Indulge your appetite!
From cioppino to pizza, Chinatown to North Beach, San Francisco's choices are endless
By Julie C Northrup -- Industrial Distribution, 5/1/1999
While many convention-goers may have little time to spare to ride cable cars and stroll across the Golden Gate bridge -- much less board a ferry for an excursion to Alcatraz -- there is one sure way to experience San Francisco with little effort: eating. The city's impeccable restaurants rival its spectacular geography in luring visitors. In fact, any true connoisseur knows the pages of such bibles of cuisine as Bon Apetit and Gourmet are riddled with reviews of the Bay City's hip, new eateries and reliable old standbys.It is the melding of cultures that makes American cities bastions of good eating. And San Francisco is not only no exception, it's arguably the rule. The city's exceptionally diverse citizenry includes significant contingents of Chinese (San Francisco's Chinatown is home to one of the world's largest Asian communities), Irish, Germans, Italians, Filipinos, French, Mexicans, Russians and Japanese. Add the geographical proximity of the Napa Valley wine country to this ethnic diversity and the result is an equation for fine dining. The following list of recommendations is broken down by cuisine, price and neighborhood to help narrow down the bevy of choices! Prices listed reflect per-person charges for a three-course meal, excluding drinks, service and taxes.
American
2223
2223 Market St.
(415) 431-0692
Castro
$20-$30
Thin-crust pizza topped with pancetta and Teleme cheese, earthy portobello mushroom soup and chicken with garlic-mashed potatoes are so good that people have managed to find their way here despite its namelessness. For Sunday brunch, there might be banana souffle pancakes or eggs Benedict built on a tasty herb scone.
Bix
56 Gold St.
(415) 433-6300
North Beach
$20-$30
In a historic building that was an assay office in gold-rush days, this old-fashioned supper club was the brainchild of the owners of Fog City Diner. The menu offers contemporary renditions of classic American fare; there's piano music in the evenings.
Boulevard
1 Mission St.
(415) 543-6084
Embarcadero
$30-$50
Nancy Oakes's menu is seasonally in flux, but you will certainly find her signature juxtaposition of aristocratic fare -- foie gras is a favorite -- with homey comfort foods like pot roast and vanilla-cured pork loin.
Campton Place
340 Stockton St.
(415) 955-5555
Union Square
$30-$50
Chef Todd Humphries embellishes traditional American dishes with ethnic flavors from recent immigrations: You might find cilantro and Szechuan peppers, for example, in his Nantucket Bay scallops.
Carta
1772 Market St.
(415) 863-3516
Civic Center
$20-$30
The defining idea here is a difficult one to carry off: a different menu from a different country or region every month; but Carta makes it work beautifully. The talented chefs travel to an eclectic assortment of destinations -- from Oaxaca, Turkey, and Russia to Provence, Morocco, and Greece.
Cypress Club
500 Jackson St.
(415) 296-8555
Financial District
$30-$50
Fans of John Cunin have flocked here since 1990, when Masa's longtime maitre d' opened his own place, which he calls a "San Francisco brasserie." The decor defies description. It could be interpreted as anything from a parody of an ancient temple to a futuristic space war, with stone mosaic floors and wall murals depicting scenes of northern California.
Fog City Diner
1300 Battery St.
(415) 982-2000
Embarcadero
$20-$30
San Francisco's obsession with diners and grazing began right here at Fog City -- and its popularity knows no end. The long, narrow dining room emulates a luxurious railroad car with dark wood paneling, huge windows, and comfortable booths. The menu is innovative, drawing its inspiration from regional cooking throughout the United States.
Grand Cafe
Hotel Monaco
501 Geary St.
(415) 292-0101
Union Square
$20-$30
This Beaux Arts establishment at the center of the theater district draws people for everything from its early morning breakfast to its late-night bar menu. Offerings run the Mediterranean-Californian gamut: pastas, duck confit, seared foie gras, grilled fish, pizzas and raw oysters.
