Summer/Fall 2019 Restaurant Update
Coming in hot are twenty bangin’ additions to the Bay Area Restaurant Map! Since we last checked in during Spring, I’ve made lots of discoveries, sampled some new spots and remembered forgotten old faves. This list has a lot going on, from sister restaurants and additional locations (Flour + Water Pizzeria, Che Fico Alimentari, RT Rotisserie NoPa, Tartine Inner Sunset) to All Day Cafes (Le Marais, Tartine Inner Sunset, Velo Rouge Cafe) plus plenty of pizza (Pizzaiolo, Flour + Water Pizzeria, Square Pie Guys) and of course a bunch of Richmond District hangs (Pho Huynh Sang, King of Thai Cuisine #2, Spices, Tanuki, Velo Rouge, Palmetto Superfoods). There’s plenty more where that came from - check out the additions, revisit the map (or spreadsheet) and start making plans!
1. Che Fico Alimentari
Cuisine: Italian
Hood: NoPa
Vibe: Trendy
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Date night, couldn't get into Che Fico
Behold, Che Fico's downstairs romantic restaurant disguised as a salumeria/grocery. Start your meal with one of the gazillion housemade charcuterie options, then move on to a couple antipasti and comforting pastas and round things out with an actually memorable main. This place fills up fast, so make a rez.
2. Davey Jones Deli
Cuisine: American
Hood: Sausalito
Vibe: Casual
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $
Occasion: OMW to Mount Tam
Unassuming from the outside, this quirky sando shop doubles as a bait and tackle store. Stop in for a sandwich loaded with a gazillion veggies, tasty spreads like almond pesto and pulled pork or roast turkey, all smashed between crispy Dutch Crunch bread. The perfect pit stop before hitting Mount Tam for a hike!
3. Flour + Water Pizzeria
Cuisine: Italian
Hood: Mission
Vibe: Hip
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Date night, couldn't get into Flour + Water
While Flour + Water is a pasta destination, their new restaurant on Valencia Street turns the eponymous ingredients into another Italian staple - pizza! With no reservations, you'll want to show up a bit early. Smaller groups may be lucky enough to snag a seat at the pizza counter, where you'll “oooo” and “ahhh” at the mesmerizing operation taking place behind the glass. The pies are Neapolitan style, which means charred crust and a gooey center. Don't skip the Spritz or housemade soft serve either!
4. Heirloom Cafe
Cuisine: California
Hood: Mission
Vibe: Hip
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Date night, dinner with relatives
Flying just under-the-radar of Bay Area hype is this adorable gem of a California cuisine restaurant. The airy farmhouse vibe (complete with handsome flannel-clad servers) creates an inviting setting for the seasonal offerings that feature the best stuff of the moment. Dishes are creative but approachable - it's the kind of menu you could close your eyes and point at - it's all that good.
5. Hookfish
Cuisine: Seafood
Hood: Outer Sunset
Vibe: Hip
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Outer Sunset adventure, fish craving
There is a tiiiiny delta between effortlessly cool and ultra pretentious and Hookfish is right up in there. This itsy bitsy seafood spot run by a highly tattooed and very friendly staff is in the up-n-coming Outer Sunset neighborhood. Locals and travelers co-mingle to get their share of v fresh, locally caught fish served in a variety of formats. From poke and chips (a must!) to battered fillets to burritos and tacos, each option is refreshing and satisfying. You WILL get hooked.
6. King of Thai Cuisine #2
Cuisine: Thai
Hood: Inner Richmond
Vibe: Casual
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Late nite, take out
While mornings on Clement Street are ruled by dim sum, evenings are a bit quieter, save for a few rowdy Irish bars. Those, and King of Thai Cuisine #2, which is packed to the gills nightly until 1AM. You'll find heaping piles of stir-fried noodles and all the other the take-out classics, but I'm partial to dining in on the later side. My order: "Fried Chicken over Fried Rice," an indulgent combo of tempura-like crispy boneless chicken draped over deeply comforting simply fried rice.
7. Kingston 11
Cuisine: Jamaican
Hood: Oakland
Vibe: Hip
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Date night, friends dinner
A lively, casual Jamaican spot in the heart of downtown Oakland! The Jerk chicken is fire and is best paired with one of their creative (but sweet!) rum cocktails or an ice cold Red Stripe.
8. Le Marais
Cuisine: French
Hood: Castro
Vibe: Casual
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Post Pilates power breakfast, relaxing with a book
An adorable Parisian bakery/cafe in a quaint little nook of the Castro (pssst there's also a location in the Marina, if you dare). Grab a croque madame or pain au chocolat and a cappuccino and watch the world go by. Bonne journée!
9. Palmetto Superfoods
Cuisine: California
Hood: Inner Richmond
Vibe: Trendy
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Tryna be healthy, but you have a sweet tooth
If you thought Acai's moment was over, you haven't met Palmetto Superfoods yet. This just-opened healthy treat destination slings acai/dragonfruit/matcha/etc. bowls Chipotle-style. Load up on fresh fruit, crunchy granola, nut butters and more and hang at the parklet right outside while you enjoy!
