Winter 2023 Restaurant Update
As much as I reveled in the preciousness of a rare meal out during the depths of COVID, it feels so so good to be going to restaurants on the regular again (the last update was hybrid takeout/dine-in sitch, but we’re officially back in the full throttle “for here” zone). Looking back on the last six months of discovering new places to eat (24 of ‘em!), I’m touched by the memories and moments that come along with each – double dates, celebrations, spontaneous outings, and intimate catch-ups. I hope you’re back in the swing of things yourselves, and if not, then perhaps these suggestions will be the oomph you need to get back out there. If not, I’ve got a whopping 298 more for you to scope out over on the big map (which means this lil list of mine is now over 300 recs strong!). This time around, we’re heading into IYKYK territory with Rong’s, La Parilla Loca, Khan Toke, and Swanson Berry Farm. But we’re also #stayingrelevant with plenty of Mission hotspots (Good Good Culture Club, Shuggie’s Trash Pie + Natural Wine, Mijoté, The Morris, Penny Roma, Handroll Project) and new projects from old favorites (Loquat, from the folks that brought you The Mill, Good Good Culture Club from the geniuses at Liholiho Yacht Club, Penny Roma from the Flour + Water fam, and Handroll Project from the ju-ni masterminds). Raw seafood seems to be having a moment with newcomers Le Fantastique, Penny Roma, Handroll Project, and Mijoté putting it front and center on their menus. Pandemic projects got permanent homes in Fruitvale (Tacos El Ultimo Baile) and in Emeryville (Good To Eat Dumplings), and I experienced a whole new level of “California Cuisine” at Chez Panisse (the OG!), Harbor House, and Mijoté. As always, there are more Richmond additions, including spots that confirm I was on the early leg of the area’s gentrification (hello, Laundromat and The Coffee Movement). But I remain grateful for plenty of lowkey institutions sticking it out here (this time, Rong’s, Khan Toke, and HoDaLa). As much as I love my life in the fog, East Bay food adventures have been plentiful, including a self-led taco crawl that resulted in three new faves (vampiros tacos at Tacos El Ultimo Baile, tacos de cabeza at El Tacostao, and asado at La Parilla Loca). And finally, while dinner tends to get the spotlight, some new breakfast spots were added to the rotation (pancakes at Glen Park Cafe, bourekas at Loquat, bagels at Laundromat). We’re back baby!!
1. Chez Panisse
Cuisine: French
Hood: Berkeley
Dining Style: Fine Dining
Price: $$$$
Occasion: Birthday/anniversary/graduation
Don’t Miss The: Fixed menu, so...all of it!
Ol' faithful! Dining at Chez Panisse is a right of passage for Bay Area food lovers; a – no THE – case study in California cooking. The upstairs cafe is charming and lively, while the downstairs is more formal and subdued (and costly). On either level, you're going to experience a very special meal, made with reverence for hyper seasonal ingredients and an elegant touch of French technique. Dining here is like an all-senses-engaged museum visit, where you'll tap into a piece of culinary history in a landmark location while tasting cooking that honors its roots while always trying something new. Treat your visit as a very special occasion – whether as the backdrop to something worth celebrating like a birthday or anniversary, or as the main event.
https://www.chezpanisse.com/1/ | 1517 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709
2. El Tacostao
Cuisine: Mexican
Hood: Oakland
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $
Occasion: Feeling up for an adventure
Don’t Miss The: Taco de Cabeza
You might be confused when you arrive at the address listed here, because it appears to be a gated backyard. But make your way in and you'll discover a helter skelter structure with a hidden door. Inside is a restaurant that reminds me of the roadside taco shops in Baja California – casual, welcoming, and smoky. The specialty is tacos de cabeza, made by steaming an entire cows head and shredding the tender, fatty meat into a fresh corn tortilla. This was a first for me, but it won't be the last.
https://www.instagram.com/eltacostao__/?hl=en | 1327 80th Ave, Oakland, CA 94621
3. Glen Park Cafe
Cuisine: American
Hood: Glen Park
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $
Occasion: Post Glen Canyon Park hike
Don’t Miss The: Pancake Combo
This quaint little diner just hits the spot when what you need is a classic American breakfast. There is nothing particularly remarkable going on here, and for that reason you're bound to get a table easily and a coffee in seconds. The neighborhood is delightful, and the restaurant is not too far from Glen Canyon Park, a 70 acre oasis of hiking trails and dramatic landscapes. Did I just plan your next Saturday for you? I did!
https://www.yelp.com/biz/glen-park-cafe-san-francisco-2 | 2798 Diamond St, San Francisco, CA 94131
4. Good Good Culture Club
Cuisine: Asian
Hood: Mission
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Saturday night, and you're feeling alive!
