Just where North Beach starts to dip down into charming Jackson Square is Cotogna, a warmer and more casual restaurant from the same group as Michelin-starred Quince. A woodfire oven and grill under an open hearth produce spit-roasted pork, rabbit, and quail, fresh pasta, and market vegetables. It’s known for the raviolo, a single large filled pasta with fresh ricotta and golden egg yolk inside.

This longstanding destination for rustic Greek is right on the border of where the business lunches of the FiDi cross over into the date-night dinners of historic Jackson Square. A menu of Greek staples like dolmathes and moussaka as well as grilled whole fish of the day are served in a warm, cozy dining room with a crackling fireplace. The lemon-oregano lamb riblets are a must-try.

A well-accoladed San Francisco mainstay, Kusakabe presents an elegant nine courses of sushi — omakase style, or chef’s choice — to this tiny, Michelined restaurant of 29 seats. Focusing on a variety of seafood, the meal might be a bit spendy, but each piece is lovingly made with the highest quality of ingredients.

Known for its acclaimed juicy fried chicken, Wayfare Tavern attracts both the daytime business luncher and the evening socialite. There is something both old fashioned and surreal about the decor; its pub-style overstuffed booths, stuffed deer and pheasants, and lanterns bring you back to a older times in a young city full of forward-looking modernity. In addition to the fried chicken, the menu — from celebrity chef Tyler Florence — features other easy hits like macaroni and cheese, a house burger on brioche, steak, and halibut.

Leo’s Oyster Bar provides the classy setting for a selection of super fresh seafood — from its namesake oysters, served both hot and cold, along with crudos, caviar, fillets of salmon, and an oh-so-San-Francisco selection of toasts. The long bar is an easy place to grab a casual dinner or drink, or you can sit down for a slightly more formal table in the dining room. The drinks have some fun with tiki influences and, fit for a seafood lover’s dream, a large champagne menu keeps the bubbles flowing freely.

After a sleek remodel in recent years, Schroeder’s shows off the best parts of its long history, starting with hearty German fare served until 10 p.m. Hearty wursts and schnitzels, and a build-your-own burger make it an option for drinking copious amounts of German (and local) beers with groups.

Open since 1849 under a changing roster of proprietors, the restaurant is a San Francisco original, occupying its current location since 1967. Tadich Grill has tried to honor its history by keeping the interior authentic to the times with train-car-like booths lining the wall and other mid-century flourishes in the wooden bar. Once seated, servers in white coats help your navigate the seafood-focused menu, organized by cooking preparation, so you choose the style and then the type of seafood or meat.

At Pabu, restaurateur Michael Mina brings his take on izakaya in partnership with chef Ken Tominaga. The large, airy, and wood-paneled dining room creates a casual atmosphere for carefully composed plates of robata — grilled meat on a skewer, like chicken breast, chicken heart, wagyu, and more — as well as sushi, steak, and other popular izakaya plates like okonomiyaki, gyoza, chicken karaage (fried chicken), and grilled squid.

With 30 tables well-spaced throughout a green courtyard that’s roughly a quarter of a city block, the all-outdoor Vault Garden was built for stress-free pandemic-era dining, including its menu. Chef Robin Song strategized dishes for their flexibility, temperature-wise — think oysters, ceviche, caviar, and salads, as well as preparations that are equally delicious as they come to room temperature, like fried shishito peppers. Or you can head inside for the Vault Steakhouse, which just reopened as an underground steak lair, complete with caviar tots.

High-end omakase entered the scene at 115 Sansome in 2019, joining the Blue Bottle in a historic building. The omakase tasting menu features 10+ courses ($200 per person) of nigiri and kaiseki-style small plates during two seatings. Reservations required.

The elegant art deco bar at the Treasury draws happy hour crowds and evening bar flies for its carefully crafted cocktails led by bar vet Carlos Yturria. In a city in which so many bars do not serve food, the Treasury is a saving grace with its small plates of oysters, pigs in a blanket, cheese, deviled eggs, and more, along with a more robust lunch menu. The bar has a special penchant for sherries, and enthusiasts will delight in the well-curated menu.

This small restaurant is one of San Francisco’s most celebrated sushi spots, adding small modern touches to traditional preparations with new ingredients. In addition to nigiri, sashimi, and rolls, the kitchen also serves izakaya-style dishes like hamachi kama, silken tofu, and fried squid. A daily “nama” menu highlights the freshest ingredients available and gives you the opportunity to try something different at each visit.

The Irish Bank and Bar is everything you would hope for a name like its own: a no-fuss bar space with ample handles of beer, outside seating, and a lively environment. Along with the drinks, there are entrees of Irish pub hits, like Irish beef stew, shepherd’s pie, bratwurst, and more. On weekend mornings, there's brunch, too.