10 San Francisco Restaurants to Visit This Summer
The scene for foodies is alive and well in San Francisco, thanks to the city’s voracious appetite for exceptional cuisine and the talented legion of restaurateurs, chefs, and culinary professionals whose passion for feeding it has kept the stove flames burning. From veteran Michelin-rated superstars to up-and-coming kitchen wunderkinds, there are now more restaurant options than ever across the City by the Bay to satisfy the most discerning palettes. Whether you’re looking for the best chicken sandwich to-go or a multi-course fine-dining experience, these restaurants are worth every mouth-watering bite.
Anomaly SF
What began as a successful pop-up in 2018 from chef Mike Lanham, Anomaly SF finally opened its own brick-and-mortar location this past December on a quiet corner in Lower Pacific Heights. An alum of Michelin Star-rated Bay Area haunts including Commis, Spruce, and Auberge du Soleil, Lanham’s “post-modern” American 10-course tasting menu (about $130 per person) is as playful as it is satisfying. And, although most tables in the intimate main dining room offer a front row seat to the kitchen team’s performance, dishes are rarely what they seem. Take, for instance, the Egg Snack, an early course that resembles a bright, uncooked yolk surrounded by fluffy egg whites which, in reality, is actually an egg yolk jam ensconced by aerated potato and set atop a smoky seaweed dashi. For the follow-up course, Soup and Snow, Lanham incorporates a “snow” of negative 320-degree dry ice into a 200-degree soup—accompanied by smoked Pao de Queijo (or Brazilian cheese bread)—that offers simultaneous hot and cold bites. Other courses include unusual components like a reimagined Cheez Whiz using truffles, a fish skin that’s been steamed, dehydrated, and then fried, or a lime leaf foam. One of Lanham’s current standout dishes is a Liberty Farms duck in a mushroom jus with a black garlic puree and spring onion oil—the breast is aged for about 10 days in front of a fan to help crisp the skin, and the deboned leg meat is braised for 12 hours.
Aphotic
Both a super sexy date night spot and design lover’s paradise, stepping into Aphotic—chef Peter Hemsley’s otherworldly South of Market neighborhood seafood restaurant, which opened this spring—evokes the feeling that you’ve somehow made your way down to the layer of ocean that gets less than one percent of sunlight. Fitting, considering that' what the restaurant is named for. For this transparent and traceable high-concept fine dining establishment, Hemsley (who helped Quince earn its third Michelin Star) is joined by a team of other stars in the Michelin constellation including chef Parker Brown (Michael Mina), pastry chef Dierdre Balao Rieutort-Louis (Jean-Georges, Spruce, Gary Danko), general manager Michael McDonald (Commis), bar director Trevin Hutchins (O’ by Claude Le Tohic), and sommelier Franz Zarate (Aster). The seasonal 10-course menu ($135) offers an array of sumptuous locally sourced seafood like rockfish from Bodega Bay, spot prawns and abalone from Monterey, and a San Diego uni. And, although it might sound fishy, the Tomales Bay oyster ice cream dessert is incredible. Elevate the experience by adding the optional wine pairing ($95). One last note which might sound strange: definitely make a point to visit a restroom—they’re stunning.
Baia
In Hayes Valley, just a short walk from Civic Center, there’s something remarkable for vegetarians in the form of Baia—a plant-based Italian concept that offers a wide array of gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free pasta options. Housed in the brick-front building that was once Traci des Jardins’ beloved Jardiniere, the new vegan favorite was the brainchild of restauranteur and chef Matthew Kenney in 2020. And, although a series of unfortunate events—including the pandemic and a fire in 2022—saw to its temporary closure, the spot is back in full-swing for regular dinner service and weekend brunch. Small plates like the cashew-based mozzarella sticks with a spicy pomodoro sauce and meatless meatballs with creamy polenta are great starters. Pastas include pappardelle with broccoli and cabbage in a béchamel sauce and a spaghetti with garlic, shallots, spinach, and kale in white wine. There are also six pizzas to choose from, including one with “Impossible” spicy Italian sausage, roasted peppers, and Calabrian chili that’s quite satisfying. The menu is punctuated by a fine craft cocktail menu and wine list.