Don’t Miss The: Hodo Yuba
GGCC is one of SF's newest and most dazzling darlings, a two-story Mission spot from the Liholiho Yacht Club folks hawking some super inventive flavor blasted food in a high energy tropical paradise of a space. The format is small plates that are meant to be shared with the table, which allows you to explore a wide variety of ingredients, textures, and presentations. One standout is the 'good good chicken wing,' a singular wing that's deboned and stuffed with something tasty (it changes regularly), then deep fried. The 'hodo yuba' is another one I crave -- a chilled salad of tofu skin noodles coated with sesame miso dressing. Plan ahead and make a rez, because Bon Appetit tipped off the masses when they named it one of the best new restaurants of 2022.
https://goodgoodcultureclub.com/ | 3560 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
5. Good To Eat Dumplings
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Hood: Emeryville
Dining Style: Fast Casual
Price: $$
Occasion: Weeknight friend group meetup
Don’t Miss The: Taiwanese Golden Kimchi
A casual, craveable, Taiwanese spot with a menu that makes holding back feel pretty impossible. Good To Eat Dumplings started as a pop up and opened their adorable Emeryville space in May 2022. Order at the counter and snag a table in the backyard. While you'd be a fool to bypass the dumplings (it's in the name) you truly cannot go wrong with any of their dishes, from Taiwanese minced pork noodles to grilled mochi to golden kimchi and everything in between. Each dish is masterfully and carefully composed and comforting to the core.
https://www.goodtoeatdumplings.com/ | 1298 65th St Suite #1, Emeryville, CA 94608
6. Handroll Project
Cuisine: Japanese
Hood: Mission
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: One on one dinner with someone who will appreciate the play by play
Don’t Miss The: Smoked Uni & Ikura Handroll
Handroll Project is the latest from the ju-ni and Hina Yakitori crew, a casual-feeling, utterly bumping spot for temaki like you wouldn't believe. Pull up a stool at the counter which snakes around the perimeter of the restaurant and let your chef do their thing. The set menus are the way to go -- less thinking, more eating -- but there's an a la carte menu in case you're picky (or still hungry). Each handroll is unique and special, but my favorite was the smoked uni and ikura, a sweet and salty creamy dream! Don't sleep on the pickled wasabi either, which is made in house and is unlike any condiment I've ever tasted before. We asked if we could buy a jar...they said no.
https://www.handrollproject.com/ | 598 Guerrero St, San Francisco, CA 94110
7. Harbor House
Cuisine: New American
Hood: Elk
Dining Style: Fine Dining
Price: $$$$
Occasion: The very specialist of occasions
Don’t Miss The: Fixed menu, so...all of it!
Okay TO BE FAIR, I got engaged here (not at the restaurant, but on the premises) so this is an especially special place to me. But to also be fair, you're probably not going all the way to Elk for a two-Michelin star meal just for kicks either. Harbor House Inn is an elegant and historic place with a few rooms and a renowned restaurant that takes "local" to a new level. The vast majority of their ingredients come from within 30 miles of the restaurant and many items are foraged (like mushrooms, lichen, herbs). The space is adorned with local materials like redwood tables and abalone shell chopsticks holders, and each of the 20 seats has an unreal view of the dramatic Mendocino coastline. Expect about a dozen dishes, each plated and presented with the utmost intentionality and accompanied by rich stories and anecdotes (like "our friend in Elk is a woodworker and he constructed the box you see in front of you that our line caught local black cod was smoked inside of"). If you can believe me, none of it feels pretentious, but highly intentional and dare I say, intellectual (okay, that does sound a little pretentious). There are plenty of places to stay the night while you're in town, but the absolute treat is to sleep over at the inn, where you'll be greeted with an equally special breakfast in bed before you hit the road, back to reality.
https://www.theharborhouseinn.com/dine | 5600 CA-1, Elk, CA 95432
8. HoDaLa
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Hood: Outer Richmond
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Happy hour
Don’t Miss The: Gua Bao
Hodala means "bottoms up" in Mandarin -- this casual restaurant is a Taiwanese watering hole with a menu that suits an afternoon snack, full on dinner, or happy hour spread. The vibe is a bit Mad Max-ian, industrial and steampunk in decor in a way that feels slightly kitsch but just right. No matter what, you're ordering a Taiwanese beer (where else?!). The menu is quite vast with lots to try, but I'm partial to their Gua Bao, tender pork belly inside a fluffy bao bun sprinkled with chopped peanuts!
