San Francisco Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in San Francisco - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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20 Recommendations
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1. Acquerello
$$$$ | Polk Gulch |Chef and co-owner Suzette Gresham has elicited swoons over the years with high-end but soulful Italian cooking that is worth every penny. Her cuttlefish "tagliatelle" is a star of the menu, which features both classic and cutting-edge dishes. Dinners are prix fixe, with three, four, or five courses and several choices within each course. Co-owner Giancarlo Paterlini oversees the service, and his son Gianpaolo presides over the roughly 2,000-bottle list of Italian wines. The room, in a former chapel, with a vaulted ceiling and terra-cotta and pale-ocher palette, is refined but never stuffy.
1722 Sacramento St., San Francisco, California, 94109, USA415-567–5432Known For
- Sensational prix-fixe dining
- City's premier Italian cheese selection
- Extensive Italian wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential -
2. Delfina
$$ | |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, USA415-552–4055Known 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 -
3. La Ciccia
$$ | Noe Valley |This charming neighborhood trattoria is the only restaurant in the city exclusively serving Sardinian food. The island's classics are all represented—octopus stew in a spicy tomato sauce; spaghetti with bottariga (cured roe); and macaroni with sea urchin and cured tuna heart. Many choices on the extensive wine list are Sardinian. The staff is both friendly and efficient. This is not only a locals' favorite, but a restaurant industry one as well, so book seats in this unassuming spot in advance. Ask for a table on the lovely, light-speckled patio to set the mood for a romantic date night.
291 30th St., San Francisco, California, 94131, USA415-550–8114Known For
- Romantic patio dining
- Restaurant industry favorite
- Extensive wine list including Sardinian wines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
4. SPQR
$$$$ | Pacific Heights |This modern Italian favorite continues to be a special destination for chef Matthew Accarrino's inventive seasonal cooking. The five-course tasting menu includes tempting antipasti, superlative pastas like mustard capellini with guinea hen ragù, and a few hearty secondi; save space for the fantastic desserts. The Italian wine list is also full of gems and divided by region, providing a great education with your bottle. The polished yet relaxed atmosphere, with travel posters on the wall, attracts a dedicated neighborhood following of all ages. Singles and walk-in couples can sit at the two counters (one looks into the galley kitchen). Accarrino's fried chicken on Sundays is worth planning your day around. And doughnuts and coffee are served during the daytime for Fillmore's steady stream of weekend power shoppers and walkers.
1911 Fillmore St., San Francisco, California, 94115, USA415-771–7779Known For
- Chicken liver mousse antipasti
- Vintages from less-known Italian wine regions
- Fried chicken on Sundays
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No lunch Thurs. and Fri. -
5. 54 Mint
$$$ | SoMa |Overlooking the always interesting Mint Plaza, a European-style plaza that surrounds the former U.S. Mint, this brick-walled, cozy-modern restaurant is one of San Francisco's best Roman trattorias, with both rustic traditional cooking and gentle spins on classic recipes. The exceptional cocktails by Jacopo Rosito are worth a trip on their own, and diners can wrap up dinner properly with an amaro and an espresso—this place truly feels and tastes like Rome. 54 Mint's sibling, Montesacro, a block away, introduced the city to pinsas, an oval sibling to pizza.
16 Mint Plaza, San Francisco, California, 94103, USA415-543–5100Known For
- Bottarga, sea urchin, and burrata bruschetta
- Homemade pastas
- Classic and creative Negroni renditions
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. A16
$$$ | Marina |Named after a highway that runs through southern Italy, this bustling contemporary trattoria specializes in the food from that region, done very, very well. The menu is stocked with pizza, rustic pastas like maccaronara with ragù Napoletano (a meat sauce), and entrées like braised short rib with polenta. The selection of primarily southern Italian wines, augmented by some California vintages, supports the food perfectly.
2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA415-771–2216Known For
- Spicy arrabbiata pizza
- One of the city's best Italian wine programs
- Dark chocolate budino tart
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs., Reservations essential -
7. Barbacco
$$ | Financial District | ItalianThe busy sister restaurant to neighboring Perbacco offers affordable small Italian plates, such as the chef's salumi selection and chicken thighs alla cacciatora, as well as plenty of Italian wines to explore by the glass. Financial District workers crowd in to the chic Milanese-style room for lunch or happy hour at the communal tables and long counter.
