The Resy Hit List: Where In San Francisco You’ll Want to Eat Right Now
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.
Consider it your essential resource for dining in San Francisco and the Bay Area: a monthly-updated guide to the restaurants that you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Four Things In the Bay Area Not to Miss This Month
- Lebanon in The Mission: Explore delicious Californian Lebanese fare from industry vet Maz Naba as he pops up at Buddy on 22nd Street in The Mission. “Ilna” translates to “for us,” and we’re lucky to be included. Naba explores the Levant throughout his menu, with unique takes on classic dishes. His version of kousa, a Lebanese stuffed squash, comes generously stuffed with Dungeness crab fried rice, while his version of shish barak (aka Middle Eastern meat dumplings) is filled with umami-packed dry aged beef. There’s also a Middle Eastern spin on an Italian classic called Habibi Tiramisu, which uses cold brew from the habibis over at Grand Coffee nearby on Mission St.
- It’s All Greek: Hit those Greek Islands without leaving the city and head to the Marina, where you’ll find the newly opened Greek fine-dining restaurant Milos Meze. Opened by chef Ali Yaldiz, who spent time in the kitchen at Tuba Restaurant, the menu features a long and large list of meze: creamy tzatziki, marinated fresh cured anchovies, acuka (a roasted red pepper and walnut spread), and so much more. Come with all your friends and order all the things. There are also larger plates to round out the meal, including charcoal grilled dry-aged rib eye, juicy grilled lamb chops, whole grilled fish, moussaka, and more. And it’s just one of many new arrivals in town; keep up via New on Resy.
- New Year, New Salad: We could all use a little more salad in our lives, especially if you’re on perennial double dinner duty (we’re professionals, OK?). But salads can be something you to look forward to. Exhibit A: the shungiku kamo sarada from the always amazing Izakaya Rintaro. This “dressed dish” features chrysanthemum greens with charcoal-grilled duck breast slices topped of with tart kumquats. Or consider exhibit B: the chicory salad from The Rustic on Church Street, which comes with radicchio, frisee, grilled nectarines for sweetness, hazelnuts for crunch, and lightly dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette. Or you could also just get a good ol’ bread salad at Zuni, which just happens to come with a whole roasted chicken.
- Dry January: January is a good time to give your liver a rest. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still drink extremely well: numerous bartenders and bars out there put great craft and care into their N/A programs. Look at Trick Dog, for example, one of the World’s Best Bars right in The Mission District. Here, Joshua Harris and team change the menu a couple of times a year, always including multiple options for drinks sans booze. The Munkhound was designed by Harris, and features zero-proof gin, a mushroom-infused apertivo, lemon, and mint — it’s light, bright, and highly quaffable. Pair with the giant kale salad and you just might be running ultramarathons like Harris in no time. Feeling more of a wet January? We’ve got you covered too, boo.
New to the Hit List (Jan. 2024)
Bar Gemini, Besharam, Bombera, Ernest, Fiskcue Craft BBQ, Horsies Market, Nari, Rich Table, Snail Bar, Sons and Daughters, Trick Dog.
1. Ernest Mission
Before opening his globally-inspired restaurant in the Mission, chef Brandon Rice was the chef de cuisine at Rich Table. And you can see the throughlines: his cooking and food is some of the most creative in the city. Consider his cheese course — there’s no one else doing a burrata dish like he does, which he tops with an ultra-umami Parma ham XO sauce along with sweet spoonful of persimmon, and served with a side of crispy scallion pancake for you to tear apart and make into beautiful bites. Bonkers. Our plan for 2025? Just let the kitchen cook for you — it’s the best way to taste through the entirety of the menu. You’ll be rolling home, happily.
2. Sons & Daughters Nob Hill
Ever since chef Harrison Cheney took over the kitchen, he’s helped the 14-year-old Sons & Daughters become what might be the best fine-dining restaurant in San Francisco at the moment. There’s not another restaurant quite like it. The food is new Nordic meats Californian, with a heavy Swedish influence. (Cheney was previously chef de cuisine as the two-starred Gastrologik in Sweden, which is also where the restaurants’ chef de partie worked.) The food has both flair and finesse, it’s light yet flavorful, packed with ferments and garums. It’s small, intimate, dimly lit with fun Justin Hager artwork that hangs in the bathroom walls and a Toto toilet that salutes you when you come near it. This a real special spot — even S.F. Chronicle critic MacKenzie Chung Fegan co-signs.
