The Resy Hit List: Where In San Francisco You’ll Want to Eat in Sept. 2024
There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an honor to be the friend who everyone asks for restaurant advice, we also know it’s a complicated task. That’s where the Resy Hit List comes in.
We’ve designed it to be your essential resource for dining in San Francisco and around the Bay Area: a monthly-updated (and expanded!) guide to the restaurants that you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Five Things In the Bay Area Not to Miss This Month
- Labor Day Getaway: Consider taking a road trip (on the long weekend, or anytime) down south along the 101 and past the winding 17, to Santa Cruz. Check out Chef Brad Briske’s charming little restaurant HOME, where the focus is on fresh seasonal coastal Californian Cuisine. Or maybe you want to do an overnighter — continue toward Monterey, hit the aquarium, then scope out Alejandro’s; it’s from the family behind legendary burrito purveyor El Charrito in nearby Salinas, and offers a more modern take on Mexican (think pulpo al pastor and kampachi tostadas). Better yet, treat yourself and do both.
- Dive Into Wine: Not literally, of course. But if you’re into wines made with minimal intervention from small producers (read: if you’re looking for that fun natty wine spot), we’d be remiss not to point out how many great options are around the Bay, like Bar Gemini and Buddy in The Mission, or Snail Bar and Daytrip in Oakland. And if you’re feeling like something a bit more classic, consider checking out The Morris and Heirloom Café, both also in the Mission, where you can go deep cellar diving with resident sommelier/owners/encyclopedias Paul Einbund and Stephen Hallenbeck, respectively.
- Revisit The Ferry Building: If you haven’t been in a while, now would be a great time to come back for even more deliciousness. Revisit old favorites like Boulette’s Larder for egg dishes or the Primavera food stand outside during the Saturday farmer’s market for the absolute best chilaquiles in life. But it’s also worth checking out some of the relative newcomers like Reem’s or Lunette. And it’s going to get even better: soon there’ll be new restaurants from the NOPA folks and Sorrel.
- New and Shiny: The seasonally changing Thai restaurant Prik Hom is now on Resy — and if you haven’t been yet, get there. Now. Their current menu celebrates summer and runs through September. Also, add Mediterranean-meets-Japanese Hayes Valley newcomer Xebec-sf to your must-do list; you’ll find things like lamb burgers with wasabi aioli. Fusion is back, baby. Find more New on Resy listings here.
- Lunch on the Peninsula: We know lunch options in the South Bay can be tricky, which is why it’s plenty exciting that Ettan has debuted a new lunch service, featuring their unique take on Indian cuisine. Book here.
New to the Hit List (Sept. 2024)
1601 Bar & Kitchen, Del Popolo, Heirloom Café, Penny Roma.
1. 1601 Bar & Kitchen Soma
You could say 1601 is a restaurant specializing in Californian cuisine with Sri Lankan influences. But you just as well could call it a Sri Lankan restaurant with Californian influences (Contemporary Sri Lankan would also be appropriate). No matter what words and which order you choose, know that the chef’s tasting menu at 1601 by the talented chef Brian Fernando is epic. Fernando sources produce from farmers markets in the city (the Californian part) and uses them throughout the seasonal changing menu: egg hopper and coconut sambol. Tomato chutney ice with finger limes that pop. Chicken curry with sweet Brentwood corn. And hopefully anchovy season is still in full force you read this. (You’ll see what we mean.)
2. Hilda and Jesse North Beach
A 2024 James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chefs in California, and as of last month a newly christened one Michelin-starred restaurant, Hilda and Jesse in North Beach is on fire. This fun restaurant, run by co-owners Richel Sillcocks and chef Kristina Liedags Compton, is rethinking the idea of luxury and fine dining. Check out the seasonally changing Chef’s Adventure menu: five-plus courses that start with bites (hello shrimp toastie!) before moving onto a small plate like hamachi with a bright citrus gelee, followed by a big meaty main like a pork schnitzel with mushroom curry. Consider finishing with a fat stack of pancakes as a supplement — they’re some of the best in the city.