https://www.hodalausa.com/ | 5801 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
9. Judahlicious
Cuisine: Vegan
Hood: Outer Sunset
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Pre/post beach walk fuel
Don’t Miss The: Acai Bowl
If vegan food makes you mad, keep scrolling (and consider why vegetables make you angry). If not, you've come to the right place! Judahlicious is a reliable Outer Sunset institution for hearty plant-based food and juices. It's crunchy, beachy, and lowkey – the ideal spot for a chill lunch date before a stroll on Ocean Beach or a post surf smoothie. There aren't a ton of healthy options in this part of town, so Judahlicious has a magnetic quality, pulling those of us craving something fresh and vegetal into its orbit like a moth to a flame. For anyone who feels Sweetgreen is too "mainstream" (but secretly loves it), you'll feel right at home at Judahlicious.
http://judahlicious.com/ | 3906 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122
10. Khan Toke
Cuisine: Thai
Hood: Outer Richmond
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Weekend adventure
Don’t Miss The: Panang Curry
Khan Toke is an ornate and labyrinthian Thai restaurant hidden in the Outer Richmond behind an unassuming storefront. Step inside and you'll be invited to remove your shoes and wait for a table in a wooden foyer. Eventually you'll be escorted to your table, where you'll sit on floor pillows while your legs dangle in the empty space below. Outside, the vines of a lush garden kiss the windows, completing an atmosphere that feels totally not Geary Blvd. The menu has the classic dishes you'd expect, served on hand painted plateware. The whole experience feels royal and intimate, making Khan Toke one of the Richmond's best kept secrets.
https://www.khantokethaisf.com/ | 5937 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
11. La Parrilla Loca
Cuisine: Mexican
Hood: Oakland
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $
Occasion: Need a vacation, but no time to fly to Mexico
Don’t Miss The: Asado Taco
At 4PM, the corner of San Leandro St. and 100th Ave in East Oakland is deserted, but by 4:30PM there are charcoal grills loaded with meat, a masa-to-tortilla assembly line, and a line of hungry patrons wrapped around the corner. La Parrilla Loca is a real IYKYK spot, a pop up outdoor business that pumps out superior tacos and burritos for those in the know. Each taco is flicked with fluffy guacamole before being expertly wrapped for standing-up eating, and you'll want to eat them standing right there in the street. This place is worth a drive if you're looking for a taste of Mexico without the flight.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-parrilla-loca-oakland | 9853-9919 San Leandro St, Oakland, CA 94603
12. Laundromat
Cuisine: Bagels
Hood: Outer Richmond
Dining Style: Fast Casual
Price: $$
Occasion: Seeing what all the hypes about
Don’t Miss The: Calabrian Chile Cream Cheese
As an ode to the space's former tenant, this bagel shop by day, pizza and natural wine den by night, used to be, you guessed it, a laundromat. While I've not tried the evening offerings yet, I can attest that this is the best bagel you'll find in SF. The doughy disks are made by Holey Roller Bagels, a farmers' market fave that's finally found a home in the Richmond. They've got the exact fluff to chew ratio and a shiny skin that begs to not be toasted. Bagels must be taken to go, so grab a calabrian chile cream cheese while you're at it and load of the schmere like no one's watching.
https://www.thelaundromatsf.com/ | 3725 Balboa Street, San Francisco CA 94121
13. Le Fantastique
Cuisine: French
Hood: Hayes Valley
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$$
Occasion: Someone else is paying, and you're not very hungry ;)
Don’t Miss The: Sea Bream with Fermented Chile and Finger Lime
Crudo is having a serious moment right now, and Le Fantastique is all over it. This new borderline fine dining restaurant brings together the best of Japanese and French technique and ingredients, serving a tight menu of precious raw fish bites, fluffy-as-it-gets milk bread with clever compound butters, and a tempting selection of French-ish mains. Truth be told, the portions here are much smaller than the prices might imply, so consider eating here to be more of an intellectual exercise than a meal. Alternatively, go all out! While I loved every last bit of our meal, we may or may not have grabbed a slice of za on the way home.
https://www.le-fantastique.com/ | 22 Franklin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
14. Loquat
Cuisine: Cafe
Hood: Hayes Valley
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Catching up with a friend
Don’t Miss The: Bourekas
This new all day cafe from the same folks that brought you The Mill and Four Barrel Coffee is a darling nook on the edge of Hayes Valley. The concept is centered around Jewish pastry, with bourekas and babkas on offer, but also pistachio speckled tea cakes and tahini swirled cookies. All of the above are served on kitchy mismatched china in a homey, earthy, airy space that invites you to stay a while and soak it all in. Being here reminded me of wandering the cobblestone streets of Neve Tzedek in Tel Aviv -- there's something longingly romantic and effortlessly cool about it.
https://loquatsf.com/ | 198 Gough St, San Francisco, CA 94102
15. Mijoté
Cuisine: French
Hood: Mission
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Date night
Don’t Miss The: Fixed menu, so...all of it!
