayes-valley · 1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
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.
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 ★ 4.7
lower-pacific-heights · 1529 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
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.
Tip: Reservations open exactly 60 days out at 7:30am Pacific; set an alarm or join the standing-room line at 5pm.
Swan Oyster Depot ★ 4.7
lower-pac-heights · 1517 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
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.
Tip: Open 10:30 to 17:00 only; queue forms at 09:45 on a weekend, takes an hour at peak.
Rich Table ★ 4.6
hayes-valley · 199 Gough Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
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.
Tip: The bar seats see the whole pass; book one of the two and order the chef-counter pasta supplement.
Nopa ★ 4.5
lower-pac-heights · 560 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Nopa in San Francisco is the neighbourhood room that defines the western Divisadero corridor: wood-grilled California food, kitchen open until 01:00.
Tip: Bar seats are first-come; arrive at 17:00 or after 22:30 for the late-night menu without a wait.
Anchor Oyster Bar ★ 4.5
castro-noe-valley · 579 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA 94114
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.
Tip: No bookings; arrive at 16:30 for the early seating or after 21:00 when the line thins.
Sotto Mare ★ 4.5
north-beach · 552 Green Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
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.
Tip: Wear an apron, no exceptions; the cioppino is not negotiable on splatter.
Frances ★ 4.5
castro-noe-valley · 3870 17th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114
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.
Tip: Reservations open 30 days out at 10:00; the bar room takes walk-ins from 17:30.
Kin Khao ★ 4.4
soma-yerba-buena · 55 Cyril Magnin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
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.
Tip: The bar pours a sharp Riesling list; ask for the off-menu cold larb when it is available.
Liholiho Yacht Club ★ 4.4
lower-pac-heights · 871 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
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.
Tip: The bar room takes walk-ins; the dining room is two months out.
True Laurel ★ 4.4
the-mission · 753 Alabama St, San Francisco, CA 94110
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.
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins; book the dining room only if you want the bigger plates.
Che Fico ★ 4.4
lower-pac-heights · 838 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117
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.
Tip: The downstairs Che Fico Alimentari is the lunch counter with the same pasta at half the price.
Yank Sing ★ 4.4
soma-yerba-buena · 101 Spear Street (Rincon Center), San Francisco, CA 94105
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.
Tip: The Stevenson Street original is smaller and quieter; book the Spear Street flagship only if you want carts.
Delfina ★ 4.4
the-mission · 3621 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Delfina in San Francisco is Craig and Annie Stoll's Mission trattoria, open since 1998, with a Tuscan-leaning pasta board and a roast chicken benchmark.
Tip: Pizzeria Delfina next door takes walk-ins and serves the same pizza dough; faster on a Friday.
The Progress ★ 4.4
lower-pacific-heights · 1525 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
The Progress in San Francisco is State Bird Provisions' upstairs family-style sibling on Fillmore, with a four-course menu chosen by the table at the start.
Tip: The State Bird kitchen door opens behind the bar; ask for the State Bird supplement if you missed the downstairs reservation.
House of Prime Rib ★ 4.4
lower-pac-heights · 1906 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94109
House of Prime Rib in San Francisco is the Van Ness chophouse since 1949, with one menu (prime rib), four cuts, and a 70-day waitlist by the late 2020s.
Tip: Bar seats turn over fastest and serve the full menu; book those rather than the dining room.
Foreign Cinema ★ 4.3
the-mission · 2534 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
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.
Tip: Brunch on a sunny Saturday is the move; book the courtyard, not the indoor room.
Marlowe ★ 4.3
soma-yerba-buena · 500 Brannan St, San Francisco, CA 94107
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.
Tip: Sit at the bar and ask for the burger plus the kale Caesar; that is the full Marlowe order.
Tadich Grill ★ 4.3
embarcadero · 240 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
Tadich Grill in San Francisco is California's oldest continuously running restaurant, opened in 1849 in the Financial District, still grilling over mesquite.
Tip: No reservations except for parties of six or more; lunch counter seats turn over fastest.
Scoma's ★ 4.3
north-beach · 1965 Al Scoma Way, Pier 47, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA 94133
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.
Tip: Reservations open 30 days out; the bar takes walk-ins from 12:00 and is the best seat for a single diner.
Flour + Water ★ 4.3
the-mission · 2401 Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Flour + Water in San Francisco is Thomas McNaughton's Mission pasta-and-pizza house, with a daily handmade pasta board and a Neapolitan oven up front.
Tip: The pasta tasting is the move; ordering pasta a la carte costs the same and gives you less.
Park Tavern ★ 4.3
north-beach · 1652 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Park Tavern in San Francisco is Anna Weinberg's Washington Square sister to Marlowe and the Cavalier, with the same burger and a steady neighbourhood pulse.
Tip: Sunday roast lunch sells out by 14:00; book two weeks ahead for a window seat onto the square.
Piccino ★ 4.3
dogpatch · 1001 Minnesota Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Piccino in San Francisco is the Dogpatch Italian on a yellow corner, with wood-oven pizza, a corner cafe and a wisteria-shaded patio that fills in May.
Tip: Brunch the patio in spring; the cafe next door pours the same coffee at half the price.
Sam's Grill ★ 4.2
embarcadero · 374 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94104
Sam's Grill in San Francisco is the Financial District chophouse running since 1867, with sand dabs, mahogany booths and a midday lunch tradition.
Tip: Book one of the private booths upstairs at lunch; the lower-floor dining room turns louder after 12:30.
Fog Harbor Fish House ★ 4.0
embarcadero · PIER 39, 2nd level
Fog Harbor Fish House in San Francisco is the Pier 39 upstairs room with strong clam chowder among the Wharf options, plus a long crab list in winter.
Tip: Book the 18:00 window seating for the sunset over Alcatraz; it is the room's whole selling point.