Birdbox
Last September, the proprietors of two-star Michelin-rated Birdsong—chef Chris Bleidorn and Aarti Shetty—spread their wings to open a low-key fried chicken restaurant around the corner from Oracle Park in the burgeoning South Park neighborhood. They actually tested the idea as a pop-up two years earlier as a way to share their love for fried chicken, and the response was incredible. With sustainability, ethical sourcing, and whole-animal cooking at the heart of the operation, the fast-casual spot is a favorite for locals who want to dine-in, as well as those who keep the delivery and take-out business bustling. The tight menu allows you to select your “birdbox” which includes fried chicken—made with a proprietary blend of rendered schmaltz and roasted bones—seasoned in one of three ways, along with any of their six dipping sauces and optional sides. There are also several sandwiches to choose from, including “Claude the Claw” —a whole de-boned chicken thigh and drum, served with the claw on. A “Hen of the Woods” three mushroom sandwich is the only vegetarian option but, afterall, this place seriously is all about the chicken. Compliment your order with a side of cornbread (already integrated with honey butter) and the potato salad.
Ciccino
When chef Gian Marco Cosmi and his wife Lynsey opened Ciccino last November, it quickly became a favorite dinner spot for locals in Nob Hill. The modest corner restaurant specializes in the cuisine of Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, where 35-year-old Cosmi grew up. Named in homage to his late father Angelo’s lunchtime staple—a steak "ciccia" sandwich—and the collective nickname it earned his two sons, Ciccino (or "little piece of meat") is a light-as-air love letter to Italy’s largest agricultural area. No matter which antipasti you select, from the daily-made house focaccia and gently fried fritto misto—a mix of shrimp, white cod, calamari, and charred lemon—to the tartare della rita and halibut carpaccio, you’ll be surprised by how robust and clean the flavors are. Follow any of those dishes with the pasta con le ‘sarde’—a homemade spaghetti with sardines, fennel oil, fennel seeds, and breadcrumbs—or the equally delectable cream and egg yolk-filled ravioli carbonara with pecorino foam and guanciale. Do yourself a favor and order the tiramisù mousse for dessert and, as the Italian wine list is superb and approachable, order a bottle of the 2020 Capichera Vermentino di Sardegna Lintori, which pairs nicely with seafood.
Copra
Home is where the heart is, and that’s definitely more than just an expression for chef Srijith Gopinathan when it comes to Copra, his latest Japantown-adjacent restaurant. Paying homage to the dishes of his childhood in Kerala—the tropical Indian state on the Malabar Coast along the Arabian Sea—the beautifully designed spot takes its name from the most commonly used ingredient in regional cuisine: dried coconut. On approach, the sizable building’s grey exterior is somewhat deceptive, considering what’s waiting for you on the other side of the door—a bright and airy interior space dripping with incredible macrame works of art, braided rope curtains, and jungle-like vines of greenery. And the appeal of the place isn’t just the window dressing, because it’s packed nearly every night of the week thanks to a wonderfully curated menu, creative cocktail and wine lists, and an extremely welcoming team. Start with the chutney palette for the table—a selection of traditional Southern Indian chutneys including wild gooseberry, burnt chili and tamarind, coconut green sambal, and ghost chili served with house-made achaar, papadum, and quinoa crisps. The Thattukada fried chicken, a traditional street food, and a slow-cooked octopus in a Jaffna curry leaf rub are also small-plate favorites. Larger shared dishes include a Varuval spice-crusted hamachi collar with coconut rice and snow peas in a fish head gravy, and the Dindigul style chicken biryani with Jeera samba rice.
