This is my home – I hope you enjoy it. This guide has been updated post-pandemic so you can rest assured the businesses below are still up and running!

Restaurants

Listed $$$$ —> $$

Kokkari – excellent Greek restaurant downtown with a great wine list

Foreign Cinema – excellent French/California cuisine in the Mission with a good bar; great date spot

Petit Crenn – Dominique Crenn’s more casual (and less expensive) restaurant; you’ll likely need a reservation (currently closed —> due to reopen soon)

Waterbar – fine dining on the Embarcadero with amazing views of the Bay Bridge; they have a great $1 oyster happy hour

Lolinda – excellent Argentinian steakhouse in the Mission with a good bar

Che Fico Alimentari – likely my favorite Italian restaurant in the city

NOPA – good, modern California cuisine on the Panhandle

Pearl 6101 – casual yet upscale Mediterranean food with a California flair; amazing cocktails; this place has has quickly become my favorite restaurant in the city

Lavash – excellent, family-owned Persian restaurant in the Inner Sunset

The Tailors’s Son – solid Italian on Fillmore with great cocktails

Wild Seed – great vegan restaurant in Cow Hollow

AltoVino – quaint Italian restaurant with a nice wine selection

Noosh – beautiful space with refreshing cocktails and fresh ingredients; make sure you order the smoked yogurt

Bar Crudo – raw bar with an excellent happy hour and great service

The Pawn Shop – speakeasy in SOMA with great service and a lot of character offering late night dining (tapas) until 1 or 2 am (it’s also next to Monarch, my favorite dance club in the city)

Flores – Mexican in the Marina/Pacific Heights (carnitas are delicious)

Nopalito – casual, sister restaurant of NOPA with great Mexican food

Montesacro – excellent, Italian pizza

Pizzeria Delfina – an SF staple

Pizzetta 211 – Pearl 6101’s sister restaurant (and neighbor) with a simple menu that rotates biweekly

Akikos – delicious, fresh sushi downtown

Ryoko’s Sushi – open late (often with a house DJ), you’ll likely wait for a table

Tsunami sushi – fresh sushi on the Panhandle with a great whisky bar

Wayo – traditional sushi bar with fresh fish and great prices; owned by the sweetest Japanese couple

Anchor Oyster Bar – a sustainable oyster bar in the Castro. Everything is fresh and delicious, but I highly recommend you order the cioppino and garlic bread.

El Techo – rooftop restaurant (and bar) in the Mission; great spot for carnitas and grilled meat

Nabe – great hot pot in the Inner Sunset and the Marina

Causwells – solid burger (get the fries, not the side salad)

Blue barn – if you want a fresh, delicious, $20 farm-to-table salad

Tacolicious – great chips and salsa + great tacos + great margaritas

Souvla – casual and quick Greek that always hits the spot; great for delivery

Yuanbao Jiaozi – excellent dumplings in the Sunset

Homemade Italian – hearty and delicious; great for delivery

Roam Burger – my go-to burger in the city; great for delivery

Bars & Lounges

Grouped by neighborhood

The Alembic – dim lighting, excellent cocktails, and great bites (great date spot)

Moongate lounge – sexy lounge with skilled bartenders (great date spot)

Rickhouse – great drinks, speakeasy vibe

The Treasury – bar in the FiDi with a nice selection of whisky cocktails

Press Club – nice, large wine bar

Novela – nice cocktail bar in SOMA

Chambers – nice bar at the Phoenix hotel

Jones – rooftop bar in the TL

Peacekeeper – retracting roof leads to a very cool indoor / outdoor vibe

Ebb & Flow – laid-back neighborhood wine bar/shop focusing on family-owned vineyards and small producers; great cheese selection and very knowledgeable and kind owner

Birba – a quaint wine bar with a garden oasis

Anina – outdoor seating in Hayes Valley

15 Romolo – great Pimm’s Cup near North Beach (Italian district)

The Redwood Room – sophisticated cocktail bar in the Clift Hotel near Union Sq; a great place to people watch

Bergerac – this place was my jam 😉

The Dorian – if you find yourself in the Marina

Monarch – my favorite ‘club’ in the city

Cafes + Bakeries

Grouped by neighborhood

Hollow – adorable, quaint cafe in the Inner Sunset with great coffee and matcha. Their oat cake is good, too.

