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Best Restaurants in San Francisco

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For a city that is only 47 square miles, it packs a big punch when it comes to eats.   Bring your appetite and your stretchy pants because there is a lot to try. We still have a pretty lengthy foodie bucket list but here is our list of the best restaurants in San Francisco from our latest trip.   We would love to hear what your favorite SF eats are so drop me a comment so we can add them to my list.


Brenda’s French Soul Food

Brenda’s serves up some of the best shrimp & grits and beignets I have had outside of New Orleans.  Their crawfish beignets are a must order along with their Creole Bloody Mary. The wait can get a bit long so show up early or make a reservation. They only do a limited number of reservations and during brunch, their reservations are limited. You can make reservations via  Resy.

652 Polk St., San Franciscofrenchsoulfood.com


Cotogna

Cotogna is a casual Italian spot that serves house-made pasta, fresh veggies, and wood-fired pizza with a Northern Italian influence.  The menu changes daily based on what’s available locally but you can never go wrong with a plate of pasta or pizza. Dinner can get a bit busy we recommend making reservations either on their website.

490 Pacific Ave, San Francisco, cotognasf.com


Plow

Serving up farm-to-table comfort food this place is for true lovers of breakfast.  My recommendation is an order of the lemon ricotta pancakes or their custard french toast.    They don’t take reservations and are known for a long wait so get there early.

1299 18th St, San Francisco, www.eatatplow.com


Hog Island Oyster Co

Skip the seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf and take the light rail a mile and a half to the Ferry Building for a meal at Hog Island.  The menu, of course, includes oysters (raw, grilled, or on a sando) but also clams, mussels, and even baby back ribs for the non-seafood foodies.  With floor-to-ceiling windows, I think every seat has a view of San Francisco Bay. Unfortunately, their San Francisco location doesn’t take reservations but they are pretty efficient at seating so you probably won’t wait long.

Ferry Building, One, #11, San Franciscohogislandoysters.com


Foreign Cinema

This place has been open since 1999 and is still going strong.  And yes, as the name suggests you will get dinner and a movie (during dinner service).  They do take reservations via Open Table but if you want a dinner reservation on Saturday I suggest planning ahead as they are usually booked a month out.

2534 Mission St, San Franciscoforeigncinema.com


Tartine Manufactory

A multi-faceted space that not only has a restaurant but also a coffee shop, bar, bakery, and ice cream shop.  There honestly is no wrong order whether it is a grab-and-go pastry for breakfast or a sandwich or pizza for lunch.  Reservations are highly encouraged and you can make them on their website.

595 Alabama St, San Franciscotartinebakery.com


Surisan

Surisan breakfast/brunch menu is a collection of Asian-inspired American comfort food.  For dinner expect more elevated traditional Korean dishes. Located in Fisherman’s Wharf you can get all the sites and sounds while enjoying locally sourced, high-quality dishes not aimed at just tourists but also locals.   Reservations are available on either OpenTable or Yelp.

505 Beach St, San Franciscosurisansf.com


Boudin and Ghiradelli Square

Fisherman’s Wharf is historic and also extremely touristy.  But while you are in the area I do recommend a visit to both Boudin Sourdough and Ghiradelli Square at least once.

The smell of Boudin’s sourdough at their flagship store in the Wharf will be overwhelming.  Watch their bakers busy at work through their 30-foot observation window, take a walk through their store, or grab a bread bowl filled with their clam chowder.

Ghirardelli Square is a chocolate lover’s dream. Step into the original Ghirardelli ice cream and chocolate shop to learn about the chocolate-making process, splurge on a create your own ice cream experience or stock up on all your favorite Ghirardelli chocolates.


Garden Creamery

I missed out on Garden Creamery’s chimney cone (they only have them available on certain days) but still got my hands on a couple of scoops of two of their unique flavors. Who wouldn’t want to try black sesame or Thai tea ice cream? All of their ingredients are locally sourced and each batch of ice cream is hand-crafted. Not down with dairy? Their menu also includes vegan sorbet made with coconut milk and agave nectar.

3566 20th St, San Franciscogardencreamery.com

What are your favorite places for eats in San Francisco? Drop us a comment below with your favorite restaurants in San Francisco. And if you snapped some shots, share them on Instagram, and be sure to tag @casual.epicure so we can feature them in our stories.

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