Where Chefs and Restaurant Folks Loved Eating in the Bay Area in 2023

“I think in San Francisco, it might be Kin Khao this year. Nari is amazing but I love the casual buzz of the food at Kin Khao, particularly when the nam prik is on the menu, because that’s one of my favorite dishes in the world.”

— Paul Einbund, The Morris

“I would say pretty much every meal I’ve had Izakaya Rintaro this year. I feel like it’s a place I constantly want to eat at because every time I visit, its’ better than the time before. His food to me is everything I want to eat—it’s so unassuming and you eat it and you can understand how much work goes into a singular bite. I can’t get enough of it.”

— Brandon Rice, Ernest

“I think it has to be Rintaro. Had one dinner with my husband there and then another with a girlfriend of mine and both times were so great. Sat at the bar both time. Food and service is always so great. The chicken wings, grilled king trumpet mushrooms, kanpachi, and the house made tofu. The tofu dish blows my mind. It’s so good!”

— Melissa Perfit, Popi’s Oysterette

“San Ho Won. It’s one of the few places I return to as much as I can — it might be my favorite restaurant in The City at the moment. Last time I was there I had their center cut beef tongue and it comes with the ssam — the lettuce wraps — which are totally perfect. The chrysanthemum green. The perilla leaf. It’s beautifully organized, arranged, washed, and lovely.”

— Sylvan Mishima Brackett, Izakaya Rintaro

“My wife and I had a fantastic meal at San Ho Won. The menu is put together so meticulously, and I think we managed to try most of the dishes. We thoroughly enjoyed the egg custard and short rib barbecue. The best part was the assortment of sauces and relishes that they offered as accompaniments.”

— Sri Gopinathan, Copra

— Francis Ang, Abacá

“Camper in Menlo Park. It was great. It was a difficult day, the day that one of my husband’s best friends passed. That day we all needed to get out of the house — it was a big group of us, 16 or 17 people. They were able to accommodate us last minute — they were just so kind and so generous. The food was fantastic — it was simple but in the best sense. Everything was fresh and delicious. A great restaurant meal is just not about great food — it’s about generosity. It was a sad day that turned beautiful.”

— Pim Techamuanvivit, Kin Khao and Nari

“My favorite restaurant of all time is in Oakland. It’s called Da Nang Quan. Everything is super good there. My favorite thing there is probably their banh beo. It’s like a rice cake and it has crispy pork belly, shrimp paste, and peanuts. And it comes with fish sauce. It’s super good. And all their soups are probably my favorite soups in Oakland. Their mi quang — it’s made with turmeric, rice noodles, pork belly — is a very shallow broth. It’s next level. I’ve been going there once a week for like four years now. Their banh xeo is the best I’ve had in Oakland.”

— Anthony Salguero, Popoca

“The Coccoli at Tony’s Pizza — Italian braised beef sliced thin, with horseradish cream, giardiniera, fried bread. They present it all separately, so you are able to make the perfect bite all the time. Then you dip it in the beef broth. It reminds me of a sandwich I never had, [but] it tasted very familiar with all the elements. The warm fried bread, the well-seasoned thin beef, the broth, and of course, the horseradish for the pizzazz and the giardinieria for the acid and crunch!”

— Shawn Naputi, Prubechu

“Sunday lunch at Mazra — there’s a live DJ playing sax. Get the kabobs, whole cauliflower and artichoke. They’re really nice people.”

— Jeff Hanak, Good Good Culture Club and Liholiho Yacht Club

“Best meal this year was Parilla Loca, hands down. Obviously very simple pop-upish situation. But the feeling of standing on a corner and having some of the best tacos. The smell of mesquite. The care in every component is Michelin-level.”

— Geoff Davis, Burdell

“One of my favorite places to eat is Saigon Seafood Harbor – it’s in Richmond, and it’s a dim sum restaurant with live seafood tanks. It’s my favorite meal because I usually take some of the staff from Snail and we always have amazing food and we bring some cool wines.”

— Andres Florez, Snail Bar

I am a man of simple taste and I had an amazing meal at Bah Mi Ba in Fairfax, from the same people who do Village Sake. All of their sandwiches are amazing and it is a trip sitting outside on stools like you are in Vietnam but you are actually in downtown Fairfax.

— Evan Rich, Rich Table