More info here.
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. Rich Table Hayes Valley
Here’s the thing about creative Californian fare at Rich Table: it’s always consistent, and it consistently hits hard. The Hayes Valley stalwart is heading into its 13th year in operation, and it’s still firing like it just opened. Our favorite seats are the ones at the bar closet to the kitchen, where you’ll find chef/owner Evan Rich or the very talented CDC Gizela Ho either on expo orchestrating orders or on the line plating up pastas. You could just come in for a couple quick bites — menu mainstays like the sardine chips and porcini doughnuts are San Francisco classics that shouldn’t be missed. But really the move is to go with the chefs’ picks: Forgo control, and — you might be sensing a theme — let them choose your adventure for you.
5. 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.
6. Trick Dog Mission
There’s much to love about Trick Dog, one of the best cocktail bars in the world, according to many esteemed lists. Let’s not even talk about the very excellent and creative cocktails, with a menu that’s refreshed a couple times a year (they’re due for one later this month and we can’t wait to see what it holds). The vibe is unmatched, with a downstairs room that’s packed every night with thirsty San Franciscans vying for drinks. Meanwhile, the upstairs room is where you can sit down for a proper meal, feasting on seemingly endless mountains of kale Caesar salads, impossibly crispy French fries, hot dogs, and burgers shaped like hot dogs (trick dogs, if you will). Just remember: Reservations open a week in advance, so keep your eyes peeled.
7. Snail Bar Temescal District
Is the natural wine haven Snail Bar the best bar in America? It certainly is one of them, according to Esquire’s 2022 list. But it’s also a very, very good place to eat. That’s because it’s chef/owner/oenophile Andres Giraldo Florez has worked in some of the very best kitchens around the world, including the avant-garde Mugartiz in Spain as well as Saison right here in San Francisco. What he’s done is taken all the finesse and attention to detail and applied that to all the food on his menu in a very casual very cool setting in Oakland’s Temescal. The menu chalkboard menu changes multiple times per week (the snails are a mainstay, of course), and he often brings in talented chefs from around the globe to collaborate on the menu. What a special spot.
8. Bombera Oakland
Bombera, the charming Mexican restaurant by Chez Panisse alum Dominica Rice Cisneros, is housed in an old fire station, which is fitting because the food is fire (sorry, we had to). In all seriousness, the restaurant is aptly named (“bombera” translates to female firefighter in Spanish), and the food features flair and soul. The pozole verde recipe comes from her aunt and features an intense chicken broth fortified with corn. Duck carnitas using Liberty Ducks from Sonoma are rich and crispy, a smart substitute for the usual pork product that’s typically used. It’s served with a green mole and is served with rice and beans and tortillas for you to make tacos with. Pair with some mezcal or a cocktail or two and you’ve got yourself a good ol’ time.
9. Ramen Shop Rockridge
This Oakland stalwart is more than just a noodle shop. Expect plenty of small plates to snack on before you arrive at the main event, which might feature tempura fried maitake mushrooms with spicy corn mayo, pork and shrimp dumplings, and excellent pork fried rice. Ramen Shop comes from Chez Panisse alums who source so much of their product and produce from farmer’s markets nearby (you’ll quickly see how eating local can taste so good). Add to that incredibly thoughtful cocktails and highballs, and a secret private karaoke room in the back of the kitchen where you can dine and sing to your heart’s content.
10. Bar Gemini Mission District
From the fine folks that brought you the nearby Gemini Bottle Shop is their very vibey Bar Gemini. Here you’ll find an array of wines by the glass, carafe, and on tap (!) that are from grapes farmed organically and made with as little intervention as possible. Yes, there are natural wines, but not in the overly flawed way — these are wines with structure and finesse that just happen to be made responsibly. That’s their philosophy and they’re sticking to it. Bonus for having a fun food menu made by the talented Brandon Rice above — the cacio e pepe deviled eggs might be the greatest take on the classic snack we’ve encountered.
11. Fikscue Craft BBQ Alameda
You don’t need to go to Austin these days to get your meat sweats on — simply head across the bridge to Alameda, where you’ll find Fikscue smoking up brisket and sausage and ribs. (Oh my.) While the meats are traditional simple salt-and-pepper crusted, the sides lean Indonesian. That’s because husband-and-wife duo Fik and Reka Saleh both hail from the island nation. Fik does the meats while Reka makes the sides, and it’s a beautiful marriage: Imagine nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) paired with a super complex and heady rendang made with Fiks’ brisket. Fikscue is only open on the weekends, and there’s always a line, which can start as early as 8 a.m. But this is an emblem of the new wave of American barbecue.