I first experienced Chef Kosuke's inventive yet classical cooking years ago at an intimate winemaker dinner at Ordinaire that I somehow managed to score an invite to. The memory was a little fuzzy and very warm, but when I stepped into his new Mission restaurant Mijoté recently, I was transported right back to that delicious, intimate evening. After that meal, I immediately made plans to come back the next week. Mijoté inhabits a warmly lit corner space that feels inviting and energetic. The menu, which is an $82 prix fixe format, changes weekly according to what's tasting good, but you can expect a relatively consistent format of crudo + cooked seafood + meat + dessert. Each course manages to comfort and challenge you, striking a balance in presentation that's both rustic and cheffy. The whole affair will leave you feeling like I felt that Oakland night years ago – like you're in on a secret that you can't believe is real. Get there before that secret gets out ;)
https://www.mijotesf.com/ | 2400 Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 94110
16. Penny Roma
Cuisine: Italian
Hood: Mission
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Fun night out, but still in bed by 10PM
Don’t Miss The: Cacio e Pepe
Go to Flour + Water once every few years, and go to Penny Roma all the friggin' time. This new little sister restaurant is affixed to the Flour + Water Pasta Shop, where you can take fresh noodles and sauces home or enjoy an aperitif at the counter. The dimly lit restaurant is vibey, with high ceilings, warm lights, hanging vines, and water features. The menu follows a new theme in town, crudo + pasta (see: Itria) and takes a more classical approach than F+W with mainstays like cacio e pepe (so much cacio!) and agnolotti with sugo. This is a perfect spot for a lowkey but special dinner, where you know you'll be getting the best of the best, without (too much of) the hype.
https://pennyroma.com/ | 3000 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
17. Pyeong Chang Tofu House
Cuisine: Korean
Hood: Oakland
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Weeknight post-work dinner with your buds
Don’t Miss The: Kimchi pancake
If I lived in the East Bay, I'd be a regular here. This go-to Korean restaurant hits the spot every time, with greasy and crispy kimchi pancakes, expertly composed bibimbab, an expansive wing selection, and a whole lot of other dishes that I'll be going back for. Pyeon Chang is a popular spot in Temescal, so prep for a wait if dining at prime time.
https://www.pctofu.com/ | 4701 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609
18. Rong's
Cuisine: Chinese
Hood: Outer Richmond
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Foggy weeknight dinner
Don’t Miss The: Pan-Fried Flat Noodle
We learned about this restaurant thanks to the SF Chronicle's interactive map of regional Chinese food in the Bay Area. Rong's makes Jiangnan cuisine (it actually used to be called Jiangnan Cuisine before Rong bought the business and renamed it after herself). While I haven't found a dish I didn't love to the point of overeating, my two standbys are the Lion's Head Meatball and Homemade Pan-Fried Flat Noodle. The meatball weighs in at about one pound, and is fluffy and caramelized, swimming in a sweet and salty soy sauce. The noodles appear simple, but are probably the top food item in SF that I crave. They're chewy on the inside with splotches of crispiness where they frizzled in a hot pan and then topped with Chinese cauliflower and chicken breast and doused in an umami-packed gravy. Just trust me when I tell you, you can't miss this place.
https://www.rongssf.com/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=website | 3420 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121
19. Rooh
Cuisine: Indian
Hood: South Park
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Co-workers in town
Don’t Miss The: Tandoori Artichoke
ROOH labels itself as "progressive Indian cuisine" and they're not wrong. This SoMa spot is as cozy and inviting as it is elegant and illuminating -- the velvet chairs, muraled walls, and warm light create a dreamy ambiance in which to enjoy chefy spins on Indian ingredients and classic dishes. Standouts were the refreshing and satisfying chutneys served with poppadoms and the tandoori artichoke was a showstopper, but I'll be going back to explore the rest of the menu which promises to be as aromatic, creative, and beautiful as what we've tried so far.
