The 11 best restaurants in San Francisco

What is it? An Indian restaurant in the Fillmore, helmed by chef Srijith Gopinathan.

Why we love it: The food here is exquisite with many moments that’ll leave you closing your eyes to exult. Among every beautiful thing we ate, our favorite was the rasam poori with passionfruit, mint, sprouted chickpea and radish: It’s a delicate fried puri sphere into which you spoon a bit of soup and eat in one frisson-filled mouthful. For cocktails, the winner was the turmeric spritz with marigold amaro that was so light and fruity it provided perfect accompaniment. As far as a bit of refreshment, don’t fear that the dishes will be too spicy; everything was perfectly spiced to make lips tingle but not overwhelm the tongue. Plus, the interior is insanely pretty with macrame lighting features, two rooms delineated by changes in flooring (blonde wood to button tile) and an indoor gazebo marked by twining ivy. Muted brick, a two-story wall of cubbies holding amphoras and wicker furnishings lend an air of museum-like elegance.

Time Out tip: Ask your server to identify which menu items are unique to Copra (or at least the most innovative) and order those.

Address: 1700 Fillmore St, San Francisco, 94115

Opening hours: Mon–Sun 5–10pm; brunch Sat, Sun 11:30am–2pm

Expect to pay: During brunch, if you order several “littles” and a main with a few cocktails, you’ll walk out paying around $90.

What is it? A contemporary American restaurant carrying one Michelin star in the Fillmore.

Why we love it: On a quiet street near the edge of Japantown, 7 Adams bustles with attentive waitstaff, crazy-skilled chefs and blissed out diners. Behind the chef’s counter, there’s gorgeous backlit mod-shaped embedded wall compartments holding plants, stemware, candles and a miniature statue of the Michelin man petting a dog. Chef owners Serena Chow Fisher and David Fisher have created a space where the vibe is relaxed and down to earth, even though the exquisite food could easily deserve a snooty air. We especially loved the starter of hokkaido scallop crudo with koji kosho, pepita and pixie mandarin and all the mains, and lost our minds over the winter citrus dessert (pistachio cake, lemon curd and blood orange ice cream—intensely succulent and vibrant) and the salted malted s’more with chicory pastry cream.

Time Out tip: A 20 percent service charge is automatically added to the bill, so you can relax about tipping.

Address: 1963 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Opening hours: Mon–Thur 5:30–9pm; Fri, Sat 5–10pm; Sun 5–9pm

Expect to pay: The five-course tasting menu is $87 per person, while the chef’s counter (six people only) is 8 to 10 courses for $157 per person.

What is it? A French bistro with bright vibes at the Embarcadero.

Why we love it: Everything’s at bar level here, so you feel elevated and light while you indulge in French favorites “from Paris with love,” as the menu says—a nod to charming owner Kais Bouzidi’s Parisian roots. Plants are embedded in the mesh liquor cabinet that hovers above the bar, which itself is a beautiful wooden statement piece with carved out embeds for your knees. The croque monsieur was a fantastic confection of layers of thin ham, pickle and béchamel sauce: It was a “fondue with bread” in one gooey unit. We also loved the madeleines plate with anglaise and chocolate sauce. For a refreshing drink that’s adorably photogenic, try the citron pressé: fresh lemon juice and a separate cute vessel of housemade lemon cordial.

Time Out tip: Absolutely make reservations in advance; the walk-in party ahead of us was turned away.

Address: Pier 3, the Embarcadero, San Francisco, 94105

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 11:30am–2pm, 3–10pm; Sat 11:30am–3:30pm, 5–10pm; Sun 11:30am–3pm

Expect to pay: If your brunch includes an hors d’oeuvre, a main, a beverage and dessert, it will run about $60.

What is it? An Italian eatery in the Russian Hill neighborhood with a parklet out front

Why we love it: The menu is so full of great options I had pasta twice (and I’m glad I did, because the agnolotti was a true standout, and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the fettuccine blackened by squid ink and accompanied by generous lumps of Dungeness crab). Even though we were stuffed, the delightful server—chef Anthony Florian has assembled an amazing team with great wine guidance—wouldn’t let us go without trying the chocolate budino served in a mason jar: We’re glad we relented to the peer pressure.

Time Out tip: Request a seat in the back dining area if you would like a quieter space for conversation.

Address: 1896 Hyde St, San Francisco, 94109

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 5–9pm; Fri, Sat 5–9:30pm

Expect to pay: About $140 per person if you indulge in antipasti, salad, pasta and secondi with a few glasses of wine.

What is it? An Argentinian steakhouse in the heart of the Mission.

