clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Appreciating the Year's Top Standby Restaurants

New, 8 comments

If you buy something from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

As is the tradition at Eater, our closeout of the year is a survey of industry types, writers, and readers. This year, we asked the group eight questions. Single Best Meals and Top Newcomers were revealed earlier, and all will be answered by the time we turn off the lights on Thursday. Responses are related in no particular order; all are cut, pasted and unedited herein:
2009_12_zunistandby.jpg
Zuni Cafe. [Photo: Flickr/daseindesign]

Jan Newberry, San Francisco Magazine: Cane Rosso, the Thursday farmers' market at the Ferry Building, happy hour at Adesso, and Pizzaiolo, always Pizzaiolo.

Brett Emerson, Contigo: Since we're at the Ferry Building a few times a week, we often stop by Il Cane Rosso for their unparalleled sandwiches, salads and soups and Primavera for the best Mexican food in the Bay Area. On our rare nights off, we head straight to Nopa, Camino, or PPQ (on Irving).

Rajat Parr, RN74: Zuni, Beretta and Slanted Door

Sarah Sung, UrbanDaddy: SPQR, Out the Door, Nopalito, Pesce, Chez Maman

Bruce Hill, Picco/Bix: A16, Incanto, Range, Foreign Cinema

Ryan Farr, 4505 Meats: Bar Tartine, Namu, Il Cane Rosso, Spices 2, Ike's Place Sandwiches

Nish Nadaraja, Yelp: Dosa, Little Star Pizza, Doug Washington’s places, NOPA ? and was sad to see Metro Kathmandu close its doors this month.

Christopher Kostow, Meadowood: Burma Superstar

Jessica Battilana, 7x7: You mean places that I go to a lot? Well, that’s a hazard of my job, that I don’t get to go to the places I love the most all that often. But always La Taqueria, where I religiously order the crispy chicken tacos, and always Aziza, which I always intend to go to more often, because it’s one of my all-time favorites. Also Bar Tartine, which is the place I go when I think I should cook at home but am to lazy to cook at home, by which I mean I find the food comfortable and simple and always very good. I only wish they had a liquor license

Joe Hargrave, Tacolicious: Me + Wife + Kids = Kingdom of Dumplings. Me + Wife – Kids = Pizzeria Delfina (18th). Me – Wife – Kids = La Torta Gorda

Brock Keeling: SFist: Delica (ferry building), Orson (SOMA), South (SOMA), Bar Bambino (Mission), Golden Era (Tenderloin)

Lissa Doumani, Terra/Ame: ?Standby seems like a lesser word but we go to: Ryoko's often, we love the quality of the fish and Atsushi has very good technique. Namu, I love the play on flavors, is it Japanese, is it Korean, it is just good. Globe, you know sometimes you just want something perfect and simple like pasta with tomato sauce and a great margarita. Swan Oyster Depot, can’t get enough oyster and Muscadet

Anna Weinberg, South: My hood -Tres Agaves, Thai basil to-go, Coco500, Spencer on the go

Lucchesi: A16, Bar Bambino, Incanto and the Slanted Door still top the list. The bar area at Absinthe, pre-Giants at Java House, and Sunday afternoons at Zuni are staples in the rotation too. On the downscale side: Lers Ros, Tommy's Joynt, In-N-Out, Corneta, and Blue Barn. I've broken up with some others—Tipsy Pig, Taylor's, Yuet Lee, Cancun—several times this year, but like any abusive relationship, you always seem to go back, full of new hope.