Find more info here.
12. Besharam Dogpatch
At Besharam, La Cocina alum chef Heena Patel digs deep into regional Gujarati cuisine. Gujarat, there are so many dishes that differ city to city — and even block to block — that each household effectively makes their own version, and at her restaurant, it’s no different. Besharam translates to “shameless,” and Patel fittingly does things her own way, presenting familiar dishes in novel ways. Take the dahi wada, for example. These dal fritters are typically soaked in yogurt so that they absorb the moisture, resulting in a sort of soft texture and bite. Patel instead serves hers thin and crispy and freshly fries them so that there’s textural delight and a contrast in temperature. Go with the tasting menu, which is served family style, completely vegetaria, and at $85, one of the best deals in San Francisco.
13. Boulettes Larder Embarcadero
During the Saturday farmers market at the Ferry Building, you can have access to the literal larder to procure prepared foods and provisions for home — from spices and stocks to vinegars and olive oils, canned anchovies and capers to soups and dried goods and so much more. And while you’re there, you’ll want to stop in for lunch and snack on all the seasonal Cal-Med things — a mezze spread with house baked pita; romanesco, zucchini, and spinach soup; and a bulgur and freekeh salad studded with tart barberries and pomegranate seeds, frilly field lettuce, all the seeds (pumpkin sunflower, and sesame), and finished with ricotta salata (this is the California fresh fare everyone at its finest). Pair with a pizza, and you’ve got a good meal.
Find more info here.
14. Pizzeria da Laura Berkeley
For years she was the right-hand woman for the legendary pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani. But last spring the three-time world pizza champion legend that is Laura Meyer opened up her own eponymous spot on Shattuck Ave. in downtown Berkeley, and it’s epic. She offers big New York style slices by the pie and the slice, but her forte is with squares. She does three versions: fluffy Sicilian style, crispy cheese-crowned Detroit style, and a thinner, crispier grandma style. Get a nice big group and have a fun little pizza party. Try also the housemade pasta like bucatini amatriciana and corn and clam spaghetti, and Caesar salads for the health, of course.
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. Routier Pacific Heights
Routier remains its intimate, charming, “French-ish” self, thanks to the outstanding work of chef John Paul Carmona, award-winning pastry chef Belinda Leong, and brilliant bread baker Michel Suas. And yes, it’s still the perfect date night spot. The ever-changing three course prix-fixe Formule Routier is a smart way to go. Or order à la carte and share: crispy potato pavés with lemon cream and caviar are a fun splurge, while the ethereally smooth chicken liver mousse with onion and red currant compote might be the best version of this dish that exists. Save room for all the desserts, of course — Leong also runs b. patisserie, so you know you’re in for a treat.
18. Horsies Market Mission
The little horse-themed market on 19th Street originally opened in 2016 from the husband-and-wife team behind Royal Cuckoo, but early last year, longtime bartender Julian Ensworth took over. He largely kept everything the same in the charming equine-filled space, but created a new drinks menu of low-ABV, vermouth-based cocktails and spritzes. He also started bringing in more pop-ups and somehow has made the space even more vibey and charming than it was before. We really wanted to keep the hybrid bottle shop/bar on the D, our little secret that no one knew about. But Esther Mobley from the Chronicle went and spilled the beans and called it one of the best new bars in her annual list for The Chronicle, so now we’re just going to add fuel to the fire.
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. Nari Japantown
How lucky are we to have Nari, Pim Techamuanvivit’s Michelin-starred modern Thai restaurant? The name is from the Sanskrit-derived word for “women” and is a tribute to all the women in chef and owner Techamuanvivit’s life who taught her how to cook and eat. Take a lesson from Pim and go with the chef’s pick option. (Again with the theme.) Here she’ll give you the best of the menu — it always changes and the quantity depends on the number of people present at the table, but it’s always served family-style. It will start with a few small bites, like the gaeng gradang tod, which features crispy pork croquettes with a complex curry paste, before moving to things like wraps and salads; the main course comes next — usually a curry — followed by a stir-fry dish accompanied with wok-seared cabbage and rice.