Harry Denton's
161 Steuart St.
(415) 882-1333
Embarcadero
$20-$30
Every night's a party at this madcap waterfront hangout, where singles congregate in a Barbary Coast-style bar and the rugs are rolled up at 10:30 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights for dancing in the dining room. The earthy menu offers everything from pizza to pasta with baked oysters, pot roast, and burgers.
Hawthorne Lane
22 Hawthorne St.
(415) 777-9779
South of Market
$30-$50
The large, high-ceiling bar offers a selection of irresistible small plates -- Thai-style squid, skewers of grilled chicken, tempura-battered green beans with mustard sauce, stylish pizzas -- while patrons in the light-flooded dining room engage in more serious eating, from foie gras to grilled quail, all turned out with Mediterranean and Asian touches.
MacArthur Park
607 Front St.
(415) 398-5700
Embarcadero
$20-$30
Year after year San Franciscans acclaim this as their favorite spot for ribs, but the oak-wood smoker and mesquite grill also turn out a wide variety of all-American fare, from steaks and hamburgers to seafood.
One Market
1 Market St.
(415) 777-5577
Embarcadero
$30-$50
Bradley Odgen's cuisine has a slight Italian accent; risotto and pasta might share the spotlight with Yankee pot roast and garlic-mashed potatoes. Jazz piano music is played in the evenings, as well as for Sunday brunch.
Perry's
1944 Union St.
(415) 922-9022
Cow Hollow/Marina
$20-$30
The West Coast equivalent of P.J. Clarke's in Manhattan, this popular watering hole and meeting place for the button-down singles set serves good, honest saloon food -- London broil, corned-beef hash, one of the best hamburgers in town, and a great breakfast.
Postrio
545 Post St.
(415) 776-7825
Union Square
Over $50
This is the place for those who want to see and be seen; there's always a chance to catch a glimpse of some celebrity, including Postrio's owner, superchef Wolfgang Puck, who periodically commutes from Los Angeles to make an appearance in the restaurant's open kitchen. Food is Puckish Californian with Mediterranean and Asian overtones, emphasizing pastas, grilled seafood, and house-baked breads.
Ritz-Carlton Restaurant and Dining Room
600 Stockton St.
(415) 296-7465
Nob Hill
$30-$50
There are two distinctly different places to eat in this neoclassical Nob Hill showplace. The Restaurant is a cheerful, informal spot with a large garden patio for outdoor dining. The Dining Room, formal and elegant with a harpist playing, serves only two- to five-course dinners priced by the course, not by the item. Both rooms present a superb version of northern California cooking based on local ingredients with Mediterranean and Asian overtones.
Rubicon
558 Sacramento St.
(415) 434-4100
Financial District
$30-$50
With an investor list that includes Robin Williams, Robert de Niro, and Francis Ford Coppola, this sleek, cherry-wood-lined restaurant was fated to be a destination. The excellent fare, primarily sophisticated renditions of seafood and poultry, are served on both floors to Hollywood big shots and common folk, too.
Rumpus
1 Tillman Pl.
Phone: (415) 421-2300
Union Square
$20-$30
With Caesar salad, burgers, club sandwiches, and New York steak at lunchtime, this casual bistro has a true American menu. But there is also an utterly British bubble and squeak (cabbage and potatoes) and a handful of pasta and risotto selections to keep Italophiles happy.
Stars
150 Redwood Alley
(415) 861-7827
Civic Center
$30-$50
This is the culinary temple of Jeremiah Tower, the superchef who claims to have invented California cuisine. Stars is a must on every traveling gourmet's itinerary. The dining room has a clublike ambience, and the food ranges from grills to ragouts to sautes -- some daringly creative and some classical.
Stars Cafe
500 Van Ness Ave.
(415) 861-4344
Civic Center
$20-$30
For some years, a casual cafe adjacent to Stars offered a taste of Jeremiah Tower's renowned cuisine at down-to-earth prices. Now the satellite cafe has moved into its own orbit in much larger quarters around the corner. Trademark items are pizzas from the wood-burning oven and luscious desserts.
Asian
Betelnut
2030 Union St.
(415) 929-8855
Cow Hollow/Marina
$20-$30
A pan-Asian menu and an adventurous drinks menu -- with everything from house-brewed rice beer to martinis -- draw a steady stream of adventurous diners to this Union Street dining magnet. Don't pass up a plate of the tasty stir-fried dried anchovies, chilies, peanuts, garlic, and green onion.