Flour + Water Pizzeria
Chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow—the culinary duo behind Four + Water and Penny Roma in the city’s Mission District—have always had pizza on the brain, so it’s about time they devoted a spot to crafting incredible pies. With its doors finally opening at the end of June in North Beach, Flour + Water Pizzeria is their 4,000 square foot nod to pizzeria culture everywhere. They’ve refined an already incredible dough recipe to become the perfect vessel for both classic and non-traditional toppings, like the dine-in exclusive bone marrow pie known as “The OG Osso,” with fresh mozzarella, garlic, mustard greens, and fresh horseradish. Classic pizzas include margherita, pepperoni, and hawaiian, while more inventive pies like the “Cacio e Pepe” —with pecorino crema, fontina, garlic, and black pepper—are becoming new favorites. The dessert list is simple: three flavors of soft serve ice cream and a multitude of toppings. There is an extensive wine list and a creative craft cocktail menu, as well as a fully restored vintage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle arcade game for a bit of nostalgia.
Kiln
If you’ve seen The Menu starring Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, then walking into Kiln—the newest fine dining destination in Hayes Valley—might give you a feeling of déjà vu. But don’t worry, it’s just the design restraint and dining room table placement that seem oddly cinematic. The French, Scandinavian, and Japanese-influenced menu from chef and co-owner John Wesley, an alum of Michelin-starred Commis and Sons & Daughters, is as restrained as the décor, but only in the very best way possible. Exposed concrete walls with minimal interior design are the perfect backdrop for the two quietly complex tasting menus Wesley and co-owner Julianna Yang offer: an 18-to-20 course meal served over a two-and-a-half-hour period ($225) or a more approachable 8-to-10 course experience in just over half that time ($135). Dishes like the cornette of grilled beet, Blue lobster, and custard of smoked venison are exquisitely prepared and presented. Even the smallest of bites, like the beef tendon with roasted onion and sweet potato—which involves a three-day production process—arrive looking like a miniature architectural masterpiece. An additional wine pairing (up to $165 per person) showcases wines from France’s Loire Valley to the Sonoma Coast.
Rosemary & Pine
Since opening last fall in the Design District, Rosemary & Pine has become a dining destination for the South of Market-based design and tech crowds, as well as residents in this up-and-coming area of town. Helmed by Michelin-starred Executive Chef Dustin Falcon (Niku Steakhouse), the modern American concept offers fresh takes on classic dishes. Start your meal with the deviled hen eggs topped with pickled ramps or the Little Gem Caesar tossed in a dressing of cured egg yolk, anchovy, and sourdough crumble. Pastas include a Spring Pea Cappelletti with morel mushrooms, Meyer lemon, with popped sorghum, and Tortellini Americana stuffed with bologna, country ham, and Vella Dry Jack cheese. We were blown away by the tender Berkshire Pork Chop with morels and wild garlic in a Madeira jus. The wine list offers mostly California wines and the cocktail menu has some clever concoctions like the vodka based What’s the Dill, made with cucumber, dill, aloe, yuzu, yogurt, and elderflower tonic.
SuraGan
It would be a stretch to consider the Tenderloin a culinary destination, but chef Jongmoon Choi’s Korean fine-dining concept SuraGan is a revelation. Developed over the course of several years while working at Marlena in Bernal Heights, Choi’s seasonal menus are interpretations of historic Korean cookbook recipes that date as far back as 1450. The current offerings on the 12-course menu ($165 per person) are ingenious takes on dishes from the Eumsik Dimibang, a cookbook written around 1670 by Gyehyang Jang—the first woman to write a recipe book in East Asia—during the Joseon Dynasty. A series of five starters that included an egg soup, a corn kimchi “mousse,” and beef tartar were followed by delicately balanced two-or-three-bite courses. Choi follows some recipes closely, as with the fish mandu (or dumplings), while others get a fresh take based on experience or modern kitchen technology like the roast chicken dish that benefited greatly from oven roasting (as opposed to boiling). After the evening’s dining experience is over, each table receives a bound menu book that includes the original translation of each Korean recipe as well as Choi’s interpretations. In about 10 years, after he’s completed the current cookbook concept, the culture-savvy chef plans to introduce an interactive Squid Game concept with dishes inspired by the Netflix series’ storylines.
You Might Also Like