Why we love it: The ojo de bife Argentino rib eye (100 percent grass-fed) was supremely buttery in texture, and the wild mushroom sherry sauce had us trying to soak up more with each forkful like a sponge. The pollo skewer with perfectly blackened corn and aji amarillo almost surpassed the steak for me, but we also loved the yuca fries with rocoto aioli—and we had fun moderating our evening with the “sin licor” mocktails, an agridulce citrus beverage and a tutti frutti sweet one. Though I didn’t have room for the empanada options, I’d certainly try them next time. The décor is atmospherically dim and dominated by some fearsome underlit bull head statues, while beautiful chandeliers and metal fixtures that mimic wagon wheels adorn the ceilings.

Time Out tip: Arrive before your reservation and head to El Techo, the bar perched on Lolinda’s rooftop, for excellent city views. Also, as much as we love the colorful vibe of the Mission, the homelessness crisis may make visitors feel uncomfortable after dark, so consider that when planning your reservation and parking or transit plans.

Address: 2518 Mission St, San Francisco, 94110

Opening hours: Tue–Thu 5:30–10pm; Fri, Sat 5:30–11pm; Sun 5:30–10pm

Expect to pay: For a few pequeños (littles), a 12oz rib eye, a beverage and a dessert, you’ll pay around $85.

What is it? A Chinese dim sum house in Ghirardelli Square, halfway between Fisherman’s Wharf and Fort Mason.

Why we love it: Aesthetics rule the day here. The “palette” of the name refers to the plate you receive, shaped like an artist’s palette with five wells to hold differently colored sauces. One of the standout dishes, a xiaolongbao sampler, also evokes admiration with five soup dumplings arranged beautifully with their dough colored red (beets), green (spinach), yellow (turmeric), black (squid ink) and white, with various fillings. The taro puff black swan with a delicate cracker neck “floats” on an edible flower strewn plate, while the hot and sour soup is classically delicious. I indulged in an espresso martini and the Portuguese egg tart, while also stealing bites of my daughter’s mango pudding supreme with popping boba, coconut and fresh mango. Above you, large red lanterns glow with Chinese characters for the names of the food, including BBQ pork bao and pork soup dumpling. General manager and part owner Dennis Leung has created a beautiful space, where large red lanterns above you glow with Chinese characters that correspond to the names of the dishes. Make sure to make a pit stop at the bathroom, too, so you don’t miss the beautiful mosaic tiles in the hallway.

Time Out tip: It’s housed in the same square as the iconic Gold Rush chocolatier Ghirardelli, and we’d also recommend a pre- or post-meal walk down the hill to the free, ship-shaped Maritime National Historic Park; its partnering visitor center on Jefferson Street offers fantastic exhibits in a 1907 warehouse.

Address: 900 North Point St, San Francisco, 94109

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 11:30am–7:30pm; Fri, Sat 11:30am–8pm

Expect to pay: Dumplings and bao plates are $9 to $16, entrees and soups are $18 to $32, desserts are $7 to $9, and signature cocktails are $16.

What is it? An American restaurant inside the Beacon Grand hotel in Union Square

Why we love it: Want bountiful proof of why the food scene in San Francisco is so great? Look no further than the California market salad, with mixed greens in a citrus vinaigrette we adored, along with Point Reyes blue cheese, candied pecans and tender slivers of tangerine. Other dishes we loved were the wild king salmon with thinly shaved fennel, radish and cucumber in a dill vinaigrette, as well as the hand-rolled spinach and mushroom canelloni dotted with morels. Make your lunch truly inspiring by pairing it with the Spring Sour mocktail—bright and fresh enough to power through the day. Here for business? The prix-fixe “executive lunch” is only $28 Monday through Friday.

Time Out tip: Venture into the side chamber and look up: The painted ceiling and ornate grillwork on either side of the pedimented door are impressive. Want to fully appreciate the opulent architecture and décor of this 1928 beauty? Elect to spend the night (you should).

Address: 450 Powell St, San Francisco, 94102

Opening hours: Daily breakfast 7–11am, lunch 11:30am–1:30pm, dinner 4–10pm

Expect to pay: For brunch with a salad, salmon and mocktail, close to $70.

What is it? A Mediterranean restaurant housed in a former army barracks in the Presidio.

