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Editor’s Choice: 12 favorite restaurants in San Francisco

A photo of Red logo
by Tanay Warerkar
Updated May 09, 2024

San Francisco and its food has captivated me since I was a teen. On my first trip as a 19-year-old, I returned to the same Chinese restaurant three nights in a row.

In the years since, as I visited my college boyfriend (now husband)’s home in the Bay Area, I meticulously planned our restaurant visits. I looked at the way the cuisines of immigrants—like myself—have made the dining scene here so dynamic while working at a local food truck market. And as an editor at the San Francisco Chronicle and OpenTable, I shouted out the hottest restaurants I’ve tried.

I’m obsessed with the warm bread salad from a city legend, Turkish breakfast in the fog-encased Richmond District, and a Sardinan-inspired Noe Valley favorite. These spots deliver truly top-notch meals, whether it’s a weeknight escape or an all-out celebration. Read on for 12 SF restaurants I keep going back to.

A photo of China Live restaurant
4.7
4.7 (3261)
$30 and under
Chinese
Chinatown
About the restaurant

Choosing a Chinese restaurant in SF is a tall order—the city is, after all, home to some of the most legendary Chinese destinations in the country. But China Live is where you’re guaranteed to have an outstanding meal that’s ideal for bringing out-of-towners because the food and the lively space are just always that good. Grab a seat by the window to people-watch along Broadway, then dig into plates of pan-fried pork dumplings, Peking duck pockets, and salt-and-pepper crab.


Top review
Kasia
Dined 5 days ago
Business dinner with my colleagues at China Live on the Chinese New Year was fantastic! We tried multiple dishes and everything was simply delicious. The Chilean sea bass was the best I have ever had. So were the pork dumplings and shrimp dumplings. We will definitely return when we are back in San Francisco again.
A photo of La Ciccia restaurant
4.7
4.7 (2718)
$30 and under
Italian
Noe Valley
About the restaurant

Few meals are as transportive as a dinner at this cozy Noe Valley restaurant. The dishes genuinely feel like they appeared straight from Sardinia’s coast. You’ll feel that over and over again as you dig into plates of garlicky, just-al-dente-enough spaghetti with fish roe; spicy octopus stew that’s warm enough for chilly SF nights; and creamy fusilli with tuna. Date night in the backyard under the heat lamps is one for the books.


Top review
ElizabethVIP
Dined on Jan 24, 2025
What an incredible SF institution —from the service to the food to the cozy atmosphere— this place is can’t miss.
A photo of State Bird Provisions restaurant
4.7
4.7 (3275)
$50 and over
Californian
Western Addition
About the restaurant

Eating at a MICHELIN-star restaurant can sometimes feel like a serious event, but that’s never the case at State Bird Provisions. The hardest part about eating here is just sticking to your order—you’ll find yourself craning your neck each time a dim sum cart passes by with plates of duck croquettes, broiled oysters, and steamed tofu, wishing it were on your table (and it can be, if you just ask). Either way, you’ll leave wanting to try more of the ever-changing menu next time.


Top review
L
Dined 5 days ago
Hard to get reservations, but value worth all the effort for each unique dish :)
A photo of Mr. Digby's restaurant
4.6
4.6 (474)
$31 to $50
American
Noe Valley
About the restaurant

Yes, Mr. Digby’s has rightfully earned its rep as a drinks hotspot for doing some of the best cocktails in the city—the dirty martini and the spicy, mezcal-based Snake Eyes are seriously on point. But not enough is said about the rich comfort food here. There’s cheesy-yet-crispy pull-apart spinach bread, a luxurious chicken pot pie with a flaky top, and deviled eggs you’ll have to stop yourself from eating too quickly. TL;DR: Mr Digby’s is meant for lingering.


Top review
Teddy
Dined 2 days ago
Love this places vibe, cocktails and staff are always great
A photo of Octavia restaurant
4.7
4.7 (2636)
$50 and over
Contemporary American
Pacific Heights
About the restaurant

Octavia is the kind of elegant, effortlessly cool place you go to impress your in-laws or parents. Chef Melissa Perello and her team put in a ton of work to source the freshest ingredients from nearby farms in their small plates, pastas, and larger entrees. The tasting menu with the wine pairing is especially worthwhile because the wine selection will knock your socks off. So will dessert—which could include pavlova with salted caramel espuma or blood orange with crème fraîche ice cream.


Top review
Christopher
Dined 2 days ago
Excellent food and service. I was solo for this meal. Ordered the soup, squash, and muscles. Highly recommend the triple starter move. Each was unique, memorable, and delicious. I sat outside in the covered areas. It was nice and warm on a cold rainy SF evening.
A photo of The Anchovy Bar restaurant
4.8
4.8 (850)
$50 and over
Seafood
Western Addition
About the restaurant

For when you really can’t be bothered to commit to just one dish, come to The Anchovy Bar. Better, yet, bring friends so you can maximize on the menu’s fishy goodness with anchovies, focaccia, and green garlic yogurt butter, broiled oysters, and trout gravlax—or go all out on the seafood tower. All of it goes down well with a glass of bubbly, like the riesling. On warmer SF days, angle for one of the precious outdoor seats.


