The Resy Hit List: Where In San Francisco You’ll Want to Eat in August 2025
Updated:
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
- That New New: Maritime Boat Club, located in the former Burritt Room+Tavern Space space in the Palihotel in Union Square, is a very good time. They’ve brought on the talented chef Felix Santos (Quince, Sorrel) to craft a sea-centric menu, with industry vet Larry Piaskowy (Rich Table, True Laurel) shaking and stirring at the adjacent Bar Maritime. Not new, but new to Resy is Dragon Well on Chestnut St.; they just launched a Tuesday night mahjong lair for diners who can multitask. And lastly, get your meatsweats at Superprime, chef Marc Zimmern’s new SOMA steakhouse in the former Yokai space. And of course, New on Resy will keep you up to date on it all.
- Regulars: As much as we love the new restaurants, sometimes we just want to revisit our old haunts — places like the wonderful gem of a restaurant that is Pearl 6101 in The Richmond with its comforting California Mediterranean cuisine and strong cocktails. Routier in Pac Heights is another spot we wish we could revisit over and over again; chef JP Carmona’s French-ish bistro fare with finesse is crave-worthy and the menu is ever-changing. Check our guide for more places where we’d love to be regulars.
- Plan Ahead: Mark your calendar so you won’t miss all the great events happening in August. Penny Roma is collaborating with the wonderful Bar Le Côte from Los Olivos, and the week after, the restaurant hosts a Family Meal fundraiser for the non-profit Zero Foodprint. If you’re into wine, Nari is doing a special dinner with Santa Cruz Mountain’s Mount Eden Vineyards, while later in the month The Morris celebrates the 25th anniversary of Melville, from Santa Rita Hills.
- New Menu, Who Dis?: The 20th street corridor cocktail institution Trick Dog launched their 23rd (!) menu last month — inspired by the Canis Major constellation and with a whopping 16 new drinks, each named after a different star. Try the Omicron, a favorite of founder Josh Harris as well as GM Nick Amano-Dolas. (It includes mustard vinaigrette. Yes, we’re serious.) Pair with an impossibly tall mountain of kale salad for the health.
New to the Hit List (August 2025)
Kiln, Nopa Fish, Outerlands, Shuggie’s Trash Pie + Natural Wine.
1. Rose Pizzeria Berkeley
Nothing is quite like sitting in the backyard patio at Berkeley’s Rose Pizzeria. You’re in a little rose garden as the sun shines and the bees buzz around you; a picture-perfect scene. And then there’s the pizza, of course — 14 inches, six slices, charred and chewy yet thin and crispy. If you want to get pizza nerdy about it, it’s somewhere in between New Haven and New York in style, while using the ingredient-driven, Californian ethos for toppings. For example: the Green Deluxe is a white pie generously topped with broccoli rabe, garlic confit, and local Double 8 Dairy mozzarella. No wonder the New York Times named Rose among the Best Pizza in America.
2. Outerlands Outer Sunset
Outerlands remains a San Francisco classic. You already know about the epic weekend brunch — one of our favorites in the city, really — with those big, buttery Dutch pancakes and cast iron grilled cheese sandwiches that ooze. But Outerlands is equally awesome during dinner, and best of all, you don’t even need to wait in line. Pro tip: The menu is ever-changing, but on Wednesdays they do a burger featuring a thick patty of beef in between a housemade potato roll served with hand-cut French fries, and on Monday night, the menu leans a bit more Southern, with options like corn bread, smoked salmon hush puppies, and crispy, juicy fried chicken
3. Jules Lower Haight
San Francisco is having a moment in pizza right now, and the latest addition to the booming scene comes care of Tartine’s former culinary director Max Blachman-Gentile. The restaurant is named after chef’s grandma Jules and opened in May in the former Iza Ramen space on Fillmore. In addition to thin and crispy pizzas, look for dishes like the spring “chopped salad” with pickled fiddleheads or yellowtail crudo with blood orange leche de tigre. And don’t miss the nori guanciale pull-apart buns, served with a side of Parm rind cultured butter and a nice fat, orange tongue of uni. This dish is so wild it makes no sense — except it makes all the sense in your mouth.
4. Ssal Russian Hill
Dinner at this one-Michelin starred tasting menu restaurant by chef Junsoo Bae is a multi-course, multi-hour affair, lasting almost three hours and spanning over 13 courses. It may sound like a lot, but you won’t leave feeling overly stuffed and rolling home — the chef strives for balance throughout the meal. The menu is always changing, but a recent meal started off with chilled oysters dressed with housemade chojang, a tartlet filled with wagyu tartare and flowers, and a play on sweet potato pancake that comes topped with caviar — just three bites that set the tone for a menu that’s filled with finesse.
Book on Tock.