https://www.roohrestaurants.com/ | 333 Brannan St #150, San Francisco, CA 94107
20. Shuggie's Trash Pie + Natural Wine
Cuisine: Pizza
Hood: Mission
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$
Occasion: Feeling cute, might delete later
Don’t Miss The: Fried Pickle Kakiage
Why do drugs when you could just go to Shuggie's?? Stepping into this restaurant feels like peaking on an intense psychedelic trip, complete with neon colors, bizarre shapes and textures, and surround sound of cacophonous laughter and bumping music. If this sounds obscure, please know that I am being literal here. Everything in the main dining room is neon green – the countertops are slathered in green glitter, the chairs are giant green hands, the tables are painted with neon green marbling, and the food is served in maximalist bizarre receptacles (often green). The "trash" theme means that most ingredients in their dishes would normally get tossed, such as wilted greens in the chimichurri, whey in the pizza dough, and offal in the meatballs. The whole thing is going for Shock Factor, and honestly, mission accomplished. Come here with an open mind, a lot of energy, and sense of whimsy and you'll have a G-D blast!
https://www.shuggiespizza.com/ | 3349 23rd St, San Francisco, CA 94110
21. Swanson Berry Farm
Cuisine: Dessert
Hood: Davenport
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $
Occasion: Santa Cruz pit stop
Don’t Miss The: Strawberry Cobbler
If someone hasn't yet clued you into this secret spot off Highway 1 between SF and Santa Cruz, then you're welcome. Swanson Berry Farm is a working farm with some of the best strawberries out there, but the real reason you must stop by on your next beach trip is for the strawberry shortcake in the self-serve fridge. Fluffy biscuits are topped with bright slices of juicy berries and slathered with thick, dense whipped cream. Stock up on other berry-themed provisions while you're there, pay at the honor-system checkout, and be on your merry way!
https://www.swantonberryfarm.com/ | 25 Swanton Rd, Davenport, CA 95017
22. Tacos El Último Baile
Cuisine: Mexican
Hood: Fruitvale
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Tacos need no occasion
Don’t Miss The: Vampiro Asado Taco
Fruitvale newcomer Tacos El Ultimo Baile is a former food truck turned brick and mortar that – mark my words – is going to be something BIG. Dominic Prado cooks his meat over coal and piles it on freshly made corn and flour tortillas. Diners head to the salsa bar, which is brimming with crunchy pickles and so many salsas (including salsa macha!) before tucking in to their meals which leave them with spicy mouths and wide eyes and wallets out, ready to order more. Fruitvale is not close to where I live, but let me tell you, I would travel a far distance for Prado's cooking. My top pick is the vampiro taco (cheese is melted and crisped up on the tortilla before meat is added) with asada, but I'll be back on a Sunday to try their weekly batches of pozole and menudo.
https://www.instagram.com/tacoselultimobaile/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D | 3340 E 12th St #11, Oakland, CA 94601
23. The Coffee Movement
Cuisine: Cafe
Hood: Outer Richmond
Dining Style: Counter Service
Price: $$
Occasion: Afternoon you time
Don’t Miss The: Cocoa Cappuccino
I did a literal double take when I walked into The Coffee Movement for the first time. A chic, minimalist, third wave coffee shop with a Scandinavian-meets-Japanese aesthetic in the heart of the Richmond? What was this, the Mission? This is the cafe's second location and is something we Richmond settlers (sigh, gentrifiers) have been waiting patiently for. Good things come to those who wait, like cocoa dusted cappuccinos, pour over coffee flights, and espresso tonics. All of the above are best enjoyed with a pastry and a book (or a friend!) at a window seat where you can watch the fog roll in and the neighbors stroll through. Mark my words, I'll be a regular in no time.
https://www.thecoffeemovement.com/ | 1737 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94121
24. The Morris
Cuisine: New American
Hood: Mission
Dining Style: Table Service
Price: $$$$
Occasion: Birthday and entering your cool girl era
Don’t Miss The: Smoked Duck
Upscale New American incarnate, The Morris hits all the high notes and then takes it to a whole new level. Wine Heads flock here for the insanely built out library of options, including some super old stuff, natty stunners, and classical bottles. The tight menu is divided into Charcuterie/Cheese/Caviar, Nibbles, First Course, Main Course, and Dessert and you should certainly delve into each and every section (unlike many New American spots, the mains here are actually solid). Of note: this is a meaty place with an abundance of offal and otherwise under-the-radar proteins. The standout classic though is the Smoked Duck, glistening and tender and served with a stunning array of root vegetables. IMO, the food is the star here as the aesthetic gives unfinished warehouse event space vibes, but there's something to be said for letting the dishes get all the attention they deserve.
https://themorris-sf.com/ | 2501 Mariposa St, San Francisco, CA 94110
