More Maps

Here Are the Hottest New Restaurants in San Francisco, June 2024

Here Are San Francisco’s Strongest Power Lunches

14 Affordable Dining Options in San Francisco

More in San Francisco See more maps

20 Iconic Dishes and Drinks of San Francisco

Classic food and beverages from classic San Francisco restaurants and bars

by Lauren Saria, Dianne de Guzman, and Eater Staff Updated Dec 8, 2023, 11:18am PST

View as Map

by Lauren Saria, Dianne de Guzman, and Eater Staff Updated Dec 8, 2023, 11:18am PST

Hog Island

San Francisco can lay claim to inventing everything from sourdough bread to fortune cookies, so it's no wonder that some of the nation's most iconic culinary history originates within these 49 square miles. It’s difficult to pick the most iconic dishes, snacks, and drinks of this fair city without repeating every spot on our 18 restaurants every San Franciscan must try, but this list covers both the icons and soon-to-be-icons — and hey, sometimes you just need to burn your idols to make way for new ones.

Read More

Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Chowder in a Bread Bowl at Boudin Bakery

Locals may not eat it much, but you can't deny that when the rest of the nation thinks "San Francisco," this is the first food that comes to mind. Sure, clam chowder is an East Coast invention, but sourdough makes it that much better, and you can't argue with warm, hearty soup on a chilly summer day by the water.

Open in Google Maps

Pier 39, Space 5-Q, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Irish Coffee at Buena Vista Cafe

Sure, it's a tourist obsession, but the Buena Vista does make a damn good Irish coffee. Also, it combines coffee and alcohol and dark wooden bars, three things San Francisco adores.

Open in Google Maps

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Visit Website

Focaccia at Liguria Bakery

It's hard to explain what strange alchemy goes into Liguria's focaccia, but it might be magic. In any case, it certainly compels people to get up early and stand in line for a slice or two before they sell out, and has since 1911. Eat your pizza focaccia warm from the bag, or head down the street to equally historic Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store to enjoy it in an oven-baked meatball sandwich.

Open in Google Maps

1700 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Cioppino at Sotto Mare

At Sotto Mare the cioppino is portioned for two, so either bring a big appetite or a friend. The rich tomato-based broth is filled with Dungeness crab parts, mussels, calamari, and more, served in a metal bowl with ladles, bibs, and a loaf of crusty bread. It's best consumed within the tiled, narrow, and deeply decorated dining room that's been serving this classic for decades.

Open in Google Maps

552 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Cioppino at Sotto Mare

Oysters at Hog Island Oyster Co.

There’s a good reason you’ll often find a long queue outside the Hog Island Oyster Co. outpost at the Ferry Building. Slurping down a platter of briny bivalves inside the iconic waterfront building makes for a uniquely San Franciscan dining experience. Of course, if you can pop up to the Marshall Shore to get your fix straight from the source, you absolutely should. But the Tomales Bay-born Sweetwaters still taste excellent when enjoyed with a glass of Champagne in hand and a view of the Bay Bridge in the distance.

1 Ferry Building (at The Embarcadero), San Francisco, CA 94111

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Liberty Farm Peking Style Roast Duck at Mister Jiu’s

San Francisco has a number of places to sample a roast Peking duck, but Mister Jiu’s version gives the classic dish extra oomph. Liberty Farm’s ducks serve as the star, with chef Brandon Jew employing different techniques such as air curing, lacquering, and then smoking the bird — before serving it alongside Chinese pancakes and peanut butter hoisin. There’s a one-hour wait for the duck to arrive tableside, so plan accordingly.

28 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Liberty Farm Peking Style Roast Duck at Mister Jiu’s.

Also featured in:

Prime Rib at House of Prime Rib

Sure, it'll cover your sodium intake for the week, but who can resist the juicy, carved-from-the-cart prime rib at HOPR? Accented with a mound of creamed spinach, plenty of au jus, and some Yorkshire pudding on the side, it's a ticket to meat heaven.

Open in Google Maps

1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

Visit Website

Xiao Long Bao at Yank Sing

We know, we know: Yank Sing is expensive (much more so than Shanghai Dumpling King). But their soup dumplings are off the chain, freshly flavorful and perfectly thin-skinned. Plus, you get the interactive element of trying to consume them without scalding the interior of your mouth, which takes real finesse and some artful nibbling skills.

101 Spear St, San Francisco, CA 94105

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Apple Fritter at Bob's Donut & Pastry Shop

The ultimate old-school donut shop, Bob's provides 24-hour service to the tired, hungry, and occasionally drunk denizens of Polk Street. All the donuts are great, but the apple fritter, perfectly crisp-soft and laced with plenty of cinnamon and tender apples, is a standout.

