San Francisco has a crazy good food scene. No matter f you’re craving some fancy American food, or the best dumplings you had in your life, you can find it all in the Bay Area! Because of that, it can be hard to figure out where to eat in San Francisco! Here are the places I ate at on my visit. Hopefully this narrows it down a little for ya!
Where To Eat In San Francisco
Breakfast/Brunch
Mezcalito
We did brunch at Mezcalito which was pretty good. There wasn’t really anything out of this world about the restaurant, but the location was really good. It is located near the college so you see a lot more young people in that area than others we visited. Plus the staff was super friendly! The brunch menu was pretty standard with things like avocado toast and huevos rancheros. It reminded me of a super cool Gloria’s!
If you’re looking for a good wholesome brunch, I would definitely recommend this place. There’s not anything too crazy on the menu but it was definitely good!
Lunch/Dinner
Dumpling Time
https://www.dumplingtimesf.com/
Soup dumplings are one of my all-time favorite foods. I was introduced to them a few years ago and have been in love with them ever since. I knew going to San Fran meant I was going to have far more options than I have in Dallas. What I didn’t realize was how dang good they would be! Dumpling Time has a variety of soup dumplings, both in flavor and in size. The beet one was my fav – it has coconut milk in it that makes it a little creamy. SO GOOD.
Don’t be discouraged by all of the people waiting outside to get in. There may be a lot of people ahead of you but their wait times go by quick because the restaurant is so fast paced!
Brenda’s French Soul Food
I grew up in Louisiana, so I can be pretty picky when it comes to Cajun food. That being said, I was so happy we went to Brenda’s. Their red beans and rice was delicious and came with a heaping serving of sausage (as red beans and rice should). Plus, they had the best dang biscuits I’ve had in a while. The only downside is they can get a pretty long wait (and there isn’t much space to stand around), and their service isn’t the best.
One thing to keep in mind when eating out in San Fran, is that great service is a little hard to come by. At no fault to them, I think it’s just a city wide thing. Don’t be afraid to stop our server and ask them for something if you need it because they probably won’t come and offer it offhand.
Urban Tavern
Attached to the Hilton Union Square is Urban Tavern, one of my favorite meals from San Fran. A self-described metropolitan gastropub (how fancy), this place is all about locally sourced food. Their portions are large enough to share, but you’ll still want to try a few things on the menu. Some of my favs were the Peking Chicken, Pork Belly and Waffles, and the Chicken Friend Wild Mushrooms.
As a side note, this place also had some of the best service I experienced in San Francisco. Our waitress was super accommodating and generous with tips on places for us to visit on our trip.
Tratto
First let me apologize for the pictures – this was a last minute visit on our last night because each of us was starving but we didn’t want to walk far. We were staying at Hilton San Francisco Union Square and this place was only a block away. That being said, this was some of the best Italian food I’ve had in my life and I’m SHOCKED that it was the only unplanned restaurant we tried on our visit. It was delicious. I highly recommend the spinach tagliatelle with three meat bolognese. I find myself craving it from time to time and will MOST DEF be eating it again the next time I’m in town!
I highly recommend the spinach tagliatelle with three meat bolognese. I find myself craving it from time to time and will MOST DEF be eating it again the next time I’m in town!
Late Night
Curio
https://curiobarsf.com/to-eat/
Curio was one of the liveliest restaurants/bars we ate at, which makes sense because it’s attached to a concert venue called “The Chapel.” There food was dang good too! We sat on the patio which was full of millennial hipsters (which I loved). Everyone was just chillin’, eatin’, and having a good time. Honestly, we were pretty full by the time we got there, but that didn’t stop us from snacking. We grubbed on the deviled eggs, brussels, cauliflower, and calamari. All of it was delish!
In addition to concerts, this place also hosts comedy shows! We were supposed to see Margaret Cho that night but we were too tired. Which is unfortunate because I love her!!
Cityscape
If you’re feeling fancy and are looking for a cocktail in San Francisco, head up to Cityscape on the top floor of the Hilton Union Square. Not only do they have some of the best views in the city, their wine list was spot on and their small bites were delicious. The cheese and charcuterie board is everything!!
Get there before sundown for all the feels. The way it sets over the mountain is the perfect way to end a night!
In Closing
The food scene in San Francisco was insane, and that’s coming from a well-fed Dallasite. We ate the entire time we were in town, and I still wish I would’ve had room for more.
Did I miss any of your favorite San Francisco restaurants? PLEASE leave them in the comments below so I can hit them up on my next visit!