3. Azalina’s Tenderloin
Azalina Eusope is a fifth-generation street food vendor from Penang who moved to S.F. to realize her dream and pursue her own food business. She was a La Cocina participant before opening her first restaurant, and in her latest space, she’s doing a one-of-a-kind, ever-changing tasting menu. There’s a two-course and a four-course to choose from, but more is merrier here, and it’s a lesson in Malaysian cuisine and culture: Cool down with bright and zippy ling cod umai, a Malaysian ceviche of sorts, and keep things spicy with grilled ribeye with fermented chiles and broad beans (a dish inspired by Malaysian Chinese culture). There are vegan options that will equally satisfy, like yuba sheets with a medlexy of mixed mushrooms, but know that by the time you read this, the menu will have refreshed.
4. Del Popolo Nob Hill
Del Popolo isn’t just your ordinary pizzeria. Sure, there are pies, and they’re wonderful. Naturally leavened and prominently sour. Wood-fired until beautifully blistered and leopard spotted. Minimally topped and adorned with the best of the Bay’s bounty. (Pro tip: Get a pizza a person.) But the artfully composed, seasonally changing vegetable-forward small plates and salads are anything but afterthoughts — and very worth starting with. And there’s so much more besides the food that makes this spot special: the dark and dim-lit dining room at night (it’s a vibe, as the kids say). The green-tiled pizza counter and seats in front of it (the best in the house, in our opinion). And don’t forget about the hidden back patio that feels like an oasis—the perfect place to throw your next pizza party.
5. Bar Jabroni Lower Haight
From the folks that brought you hoagie heaven aka Palm City, is this tiny, intimate restaurant disguised as a wine bar. Co-owner and wine professional Dennis Cantwell was the former wine director at Nopa, and he’s put together a nice list of by the glass and by the bottle offerings, everything from grower Champagne to nice natty (hello Matassa). To pair, chef Robert Hernandez (former chef de cuisine at Octavia) has created a menu that allows you to pop in for a few bites or stay a while and make a meal out of it all. Start light with oysters or crudos before moving to pastas made in-house like gnudi and fettuccine, and meaty mains — it’s always changing, and it’s always delicious.
6. Heirloom Cafe Mission District
The charming Heirloom, located deep in the Mission off 21st and Folsom, just celebrated its 14th birthday, so it might be nice to dip in for a dinner and help them celebrate. The three-course seasonally changing menu with wine pairings is how to go if you want to not make any choices, and drink exceptionally well. But you could just as well go à la carte and grab a bottle. Panzanella salad with juicy Early Girl tomatoes and Josey Baker croutons. Monterey Bay Calamari with fresh shelling beans and lemon aioli. The bacon and onion tart, of course. And so much more. Ask sommelier-owner Stephen Hallenback what to drink and he’ll ask you what you like. Whether you’re a novice or an expert, he’ll have something for you, and more often than not, have something to teach you.
7. Prubechu Mission District
Your friends Shawn Naputi and Shawn Camacho, aka The Shawns, just celebrated their restaurant’s 10-year anniversary last month. If you’ve never had their soulful, singular fare, now is a good time. There’s nowhere in the greater Bay Area offering a glimpse into Guamanian cuisine with such a chef-driven and creative approach. Gulf Shrimp kelaguen. Coconut titiyas. Tinaktak and golai hagon suni. Chamorro BBQ. If you’re unfamiliar with the aforementioned, there’s only one way to learn and explore: eat. (Also, read this nice Q&A we did with them a couple years ago.) Go with a few friends and get the Fiesta Table, which will give you a nice tasting of all the things on the menu and then some. Sit outside in the outdoor patio in the parklet, soak in the sun, pair with a fun bottles of natural wines and you’re in good shape.
8. Sushi Salon Oakland
When it comes to sushi counters, the smaller the better. And with just eight seats, the intimate Sushi Salon is where we want our omakase experience. Chef Joji Nonaka is the real deal: he spent years at the famed Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo practicing the art of fish butchery before coming to the Bay Area to cook at various restaurants. The extra special thing here is the fish, sourced from a special “fish concierge” who selects special and rare types of fish rarely seen before, like cherry salmon and snake mackerel. It doesn’t stop there: Nonaka goes to great lengths in sourcing other ingredients, like vinegar from a 130+ year-old craft brewery in Kyoto and soy sauce prepared with traditional wood-fired methods.