5. Good Good Culture Club Mission
Dinner at Good Good Culture Club feels like a proper way to celebrate summer in San Francisco, especially while feasting on stuffed fried chicken wings on the rooftop overlooking the colorful Women’s Building on a sunny afternoon. The team also recently introduced a happy hour daily from 5-6 p.m. Snack on things like chips and dip, boiled peanuts, lao beef jerky, market vegetables with a spicy jaew to dip, crispy pig ears, and salt-and-pepper popcorn chicken — you could even make a meal out of it if you order all the things. Pro tip: if you’ve got a large crew (at least eight), snag the Ohana table and feast family style on a set menu — you won’t leave hungry.
6. Kiln Hayes Valley
Chef John Wesley has a lot to celebrate: his minimalist fine-dining tasting menu restaurant in Hayes Valley turned two earlier this year. What’s more: the restaurant also earned a second star from Michelin. When Wesley opened a couple years ago, he was shooting for the stars — and mission accomplished. The food at Kiln is a bit difficult to describe: it’s a little new Nordic and a touch Japanese, rooted in California, sourcing from specialty purveyors like Flannery Beef, whose funky dry-aged dairy cow is used in a succession of courses. Housed in the old tall concrete-walled Cala space on Hayes, a meal here contains 20-something servings and spans a good two-and-a-half hours, depending on how fast you eat. But you’ll want to take your time. Kiln is a fine option for a special occasion, and there’s no rush.
Book now on Tock.
7. Routier Pacific Heights
Three legends team up to make one rad restaurant: an exec chef with an impressive culinary CV that includes Alinea, Mugaritz, Manresa, and more (John Paul Carmona), one of the most decorated pastry chefs in America (Belinda Leong of b.patisserie), and one of the best bakers in America, who literally founded the San Francisco Baking Institute (Michael Suas). How will the end product not be great? It’s almost unfair. The food is “casual Frenchish” — and late spring is a lovely time to visit. Exhibit A: fresh garbanzos with sugar snap peas, grilled fava leaf pesto, and green pepper yogurt served with a toasted baguette.
8. Izakaya Rintaro The Mission
Whenever we’re missing Japan, we’ll look at flights — but inevitably, we end up going to Rintaro to fill that void, deliciously. Chez Panisse alum Sylvan Mishima Brackett has reimagined the izakaya through the lens of California, bringing ingredient-driven sourcing and sensibilities to a space that’s lively and serene all at once (and highly personal, too—it was designed and built with the help of his very own father, a temple carpenter in Kyoto). Our favorite seats are at the yakitori station, where it’s mesmerizing to watch the cooks expertly twist and turn chicken skewers until charred.
9. Belotti Ristorante e Bottega Rockridge
Intimate and effortlessly Italian, this spot is run by chef/owner Michele Belotti, who was born and raised in a small town in Bergamo, Italy, working in Michelin-starred restaurants before coming to California in 2011, and worked at RistoBar before opening his own restaurant with his wife in Oakland. Here, you’ll find a substantial menu of pastas, mostly made in-house. Agnolotti is stuffed with a meaty mix of beef shank, pork, and sausage along with escaraole and spinach and is topped with a glossy, lip-sticking beef reduction. Long wide pappardelle comes tossed with plenty of organic earthy hen-of-the-woods mushrooms. Save room for a secondi — or don’t, and just order that extra pasta.
10. Prik Hom Jordan Park
Have you heard of Jordan Park? It’s an actual neighborhood near Laurel Heights that measures 4.5 x 2 blocks, and its lower-east-side corner houses a lovely little Thai restaurant called Prik Hom. Run by siblings Tanya and Jim Suwanpanya, who cooked in fine-dining restaurants in both Bangkok and San Francisco (Lazy Bear!), Prik Hom translates to “fragrant chile.” Imported ingredients like shrimp pastes are combined with the best of the Bay’s bounty to create something special, namely Jim’s very personal view of regional Thai cooking. Take note of the Northern Thai style pork larb, which will quickly make you understand why the restaurant is named as it is.
11. Nopa Fish Embarcadero
From California cuisine stalwart NOPA comes a new project, a fish market and kitchen appropriately called Nopa Fish. The new concept opened in June in the historic Ferry Building and has a concise menu featuring sustainable seafood. The fish and chips are made from wild local rockfish that are beer-battered and fried until GBD (golden, brown, and delicious), while the smoked albacore melt piles wild Pacific tuna, sauerkraut, and your choice of cheese between two buttered and toasted slices of Acme sourdough. If you’re cooking at home, a beautiful glass case is filled with fresh fish to take away. It might be smart to come on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday so you can also shop the farmer’s market.
Find more info here.
12. Heirloom Cafe SF Mission District
While everyone is at their own level along their wine journey, Heirloom Café is the most excellent of educators, no matter where you are on your path. Sommelier and owner Stephen Hallenbeck is an encyclopedia — if he’s on the floor during dinner, ask him to pair and pour a glass or bottle (or both) for your table. He also leads tastings: The themes change and can be based on producer, region, or varietal. Or if you just want to eat, go with the three-course menu that comes with three pairings — that’s considered a deal, maybe even a steal these days.
