San Francisco City Guide

Ame

San Francisco

Noodles and broths with eggs, an abundance of crustaceans, lightly-dressed raw fish---the similarities between Japanese and Italian cuisine are striking. At Ame, husband-and-wife team Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani of St. Helena favorite, Terra, manage to fuse and play upon the flavors of both

Americano

San Francisco

Since its opening in 2005, this dolled-up restaurant, bar and lounge inside the stylish Hotel Vitale has become a notable Embarcadero destination for post-work power cocktailing, especially on the impressive outdoor patio. Inside, away from the scene-y front, the restaurant has quietly become a bastion of first-rate, Italian-influenced Slow Food under chef Paul Arenstam.

Coi

San Francisco

There are nearly a dozen essential oils and plant extracts on the menu at chef Daniel Patterson’s innovative eatery. Choose from four- or eleven-course tasting menus with dishes ranging from asparagus with ravigote sauce to breaded pigs' feet medallions stuffed with herbs and fried crisp.

Digs Bistro

San Francisco

Just off a side street from Berkeley’s bustling restaurant district, Digs Bistro offers a softly lit reprieve---a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with creative and satisfying cuisine.

Dosa on Fillmore

San Francisco

Dosa’s Mission District outpost remains a city favorite for its bright, rich design and approachable South Indian dishes, including multiple versions of the signature crêpe in varying styles and levels of heat.

Gitane

San Francisco

Gitane, located on charming Claude Lane, is nothing if not sexy: a stylish after-work crowd gathers in the downstairs bar, decked out in lush, red-printed wallpaper, or heads upstairs to the exotic dining room, which employs huge chandeliers, dark hues and mirrors for a decidedly sultry atmosphere

Jardiniere

San Francisco

"La ciccia" means "baby fat" or, as Italian native Lorella Degan puts it, "sweet fat." Count on acquiring a few ounces of it at the thriving neighborhood restaurant she co-owns with her husband, Sardinian chef Massimiliano Conti. Together the couple charms an eager crowd of regulars in the small, pool-blue dining room where conversation reaches a boisterous tempo (partly thanks to a fabulous wine list, heavy in Sardinian Vermentino) and no one is ever rushed.

La Mar Cebicheria

San Francisco

He may not be a household name in this country---yet---but chef Gastón Acurio is Peru’s equivalent of Bobby Flay, with his very own TV show and a position at the helm of several well-known restaurants. La Mar Cebicheria represents his first foray into the U.S., and much like his restaurants in his native country, Acurio’s focus here is on modern Peruvian cuisine.

Waterbar

San Francisco

Restaurateur Pat Kuleto has done it again: much like some of his classics (Farallon and Boulevard among them), with Waterbar he’s created something of a fantasy world that treats both the eyes and the palate. Situated right on the Embarcadero, with up-close-and-personal views of the Bay Bridge, the restaurant is a two-level stunner.