9. Restaurant Chez Panisse Berkeley
If you haven’t visited the legendary 53-year-old farm-to-table champion and institution that is Chez Panisse in a minute, now would be a very good time. Our favorite time of the year there is that magical moment when spring becomes summer — the produce gets just so special, and you get the best of both worlds: all the asparagus, favas, and other green things, morel mushrooms (the superlative shroom in our humble opinion), with corn and tomatoes slowly trickling in. Seeing what the cooks and chefs whip up at the temple of produce is certainly a great way to see (and eat) the seasons.
10. Friends and Family Uptown Oakland
Friends and Family in Oakland has always been one of our favorite bars — it’s always such a good time, the drinks hit hard, and the place has that special color and character; it’s a place where everyone is welcome. But now, we’ve got even more of a reason to love the cocktail bar: they recently brought on the talented chef Gaby Maeda, a Food & Wine Best New Chef class of 2021 and former State Bird Provisions chef. She’s created a creative, exciting, and eclectic menu: eggs marinated in shoyu topped with yuzu kosho and pearls of smoky trout roe, albacore crudo swimming in a tomatillo aguachile, sardine banh mi toast (!), and so much more.
11. Binu Bonu West Portal
From Massimiliano Conti and Lorella Degan, the wonderful duo that brought you the beloved La Ciccia in Noe Valley, comes a new wine bar in West Portal. Eating and drinking there is as fun as the name is to say. On the food front, there’s a small menu of snacky items—salumi and cheeses, and little small plates like marinated baby octopus and burrata covered with shaved tuna bottarga. On the wine front, expect primarily Italian wines that come from small-scale producers who employ would-be sustainable farming methods by the glass or the bottle. So nab some Lambrusco to go with your prosciutto, and and while you’re at it, have them pick out a special bottle to take away to enjoy at the comfort of your own couch.
No reservations. More info here.
12. Besharam Dogpatch
The menu at chef Heena Patel’s Besharam is massive: you’ll find regional Indian fare inspired by her upbringing in Gujarat as well as her travels throughout the country. In order to try a bit of everything, it’s best to go with the tasting menu — at $75, it’s one of the best deals in town, and you’ll go rolling home. The food is served in waves and is meant to be shared. And if you need lunch plans, she offers more fun and snacky items — chaats and pav vadas and masala burgers and such. Ras malai French toast? Yes please. A fun bonus: the menu is all vegetarian and is vegan-friendly, but after a meal here, you wouldn’t even know it — her cooking is that soulful and satisfying.
13. Lunette Embarcadero
We’re so excited for the opening of Lunette in the Ferry Building. We’ve been a long time fan of La Cocina alum chef Nite Yun — we loved her soulful Cambodian cooking at Nyum Bai, and we’re stoked we can find her fare once again right here in San Francisco. Big brothy bowls of K.T.P.P (Kuy Teave Phenom Penh),a garlicky rice noodle soup with plenty of pork, shrimp, and a steaming eight-hour pork broth is sure to warm you up on a cold foggy San Francisco summer in July. Add a side of KFC (Khmer fried chicken) with kampot peppers along with a funky cabbage salad and you’re in very good shape.
Find more info here.
14. Rose Pizzeria Berkeley
We’re going to go out on a limb and say oysters are the perfect food. They go well as a bite before literally every meal, whether it’s a single shucked bivalve on a tasting menu, or a dozen before you get into the steak and frites at your favorite bistro. These beautiful bivalves even pair well with pizza. At Rose, they come with a Lambrusco mignonette, which just so happens to pair well with — you guessed it — a bottle of Lambrusco, which conveniently happens to pair superbly with pizza. So many winning combinations here, and we haven’t even got to the pizza part: thin and charred, crispy and chewy, Rose’s pies hit all the notes.
