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10/05/2025 • 5 min
Best restaurants in San Francisco
Join us as we explore the best restaurants in San Francisco, a city renowned for its exceptional coastal culinary delights. There’s a variety of gastronomic treats on offer, such as seafood, traditional American, and a host of international-inspired fare.
San Francisco, with its winding roads and emblematic landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, is every explorer’s dream. But beyond the city’s iconic landscape is a food scene that’s sure to tantalize your taste buds. And there’s no better way to explore this electrifying California city than with a Hertz car rental.
Read on as we uncover the top restaurants in San Francisco – from casual food spots and fine dining gems to eateries and cozy bistros. Get your fill of ‘Golden Gate City' and its culinary wonders with a Hertz rental car.
Kokkari Estiatorio
200 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
Wondering where to eat in San Francisco? Look no further than Kokkari Estiatoria – a Michelin-starred gem that serves traditional Greek recipes in a rustic Mediterranean-style country inn. This chic spot derives its name from a Greek seaside village on the island of Samos. There’s also another branch in Palo Alto, California.
Philoxenia, or the art of making a stranger a friend, is interwoven within the essence of this place with exemplary service. It also boasts an elegant ambience that oozes class.
Enjoy Greek specialties such as dolmathes – grape leaves infused with rice, dill, and mint. Or feast on spanakotiropita, a scrumptious pastry filled with feta cheese, leeks and dill. A must-try when visiting the area.
Anchor Oyster Bar
579 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA 94119
Another Michelin-starred eatery serving seafood cuisine with family recipes passed down through generations, Anchor Oyster Bar is a must-eat restaurant in San Francisco. Based between The Castro and Eureka Valley, the simply decorated space with antique charm is an ideal place to share a romantic meal with a loved one on those big occasions.
Enjoy steamed clams or black mussels to refresh your taste buds. Or feast on a crab cake entree, served with homemade tartar sauce and roasted potatoes. Add to that a side of Caesar salad with prawns and a seafood shrimp cocktail, and you’ve got yourself a delicious treat.
Surisan
505 Beach Street, San Francisco, CA 94133-1130
This Fisherman’s Wharf District bistro blends the old with the new, offering traditional Korean cuisine infused with modern American influences. It’s one of the best places to eat in San Francisco if you’re looking for something a little bit different.
Head chef and culinary artist Nick Yoon leads a talented team of chefs to deliver delicious dishes. Dive into kimchi fried rice and Korean barbecue, all made with locally sourced organic produce.
There’s a lunchtime and dinnertime menu – though we’d recommend trying them both. If you’re visiting the city for business, this is the perfect place to woo your clients in between those all-important meetings.
Liholiho Yacht Club
871 Sutter St Cross Street: Leavenworth, San Francisco, CA 94109-6168
Liholiho Yacht Club is one of the hottest restaurants in San Francisco, offering delicious Californian seafood in a vibrant atmosphere. Their menu is subject to change, but you’re guaranteed a hearty meal whenever you visit.
Enjoy yummy heritage-driven delicacies such as swordfish katsu, local ling cod and grilled cumin lamb curry in an environment that values diversity and care. There are no actual yachts to jump aboard, as the name suggests, but it’s still a very popular place.
Ensure you make a reservation, as it can be difficult to get a table otherwise. There’s wheelchair access, as well as gluten-free and vegetarian options. Venture over to Lower Nob Hill for this Michelin-starred gourmet charm.
Tommaso’s Ristorante Italiano
1042 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
Tommaso’s Ristorante Italiano opened in North Beach in 1935 by the Cantalupo family, who were first-generation immigrants from Naples. They came wanting to share their passion for authentic Italian cooking with San Francisco. The Crotti family took over afterwards and continued the success to become one of the best casual restaurants in San Francisco.
You’re spoilt for choice with their menu. Enjoy classic antipasto with prosciutto, rosemary ham, bresaola and artichoke hearts for starters. Then load up with homemade lasagna or calzone imbottito (folded pizza with ricotta and mozzarella) for your main. A delight for your taste buds situated on Broadway, between Jackson Square and North Beach, this family-run hotspot isn’t to be missed.
Chez Maman
401 Gough Street, San Francisco, 1401 18th Street San Francisco, CA 94107
Inspired by childhood memories of ‘mom’s cooking’, Chez Maman is one of the coziest food places in San Francisco. This neighborhood bistro has an easygoing and informal atmosphere. The decor derives from the French countryside with a mission to ‘satisfy patrons at any time of the day or evening’.
Enjoy the likes of traditional salads, burgers, crepes and desserts. When you visit, it feels like stepping out of America and into Europe itself. The service is exemplary, with warm and friendly staff on hand to serve you. A comfortable eatery located near Jackson Playground.
Z & Y Peking Duck
606 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
If you’re in the mood for authentic Chinese cuisine, head to Z & Y Peking Duck. It’s one of the most popular restaurants in San Francisco, serving up yakitori skewers, Lanzhou ramen, and other Sichuan favorites. But its most notable offering is the Peking duck, a classic Beijing dish renowned for its crispy, bronze skin and succulent, juicy meat.
The small, brick-clad restaurant might seem unassuming, but queues outside the door say otherwise. Modern and traditional décor offers a calming yet upscale ambience – the perfect backdrop for a tasty banquet.
The restaurant only serves about 30 Peking ducks each day, so be sure to reserve a duck when booking your reservation.
Lapisara Eatery
698 Post St Post Street & Jones Street, San Francisco, CA 94109-8232
Lapisara Eatery is your answer to a hearty brunch in San Francisco. A Thai-American culinary joy, this eatery is for those who want to delight their senses by indulging in mouthwatering dishes. Enjoy menu items such as home-fried chicken served with egg fried rice and a luscious sweet and sour sauce. Or chow down on grilled salmon with jasmine rice. You can also satisfy your sweet tooth with brioche French toast with bourbon maple syrup.
Enjoy an authentic concoction of flavors embedded into every dish – whatever you choose, it’s sure to leave an impression. It’s a place you’ll want to keep coming back to again and again.
There you have it. A run through of the best restaurants in San Francisco. Now that we’ve given you a selection of the finest offerings, why not book your Hertz car rental and head over to enjoy what some of the top food places in San Francisco have to offer?
Get to know more about San Francisco
It isn’t just the thriving culinary scene. We also have a few other guides on San Francisco, so you can make the most of your Californian adventure.
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