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Crowds are a constant fixture at Craig and Annie Stoll's cultishly adored northern Italian spot. Deceptively simple, exquisitely flavored dishes include excellent pastas and the city's greatest panna cotta. The casual chic space received a substantial renovation during the Covid-19 pandemic by increasing in size and adding a handsome bar with the restaurant's first-ever cocktail program.
3621 18th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Signature spaghetti with plum tomatoes
- Hard to get reservations
- Monterey Bay calamari with white bean salad
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$$ | Mission District | Indian
Aside from the large, thin savory namesake pancake, this cheerful temple of South Indian cuisine also prepares curries, uttapam (open-face pancakes), and various starters, breads, rice dishes, and chutneys. Dosa fillings range from traditional potatoes, onions, and cashews to green chilies and cilantro, and other popular menu options include mango fish curry, roasted masala lamb shank, and Indian street-food additions such as vada pav (a vegetarian slider).
995 Valencia St., at 21st St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Southern Indian food
- Indian street food dishes
- Tasty curries
- Indian street-food dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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This handsome and boisterous hot spot with a tiny bar and a sleek yet rustic dining room is synonymous with pasta. The grand experience here is the seven-course pasta-tasting menu (extra charge for wine pairings) with seasonally changing dishes (the one standby is a meatless Taleggio scarpinocc with aged balsamic drizzled over the bow tie–shaped pasta). It also serve top-notch, blistery thin-crust Neapolitan pizzas.
2401 Harrison St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Difficult-to-get reservations
- Rarely seen pasta shapes
- Italian wines from small producers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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There’s no end to the buzz around chef David Barzelay’s 12-plus-course prix-fixe seasonal and imagination-driven dinners, which might include guinea hen with English peas and morel mushrooms or delicate "sandwiches" of Wagyu 'nduja pimento cheese and fried green heirloom tomatoes. An ode to the Western lodge, the high-ceilinged, spacious dining room includes a fireplace, charred wood walls, and wooden rafters. The upstairs "Den" could be the movie set for a luxury countryside estate's living room, complete with camping-themed decorative items.
3416 19th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Freshly baked rolls with butter cultured in-house
- Sensational friendly yet formal service
- Stellar beverage program
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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Chad Robertson is America’s first modern cult baker, and this tiny Mission District outpost (along with the larger Tartine Manufactory on the eastern side of the neighborhood) is where you'll find his famed loaves of tangy country bread and beloved pastries like croissants and morning buns. You'll also find near-constant lines out the door; they're longest in the morning when locals (and plenty of tourists) need a pastry punch to start the day, and later in the afternoon when the famed loaves emerge freshly baked.
600 Guerrero St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Anything bread-related
- Chocolate soufflé cake
- Fresh pastries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, Reservations not accepted
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Hardly just a plan B for those who didn't score a table at its sibling, Lazy Bear, this excellent cocktail bar and creative small-plates restaurant by the same people offers intriguing combinations and endless conversation starters in a cool modern setting. Menu standouts include California halibut ceviche and fried hen-of-the-woods mushrooms. Don't-miss drinks on the cocktail side include the signature "In the Pines, Under the Palms," a smooth sipper of toasted coconut rye, Terroir gin, and vermouth, garnished with a small redwood sprout.
753 Alabama St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Patty melt
- Inventive cocktails using seasonal produce
- Excellent weekend brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekdays
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$ | Bernal Heights | Cambodian
Lemongrass and softly sizzling chilies perfume this modest neighborhood favorite, opened by Cambodian refugees in the late 1980s. The menu includes an array of curries, salads of squid or cold noodles with ground fish, and lightly curried fish mousse cooked in a banana leaf basket. Vegetarians will be happy to discover plenty of selections. Service is friendly though sometimes languid, so don't stop here when you're in a hurry.
3471 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Cambodian food
- Variety of curries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed. No lunch Sun.
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San Francisco's real life Willy Wonka factory is the fascinating and delicious home of this "bean to bar" chocolatier. Of course, chocolate in many forms is the highlight for guests, whether it's in pure chocolate bars, in drinks, or as a subtle ingredient in some of the city's most inventive pastries. The 16th Street factory holds self-guided tours on most afternoons that it's open. There are two other non-factory locations in the city on Valencia Street and in the Ferry Building.
2600 16th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Outrageously great hot chocolate
- Made-to-order s'mores
- Chocolate canelé pastries
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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After several years as the chef de cuisine at Rich Table, Brandon Rice set off on his own with this creative restaurant, and it's been wildly successful. Rice's cooking emphasizes local ingredients and is inspired by many cuisines, yet always has a few curveballs involved, like pork tonkotsu inspired by Nashville hot chicken and sushi rice topped with salmon roe and raw beef. The industrial yet affable bi-level space is beautiful but can get loud.
1890 Bryant St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- "let the kitchen cook for you" menu
- Caviar and homemade tater tots
- "magic shell" soft-serve sundae
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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Classic films are projected on the wall of a large inner courtyard in this hip, loftlike space while you're served stellar seasonal California cooking, and weekend brunch brings throngs fighting for a spot on the patio for some of the city's best egg dishes and Bloody Marys. The majestic atmosphere enhances plates of perfectly shucked oysters on the half shell and sesame fried chicken.
