Where to Eat in San Francisco
71 restaurants in San Francisco
San Francisco's food scene spans everything from Michelin-starred tasting menus to neighborhood counter seats. Whether you're after seafood, pastries, or inventive small plates, the city delivers serious cooking across casual and formal settings alike.
Start with the classics: Swan Oyster Depot serves fresh oysters at a tiny marble counter, while Boudin Bakery and Polly Ann Ice Cream offer reliable comfort stops. For something more ambitious, Quince, Saison, Benu, and Atelier Crenn represent the top tier of fine dining. State Bird Provisions brings high-energy small plates in a playful format, and Pizzeria Delfina in the Mission keeps things simple with excellent pizza. Coffee lovers find their fix at Blue Bottle Coffee, while Cold Drinks Bar and Maruwu Seicha cater to different caffeine needs.
The Ferry Building hosts food stalls and vendors worth exploring, and neighborhoods like the Mission and North Beach concentrate excellent eating options within walking distance. Newcomers and locals alike rotate through these spots depending on mood and occasion.
- 1
House of Prime Rib
Must-seeHistoric steakhouse institution; 75+ years of consistent prime rib worth experiencing once.
1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA - 2
Pier Market Seafood Restaurant
Must-seeAuthentic working-pier seafood spot with bay views and daily-catch menus.
39 Pier, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - 3
Tartine Bakery
Must-seeSF's most famous bakery; exceptional sourdough and croissants, worth the queue.
600 Guerrero St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA - 4
Hog Island Oyster Co.
Must-seeExcellent oysters at Ferry Building; iconic casual seafood spot in a must-visit marketplace.
Ferry Building, #11, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA - 5
Lazy Bear
Must-seeTwo-Michelin-star restaurant with distinctive dinner-party format; essential for serious food travelers.
3416 19th St., San Francisco, 94110, USA - 6
Swan Oyster Depot
Must-seeIconic 1912 oyster bar; quintessential SF seafood experience, counter seating only.
Swan Oyster Depot, 1517 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA - 7
R & G Lounge
Must-seeAuthentic Cantonese dim sum and roasted meats in Chinatown; popular with locals and worth seeking out.
631 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA - 8
Tadich Grill
Must-seeOldest continuously operating restaurant in California; iconic historic seafood institution.
240 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA - 9
Marufuku Ramen
Must-seeAuthentic Hakata ramen with serious reputation; worth visiting if you enjoy noodles and don't mind lines.
1581 Webster St #235, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA - 10
State Bird Provisions
Must-seeAward-winning restaurant with distinctive dim sum-style service; worth booking if fine dining matters to you.
State Bird Provisions, 1529 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA - 11
Californios
Two Michelin stars for innovative Mexican cuisine; rare achievement in US fine dining.
355 11th St., San Francisco, 94103, USA - 12
Benu
Three Michelin stars; world-class destination dining in San Francisco's culinary scene.
22 Hawthorne St., San Francisco, 94105, USA - 13
Molinari Delicatessen
Historic North Beach deli since 1896; authentic house-made cured meats and a genuine SF neighborhood institution.
373 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - 14
Harborview Restaurant & Bar
Michelin-recommended Cantonese dim sum in convenient Embarcadero location, worth experiencing.
4 Embarcadero Center, Street Level Drumm Street &, Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA - 15
Red's Java House
Iconic 70-year waterfront burger spot; essential SF experience with genuine character.
pier 30 The Embarcadero S, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA - 16
Quince
Respected fine dining with Italian-California cuisine and handmade pasta; strong local reputation.
470 Pacific Ave., San Francisco, 94133, USA - 17
Birdsong
Michelin-starred tasting menu; one of SF's most acclaimed restaurants right now.
1085 Mission St., San Francisco, 94103, USA - 18
Atelier Crenn
San Francisco's most celebrated fine dining; three Michelin stars; chef-driven tasting menu experience.
3127 Fillmore St., San Francisco, 94123, USA - 19
Humphry Slocombe
Iconic San Francisco ice cream with inventive flavors; worth a stop at Ferry Building.
One Ferry Building #8, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA - 20
Acquerello
Two-Michelin-star Italian fine dining; 35-year institution worth a special dinner.
1722 Sacramento St., San Francisco, 94109, USA - 21
Petit Crenn
James Beard chef's refined French cooking; strong reputation but less iconic than flagship Crenn.
609 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA - 22
La Torta Gorda
Mission District's best tortas; authentic, affordable, and defines local food culture.
2833 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA - 23
Cioppino's
Iconic SF dish in prime waterfront location, but touristy and pricey for what it is.
Cioppino's, 400 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA - 24
4505 Burgers & BBQ
Serious smoked meats and burgers; worth trying if you're in Upper Fillmore or love BBQ.
