Old Ship Saloon

298 Pacific Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 788-2222
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Quite possibly the oldest saloon established in San Francisco, the Old Ship Saloon is a Jackson Square landmark that’s been in business since the three-masted boat named the Arkansas was beached here back in 1851. At inception, a door was merely cut directly into the hull of the boat to convert the ship into an ale house. Over time the ship was replaced with a brick and mortar building that functioned as a hotel, which still operated the Old Ship Saloon in a barroom on the ground floor. Read more »

Kasa Indian Eatery

3115 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 896-4008
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Prior to the arrival of Kasa Indian Eatery, options for healthy, freshly prepared Indian cuisine in the Marina were scant to say the least. Unlike other Indian restaurants in the city that exude a more ethnic ambiance, I was a bit surprised to see a modern interior space that feels like the Indian version of an upscale quick service restaurant. From the polished stainless-steel kitchen surfaces, industrial coated concrete floors, to the loft-like feeling of the space, the interior is miles from what one may have grown accustomed to when dining Indian. Read more »

SPQR

1911 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 771-7779
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Situated amongst the clusters of chic boutiques that dot this busy stretch of Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights, one could easily make the mistake of walking past this charming Italian restaurant with its unassuming black exterior and matching black awning. The name SPQR, which is an acronym for Senatus Populesque Romanus, and translates to “The People and Senate of Rome”, should explain its menu of rustic Italian dishes and great selection of Italian wines.

|Chef Matthew Accarrino| and his team have been hard at work, creating a diverse menu of dishes that change seasonally to showcase the best local ingredients. Much time and care goes into every dish, preparing everything including their pastas from scratch. Read more »

Betelnut

2030 Union Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 929-8855
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Named after the natural stimulant that is quite popular in Southeast Asia, Betelnut’s menu of contemporary Asian dishes and selection of crafted cocktails may evoke a similar reaction of mild hot sensations in the body and slightly heightened alertness to one’s surroundings. Located right along Union Street, the street facing windows are often opened up on warm days to encourage people watching while dining and drinking. The interior of this restaurant has one of the cooler Asian-inspired designs, similar in theme to a beer house found in places like Singapore. Design touches from the wooden Chinese paddles nailed to the wall, the sprinkler pipes painted to look like bamboo and the wall art posters all help transport diners far from its Cow Hollow locale.

Betelnut takes a contemporary approach to more traditional dishes from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and China. Read more »

S&T Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant

2578 Noriega Street
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 665-8338
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A fairly consistent barometer for delicious and authentic Dim Sum can often be surmised on the quality of the siumai. This Outer Sunset destination does not disappoint with their large-sized pork, shrimp, and shiitake mushroom dumplings, which are freshly prepared in-house and served piping hot. Unlike other establishments that have their menu items wheeled around the dining room on carts, the Dim Sum here arrives to the table directly from the kitchen, often needing a few moments to cool down.

Favorites here include the shrimp dumplings, stuffed rice noodles, minced pork dumplings stuffed in deep-fried glutinous rice, pork spare ribs, mixed sticky rice steamed in a lotus leaf, and the bell peppers stuffed with crab. Read more »

Submarine Center

820 Ulloa Street
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415) 564-1455
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Long before sandwich chains drew national acclaim for adding toasted sandwiches to their menus, Submarine Center has been serving them quietly here for over 25 years. This West Portal district staple has gained a loyal following from locals and jealous out of towners alike for their freshly toasted sandwiches.

Eating at one of the wood tables inside, it’s cool to see the various autographed San Francisco 49′ers memorabilia that adorns the wall; telling an interesting story of the affinity this sandwich shop shares with its fans on the team. Favorites include the BBQ Beef, Italian, and Pastrami sandwiches served with all the fixins. Read more »

Delarosa

2175 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 673-7100
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From the owners of Beretta comes Delarosa, a modern Italian restaurant that’s conveniently located on Chestnut Street in the Marina district. Though the signage looks more at home on a stainless steel Italian espresso machine, the interior is warm and inviting, with its share of high top communal tables encouraging conversation amongst diners.

Chef Ruggero Gadaldi’s menu features a mix of antipasti, salads, pastas, and Roman style pizzas, all complimented by a large selection of draft beers, wines and cocktails. Read more »

Farina

3560 18th Street
San Francisco, CA, 94110
(415) 565-0360
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One of my favorite restaurants in the Mission for its sleek and modern design, Farina’s ambiance is so inviting it just exudes cool. The curved curtain of glass that wraps around the frontage is beautiful yet functional, able to slide fully open to allow the breeze to circulate through. Skylights help keep the space bright with natural light, while the comfortable designer furniture helps to define the setting. Read more »

Jardiniere

300 Grove Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 861-5555
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If a night at the theater is in your plans, then so should drinks and dinner at Jardinière. Conveniently located across the street from both the War Memorial Opera house and the Davies Symphony Hall, it is a perfect place to come for a cocktail and a bite to eat before a show. Read more »

Perbacco

230 California St
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 955-0663
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Italian for “by jove”, “wow”, or just sheer astonishment, Perbacco strives to pleasantly surprise the senses with their take on regional Italian cuisine from Piedmont and Liguria. Read more »