220 California St., San Francisco, California, 94111, USA415-955–1919Known For
- Regional Italian food
- Quality food in casual setting
- Curated wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch weekends, Closed Sun. No lunch Sat. -
8. Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar
$$ | North Beach |Calabrian-born SF resident Francesco Covucci is determined to continue the Italian legacy of North Beach with trendy, casual, quality-driven regional Italian eateries (he also owns Il Casaro Pizzeria at 348 Columbus Ave.). Here you can slam Roman-style pinsa, which is a modern style of ciabatta-shaped pizza made of a multigrain flour mix and gourmet toppings like burrata and pesto or pear, walnut, and Gorgonzola.
431 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-445--3009Known For
- Roman pasta specialties like cacio e pepe
- Casual industrial-chic decor with wooden tables and tiled bar
- Craft cocktails and wines from Italy and California
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9. Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar
$$ | |Calabrian-born SF resident Francesco Covucci is determined to continue the Italian legacy of North Beach with trendy, casual, quality-driven regional Italian eateries (he also owns Il Casaro Pizzeria at 348 Columbus Avenue). Here you can slam Roman-style pinsa, which is a modern style of ciabatta-shape pizza made of a multigrain flour mix and gourmet toppings like burrata and pesto or pear, walnut, and Gorgonzola. They also serve the triad of Roman pastas—cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and carbonara—with grace. This is a solid spot to grab a Campari soda and a pinsa, then tuck into a plate of pasta with a bottle of wine and a friend.
431 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-445–3009Known For
- Roman pasta specialties
- Casual industrial-chic decor
- Craft cocktails and wines from Italy and California
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10. Cotogna
$$$ | |The draw at this urban trattoria is chef Michael Tusk's flavorful, rustic, seasonally driven Italian cooking, headlined by pastas, beautifully grilled or spit-roasted meats, and homemade gelato. The look inside and outside is comfortably chic, with wood tables, quality stemware, and fantastic Italian wines by the bottle and glass.
490 Pacific Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-775–8508Known For
- Raviolo with brown butter and egg in center
- Tough to get reservations
- Peak seasonal produce in antipasti
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential -
11. Da Flora
$$ | |Wife-and-husband duo chef Jen McMahon and Oakland native Darren Lacy (front of house) strive to create the neighborhood's most thoughtful Italian dining experience. Handwritten menus and linen napkins set the tone for ingredient-driven, high-quality regional Italian–inspired cuisine. The menu includes fresh pastas stuffed with Italian cheeses, West Coast veg-heavy salad starters, and classic Italian desserts with gourmet flair, such as butterscotch panna cotta or torta di cioccolato (flourless) with Amarena cherries.
701 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-981–4664Known For
- House-baked focaccia and fresh pastas
- Red walls and cozy, romantic decor
- Decadent Italian desserts
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Tues. No lunch -
12. Freddie's Sandwiches
$ | |For a take-out sando shop for those in the North Beach know, Freddie's is where you need to go. The calling cards of this off-the-tourist-track time capsule, owned by Ed Sweileh, are the combo layered with mortadella, pressed ham, cheese, and salami galore, and the protein trio turkey, ham, and bacon club. No FOMO buzz means there are no lines compared to other institutions.
300 Francisco St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-433–2882Known For
- Corner store vibe
- Plenty of sandwich choices
- Excellent value for the price
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No dinner -
13. Locanda
$$$ | Mission District | ItalianThe owners of lauded Delfina channel the culinary traditions of Rome at this lively osteria, where the bar stools are constantly occupied and carbs get glorious treatment: chewy pizza bianca is an addictive starter, while peppery and creamy tonnarelli cacio e pepe is a signature. Finely made cocktails arrive at dark-wood tables on a candlelit tray, and white wall tiles from iconic local makers, Heath Ceramics, which lend a Mission vibe.
557 Valencia St., San Francisco, California, 94110, USA415-863–6800Known For
- Delicious pasta and antipasti
- Busy bar
- Cool Mission vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch weekdays -
14. Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe
$ | |This intimate, triangular spot with a beautiful antique oak bar serves great hot focaccia sandwiches, sourcing from Liguria Bakery. Try the toasted combo (ham, salami, cheese), the breaded eggplant, or the meatball drenched in marinara. On sunny days, take your order across the street to Washington Square for a San Francisco picnic.