The Beanery – simple and reliable with a friendly staff

Arizmendi – co-op owned, delicious bakery (2 locations = Inner Sunset + Mission)

Tartine – amazing bakery. They have a seasonal warm brioche bread pudding. It’s divine. They’ve also opened a cafe since I left – I’m sure it’s amazing. Additional location on 9th Avenue in the Inner Sunset is now open.

Devil’s teeth – bakery with two locations: one in the Outer Sunset and one in the Outer Richmond. They have an amazing breakfast sandwich and their cinnamon roll is fabulous.

Arsicault Bakery – the best croissants I’ve ever eaten (and I’ve been to Paris x 3 times)

Breck’s – next door to Arsicault Bakery; they serve Verve coffee

b. patisserie – delicious baguettes and the best kouign amann I’ve had to date

b. on the go – great sandwich spot with an amazing seasonal shrub drink that I highly recommend

Jane The Bakery – excellent bread

Lady Falcon Coffee Club – great coffee truck on the move

Rapha – great coffee in Cow Hollow. You can work upstairs, too.

Wrecking Ball Coffee – this may be my favorite coffee shop in the city. Located in Cow Hollow, it’s small and the coffee (and matcha) is perfect.

Other coffee staples = Four Barrel, Blue Bottle, Ritual, Philz, and Saint Frank

Activities

Grace Cathedral – beautiful church located at the top of Nob Hill (they host yoga Tuesday nights, pre-covid)

Lion steps – great workout with an even better view of the marina

Ferry Building + Embarcadero – lovely stroll with picturesque views + amazing (touristy and expensive) Tu/Th/Sat farmers' market

Golden Gate Park – a beautiful park that spans nearly 5 miles

California Academy of Science – an awesome museum with an adult only Thursday night (in Golden Gate Park)

Fort Mason – where the youngins hang; great views of the bay

Lands End – beautiful hike with incredible views

Mount Sutro Forest – nice hike behind UCSF that leaves you feeling like you just stepped into FernGully

de Young Museum – great museum in Golden Gate Park

SFMOMA – if modern art is your thing

Delores Park – the place to be on a sunny day

Yoga +

The Pad – a large studio with a variety of yoga and Pilates classes

Body and Soul Yoga Collective – previously Laughing Lotus; what a yoga studio should be

Satori – an urban oasis in the financial district

Mighty Pilates – form, form, form

Barry's bootcamp – Tuesday is butt + leg day if you want to get your ass kicked

Core 40 – you'll start sweating 5 minutes in

Out of the City

Pilates ProWorks – classic and pro reformer classes with great teachers and a MatBox class that leave your arms sore for days

Burn (virtual) – a blend of cardio, spring board pilates and weights

Looking for more?

Redfin reached out to local experts, including me, to share our favorite hidden gems in San Francisco. From hidden parks to local restaurants to secret locations, these are places you won’t want to miss. Check out the post here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in the city?

A: This is a hard one! Right now, I’d say Pearl 6101 or Foreign Cinema.

Q: If you had to pick one cafe, which would it be?

A: Arsicault for the crossiants. I’d also grab a quick coffee next door at Breck’s (they brew Verve). If I just wanted coffee or matcha I’d go to Wreckingball.

Q: What would be your perfect night out?

A: Bergerac followed by Monarch.

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This post was written by Kelly Powers, MA, RDN. Kelly is a Registered Dietitian and Culinary Nutritionist who takes a holistic approach to nutrition and health. She is a recipe developer with a food blog highlighting whole foods, simple recipes, and her life in San Francisco. Kelly is the creator of Weeknight Dinners, a weekly meal plan program that helps users get back in the kitchen and feed themselves well. Kelly specializes in meal planning, the Mediterranean diet, and sustainable behavior change, helping her clients reach their health goals while improving their relationship with food.