705 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA - 25
COI
Michelin-starred tasting menu with bold, experimental cuisine; a serious destination for fine dining enthusiasts.
373 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - 26
Trestle Restaurant
Trestle Restaurant, 531 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - 27
Sens
Sens, 4 Embarcadero Ctr Level, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA - 28
Saison
Renowned fine dining with distinctive open-fire technique; plan ahead and book well in advance.
178 Townsend St., San Francisco, 94107, USA - 29
Incanto
Michelin-starred Italian restaurant with consistent reputation for handmade pasta and technique-focused cooking.
1550 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131, USA - 30
Maruwu Seicha
Quality matcha and Japanese desserts in Japantown; worth visiting if interested in tea culture.
Maruwu Seicha, 1737 Post St #368, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA - 31
Sebo
Serious omakase destination with strong reputation; worth visiting for excellent sushi if you value fine dining.
517 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA - 32
Farm : Table
754 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA - 33
Boulettes Larder
Well-executed French-California counter spot; excellent if you're already at Ferry Building.
1 Ferry Building #48 & #35, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA - 34
Dynamo Donut & Coffee
Quality neighborhood donut shop; worth visiting if exploring Mission, not a must-do.
2760 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA - 35
Bon Délire
Bon Délire, Pier 3, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA - 36
Polly Ann Ice Cream
Historic neighborhood ice cream shop with distinctive flavors; worth visiting if in Sunset District.
Polly Ann Ice Cream, 3138 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122, USA - 37
Barcha Restaurant
Barcha Restaurant, 28 Fremont St, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA - 38
Altamirano Restaurant & Bar
Altamirano Restaurant & Bar, 1775 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA - 39
Sinbad's Pier 2 Restaurant
Embarcadero waterfront location and bay views matter more than the seafood itself.
141 The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA - 40
Bob's Donut & Pastry Shop
Solid neighborhood donut shop, but one of many in San Francisco; local staple rather than must-visit.
1720 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA - 41
Rice Paper Scissors
1710 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA - 42
Sam’s Pizza & Burgers
618 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - 43
That's It Market
2699 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA - 44
The Crepe Cafe
The Crepe Cafe, 333 Jefferson St UNIT 5A, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - 45
Urban Ritual Cafe
488 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA - 46
Pirate Cat Cafe
2781 21st St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA - 47
TONGA ROOM & HURRICANE BAR
Must-seeSan Francisco's most iconic tiki bar; unique theatrical experience with live music since 1945.
950 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA - 48
Toronado
Must-seeIconic craft beer bar since 1997; essential for beer enthusiasts, worth visiting for local atmosphere.
547 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA - 49
Li Po Cocktail Lounge
San Francisco's oldest cocktail bar since 1937; authentic Chinatown dive with historic character and integrity.
916 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA - 50
Zam Zam
Historic cocktail bar with authentic craft drinks; essential for Haight-Ashbury experience.
1633 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA - 51
Comstock Saloon
Historic Gold Rush-era saloon with craft cocktails in authentic North Beach setting.
155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - 52
Mr Bing's
Authentic neighborhood cocktail bar in culturally rich North Beach; worth visiting for local character.
201 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - 53
Cold Drinks Bar
Excellent speakeasy cocktail bar for serious drinkers, but nightlife is optional in most trips.
Cold Drinks Bar, 644 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA Gary Danko
800 North Point St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USAZazie
941 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USAPizzeria Delfina - Mission
3621 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USABoudin Bakery Cafe
Pier 39 Level, Beach St Space 5-Q, San Francisco, CA 94133, USATaquería El Farolito
2779 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USARound House Cafe
Golden Gate Bridge Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94129, USAEquator Coffees
Golden Gate Bridge Plaza, Golden Gate Brg, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA
Where to Eat in San Francisco: FAQ
Which San Francisco restaurants require advance booking?
High-end tasting menu restaurants like Saison, Benu, Atelier Crenn, and Acquerello typically require reservations well in advance. State Bird Provisions also books up quickly. Counter-service spots like Swan Oyster Depot and Boudin Bakery are first-come, first-served.
Where can I eat cheaply in San Francisco?
Swan Oyster Depot, Pizzeria Delfina, and The Crepe Cafe offer good value. Boudin Bakery, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Polly Ann Ice Cream are affordable casual options. The Ferry Building has various food stalls at different price points.
What neighborhoods should I focus on for eating out?
The Mission hosts Pizzeria Delfina and Zazie, while North Beach clusters Swan Oyster Depot and Comstock Saloon nearby. The Ferry Building is centrally located and worth a visit for multiple vendors. Downtown and other neighborhoods have spots like Gary Danko and Quince.