1621 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Kouign Amann at B. Patisserie

It’s no secret that Belinda Leong has perfected the kouign amann (and is lovingly dubbed the queen of kouign amann) and her bakery B. Patisserie reigns as the best place to sample the sugary, crunchy shatter of beautifully laminated dough. The bakery sells a plain version, but the joy comes in exploring other flavors and seasonal offerings, such as the black sesame version which lands around Chinese New Year.

2821 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Visit Website

Also featured in:

The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Francisco

Kalbijjim at Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

The lure of the kalbijjim is evident as soon as your eyes see the stone pot making its way toward your table, gorgeously burbling away. The added touch of the cheese being torched to perfect meltiness is another feast for the eyes, before finally tucking into the dish featuring tender beef short ribs.

Open in Google Maps

1620 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94115

A heaping bowl of beef stew.

Also featured in:

Tea leaf salad at Mandalay Restaurant

The tea leaf salad at Mandalay, an old-school Burmese restaurant in the Inner Richmond, is all about the glorious blend of various textures. The base is, as the name implies, Burmese tea leaves, which are slightly bitter and very herbal. They get mixed with a diverse mix of crunchy components including roasted lentil seeds, ground shrimp, fried garlic, green peppers, sesame seeds, and peanuts. The end result is a kaleidoscope of salty, tangy, and savory flavors that make each bite a real ride.

4348 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118

Visit Website

Lahpet thoke at Mandalay

Also featured in:

Margarita at Tommy's Mexican Restaurant

Margaritas can feel like familiar fare at any local restaurant, but the version at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant has been dubbed a “modern classic” with its addition of fresh lime juice, agave syrup, and Herradura tequila and removal of curaçao. The Tommy’s margarita is now a widely known and respected version served at many bars, but this remains the original worth savoring.

5929 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121

Visit Website

Exterior neon sign of Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in the Richmond neighborhood

Also featured in:

Roast Chicken with Bread Salad at Zuni Cafe

It's hard to say more about this one than has already been said. Zuni’s brick-oven-roasted chicken, with its crisp skin, is fantastic, but it's the chunks of crisp bread, arugula, and currants coated in chicken jus that really make this dish special. Share it with someone you love, or steal all the salad when someone you hate isn't looking.

1658 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Miracle pancakes at Zazie

We won’t promise the so-called Miracle Pancakes at Zazie will change your life, but there’s a strong chance they could turn around your morning. This brunch spot in quiet Cole Valley usually welcomes crowds of brunch-goers who pack its skinny dining room and lush back patio for benedicts and plates of these light-as-air, seasonally changing pancakes. Bonus points for the fact that this is a cooperatively worker-owned restaurant, as well.

941 Cole St (btwn Parnassus Ave & Carl St), San Francisco, CA 94117

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Hoagie at Palm City

Palm City has become a veritable sandwich destination, recognized for having some of the best hoagies this side of the Mississippi. So trek out to the Outer Sunset to order one of the wine shop and restaurant's super-stacked sandwiches; there’s no wrong order, but you’d be wise to go with the Italian American, which is absolutely loaded with mortadella, finocchiona, mozzarella, Parmesan, shaved onion, arugula, and spicy n’duja sauce.

4055 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122

Visit Website

Hoagie from Palm City

Also featured in:

Salted Caramel Ice Cream at Bi-Rite Creamery

San Francisco really has become an iconic ice cream city, from Mitchell's and Swensen's to, now, Bi-Rite. The salted caramel is toasty, rich, and perfectly delicious paired with any of the creamery's other flavors. Equally iconic: the line that appears on hot days and wraps down the block. In a pinch, check out the adjacent soft-serve window for a quicker fix.

3692 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Garlic Noodles at Thanh Long Restaurant

New York Times food writer and recipe developer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt praised these garlic noodles by the An family as “a San Francisco treat.” They come laced with a generous portion of garlic and an umami-packed sauce that has remained a secret family recipe for years. They’re best enjoyed with a massive Dungeness crab — also cooked with ample garlic.

Open in Google Maps

4101 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Pork sisig Crunch-a-dilla at Señor Sisig

Filipino food is having a moment in the Bay Area for sure, but Señor Sisig has been holding it down since 2010. What started with a single food truck has since grown into a mini-empire, and there’s perhaps no dish to better exemplify the company’s pioneering spirit than its Crunch-a-dilla, a riff on the Taco Bell Crunchwrap. Here it’s stuffed with pork sisig, cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole with a side of creamy nacho cheese for dipping on the side.

990 Valencia Street, San Francisco, California 94110

Visit Website

Carnitas Burrito at La Taqueria

San Francisco’s burrito scene is incredibly stacked, and fans love to argue over which taqueria does the Mission burrito best. Taqueria Cancun might be the dark horse candidate for the prize, but the most famous is likely La Taq. This spot’s Mission burrito should be stuffed with carnitas, served with the perfect liquidy ratio of beans and salsa (but no rice) in a warm tortilla. There's a reason this won America's Best Burrito.

