My Favorite Restaurant(s) 2017

Whenever I’m asked what my favorite restaurant is, my mind goes blank. Even though I spend so much time planning my next meal and thinking about my last one, I have a really hard time answering that simple question. All of a sudden I can’t even remember the name of a single good restaurant. I think my restaurant amnesia is caused by a couple of issues:

1. It’s hard to compare restaurants directly — it feels impossible to rank a fancy tasting menu dinner against my favorite salad place against a delicious Hawaiian brunch. It really depends what you’re in the mood for.
2. I’m nervous about sending people somewhere and having them end up disappointed. I disagree about restaurants with friends all the time. What I like is not necessarily what you’ll like.

That being said, I have tons of favorite restaurants in San Francisco. I narrowed down the list to my top 15 — most of which I’ve been to at least three times (so it wasn’t just one fun night). I also added in a bonus 13 that I feel comfortable recommending as well. Both lists are in no particular order. Almost all of these restaurants require advanced reservations, so be sure to plan ahead!

My Best of SF

• Liho Liho Yacht Club (for dressed-up Hawaiian food in a lively setting with a fun bar downstairs — I could eat their poke daily)
• Tartine Manufactory (for ingredient-focused, seasonal, family-style dishes that are simply and excellently prepared)
• Al’s Place (for a meal that puts vegetables first without being vegetarian— order the salad and the curry and follow the restaurant’s great playlist on Spotify)
• Lazy Bear (for a novel approach to fancy tasting menu dinners — cocktails and small bites served upstairs, communal tables, and accessible chefs)
• Octavia (for a high-quality meal in Pac Heights that everyone will enjoy — the deviled egg and the squid ink noodles are their signature dishes, but you can’t go wrong)
• Wako (for semi-fancy sushi in a perfect blonde wood box out on Clement— get the omakase and/or the Kobe nigiri)
• Mourad (for delicious Middle Eastern cuisine fitting of a special occasion — it’s all good, so order as much as you can possibly eat)
• Saison (for the most expensive dinner in the city — but an amazing one!)*1 visit only
• Izakaya Rintaro (for skewers and fresh tofu in a room that transports you to Japan — don’t miss the chicken oysters and sesame ice cream)
• State Bird Provisions (for Californian cuisine small plates served dim sum style — a perpetual crowd pleaser — get the sauerkraut pancakes and the state bird)
• The Progress (for creative family style courses with generous portions and great cocktails — by the State Bird team but feels totally original — the menu changes regularly, but order the roti if it’s offered)
• ‘Aina (for a filling Hawaiian brunch or dinner in the happiest Dogpatch room — my favorites are the ribs at dinner and the Portuguese sausage hash at brunch)
• Cala (for an untraditional, fish heavy, fancy Mexican meal — don’t underestimate the sweet potato with bone marrow — it’s one of my favorite dishes in SF)
• Cotogna (for a cozy environment with A+ Cal Italian food — the Sunday suppers are one of my mom and my favorite traditions)
• Californios (for my kind of tasting menu — Mexican influenced, you can wear jeans, and you want a second serving of every course)*1 visit only

13 More Honorable Mentions

While I wouldn’t call these restaurants my all-time favorites, I’d very happily accept an invite to dine at them any night of the week.

• Old Bus Tavern (for a cool Bernal bar with surprisingly good food)
• Frances (for the original restaurant from the Octavia team — same vibe, but in the Castro with a different menu — the lumberjack cake is always a nice end to the meal)
• Mister Jiu’s (for modern Chinese in an attractive room located in an alley in China Town)
• Leo’s Oyster Bar (for the most fun restaurant in the Financial District)
• Monsieur Benjamin (for very good, but very expensive, French bistro food in a glass box)
• Locanda (for pasta in the Mission at a restaurant that’s cool without being too cool — owned by the Delfina team, but I like this better than their original restaurant)
• Piccino (for Italian in the Dogpatch when you want something semi-fancy that doesn’t require a reservation weeks in advance— get the meatballs)
• Stones Throw (for a comforting meal that works for parents, friends, or dates — just be prepared to be seated late — get the puffed potatoes)
• Spruce (for a fancy night out — one of the few places where you should dress up in SF — will feel like a special occasion even if you just order the burger off of the bar menu)
• Kin Khao (for a casual, but Michelin starred, Thai dinner near Union Square)
• Rich Table (similar in vibe to Octavia, Frances, and Stones Throw, but with an Italian focus — good pastas and great porcini puffs)
• Flour & Water / Central Kitchen (for freshly made pastas and decadent desserts in a space that manages to feel relaxed and special at the same time)