Why we love it: Billed as “modern Eastern” rather than “Middle Eastern,” Dalida comes from husband-and-wife chef team Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz. The flavors here stretched our palates and made our eyebrows rise—even the hummus had some extra zing sitting under the Cypriot lamb chops wrapped in ground lamb and caul fat. Our family’s favorite was the Breaking Bread dish with round tins of spreads accompanied by chubby pita (baked in-house every five minutes). The cocktails were a highlight, served in fun vessels like a miniature silver tankard or with tall, glass-height ice cubes ordered by mail. Stay for dessert and you may catch some Top Chef magic with pistachio three-ways baklava and the sour cherry Maraş ice cream that chef Laura made for one of the show’s challenges. The interior’s muted lighting comes from rice paper chandeliers, and there’s a beautiful mural of trees in bloom. The historic building’s high ceilings really open up the interior, but that does mean the acoustics are rough for conversation. 

Time Out tip: If you want to make a night of it, book a room at the Lodge at the Presidio, just a four-minute walk away.

Address: 101 Montgomery St, San Francisco, 94129

Opening hours: Tue–Fri 11:30am–2pm, 5–9pm; Sat, Sun 11am–2:30pm, 5–9pm

Expect to pay: The chef’s menu is $85. Otherwise, you can expect to pay about $100 per person for appetizers, entrée, a vegetable dish and a few cocktails.

What is it? A contemporary Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in the SoMa neighborhood, housed in the Intercontinental Hotel.

Why we love it: Everything on chef Dennis Efthymiou’s spring tasting menu was geared to surprise visually and tastewise. Each course arrives in a unique vessel: a duck foot stand for the quail Scotch egg amuse bouche, or a “meteorite” (as the server termed it) that held beautifully plated dessert components. Our favorite dish was startlingly realistic-looking strawberry sculpted out of white chocolate and stuffed with pink peppercorn mousse, served with elderflower and basil ice cream and a Kalamata olive shortcake. I started with a passionfruit margarita and switched to a suggested Riesling to pair with the Spring Awakening course, which was a literal miniature garden with tiny spears of white and green asparagus “planted” alongside tendrils of pea appearing like plants meeting the sun.

Time Out tip: The tasting menu consists of 11 courses, many of which have multiple components. Come with an appetite—like “I haven’t eaten in months” levels of hunger. If you book a room at the Intercontinental, you’ll have an easy elevator ride up to a spectacular panoramic city view as your digestive system works on the issue at hand.

Address: 888 Howard St, San Francisco, 94103

Opening hours: Thu–Sat 5:30–9pm

Expect to pay: The spring tasting menu is $175 per person with a $115 wine pairing.

What is it? A vegan eatery in Cow Hollow with a parklet on Union Street.

Why we love it: In a world trying to adopt more sustainable practices, a vegan restaurant so great that omnivores won’t miss meat deserves notice. The interior at Wildseed has bright white walls adorned with modern art. When you open the completely plant-based menu, the first thing you’ll see is a list of what fruits and vegetables are in season that month. That’s not just something worth appreciating on paper: The chilaquiles with vegan “just egg” and coconut queso were gobble-quality, and the Wildseed burger made with a mushroom and spinach patty, vegan chipotle aioli and tomato chutney (and added-on tempeh bacon) was a fortifying delight.

Time Out tip: The grapefruit mimosa comes in a pretty vessel and makes brunch happier.

Address: 2000 Union St, San Francisco, 94123

Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–9:30pm, Fri 11:30am–10:30pm, Sat 11am–10:30pm, Sun 11am–9:30pm

Expect to pay: About $70 per person if you have a small salad, brunch item, dessert and a few mimosas.

What is it? A seafood restaurant on the second story of Pier 39.

Why we love it: You can count on 100 percent sustainable seafood at this busy waterfront spot with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the bay. The clam chowder literally has “award-winning” in its name, and you can order it (as one does here) in a fresh house-baked sourdough bowl. We tried the dual lobster tails (oven roasted with seasonal vegetables), the Petrale sole (pan seared with a pesto cream sauce) and fried scallops, served with roasted jalapeno aioli. The cocktail game is wonderful here with drinks named for local landmarks, like the Alcatraz Escape and the Spicy Mission Margarita. For land-favoring folks just “along for the ride,” there are also sandwiches, steaks and pasta.

Time Out tip: Try to sit at the farthest end of the restaurant, where you’ll be able to catch the best view of the sea lions pushing each other off the docks. And if you love flowers, TulipMania is at Pier 39 throughout April with 20,000 tulips in bloom.

Address: Pier 39, San Francisco, 94133

Opening hours: Daily 11am–9pm

Expect to pay: Seafood mains run $29 to $56, while the clam chowder in sourdough is $16. House specialties include cioppino at $42 and a whole Dungeness crab for $64. Cocktails are $14 to $17.