Open in Google Maps

2889 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Visit Website

A La Taqueria burrito

© 2024 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Link copied to the clipboard.

Chowder in a Bread Bowl at Boudin Bakery

Pier 39, Space 5-Q, San Francisco, CA 94133

Locals may not eat it much, but you can't deny that when the rest of the nation thinks "San Francisco," this is the first food that comes to mind. Sure, clam chowder is an East Coast invention, but sourdough makes it that much better, and you can't argue with warm, hearty soup on a chilly summer day by the water.

Open in Google Maps

Pier 39, Space 5-Q, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Irish Coffee at Buena Vista Cafe

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Sure, it's a tourist obsession, but the Buena Vista does make a damn good Irish coffee. Also, it combines coffee and alcohol and dark wooden bars, three things San Francisco adores.

Open in Google Maps

2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Visit Website

Focaccia at Liguria Bakery

1700 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133

It's hard to explain what strange alchemy goes into Liguria's focaccia, but it might be magic. In any case, it certainly compels people to get up early and stand in line for a slice or two before they sell out, and has since 1911. Eat your pizza focaccia warm from the bag, or head down the street to equally historic Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store to enjoy it in an oven-baked meatball sandwich.

Open in Google Maps

1700 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Cioppino at Sotto Mare

552 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133

At Sotto Mare the cioppino is portioned for two, so either bring a big appetite or a friend. The rich tomato-based broth is filled with Dungeness crab parts, mussels, calamari, and more, served in a metal bowl with ladles, bibs, and a loaf of crusty bread. It's best consumed within the tiled, narrow, and deeply decorated dining room that's been serving this classic for decades.

Open in Google Maps

552 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Visit Website

Cioppino at Sotto Mare

Oysters at Hog Island Oyster Co.

1 Ferry Building (at The Embarcadero), San Francisco, CA 94111

There’s a good reason you’ll often find a long queue outside the Hog Island Oyster Co. outpost at the Ferry Building. Slurping down a platter of briny bivalves inside the iconic waterfront building makes for a uniquely San Franciscan dining experience. Of course, if you can pop up to the Marshall Shore to get your fix straight from the source, you absolutely should. But the Tomales Bay-born Sweetwaters still taste excellent when enjoyed with a glass of Champagne in hand and a view of the Bay Bridge in the distance.

1 Ferry Building (at The Embarcadero), San Francisco, CA 94111

Visit Website

Liberty Farm Peking Style Roast Duck at Mister Jiu’s

28 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

San Francisco has a number of places to sample a roast Peking duck, but Mister Jiu’s version gives the classic dish extra oomph. Liberty Farm’s ducks serve as the star, with chef Brandon Jew employing different techniques such as air curing, lacquering, and then smoking the bird — before serving it alongside Chinese pancakes and peanut butter hoisin. There’s a one-hour wait for the duck to arrive tableside, so plan accordingly.

28 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108

Visit Website

Liberty Farm Peking Style Roast Duck at Mister Jiu’s.

Prime Rib at House of Prime Rib

1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

Sure, it'll cover your sodium intake for the week, but who can resist the juicy, carved-from-the-cart prime rib at HOPR? Accented with a mound of creamed spinach, plenty of au jus, and some Yorkshire pudding on the side, it's a ticket to meat heaven.

Open in Google Maps

1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109

Visit Website

Xiao Long Bao at Yank Sing

101 Spear St, San Francisco, CA 94105

We know, we know: Yank Sing is expensive (much more so than Shanghai Dumpling King). But their soup dumplings are off the chain, freshly flavorful and perfectly thin-skinned. Plus, you get the interactive element of trying to consume them without scalding the interior of your mouth, which takes real finesse and some artful nibbling skills.

101 Spear St, San Francisco, CA 94105

Visit Website

Apple Fritter at Bob's Donut & Pastry Shop

1621 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

The ultimate old-school donut shop, Bob's provides 24-hour service to the tired, hungry, and occasionally drunk denizens of Polk Street. All the donuts are great, but the apple fritter, perfectly crisp-soft and laced with plenty of cinnamon and tender apples, is a standout.

1621 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Visit Website

Kouign Amann at B. Patisserie

2821 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

It’s no secret that Belinda Leong has perfected the kouign amann (and is lovingly dubbed the queen of kouign amann) and her bakery B. Patisserie reigns as the best place to sample the sugary, crunchy shatter of beautifully laminated dough. The bakery sells a plain version, but the joy comes in exploring other flavors and seasonal offerings, such as the black sesame version which lands around Chinese New Year.

