Tables are hard to come by, but scoring a seat at the bar is do-able (especially if you’re solo), and brunch is a good bet. Read more.
Once in, order the fries, any curry on the menu, and “limited-availability” fish cuts that you’ve never heard of grilled over binchotan charcoal. Read more.
Crenn hails from Brittany, so there are always oysters and gougères to start. The ensuing vegetable and seafood dishes entwine French classics with pristine NorCal ingredients and inspiration. Read more.
The best time to go is after lunch on a weekday. Line tip: If you’re with a friend, take turns while one of you goes shopping for the best local foods around the corner at Bi-Rite. Read more.
The chicken skewers—threaded with every part from the knee to the neck to, yes, the butt—are grilled over two types of charcoal because, well, that is the kind of detail that Rintaro is built on. Read more.
Order any and all pancakes, such as sourdough with ricotta, sauerkraut, and Pecorino, and always get the “state bird,” a.k.a. fried quail. Desserts are straightforward and lovely. Read more.
Pull up a stool at the long wooden bar. Have an egg tonnato and some panini with your Trouble in Paradise, or settle in and order the chicken for two—the entire menu is available at the bar. Read more.
Have an Anchor Steam while you wait (it’s okay), then order Dungeness crab, Drake’s Bay oysters, house-smoked salmon, raw scallops, and, if you’re with (patient) friends, the shrimp or crab Louie. Read more.
Ask for your burrito dorado style: They’ll crisp it up on the plancha for you. And while you should definitely partake in the salsa verde on every table, ask for a side of salsa roja at the counter. Read more.
If you can’t get a table, or can’t commit to the cost, you can sit in the bar for cocktails, Japanese whisky, and exquisite à la carte bites. There’s even a bit of a late-night scene. Read more.
Tech workers and creatives flow in for cocktails, fried oysters, and beef-tongue buns, segueing into Spam musubi (always available, even if not on the menu), clams with black bean sauce, and more. Read more.
This is not a drill. Everything imaginable, from the ice cubes at the crowded bar to ventilation hoods in the kitchen, is tricked out with environmentally friendly bells and whistles. Read more.
If you make it till midnight, Champagne and oysters are half price until closing at 2 a.m. Read more.
Give in to the concept at this Mission favorite and you will be rewarded. The cocktail menu changes twice a year—by which we mean the theme, the brilliant drinks, and the super-smart design. Read more.
Try the Kaffe Tonic, a bittersweet creation that adds a little fizz and brightness to your shot of espresso. Read more.
Order the iced cappuccino and ask Cho whether it’s a traditional drink. See what happens. Also: Take home some beans. Read more.
Walk upstairs at the SoMa HQ and check out the Sightglass x Salt and Straw affogato bar, a collab with the Portland ice cream shop. We’ll never say no to floating ice cream in boozy coffee. Read more.
There’s a two-story Plinko game in the lobby and a pool table and shuffleboard game upstairs in the lounge. Read more.
The Hotel Vitale wins us over with its location on the Embarcadero, practically across the street from the Ferry Building. Be sure to ask for a water view. Read more.
If you can’t take home a mini gold casserole dish ($380) or a Christiane Perrochon vase ($1,800), you can spring for the elegantly packaged house line of spices, oils, and preserves. Read more.
A magical outpost where locally made planters, indigo mud cloths, silkscreened lunar calendars, and carved walnut coffee drippers rule. Read more.
Really love what you see but can’t swing the steep prices? If you have a rental car, visit their outlet across the bridge in Sausalito. They ship! Read more.