15. mijoté Mission District
If there’s one restaurant we wish we could have a standing reservation at, this is it — the closest thing you can get to eating at the new-wave bistronomy restaurants in Paris without having to leave San Francisco. That might be because chef Kosuke Tada spent years in France cooking at some of the finest restaurants in the capital. At his Mission restaurant, which is housed in an old Victorian that was previously home to a sushi spot, Tada and co offer a weekly changing French meets California pre-fixe menu. They thankfully kept the wooden sushi counter, which are the best seats, of course. Watch as chefs carefully cut meat and fish, sauce plates, and assemble salads—there’s nothing quite like it in town. Save room for all the supplements—they’re always changing and always worth it.
16. Penny Roma Mission District
The pasta tasting menu at Flour + Water is heaven on earth, but it’s also an event. For when you just need to dip in for a quicker, casual low-key bowl of pasta, Penny Roma has you. The tonnarelli cacio e pepe will save you a trip to Rome, while agnolotti dal plin is of the same quality as its sibling down the street. But you’d be remiss to miss the pesci crudi — halibut with pluots and shiso is refreshing, while albacore tartare with tomatoes and Calabrian chile and a heaping pile of pistachios never leave the menu (one bite and you’ll understand why). If you’re feeling hungry, add on a meaty main: grilled pork chop with peaches, hanger steak with salsa verde, or a crispy-skinned half chicken with shishitos and charred lemon are all fire. Metaphorically, that is.
17. Shuggie’s Trash Pie + Natural Wine Mission
What is trash pie, you ask? Oh, let us explain: Shuggie’s mission is to fight food waste and climate change by sourcing ingredients that would otherwise be discarded and upcycling them into deliciousness. So your pizzas might contain a carrot-top pesto, or ugly mushrooms, or zucchini that might have been tossed of slight bruising. They’re throwing those onto super thin and crispy rectangular pies — they’re akin to the grandma style, but still unlike anything you’ve ever had. Pair that with a large selection of fun and funky natural wines in a psychedelic setting and you’ve got a very fun, very delicious good time. Make sure you say hi to Beef the bulldog.
18. Zeitgeist Misson
We couldn’t think of a better way to spend a rare sunny day in The Mission than in the beer garden in the back of Zeitgeist. Grab a few friends and share an ice-cold pitcher (they have 60-plus beers on tap — one of the largest and best selections in the city). Sure, there’s a crispy, lacy, cheesy smashburger, of course, but so much other fun pub grub, like Nashville-hot fried chicken sandwiches, chips and queso, Buffalo wings, and pizza rolls! (Their exclamation;ours too.) They make this nostalgic snack in-house, filled with crowd-pleasing pepperoni and melty stretchy mozzarella, ideal to pair with a glassful.
Find more info here.
19. Zuni Café Hayes Valley
Often imitated, never duplicated, Zuni is timeless, a San Franciscan institution. We could eat at Zuni every single day and be perfectly happy — its current chef, Anne Alvero, makes multiple runs to the farmers market and changes the menu daily with specials, which are nice to have while you wait for your iconic chicken to be roasted to order. (Yes, even if you think you’re not going to get the chicken, you’ll do so anyway.) Add some crispy shoestring French fries, some oysters, and a bottle of Burgundy, and take your time.
Find more info here.
20. Ofena Merced Manor
From Tan Truong, the restaurateur who brought you Juni and , comes this modern Italian restaurant, which opened on Ocean Ave in Lakeside Village last September. To execute the menu, Truong brought on executive chef Tim Humphrey, who spent time at the Restaurant at Meadowood, amongst other great Wine Country spots. At lunch, look for sandwiches and interesting items like fried mozzarella carozza served with a side of spicy marinara sauce (the OG mozzarella sticks, really). Meanwhile, dinner brings large menu of interesting pastas, like gnocchi carbonara with duck prosciutto and crispy duck skin, as well as large meaty mains (secondis, if you’re speaking Italian) like pork bistecca Fiorentina and fried chicken with a spicy Calabrian chile pepperonata.