2821 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Visit Website

Kalbijjim at Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

1620 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94115

The lure of the kalbijjim is evident as soon as your eyes see the stone pot making its way toward your table, gorgeously burbling away. The added touch of the cheese being torched to perfect meltiness is another feast for the eyes, before finally tucking into the dish featuring tender beef short ribs.

Open in Google Maps

1620 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94115

A heaping bowl of beef stew.

Tea leaf salad at Mandalay Restaurant

4348 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118

The tea leaf salad at Mandalay, an old-school Burmese restaurant in the Inner Richmond, is all about the glorious blend of various textures. The base is, as the name implies, Burmese tea leaves, which are slightly bitter and very herbal. They get mixed with a diverse mix of crunchy components including roasted lentil seeds, ground shrimp, fried garlic, green peppers, sesame seeds, and peanuts. The end result is a kaleidoscope of salty, tangy, and savory flavors that make each bite a real ride.

4348 California St, San Francisco, CA 94118

Visit Website

Lahpet thoke at Mandalay

Margarita at Tommy's Mexican Restaurant

5929 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121

Margaritas can feel like familiar fare at any local restaurant, but the version at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant has been dubbed a “modern classic” with its addition of fresh lime juice, agave syrup, and Herradura tequila and removal of curaçao. The Tommy’s margarita is now a widely known and respected version served at many bars, but this remains the original worth savoring.

5929 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121

Visit Website

Exterior neon sign of Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in the Richmond neighborhood

Roast Chicken with Bread Salad at Zuni Cafe

1658 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102

It's hard to say more about this one than has already been said. Zuni’s brick-oven-roasted chicken, with its crisp skin, is fantastic, but it's the chunks of crisp bread, arugula, and currants coated in chicken jus that really make this dish special. Share it with someone you love, or steal all the salad when someone you hate isn't looking.

1658 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Visit Website

Miracle pancakes at Zazie

941 Cole St (btwn Parnassus Ave & Carl St), San Francisco, CA 94117

We won’t promise the so-called Miracle Pancakes at Zazie will change your life, but there’s a strong chance they could turn around your morning. This brunch spot in quiet Cole Valley usually welcomes crowds of brunch-goers who pack its skinny dining room and lush back patio for benedicts and plates of these light-as-air, seasonally changing pancakes. Bonus points for the fact that this is a cooperatively worker-owned restaurant, as well.

941 Cole St (btwn Parnassus Ave & Carl St), San Francisco, CA 94117

Visit Website

Related Maps

Hoagie at Palm City

4055 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122

Palm City has become a veritable sandwich destination, recognized for having some of the best hoagies this side of the Mississippi. So trek out to the Outer Sunset to order one of the wine shop and restaurant's super-stacked sandwiches; there’s no wrong order, but you’d be wise to go with the Italian American, which is absolutely loaded with mortadella, finocchiona, mozzarella, Parmesan, shaved onion, arugula, and spicy n’duja sauce.

4055 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122

Visit Website

Hoagie from Palm City

Salted Caramel Ice Cream at Bi-Rite Creamery

3692 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

San Francisco really has become an iconic ice cream city, from Mitchell's and Swensen's to, now, Bi-Rite. The salted caramel is toasty, rich, and perfectly delicious paired with any of the creamery's other flavors. Equally iconic: the line that appears on hot days and wraps down the block. In a pinch, check out the adjacent soft-serve window for a quicker fix.

3692 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Visit Website

Garlic Noodles at Thanh Long Restaurant

4101 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122

New York Times food writer and recipe developer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt praised these garlic noodles by the An family as “a San Francisco treat.” They come laced with a generous portion of garlic and an umami-packed sauce that has remained a secret family recipe for years. They’re best enjoyed with a massive Dungeness crab — also cooked with ample garlic.

Open in Google Maps

4101 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122

Visit Website

Pork sisig Crunch-a-dilla at Señor Sisig

990 Valencia Street, San Francisco, California 94110

Filipino food is having a moment in the Bay Area for sure, but Señor Sisig has been holding it down since 2010. What started with a single food truck has since grown into a mini-empire, and there’s perhaps no dish to better exemplify the company’s pioneering spirit than its Crunch-a-dilla, a riff on the Taco Bell Crunchwrap. Here it’s stuffed with pork sisig, cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole with a side of creamy nacho cheese for dipping on the side.

990 Valencia Street, San Francisco, California 94110

Visit Website

Carnitas Burrito at La Taqueria

2889 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

San Francisco’s burrito scene is incredibly stacked, and fans love to argue over which taqueria does the Mission burrito best. Taqueria Cancun might be the dark horse candidate for the prize, but the most famous is likely La Taq. This spot’s Mission burrito should be stuffed with carnitas, served with the perfect liquidy ratio of beans and salsa (but no rice) in a warm tortilla. There's a reason this won America's Best Burrito.

Open in Google Maps

2889 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Visit Website

A La Taqueria burrito

Related Maps