Recommendations for weekend in SF for Angeleno

Hi,

I live in LA and will be in SF for the 3rd or 4th time in December, turning a Friday work event into a weekend. I haven’t been in 2 years so I was looking for some suggestions for lunch and dinner (will have 3 of each). I’ve been to several standard places (Zuni, Tadich, Frances, Nopa, others I can’t recall at the moment), so more looking for newer suggestions and also classic ones that are still solid spots now.

No food restrictions except no sushi, and keeping in mind that I live in LA, I’d prefer cuisines that are SF strong suits or that have a unique twist or ambiance. Solo traveler so prefer places with bar dining or where solo won’t be out of place.

Budget is flexible–looking for good food and experience!

Thanks!

1 Like

La ciccia
californios
In situ
Swan oyster depot
hog island
State bird provisions
Bellota
Liholiho Yacht Club
Cockscomb

Lots of good suggestions here.

2 Likes

Hi @Linda_Beth,

Welcome! Here are some pics and thoughts from various trips I’ve had thanks to the lists from @PorkyBelly and @ipsedixit amongst others.

Generally speaking, I think cuisines where SF may do better than LA include Burmese, Italian, pizza, California cuisine in the Chez Panisse / Zuni / Frances vein, and maybe dim sum. And of course Michelin endurance menus.

Burmese, Little Yangon near BART in Daly City or Burmese Kitchen out on Geary.

Traditional Italian, La Ciccia (reserve) or Perbacco. Cal-Italian, Cotogna.

Pizza, Bao’necci (reserve) for Roman-style thin crust, Cotogna (reserve) or Zero Zero for the local modern style that’s sort of a hybrid of New York and Naples, Una Pizza Napoletana or A16 (reserve) for Neapolitan, Little Star on Divisadero for deep-dish, Pauline’s for a unique local style and the best pesto pizza in the world.

Solo dining at the bar, Cockscomb (reserve and specify chef’s counter, the other bar seating is less comfortable and some doesn’t really have enough space for plates), Perbacco, Trou Normand, Bellota (reserve).

If you’re up for a BART ride across the bay, Miss Ollie’s or Great China, both good for solo at the bar.

Saison for Michelin foo.

Reviving an old thread I posted years ago…coming to SF this weekend for work and I haven’t been since 2018. I know in LA post-covid, I can’t rely on old noted because a ton of places have closed so I assume it’s the same in SF, and since it’s been several years since I’ve been to SF I imaging there are many new recommended places.

I’ll be there for 3 dinners (Sat/Sun/Mon) and 3 breakfast/lunches (I don’t always eat both, Sun/Mon/Tues). I’m staying just north of civic center (due to work stuff) but I’m very transit-savvy so travel’s not too much of an issue, depending on the location.

I saw a recent post for the general area so I reserved brunch at Brenda’s on Sunday. After multiple trips to SF, I still have not been to State Bird Provisions so that seems like one I should hit.

Would love a good italian spot and anything else that seems worthwhile/interesting/different or better than what I can get?

Perbacco for Italian
Ernest, The Morris, Al’s Place for something unique

2 Likes

Wow, my 2017 post is mostly places that have closed.

Perbacco and Zuni were still great on post-lockdown visits.

San Ho Won. I don’t think anyone in LA is doing what they’re doing.

1 Like

Burmese kitchen in the inner richmond is my favorite Burmese place – highly recommend.

1 Like

Great to hear he’s still open. Longtime favorite of mine.

http://www.burmesekitchen.com/

Yeah, that’s what I was realizing, and why I re-asked the question. Perbacco is unfortunately booked. I might re-visit Zuni but my preference is somewhere I haven’t been before, if possible.

What’s unique about San Ho Won? LA has a lot of charcoal BBQ so I’m not sure of it was something else that’s interesting?

1 Like

It’s a Korean barbeque from the Benu team. Nothing like it in LA.

If you only checked availability online, give Perbacco a call.

I’ll try calling, thanks!

I Googled a little on San Jo Wan and saw that it’s not tabletop BBQ and from the thread, it looks like it’s more upscale than K-BBQ normally is in LA - do I have the differences right or am I missing something? Have you done the house menu and is it worth it?

Yeah, the best ingredients and the most precise cooking, but not a tiny-portion tasting menu like the new high-end places in LA. They already have three Michelin stars at Benu so they can just do what they love at SHW.

We probanly should have ordered the prix fixe, but instead went nuts a la carte. Stuffed ourselves but still took home a lot. I’m looking forward to going back whenever this fucking Covid surge is over.

Delfina is still pretty decent Italian.

1 Like