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Warm brandade appetizer
- Excellent cocktails at the restaurant and adjacent Laszlo Bar
- Pop tarts and croque madame at brunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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Coffee aficionados should head down Valencia Street to Four Barrel Coffee for excellent house-roasted coffee in a fun and funky space, packed with Mission hipsters, cyclists, and artists (be sure to look at the selection of Mission counterpart Dynamo doughnuts as well).
375 Valencia St, San Francisco, California, USA
Known For
- High-quality roasting
- Fun space
- Locally owned business
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The Liholiho Yacht Club team opened this concept driven by diversity, equality, and inclusion that emphasizes healthy working conditions and fair wages in an industry that unfortunately isn't known for either. The AAPI heritage–inspired menu is divided between starters like a chicken wing stuffed with egg roll filling, and larger courses meant for sharing.
3560 18th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Smoked beef belly steam bun
- Beautiful upstairs patio
- Pandan bibingka, a steamed rice dessert
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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A former chef from the Mission District's acclaimed Al's Place (which sadly closed in 2022) is the culinary talent at this fantastic, dimly lit oasis near the hectic 24th St.-Mission BART station. The menu's focus is on two trendy Italian cuisine items—pasta and fish crudo—that might be hip clichés now, but this kitchen does them as well as anyone in town and always with a unique spin.
3266 24th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Spaghetti with shellfish ragu
- Incredible rosemary focaccia with garlic-anchovy oil
- A unique tiramisu interpretation
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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The most well-known—and quite possibly the best—of the burrito choices around town forgoes rice in the filling (almost all burritos in the Mission include rice) to focus on tender meats. The carne asada is the house favorite, but you can't go wrong with the carnitas either. While the burritos deservedly get the hype, the tacos and quesadillas are also worth trying.
2889 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Off menu crispy "dorado-style" burrito
- Long lines
- Outstanding salsas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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Enormous tortas (Mexican sandwiches with meat, avocado, queso fresco, and refried beans on a soft-interior/crunchy-exterior roll) are a culinary specialty of the state of Puebla in Mexico, and they're also the signature item of this Mission District daytime favorite. The tortas come in two sizes (you likely only need the smaller one). Beyond the must-order house specialty, the extensive menu includes everything from coffee and breakfast, to tostadas and tacos.
2833 24th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Mega Cubana torta with several kinds of meat
- Wonderful quesadillas
- Pleasant outdoor patio
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$$ | Mission District | Italian
The owners of lauded Delfina channel the culinary traditions of Rome at this lively osteria, where the bar stools are constantly occupied and carbs get glorious treatment: chewy pizza bianca is an addictive starter, while peppery and creamy tonnarelli cacio e pepe is a signature. Finely made cocktails arrive at dark-wood tables on a candlelit tray, and white wall tiles from iconic local makers, Heath Ceramics, which lend a Mission vibe.
557 Valencia St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Delicious pasta and antipasti
- Busy bar
- Cool Mission vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch weekdays
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Argentine fare, a convivial atmosphere, and talented bartenders help explain the long-running appeal of this contemporary steak house in a sceney two-level space with two bars and a rooftop neighbor (El Techo) that offers captivating views—it's no surprise that the crowd sometimes swings young and noisy. While beef is deservedly the headliner, make sure not to miss the chicken empanadas, with flaky pastry and a slight sweetness.
2518 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Wood-fire-grilled meats
- Lines on Mission Street for El Techo
- An epic burger on the bar menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch
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$$ | Mission District | Korean
At a primo location across from Dolores Park, chef Dennis Lee serves innovative, satisfying dishes inspired both by Korean tradition and Northern Californian ingredients such as mushrooms accompanied by tofu and ricotta, and a burger anointed with pickled daikon and bacon jam. Delicate items, like shiitake dumplings, are plentiful, vegan options abound, and many of the ingredients come from the restaurant's own farm.
499 Dolores St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Innovative Korean cuisine
- Stonepot serving dishes
- Local ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch Tues.
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In an immaculate setting boasting a long communal table, firewood as decor, and an enormous open kitchen, chef-owner Seth Stowaway's complex and invigorating tasting menus change their concept every few weeks. However, the firewood is a hint at the overarching theme of every experience: live-fire cooking incorporated into every dish. That touch of flames might be demonstrated by a more subtle smoke influence in a sauce or delicate, direct grilling for an elaborate meat or seafood centerpiece.
2875 18th St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Unique fine dining concept
- Great cocktails and more casual, still live-fire driven bites at adjacent bar, Liliana
- Friendly, impeccable service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch
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San Francisco's only Guam-inspired restaurant is always an outdoor party with a South Pacific evoking, picnic table–filled patio in an old parking lot. The extensive, contemporary Guam-Californian menu can be a little overwhelming but is always satisfying. Most tables start with a few lighter bites like Chamorro sweet rolls or empanadas before continuing towards the barbecue items and coconut braised beef tinaktak, accompanied by a number of homemade sauces.
2224 Mission St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA
Known For
- Dry-spiced fried chicken wings
- "fiesta table" shared tasting menu
- Interesting natural wines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner Sun.