Harbor Village
4 Embarcadero Center
(415) 781-8833
Embarcadero
$20-$30
Classic Cantonese cooking, dim-sum lunches, and fresh seafood from the restaurant's own tanks are the hallmarks of this 400-seat branch of a Hong Kong establishment, which sent five of its master chefs to San Francisco to supervise the initial organization of the kitchen.
Hong Kong Flower Lounge
5322 Geary Blvd.
(415) 668-8998
Richmond/Sunset
$20-$30
This outpost of a famous Asian restaurant chain serves some of the best Cantonese food in town. It is known in particular for its seafood -- crabs, shrimp, catfish, lobsters, scallops -- which is plucked straight from tanks and prepared in a variety of ways, from classic to contemporary.
Hong Kong Villa
2332 Clement St.
(415) 752-8833
Richmond/Sunset
$20-$30
You will find good deals on both floors of this two-story Cantonese establishment. The downstairs dining room specialty is seafood plucked right from the house tanks -- including spotted prawns harvested in Santa Barbara waters and large-clawed lobsters from the East Coast. The upstairs room is given over to fire-pot cooking: Diners select as much as they want from a variety of seafood, meats, vegetables, and noodles and then cook the foods themselves in table-top cauldrons of bubbling broth.
Kabuto Sushi
5116 Geary Blvd.
(415) 752-5652
Richmond/Sunset
$20-$30
Here, behind a black-lacquered counter, master chef Sachio Kojima flashes his knives with the grace of a samurai warrior. In addition to exceptional sushi and sashimi, traditional Japanese dinners are served in the adjoining dining room with both Western seating and, in a shoji-screened area, tatami seating.
Khan Toke Thai House
5937 Geary Blvd.
(415) 668-6654
Richmond/Sunset
$20-$30
The city's first Thai restaurant has a lovely dining room furnished with low tables and cushions, and a garden view. Six-course dinners, with two entrees from an extensive list, provide a delicious introduction to Thai cooking.
Kyo-ya
Sheraton Palace Hotel
2 New Montgomery St., at Market St.
(415) 546-5000
Financial District
$30-$50
The refined experience of dining in a fine Japanese restaurant has been introduced with extraordinary authenticity at this showplace within the Sheraton Palace Hotel. The range is spectacular, encompassing tempuras, one-pot dishes, deep-fried and grilled meats, and a choice of some three dozen sushi selections.
Le Soleil
133 Clement St.
(415) 668-4848
Richmond/Sunset
$20-$30
The food of Vietnam is the specialty of this pastel, light-filled restaurant. The kitchen prepares traditional dishes from every part of the country. Try the excellent raw-beef salad; crisp, flavorful spring rolls; a simple stir-fry of chicken and aromatic fresh basil leaves; or large prawns simmered in a clay pot.
Manora
3226 Mission St.
(415) 861-6224
South of Market
Under $20
When this homey Thai cafe way out on Mission Street first opened, crowds from all over town lined up for a table to try the extensive selection of carefully prepared dishes. Good choices are the fish cakes and curries.
Mifune
Japan Center
Kintetsu Building
1737 Post St.
(415) 922-0337
Japantown
Under $20
Thin, brown soba (buckwheat) and thick, white udon (wheat) are the specialties at this North American outpost of an Osaka-based noodle empire. A line often snakes out the door, but the house-made noodles, served both hot and cold, are worth the wait.
North India
3131 Webster St.
(415) 931-1556
Cow Hollow/Marina
$20-$30
Small and cozy, this restaurant is known for its complex curries and succulent tandoori dishes, as well as its classic breads and appetizers. Everything is cooked to order.
R&G Lounge
631 B Kearny St.
(415) 982-7877 or (415) 982-3811
Chinatown
Under $20
Downstairs is a no-tablecloth dining room that is always packed at lunch and dinner. The classier upstairs space is a favorite stop for anyone seeking exceptional Cantonese banquet fare. A menu with photographs helps diners decide among the many exotic dishes, from dried scallops with seasonal vegetables to steamed bean curd with shrimp meat.
