Where to Splurge in San Francisco and the Bay Area

San Francisco fine dining institution Gary Danko transports you into another dimension once you step into its doors. Their choose-your-own adventure tasting menu gives you the choice to pick three, four, or five courses from any section of the menu. Go for the five — the more, the merrier here.

The Fillmore Street hotspot from chef Srijith “Sri” Gopinathan and Ayesha Thapar is a thrilling dining experience. The buzzing room is complemented by the innovative coastal Indian fare from Gopinathan, who was last seen in San Francisco earning two Michelin stars at Campton Place, and now gets to celebrate his home state of Kerala.

The best way to experience the fiery Thai fare at Nari is to go big by going with the Chef’s Pick menu. It’s $125 per person, and gives a portioned and paced, balanced experience of the entire menu. Grab a couple of cocktails and/or a bottle of Riesling to really do it right.

Chef Kristina Liedags Compton best showcases her fine-dining experience (Range, Atelier Crenn, Avery) in a fun five-course Chef’s Adventure menu — it’s just a joy of a meal in a vibrant, colorful space, and so much more than just brunch for dinner. But if you really want to go for it, consider the rolled omelet add it on, cooked with bonito butter and topped with seven grams of caviar.

Because it’s Chez Panisse.

You can still splurge and not have to spend the coin. Case in point: the banh khot with caviar at Bodega, which features the turmeric-tinged mini pancakes stuffed with shrimp and topped with caviar for only $12. You can get it a la carte during the dinner menu, or find it featured on the “Ask Billy” tasting menu option.

While you may not necessarily have to splurge on the food at Heirloom Café, you can cellar dive deep into Heirloom Café’s extensive wine list. Let head somm Stephen Hallenbeck be your wine guide and show you the way.