10. Pho Huynh Sang
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Hood: Inner Richmond
Vibe: Casual
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $
Occasion: Quick bite in the neighborhood
Lesser known that cult favorites like Burma Superstar and Cafe Bun Me along the same stretch of Clement Street, Pho Huynh Sang is a solid choice for Vietnamese comfort. The pho is just what the doctor ordered - fresh chewy noodles bathed in a light broth served with plenty of aromatics. Beyond soup, the sprawling menu features plenty of other options to dig into as well!
11. Pizzaiolo
Cuisine: Italian
Hood: Oakland
Vibe: Trendy
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Date night, special occasion dinner
This cozy, hip Oakland pizza spot has all the rustic charm you'd expect of…a cozy, hip Oakland pizza spot. Bask in the dim light of Edison bulbs while hovered over a wood-fired pie topped with seasonal veg and cured meats. Slightly overpriced tbh, but as the kids say, it's a vibe.
12. RT Rotisserie (NoPa)
Cuisine: California
Hood: NoPa
Vibe: Hip
Dining Style: Fast Casual
Price: $$
Occasion: Weeknight post-gym quick bite or catch-up with a friend
The second location of Rich Table's fast casual sister restaurant, RT Rotisserie's NoPa location is just as lovely. Crispy-skin rotisserie chicken, punchy sides (if you're not eating the rice cooked in shmaltz, you're doing it wrong) and friendly staff. Just like its big sis, this is the kind of place you just want to hang out around.
13. Spices
Cuisine: Chinese
Hood: Inner Richmond
Vibe: Casual
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Feeling spicy
Don't be put off by the awkward steampunk decor here - this Sichuan spot is legit. Skip the General Tso stuff and go straight for the Fried Sweet Dumplings, Stinky Tofu and anything with Explosive Chilis involved. It's an all-sensory experience that absolutely requires keeping a pitcher of Tsingtao at the ready.
14. Square Pie Guys
Cuisine: American
Hood: SoMa
Vibe: Hip
Dining Style: Fast Casual
Price: $$
Occasion: Feeling hedonistic
May I have your attention, please? Will the real Detroit style pizza please stand up? Say hello to Square Pie Guys, your next obsession! This SoMa newcomer is baking sheet pan pizza that will blow your mind. Crispy and cheesy in all the right places – it is truly a revelation. The scene in here is so fun and convivial, probably because everyone is pizza drunk.
15. Tacorgasmico
Cuisine: Mexican
Hood: Castro
Vibe: Casual
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $
Occasion: Pre-Castro dance night fuel
Overflowing with bright colors and festive music, this small taqueria is teeming with Castro vibes. Tacos are obvi a strong move, but I'm a fan of the Cochinita Pibil Plate, featuring slow roasted pork cooked inside a banana leaf with smoky peppers. I mean, come on! ;)
16. Tanuki
Cuisine: Japanese
Hood: Inner Richmond
Vibe: Casual
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Cozy, chill date night
Japanophiles rejoice! Stepping inside Tanuki is like stepping into a cozy izakaya from a rainy alley in a quiet nook of Tokyo. With muted colors, lots of wood and a 1970s-ish vibe, it's the perfect kind of neighborhood spot for a casual bite of sushi, noodles or tempura. The owner/sushi chef is engaging and adorable, though may interrupt your conversation to catch an important moment of the game on his small TV mounted above his work station. The sushi is f-r-e-s-h and the izakaya dishes are simple yet comforting. This place is perfect! P.S. Tanuki has been open since 1974 and was the 4th Japanese restaurant in SF EVER!
17. Tartine Inner Sunset
Cuisine: Cafe
Hood: Inner Sunset
Vibe: Trendy
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Brunch with a book
The latest outpost of the now world famous bread and pastry icon, Tartine! This airy, high ceiling'd spot has a communal vibe and a fun menu. Grab a loaf before heading to a dinner party or snag a seat for a lowkey (but highly Instagrammable) brunch with your buds or a book. If it's those cult Morning Buns you crave, better get there early - they go fast!
18. Velo Rouge Cafe
Cuisine: Cafe
Hood: Inner Richmond
Vibe: Casual
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $
Occasion: Post bike-ride snack, pre-GGP adventure bite to eat
This adorable biker-friendly all-day cafe is a neighborhood gem in the Inner Richmond. Velo Rouge is real close to Golden Gate Park and makes for a perfect pit stop on the way to/from a visit to the Botanical Garden, Conservatory of Flowers or the de Young Museum. Start the day with a mighty breakfast burrito or chill out with a cold beer on the sidewalk patio - you can't go wrong.
19. Wayfare Tavern
Cuisine: American
Hood: Financial District
Vibe: Fancy
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Upscale lunch meeting (on your boss), happy hour
This chic gastropub in the heart of FiDi is all leather, dark wood and upscale Americana fare. Start your meal with a gratis warm popover and then work your way through the equal parts elegant and comforting menu. Perfect for a nicer lunch meeting, after-work happy hour or destination dinner date!
20. WesBurger n' More
Cuisine: American
Hood: Mission
Vibe: Hip
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$
Occasion: You NEED a burger
If it's smashburgers, tots and milkshakes you crave, look no further than Wesburger, an overnight classic in SF's Mission District. Freshly ground beef patties get smashed on the griddle, achieving the perfect balance of crisp and juice. But don't overlook the Hot Chicken sandwich, a revelation of spice and crunch that is genuinely transcendent.