Sanppo
1702 Post St.
(415) 346-3486
Japantown
Under $20
This small place has an enormous selection of almost every type of Japanese food: yakis, nabemono dishes, donburi, udon, and soba, not to mention feather-light tempura, interesting side dishes, and sushi. Seating is Western style.
Straits Cafe
3300 Geary Blvd.
(415) 668-1783
Richmond/Sunset
$20-$30
This highly popular restaurant serves the unique fare of Singapore, a cuisine that combines the culinary traditions of China, India, and the Malay archipelago. That exotic mix translates into complex curries, rice cooked in coconut milk, sticks of fragrant satay (skewers of chicken or beef), and seafood noodle soups.
Thepin
298 Gough St.
(415) 863-9335
Civic Center
$20-$30
It seems as if there's a Thai restaurant on every block now, but this is one of the jewels in the crown. Most notable are the duck dishes and curries, each prepared with its own mixture of freshly blended spices and the wine list surpasses the Asian norm.
Ton Kiang
3148 Geary Blvd.
(415) 752-4440
Richmond/Sunset
$20-$30
The lightly seasoned Hakka cuisine of south China, rarely found in this country, was introduced to San Francisco at this restaurant, with regional specialties like salt-baked chicken and casseroles of meat and seafood cooked in clay pots.
Wu Kong
101 Spear St.
(415) 957-9300
Embarcadero
$20-$30
Tucked away in the splashy art deco Rincon Center, Wu Kong features the cuisine of Shanghai and Canton. Specialties include dim sum, braised yellow fish, and the incredible vegetarian goose -- one of Shanghai's famous mock dishes, created from paper-thin layers of dried bean-curd sheets and mushrooms.
French
Alain Rondelli
126 Clement St.
(415) 387-0408
Richmond/Sunset
$30-$50
The cuisine adapts Chef Alain Rondelli's background in classic-yet-contemporary French cooking to the agricultural abundance and Asian-Hispanic influences of California: a zap of jalapeno chili here, a bit of star anise there. Two-part entrees are a Rondelli signature: a breast of chicken followed with a confit of the leg in a custard tart, for example.
Bistro Roti
155 Steuart St.
(415) 495-6500
Embarcadero
$20-$30
Tables in the rear of this waterfront cafe overlook the bay and bridge, while those at the front surround a boisterous bar. In the center, a giant wood-burning rotisserie and grill turn out succulent chops, game, and seafood. Don't miss the classic French onion soup.
Bizou
598 Fourth St.
(415) 543-2222
South of Market
$20-$30
Partisans of Chef Loretta Keller's rustic cooking cite grilled fresh sardines, slow-cooked pork shoulder, and duck leg confit with curried lentils as evidence of her talents.
Cafe Claude
7 Claude La.
(415) 392-3505
Financial District
Under $20
This alley-sited gem has a zinc bar, old-fashioned banquettes, and cinema posters that once actually outfitted a little bar in the City of Light's 11th arrondissement. Order a croque monsieur or simple daube from the French-speaking staff, and you might forget what country you're in.
California Culinary Academy
625 Polk St.
(415) 771-3500
Civic Center
$30-$50
This historic theater houses one of the most highly regarded professional cooking schools in the United States. Patrons watch the student chefs at work on the double-tier stage while dining on classic French cooking offered as a prix-fixe meal or a bountiful buffet. There's an a la carte informal grill on the lower level.
Chez Michel
804 Northpoint
(415) 775-7036
Ghirardelli Square
$30-$50
The spare design of booths and blond wood is a fine setting for gravlax with ginger vinaigrette, filet mignon with marrow sauce, or duck breast with fresh figs. The menu changes seasonally, and the dessert selections are consistently irresistible.
Des Alpes
732 Broadway
(415) 788-9900
North Beach
Under $20
Basque dinners at rock-bottom prices are the big draw here: Soup, salad, two entrees -- sweetbreads on puff pastry and rare roast beef are a typical pair -- ice cream, and coffee are all included in the budget price.