13. Gigi’s Wine Lounge NOPA
What makes this very vibey new wine bar on Divisadero so fun, you ask? Well—there are Chambongs, to start, which is a highly efficient way to down something bubbly. And if you’d rather slowly savor your Champagne, you can do that, too. The wine program is curated by general manager Madison Michael (Merchant Roots, Osito) and leans Old World. As for what makes Gigi’s so vibey? Its space is designed by Strand Design, the same firm behind Bar Gemini in The Mission. Burgundy walls. Jade green granite counters. And wait—there’s more. The food program comes care of chef Tu David Phu, who has made a fun menu with things like wagyu hot dogs with pork floss and spicy mapo noodles. They also have a bottle shop next door if you want to grab something to take away.
Book on Tock.
14. side a San Francisco
We missed Universal Café, so when we heard chefs Parker and Caroline Brown were taking it over, we were enthused. They’ve turned the restaurant into a midwestern bistro, with hearty, generously-portioned entrees, like a rich, rib-sticking short rib gnocchi inspired by Chicago beef and giant crispy chicken cutlets the size of your face. Save room for dessert if you can: this may be the best carrot cake we’ve ever had, moist and multi-layered and textured and, of course, not too sweet. There’s also a big emphasis on audio (Caroline has a background in music and used to book talent at Outside Lands), with a big selection of vinyl and a rotating roster of DJs.
15. Mister Jiu’s Chinatown
How lucky is San Francisco to have Brandon Jew? His contemporary Chinese restaurant Mister Jiu’s is truly one of the most special dining experiences in America. But it’s much more than a place to grab dinner — Jew’s space is a celebration and preservation of the country’s first and oldest Chinatown. Set in the historic and iconic former Four Seas space, the dining room is stunning, as is the food. Jew and team recently rolled out a banquet menu with his crispy-skinned Peking-style roast duck as the centerpiece. For $125 per person, each diner also gets a pick from a small first course, a slightly larger second course (don’t miss the chilled beef tendon or the cheong fun), and dessert.
Book on Tock.
16. True Laurel Mission
San Franciscans are extremely lucky to have such a good drinking town, and those who live in The Mission are the luckiest of the bunch. The 20th street corridor especially is remarkable. We have not one but two world class cocktail bars: the ever-changing Trick Dog of course, and the especially awesome True Laurel literally around the corner. Nicolas Torres’s cocktails rule: they’ve got the right balance of clever and quaffable (the clarified Mai O Mai is one of our favorite drinks in the world, his take on a clarified mai tai). The food rules, too. Get the patty melt, which will ruin all patty melts for you. Which is just fine, trust us.
Find more info here.
17. Shuggie’s Mission
Shuggie’s continues to be a party. Whether you’re seated inside the yellow-walled maximalist dining room up front or the glittery green room in the back, it feels like you’re on a very fun acid trip. A bulldog named Beef stands behind the bar, ready to pour you a glass of natty wine (or be petted on the head, at least — he’s a good boy). The restaurant has a mission to combat climate change by using off-cuts and bruised vegetables, things that would otherwise be discarded and wasted, to produce flat square pizzas and small plates. Luckily, the results are delicious. Now for the rub: You have until Aug. 16 to experience this iteration before they close down for renovations and reopen as a dinner club later this month. So smash that Resy for one last Trash Pie.
18. Ar Har Ya Burmese Kitchen FiDi
If you’ve never had mohinga, you’re missing out. The Burmese breakfast noodle soup is the national dish of the country for a reason (it’s delicious, and you can eat it any time of day). The version at Ar Har Ya on Kearny is very, very good. Chef Jasmine Oo’s broth is made with a base of catfish marinated in turmeric — it’s not fishy, but rather super-savory and slightly sour, thick, and rich. It’s served with vermicelli noodles, a boiled egg, fried lentils, and comes out piping hot — it’ll warm your soul on the coldest and foggiest of San Francisco days. For a different kind of noodle soup, try the ong noh kaw soi, a creamy coconut chicken noodle soup that’s equally satisfying.
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. Kin Khao Union Square
In Thai, the phrase “kin khao” means “let’s eat.” In San Francisco, Kin Khao is a Michelin-starred Thai restaurant from the great chef/owner Pim Techamuanvivit. Kin Khao Kin Khao! We love this restaurant so much, especially because it doesn’t hold back. Pretty Hot Wings are appropriately pretty hot, thanks to the addition of bright red bird’s eye chile that garnish the glossy tamarind- and sriracha-glazed wings. We also love this restaurant because we can take all our vegetarian and vegan friends here and everyone will be equally happy. Gaeng Hed features crispy mushrooms in swimming in a creamy coconut curry bolstered by blistered green beans, while nam tok beans feature crispy cranberry beans by Rancho Gordo (purveyor of the world’s best beans) tossed with lime, chile, soy, and is coated in rice powder for texture. Cool the heat with a couple of excellent cocktails.
