5 Best Restaurants in Tenderloin, San Francisco

Located in the Tenderloin's Little Saigon quarter, this casual Vietnamese bistro brims at lunchtime with fans of its steaming bowls of pho (the beef version is particularly good). For dinner, the round tables are overloaded with signature specialties like roast squab and bun cha Hanoi (broiled pork over rice vermicelli). You'll see many French touches on the extensive menu.

Chef Matthew Ho cut his teeth at his family's excellent, bare-bones Bodega Bistro, an anchor of the Little Saigon restaurant scene for years. This new incarnation elevates traditional Vietnamese recipes with a modern twist and the freshest ingredients. Popular dishes include citrusy bo tai chanh (beef carpaccio) and bun cha (pork belly and meatballs). Warm woods on the floors, ceiling, and walls soften the modern decor at this buzzy and inviting dining room, and black-and-white photos of San Francisco reflect deep city roots. 

The good times roll at the city's definitive choice for New Orleans cooking. Brunch is the preferred meal here, but it's just as good to come for a weekday lunch of gumbo or a fried chicken dinner when the scene is a little more subdued.

Try something beyond the same old pad thai at this authentic Thai standby. Thai herb sausage and papaya salad with salted egg are good appetizers to share, while the pork belly with crispy rind and basil leaves and duck larb (meat salad) come packed with flavor and heat. The food has been such a hit that the restaurant has two other spots in the Mission and Hayes Valley. It's a favorite for late-night dining.

Stop by this hole in the wall for some of the best—and cheapest!—takeout banh mi in the city. Favorites include thit (roast pork) and ga (roast chicken).