Top review
SarahVIP
Dined 6 days ago
Our server was fabulous: Jessie! But the food came out slowly and the menu seemed less extensive than in visits past. The food was generally excellent, but my teen did not love the oysters (and usually loves oysters). The Focaccia was awesome, the sole deliciousness, the smoked fish dip was hit, and the glass noodles with crab were fantastic. The scallops were not a hit for our table. I will go again, but maybe not with my kids (we were celebrating my birthday).
A photo of Bansang restaurant
4.6
4.6 (326)
$31 to $50
Contemporary Korean
Western Addition
About the restaurant

Bansang is where you go for a fine-dining style experience—but dressing up is totally optional. The hit Daeho team builds on its casual Korean restaurant a few blocks away with showstopping creations like uni on crispy, buttermilk bread; thinly sliced fish in a slightly spicy broth with noodles; and crispy rice cakes with chorizo and roasted gochujang. The service here is extra-attentive, which will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy when dinner ends.


Top review
Apicha
Dined 4 days ago
Nice food Nice restaurant Nice service Around 3-5 items for 2-4 people
A photo of Burma Love Downtown restaurant
4.6
4.6 (561)
$31 to $50
Burmese
SOMA
About the restaurant

Lines at Burma Superstar are often long, but those in the know head to its sibling restaurant Burma Love for soulful Burmese food that’s just as good. Plus, the sleek wooden finishes and the double-height ceiling make this an ideal post-work dinner downtown (service is quick, so this is just as good if you want to suggest an impressive office lunch). You can’t really go wrong on the menu, but the tea-leaf salad and the flaky platha with a coconutty chicken sauce are musts.


Top review
Ryan
Dined 7 days ago
Tasted great. Table was available per the reservation. Price was a little high but quality was really good.
A photo of Lokma restaurant
4.8
4.8 (815)
$30 and under
Turkish
Richmond District
About the restaurant

Lokma does some of the best Mediterranean food in SF, but the go-to move here is to grab a spot outside for Turkish brunch so you can watch the fog lift in the Richmond. Choose from hearty plates of scrambled eggs with sweet peppers and feta; a fluffy omelet topped with tzatziki that you can dunk crispy potatoes in; and Greek yogurt pancakes with fresh fruit. Warm up with a cup of Turkish coffee or tea until the sky clears up.


Top review
jezzicaVIP
Dined on Jan 18, 2025
Excellent Turkish restaurant on Clement St. We had the dip trio and the papas bravas to start - fantastic! I ordered the halibut as my entree, and my partner ordered the burger. The halibut was beautifully cooked, and the mashed potatoes with the pearl couscous salad complimented the delicate fish. The burger was terrific. We'll definitely come back to try the rest of the menu.
A photo of Miller & Lux restaurant
4.7
4.7 (1206)
$50 and over
Steakhouse
Mission Bay / South Beach
About the restaurant

A Caesar salad that’s literally harvested tableside, elegantly plated desserts that arrive on carts, and some of the best steak in the city—if the name didn’t give it away already, there’s nothing quite like a decadent, over-the-top dinner at celebrity chef Tyler Florence’s Miller & Lux. The Bay views from the floor-to-ceiling windows and the semi-circular leather booths make any night here feel extra glamorous.


Top review
Steve
Dined 5 days ago
The dinner was outstanding, and the staff even better. Highly recommend Miller & Lux at Chase Center for a wonderful experience, beginning to end. They go well beyond expectations, both by the chefs and the staff, in providing the culinary experience and care of a "dream come true" evening, which will be remembered and revisited time and again in the future. Bravo!
A photo of Dancing Yak restaurant
4.8
4.8 (425)
$30 and under
Southeast Asian
Mission District
About the restaurant

Nepali food rarely gets the kind of showy treatment it deserves. Which is one reason to come to Dancing Yak, where the massive dining room has pops of yellow, blue, and purple and intricate murals on the wall. SF’s year-round mild weather means you’ll always want to order plates of steaming-hot momos, and there are three kinds to choose from here. Dip them into the creamy sauce in the middle and keep building on a meal of Nepali staples like sekuwa (grilled meats) and shapale (meat pies).


Top review
Debbie
Dined on Jan 14, 2025
Delicious food, attentive table service and lovely ambiance. Wonderful menu options, vegetarian friendly, something for everyone. We had Watermelon salad, Mango Lhassi, Matar Paneer, Zatar Naan, Matar Paneer (vegetarian), Butter Chicken and the Flan for dessert, all wonderful. Their cocktails are also excellent.
A photo of Zuni Cafe restaurant
4.7
4.7 (7891)
$31 to $50
Modern European
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
About the restaurant

From the moment you first try the warm bread salad at Zuni, you’ll be hooked. That’s no shade to the roast chicken on top—the late Judy Rodgers’s California cooking made Zuni definition San Francisco for a reason. But the salad, moist from the chicken and with large chunks of bread, chewy-sweet currants, and pine nuts, is in a league of its own. The menu is seasonal, so expect exciting changes, but just remember that epic salad—and shoestring fries—are non-negotiables.


Top review
JosieVIP
Dined 2 days ago
Best chicken in America! Everything is first rate.
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