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Dining Guide to San Francisco!
Located on a
dock behind the Wharf, Scoma's is a seafood tradition.
Finding
fine food in San Francisco is just about as easy as walking into a restaurant.
There's few bigger reasons people like coming here so often that for
the spectacular cuisine.
This isn't lost on those who design and prepare the meals. Chefs from
all over the world look at San Francisco as being at or near the top
of the food chain for their profession. Seafood, Chinese, Asian/Fusion
and "California cuisine" (the vague description of lighter,
healthy foods served with a brilliant presentation) are specialties.
The competition is intense and each chef or restaurant tries to outdo
the other. The winner, of course, is us.
It would be foolish – no, impossible, really – to attempt
to list all the fine restaurants in this city. There are hundreds of
small places are tucked into various neighborhoods and most are always
busy. Take a walk down Union Street, for example. Or Steiner/Chestnut
off Lombard. Plus, new places are opening up every week and trying to
keep tabs on them all would take our focus away from what we really
care about – the bars!
So, what we have done is highlighted a few traditional restaurants,
some new trendy spots, some fun places, and a couple of places that
you won't find in any tourist publication.
TOP SCALE AND TRENDY. SUSHI AND CHINESE – [MAP]
The Boulevard at the end of Mission Street is considered by
many to be the city's best restaurant. It isn't. (Though it is quite
good). For a flat-out superb restaurant, go to Charles Nob
Hill. The crowd is old and the place is stuffy but this is San Francisco's
best fine dining. Charles' is a great date place.
Scoma's and A. Sabella's are longtime seafood spots at
Fisherman's Wharf. At Scoma's, the waiters are as old as the restaurant
and about as patient with newcomers as as a bride on her honeymoon night,
but the lobster thermidor (lobster topped with Hollandaise Sauce) is
worth their foot-tapping. Don't shy away from the fish selections (sand
dabs, for example) as they are all excellent. Far less formal dining
is available all up and down the Wharf at the tiny but sometimes-tasty
fish and crab stands. Our local critic's #1 seafood choice in the City
is Aqua, an upscale, expense-account restaurant in the Financial
District. The same person, Charles Condy, owns Charles Nob Hill.
If you want tradition, Tadich Grill is the place. It is California's
oldest restaurant, having opened during the gold rush in 1849. It's
mostly a downtown lunch place and is so popular even the mayor has to
wait for a table. It has dark wood, tile floors and waiters wear white
coats while serving up all kinds of traditional seafood dishes.
If you want trendy, Spoon on Polk Street is the place. It's
a small joint that looks like a martini bar if it didn't serve food.
The chef looks like the lead singer of Smash Mouth and if you know what
to order, it's quite good. So, order the tuna and macaroni and cheese
appetizer, the pizzas or the seafood. Steer clear of the pastas and
salads. Afterward, walk next door to the Royal Oak "fern bar"
or the other cool spots on Polk between Broadway and Union.
For sushi, Sushi Groove in the South of Market area is one of
the best in town. The scene is better at Mai Sake in the Marina
District, but the little place with no sign on the door is known for
its outstanding food. Ozumo is a new Japanese restaurant on the
edge of the Financial District with a classy, lounge-style decor, 30
types of sake and the city's largest sushi bar.
It would make sense that the best Chinese food is found in Chinatown.
But that's not the case. Still, if thre, pick a tiny one with lots of
locals; they are often the best (or at least the most authentic). Th
Chinese rrestaurant that gets the most recognition is a posh spot in
Ghirardelli Square, The Mandarin. For dim sum, where food comes
around on a cart and you choose by looks instead of ordering off a menu,
Yank Sing (Battery and Clay, downtown) gets the highest marks
from locals; weekends are packed.
MISSION DISTRICT – [MAP]
For something different, Foreign Cinema (Mission and 21st) is
a French bistro in an old outdoor cinema that projects films on the
wall. It's one of many places in the Mission District, most of
them small and trendy with a bit of bar action. For more in this area,
see our Restaurant/Bar
section under "Clubbing in San Francisco."
