Charles Phan broke the mold for modern Vietnamese food when he opened the original Slanted Door in the Mission a decade ago, and his Ferry Building incarnation remains the standard-bearer of ingredient-driven Asian cuisine.
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Mature and stylish, Perbacco has quickly established itself as one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. Owner Umberto Gibin is a presence in the front of house, … and Staffan Terje runs the kitchen.
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(415) 391-1849

It's the oldest restaurant in San Francisco, but the seafood is some of the freshest in town. Not even a fire can keep the old fella down for long.
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Tucked away in a random Financial District alley, Bix is a restaurant like no other in the city. Live jazz hums in the corner, classic cocktails flow at the bar and the … high-ceilinged, two-tiered dining room is alive and popping every night.
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On a lonely stretch of Broadway, Daniel Patterson combines modern technique with the best ingredients from local farms to create a four-star restaurant, proving … he’s one of the best chefs in the country.
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It’s step up in price from the typical Chinatown joint, but the cavernous R&G is a favorite of many and the fried Dungeness has become a signature.
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There’s no restaurant in the town that captures the city’s literary spirit better than the Washbag. The old writers’ haunt reopened last year, complete with a mini-shrine to Herb Caen. Sure some of the food is inconsistent, but the fries—and stiff drinks—are still a constant.
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Hidden high on a hill in a residential area and off the radar to many, owner Lorenzo Logoreci presides over the tiny, romantic Italian restaurant.
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Open only for lunch, Polk Street’s old school joint still churns out the best crab, oysters and sourdough in town.
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Because where else can you sit in stuffed leather chairs and sip ice-cold martinis and listen to an old man in a three-piece suit play the piano in the presence of a couple celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary?
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His Sentinel offshoot has grabbed more headlines lately, but Dennis Leary—one of the great underrated young chefs in SF—still has a great thing going. Dinner and brunch.

A favorite late night stop of many industry folk.
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Because nothing complements another foggy evening in SF quite like a bowl of clean pho in the TL.
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At the forefront of the artisanal cocktail movement years ago. Dining room might be a bit stuffy these days, but the bar area is still among the best in the city for a … quick bite (fries, burger, JL’s hot dog) and the aforementioned cocktail program. PS Insert scallop joke here.
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Sunday afternoon at Zuni, oysters, Balsamic bloody Marys, thin crust pizza. More please.
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Those white guys sure know their (sustainable) fish. Sitting at the sushi bar is always a memorable experience.
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Many favor the original Valencia location, and perhaps rightly so, but the bigger, shinier version of Anjan and Emily Mitra’s ode to South Indian cuisine has the … same menu favorites and then some. It’s beginning to hit its stride too.
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It can be loud and Marina-y, but eating at the big copper bar with a spicy beer makes for a great vantage point. The pan con chocolate is in the conversation of best … dessert in SF.
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Shelley Lindgren has crafted one of the best Italian wine programs in the country, the pizzas are still spot-on, service is gracious and chef Liza Shaw has kept the … ever-popular restaurant firing on all cylinders.
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SF has never been mistaken for a fine dining town, yet the two-year old Spruce has proved to be an absolute homerun in its ritzy Laurel Heights environs.
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In many ways, it’s an updated take on the Zuni formula, with the success to show. Both neighborhood standby and destination restaurant, Nopa continues to grow … admirably under Chef Jossel. Honorable mention to its little Mexican sis, Nopalito.
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Namu is a family affair and it feels like it. Ingredients are top notch, and it's quickly become one of the best modern Asian places in town. And the Korean tacos are on the menu now.

Mourad Lahlou is a chef that should/will soon be on the national radar. His Cal-Moroccan cuisine is only getting better with three-star chef Louis Maldonado aboard.
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George Morrone is dearly departed, but the ocean view is still the best in the city. A simple reminder of why you live in San Francisco.
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Even with the Grateful Dead mural covered up, what restaurant better personifies the Haight? It doesn’t hurt that Dave McLean’s housemade brews are unparallel … either.
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In the already-charming Cole Valley, Zazie is by no means a secret, but it holds a special place in the hearts of many in the ‘hood.
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The outer reaches of the city’s representative gets the nod thanks to its forearm-sized jumbo burritos, made with freshly-grilled meats. And they melt the cheese in … the tortilla first.
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Chris Cosentino has revolutionized the way that American chefs treat offal with his work at Incanto, but the restaurant is so much more. His flavors can be complex and … unconventional, his menu is witty, and owner Mark Pastore and team run the entire operation seamlessly.
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Modern comfort food at its finest. And they have a cool sign out front too.
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With all due apologies to Corneta, Cancun and the random Mission taqueria of your choice, there’s a reason that La Taq keeps taking top honors in this category.
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Pizza, cocktails, late night: all familiar concepts, but put together seamlessly by a veteran team of Adriano Pagannini, Deborah Blum and Ruggero Galdadi and you get … Beretta.
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Like Zuni, a onetime trailblazer inspired by the Chez Panisse mantra. And like Zuni, a fully-fledged restaurant on all levels, from food to service.
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You can make the argument that no restaurant in the last decade has changed the dining landscape quite like Delfina and its pizzeria offshoot next door. And that’s … a good thing.
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Late afternoon rose on the back patio. Salumi to follow.
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The gourmet coffee company has been multiplying throughout the Bay, but as charming as the Hayes Valley original garage outpost is, the Mint Plaza location was BB’s … coming-out party.
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Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani have crafted one of the most underrated East/West dining experiences in town. The space is a looker too.
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Doug Washington and the Rosenthal Brothers have gone on to open Salt House and Anchor & Hope since Town Hall, but the original is still the crown jewel in their SoMa … mini-empire.
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Chef/owner Hoss Zare defines hospitality. His restaurant is unlike any other in the city with its big, bold, unfamiliar flavors in the historic setting of the Fly Trap. …
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