566 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, California, USAKnown For
- Loaded focaccia sandwiches
- Old-school San Francisco vibe
- Great Washington Square views
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15. Original Joe's
$$$ | |After a fire destroyed the old-school Italian American restaurant's Tenderloin building in 2007, it moved to North Beach; the "new" place has its charms, but it's quite a different restaurant, with far more sophisticated decor that includes some mid-century design elements. Original Joe's took over the former location of Fior D'Italia and carried on that space's legacy as a destination for fine dining, now marrying a higher-end experience with classic Italian American fare like eggplant parmigiana, saucy meatballs, and fettuccine dishes. It fit into the neighborhood right away and feels like it's been here much longer than its 2012 opening date indicates.
601 Union St., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-775–4877Known For
- Classic Cal-Ital food
- House-made ravioli
- Excellent bar
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Thurs. -
16. Perbacco
$$ | Financial District |From the complimentary basket of skinny, brittle breadsticks to the pappardelle with short rib ragù, chef Staffan Terje’s entire menu is a delectablepaean to northern Italy. With a long marble bar and open kitchen, this brick-lined two-story space oozes big-city charm, attracting business types and Italian food aficionados alike to the FiDi well after evening rush hour ends.
230 California St., San Francisco, California, 94111, USA415-955--0663Known For
- Agnolotti del plin (a type of pasta filled with meat)
- House-made cured meats
- Vitello tonnato (cold veal with a tuna-flavored sauce) appetizer
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Sat. -
17. Poesia Café
$ | Castro |An offshoot of the restaurant Poesia next door, the name means "poetry" in Italian, and the pastries, desserts, and savory sandwiches at this cafe live up to the name. You can't go wrong with anything on the house-made cornetti or focaccia, or for that matter any of the wide variety of Italian pastries. The artful interior makes good use of tile and color, and the service is warm and personal.
4076 18th St., San Francisco, California, 94114, USAKnown For
- Italian cornetti sandwiches
- Warm service
- Inspiring impulsive "just one more" purchases
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner -
18. The Italian Homemade Company
$ | |In Italy, the bastion of fresh pasta is Emilia-Romagna, and a trio of entrepreneurs hailing from the region give respect to its claim to carb fame in a mini-empire of fast-casual pasta eateries, with the one in North Beach as its flagship. Come for treats like slabs of lasagna that fool you into thinking you're calorie-loading in Bologna, as well as stuffed ravioli and gnocchi. The space itself is nothing fancy and looks like a deli, but grab your cutlery and a seat and enjoy your feast. While much of North Beach's Italian identity has eroded over the years, new-generation businesses like this one are bringing some of that soul back.
716 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-712–8874Known For
- Varieties of piadina (Italian flatbreads with meats, cheeses, and vegetables)
- Mix-and-match pastas and sauces
- Great quality for the price
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19. Tosca Cafe
$$$ | |The leather booths and chairs are in high demand at this dark and clubby boho classic from 1919, where well-heeled locals and visitors delight in food that skews to the Cal-Italian genre, meaning local catches and seasonal produce as well as Italian flair in dishes such as halibut crudo and meatballs swimming in red sauce. This is also a great place to park on a stool at the bar, linger over a craft cocktail, and soak up the old–San Francisco vibe.
242 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, California, 94133, USA415-986–9651Known For
- Italian cocktails
- Raw bar and caviar menu
- Tuscan fried chicken
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
20. Uva Enoteca
$$ | Haight |This casual Italian wine bar hits all the right notes: the mood is convivial, the food is solid, and there's plenty of wine—more than 10 by the glass and a long list of bottles. The menu is straightforward, with assortments of Italian cured meats and cheeses, a selection of salads and vegetable dishes, and a roster of pastas and pizzas. Try the gelato: it will take you straight to Italy. A young, savvy staff fits right into the upbeat surroundings, with a marble counter, a handful of banquettes, and tables for two and four.
568 Haight St., San Francisco, California, 94117, USA415-829–2024Known For
- Simple but delicious food
- Good gelato
- Friendly staff
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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