The dot-commer invasion of SoMa (South of Market) was boosted by Pac
Bell Park and has resulted in several restaurant choices. In addition
to MoMo's (described under
Clubbing) there's Chaya Brasserie (French/Californian,
like Chaya Venice in L.A.), Slanted Door (Vietnamese) and Gordon
Biersch (a chain brewery with good food and a big patio).
NORTH BEACH – [MAP]
North Beach is renowned for side-by-side Italian restaurants.
Most of the choices are mediocre, however. The Stinking Rose,
for example, serves bland food although in a festive atmosphere. The
best spot is a tiny pizza and crepe joint, L'Osteria.
Locals in the Marina
know The Grove for its food and atmosphere.
MARINA DISTRICT – {MAP]
Some of the city's best spots are in neighborhoods, far from any tourist
publication or restaurant critic.
The Marina District is underrated as a dining destination, but don't
shy away from this youthful area. An awesome lunch spot is The Grove.
It has big windows that swing open to the street and a few prized
outdoor tables. It's the perfect spot to spend a sunny weekend afternoon
and the passing foot traffic can be quite the scene. Sandwiches, salads
and soups are on the menu. Take your time, bring the paper or read PubClub's
San Francisco city guide on your computer.
There's always a wait at Betelnut on Union Street. The lively
atmosphere and new Asian cuisine are responsible, but the bar action
passes the time fairly quickly. Balboa Cafe is a popular bar
destination that serves good food (although it's a bit pricey for the
busy atmosphere).
For sports nuts, Liverpool Lil's is where Joe DiMaggio used
to jolt to whenever the Bay Area native was in town. It's an English
pub full of pictures from DiMaggio and those who followed him. It's
like walking through a pictorial sports Hall of Fame. Most locals know
to get the burger (one style is served club-sandwich style on toast
cut into four pieces). It's around the corner from Final Final,
one of the city's best sports bars, which serves tasty pizza to Giants
and 49er fans from the Marina area.
BREAKFAST
For hangover cures, the crepe restaurant on Washington and Polk
in the Russian Hill/Union Street area (sorry, the name of the place
escapes us!) is great. The open-air setting and food piled high make
it an ideal breakfast spot. A more upscale spot, on the edge of SoMa,
is Town's End. The scones are terrific. There are also some good
breakfast spots on Polk Street around Union and Green streets, such
as the Rex Cafe. Perry's on Union Street is packed on weekends
for breakfast thru lunch. For dinner, the the au gratin potatoes with
the pork chops are outstanding.
– RESTAURANT LOCATIONS–
• A. Sabella's: 2766 Taylor Street 3rd Floor. (415) 771-6775
• Aqua: 252 California Street. (415) 956-9662
• Balboa Cafe:3199 Fillmore St. (415) 921-3944
• Beatlenut: 2030 Union St. (415) 929-8855
• The Boulevard: 1 Mission St. (415) 543-6084
• Chaya Brasserie: 132 Embarcadero. (415) 777-8688
• Charles Nob Hill: 1250 Jones St. (415) 771-5400
• Final Final: 2990 Baker Street, (415) 931-7800
• Foreign Cinema: 2534 Mission. (415) 648-7600
• The Grove: 2250 Chestnut Street. (415) 474-4843
• Gordon Biersch: Two Harrison. (415) 243-8246
• Mai Saki: 2030 Lombard St. (415) 346-7373
• The Mandarin: 900 North Point. (415) 673-8812
• Liverpool Lil's, 2942 Lyon St. (415) 921-6664
• L'Osteria: 519 Columbus. (415)982.1124
• Ozumo: 161 Steuart St. (415) 882-1333
• Perry's: 1944 Untion St. (415) 922-9022
• Rex Cafe: 2323 Polk St. (415) 441-2244
• Scoma's: Pier 47 on Scoma Way. (415) 771-4383
• Spoon: 2209 Polk Street. (415) 268-0140
• The Stinking Rose: 325 Columbus Ave. (415) PU-1-ROSE
• Slanted Door: 100 Brannan. (415) 861-8032
• Sushi Groove: 1916 Hyde. (415) 440-1905
• Tadich Grill: 240 California St. (415) 391.1849
• Town's End: 2 Townsend. (415) 512-0749
• Yank Sing: 427 Battery St. (415) 781.1111
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on the San Francisco Party Bus: The Bay Area!
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