Fleur de Lys
777 Sutter St.
(415) 673-7779
Union Square
Over $50
The creative cooking of French chef-partner Hubert Keller has brought every conceivable culinary award to this romantic spot that some consider the best French restaurant in town -- any town. The menu changes constantly, but such dishes as lobster soup with lemongrass, Maryland crab cakes, and pork tenderloin with black beans bear witness to Keller's international scope.
Fringale
570 4th St.
(415) 543-0573
South of Market
$20-$30
The bright-yellow paint on this dazzling bistro stands out like a beacon on an otherwise bleak industrial street. Patrons come for the French Basque-inspired creations of Biarritz-born chef Gerald Hirigoyen, whose incredible creme brulee is a hallmark.
The Heights
3235 Sacramento St.
(415) 474-8890
Pacific Heights
$30-$50
Customers can work their way through a six-course tasting menu or choose from an a la carte menu that changes regularly. A fricassee of wild mushrooms with sweetbreads and a vegetable pot-au-feu are particularly tasty appetizers. The homemade ice creams and delicate puff-pastry creations are sublime.
La Folie
2316 Polk St.
(415) 776-5577
Russian Hill
$30-$50
This pretty storefront cafe showcases the nouvelle cuisine of Roland Passot. Much of the food is edible art -- whimsical presentations in the form of savory terrines, galettes (flat, round cakes), and napoleons -- or elegant accompaniments such as bone-marrow flan.
Le Central
453 Bush St.
(415) 391-2233
Financial District
$20-$30
This is the quintessential bistro: noisy and crowded, with nothing subtle about the cooking. But the steak with Roquefort sauce, cassoulet, and grilled blood sausage with crisp french fries keep the crowds coming.
Masa's
648 Bush St.
(415) 989-7154
Union Square
Over $50
Presentation is as important as the food itself in this pretty, recently remodeled, flower-filled dining spot in the Vintage Court Hotel. Chef Julian Serrano carries on the tradition of the late Masa Kobayashi. In fact, some Masa regulars say his cooking is even better.
Pacific
Pan Pacific Hotel
500 Post St.
(415) 929-2087
Union Square
$30-$50
In late 1994 the kitchen of this stylish hotel dining room came under the expert culinary hand of Takayoshi Kawai, former sous-chef at San Francisco's famed Masa's restaurant. Since then, French techniques combined with California ingredients have produced sophisticated yet unstuffy dishes. The menu regularly changes depending on market ingredients, but first courses usually feature fresh Sonoma County foie gras and seafood.
Pastis
1015 Battery St.
(415) 391-2555
Embarcadero
$20-$30
At lunchtime, the sunny cement bar and sleek wooden banquettes here are crowded with workers from the surrounding neighborhood offices; they come to fuel up on steamed salmon with celery root or vegetarian sandwiches layered with eggplant and asparagus. The evening menu may include seared scallops, duck confit, or chicken with dates.
South Park Cafe
108 South Park
(415) 495-7275
South of Market
$30-$50
A bit of France tucked into oh-so-hip SoMa is how partisans of this utterly Gallic restaurant think of their favorite stop for boudin noir (black sausage) with sauteed apples. No place in the City of Light itself serves a more authentic steak-frites than this warm, sometimes clamorous spot overlooking a grassy square.
Yoyo Tsumami Bistro
1611 Post St.
(415) 922-7788
Japantown
$30-$50
The food here is labeled Franco-Japanese, a mixed moniker that works wonderfully well. Tsumami refers to the small plates, or tapas, the kitchen cleverly devises. Each night brings some 20 choices on a rotating menu of some 60 possibilities, all blending French technique with Japanese ingredients.
Italian
Acquarello
1722 Sacramento St.
(415) 567-5432
Russian Hill
$30-$50
This exquisite restaurant is one of the most romantic spots in town. The service and food are exemplary, and the menu covers the full range of Italian cuisine, from northern Italy to the tip of the boot. Desserts are exceptional.
Buca Giovanni
800 Greenwich St.
(415) 776-7766
North Beach
$20-$30
The dishes of Tuscany are the focus here, with pastas made on the premises and a good range of grilled meats and fish. The subterranean dining room is cozy and romantic.
Capp's Corner
1600 Powell St.
(415) 989-2589
North Beach
Under $20
At one of the last of the family-style trattorias, diners sit elbow to elbow at long oilcloth-covered tables to feast on bountiful, well-prepared five-course dinners. For calorie counters or the budget-minded, a simpler option includes a tureen of minestrone, salad, and pasta.
Hyde Street Bistro
1521 Hyde St.
(415) 441-7778
Russian Hill
$20-$30
The ambience says quintessential neighborhood bistro, but the food is part gasthaus, part trattoria, and closely in line with the Austro-Italian tradition of Italy's northeastern Friuli region. Strudels and spaetzles are served alongside pastas and polentas, and the pastries belie the chef-owner's Austrian roots.
Il Fornaio
Levi's Plaza
1265 Battery St.
(415) 986-0100
Embarcadero
$20-$30
An offshoot of the Il Fornaio bakeries, this handsome tile-floored, wood-paneled complex combines a cafe, bakery, and upscale trattoria with outdoor seating. The Tuscan cooking features pizzas from a wood-burning oven, superb house-made pastas and gnocchi, and grilled poultry and seafood.
L'Osteria del Forno
519 Columbus Ave.
(415) 982-1124
North Beach
Under $20
An Italian-speaking staff, a small, unpretentious dining area, and irresistible aromas drifting from the open kitchen make customers feel as if they've just stumbled into Italy. The proprietors offer small plates of simply cooked vegetables, a few robust pastas, a roast of the day, creamy polenta, and wonderful thin-crust pizzas.
Oritalia
1915 Fillmore St.
(415) 346-1333
Pacific Heights
$20-$30
The name says it all -- the Orient and Italy. Chef Bruce Hill's fusion cuisine is delightful, with delicate gnocchi topped with tobiko caviar and rock shrimp, Korean beef studded with sesame seeds, and crispy shrimp and pork dumplings with cilantro-mint sauce among the offerings. Small plates are the heart of the menu, encouraging diners to share and graze their way through the evening.
Palio d'Asti
640 Sacramento St.
(415) 395-9800
Financial District
$20-$30
This moderately priced venture of restaurateur Gianni Fassio draws a lively Financial District midday crowd, but is quieter in the evenings. Piedmontese specialties are showcased, and an open kitchen and pizza oven let you watch your meal as it is expertly assembled.
Pane e Vino
3011 Steiner St.
(415) 346-2111
Cow Hollow/Marina
$20-$30
It's no easy task to snag a table in this Marina District trattoria, where roasted whole sea bass, creamy risotto, and pastas tossed with sprightly tomato sauces are among the dishes the legion of regulars can't resist. The Italian-born owner-chef concentrates on specialties from Tuscany and the North.
Rose Pistola
532 Columbus Ave.
(415) 399-0499
North Beach
$20-$30
Chef-owner Reed Hearon opened this 130-seat spot in March 1996, and the crowds streamed in immediately. The name honors one of North Beach's most revered barkeeps, and the food celebrates the neighborhood's cultural roots: pizzas from a wood-burning oven, pastas with traditional sauces, grilled fish and meats, hazelnut torte and creamy gelato.
Scala's Bistro
432 Powell St.
(415) 395-8555
Union Square
$20-$30
Smart leather-and-wood booths, an extravagant mural along one wall, and an appealing menu of Italian plates make this one of downtown's most attractive destinations. Grilled portobellos and a tower of fried calamari are among the favorite antipasti, while the pastas and grilled meats satisfy most main-course appetites.
Vivande Porta Via
2125 Fillmore St.
(415) 346-4430
Pacific Heights
$30-$50
This Italian delicatessen-restaurant draws a crowd at lunch and dinner. The regularly changing menu includes half a dozen pastas and risottos, including such satisfying southern Italian plates as classic Sicilian pasta alla Norma (with eggplant), and northern specialties such as risotto with radicchio, pancetta, and pine nuts.
Restaurant listings compiled from Fodor's Travel Online Inc.
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