Chef Dominique Crenn’s three-Michelin-star Atelier Crenn is a worthy dinner destination for any fine dining lovers out there. But those craving something a little out of the box would do well to check out what’s going on next door at the recently redesigned Bar Crenn. Here, the team offers a more interactive experience called Le Comptoir Crenn, during which staff cook a six-course meal on the bar right in front of diners’ eyes. It’s limited to six seats per service and offers the chance for guests to pepper the team with questions as they flambe cheese and unveil tepache-steamed scallops while explaining the processes behind each theatrical dish. It’s essentially dinner and a live cooking show, which isn’t all that bad for the $300 price tag. A wine pairing costs an additional $145, and the nonalcoholic option, which costs $70, is just as compelling.
Quince
Quince and its three coveted Michelin stars returned to the Jackson Square neighborhood in late 2023 following a massive renovation and a refresh to the multicourse tasting menu. Chef Michael Tusk remains at the helm, gathering all manner of ingredients from across West Marin and crafting them into artfully composed plates that balance simplicity with thoughtful technique. The biggest change: more options for diners to pick a dining experience that best meets their needs. That means in addition to the full 10-course ($360) gastronomy experience, there’s also a four-course ($270) option and an a la carte menu available in the salon and bar. While you’ll need to book ahead for the tasting menus, seating for the a la carte menu is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ssal
San Francisco’s Korean dining scene shouldn’t be slept on and there’s perhaps no restaurant that better embodies the city’s unique perspective on the cuisine than one-Michelin-starred Ssal. Here, chef Junsoon Bae pulls inspiration from his childhood in Korea but swaps in distinctly Northern California ingredients such as Wolfe Ranch quail and Jimmy Nardello peppers. The result is a tasting menu that tastes both inherently Korean and undeniably rooted in the Bay Area.
Friends Only
Friends Only is the even more exclusive omakase counter from the team behind Akikos at Avery Lane and with just 10 seats, it’s not just the $300 starting price point that makes this a hard reservation to score. But should you snag a stool at this L-shaped counter, you’ll be in for a multi-course meal that’s intended to flaunt a long list of premium ingredients including golden Kaluga caviar, black truffle, bluefin tuna, and a hell of a lot of uni. During the back half of the dinner, chef and owner Ray Lee showcases his unique approach to aging fish through a colorful parade of nigiri, which might include keiji sake, a hard-to-find dwarf salmon, and single line-caught deep sea perch. Thanks to the small team and communal dining format, expect a lively meal with lots of opportunities to chat with both the chefs and your companions.
1501 California St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Sons & Daughters
Chef Harrison Cheney is a rising star in the California fine dining scene having recently been named Michelin Guide California’s 2023 Young Chef Award winner. Since joining the team at one-Michelin-starred Sons & Daughters, he’s sharpened the restaurant’s focus on New Nordic cuisine, drawing in part from his experience cooking at Gastrologik in Stockholm. The menu celebrates seasonal and local ingredients such as Gilfeather rutabaga grown in the North Bay and Half Moon Bay spot prawns. Then Cheney applies a Nordic ethos, resulting in elegant tasting menus that balance the bright flavors of preserved kumquat and green almonds with the delicate notes of a Maine scallop bathed in juniper syrup and brown butter.
Benu
Open since 2010 and gilded with three Michelin stars, Benu might be one of San Francisco’s most lauded dinner destinations. Dinner here costs $375 and blends techniques and ingredients from France and Asia. Chef Corey Lee’s calling card includes impressive technical skills that are built on traditional cooking techniques from Korean and Chinese culinary traditions. There’s perhaps no restaurant doing a finer job of recreating familiar dishes like xiao long bao and beef barbecue in a fine dining setting. For a less pricey taste of the chef’s work, there’s also the Mission’s San Ho Wan, an elegant Korean barbecue restaurant.
Noodle in a Haystack
There are plenty of restaurants serving top-notch bowls of ramen in San Francisco, but only one where diners can experience a full ramen tasting menu during which each course shines a light on a different aspect of the popular dish. Owners Clint and Yoko Tan ran this small pop-up for years before opening their tiny, 12-seat restaurant in late 2022 — and in less than a year their ever-changing nine-course menus have landed the restaurant in the Michelin Guide and on the radars of both Bon Appetit and the New York Times. Be warned: It’s exceptionally hard to snag a reservation; you’ll want to mark your calendar for when tables release at the top of the month before.
Saison
Wood-fired New American cuisine might sound tired, but there’s a good reason Saison continues to hang onto its place in the pantheon of celebrated San Francisco restaurants. Not only does the cavernous dining room exhibit a carefully crafted balance of elegance and simplicity, but the menu also effortlessly marries premium ingredients including caviar and uni with duck and antelope. The tasting menu starts at $298 with beverage pairings, gratuity, and other fees not included.
Birdsong
If the warm wood-wrapped dining room and kitchen strung up with bundles of drying herbs don’t tip you off, know that Birdsong is all about the wood-fired grill and whatever seasonal ingredients chef and owner Christopher Bleidorn and his team can rustle up to cook on it. Stepping into Birdsong feels almost like stepping into a dining oasis tucked away in a Pacific Northwest forest and the $295 tasting menu somewhat re-enforces that fact: root broth served with braised wakame, black cod made smokey over the grill’s embers, and buttery cornbread topped with a thick layer of caviar. Service manages to feel both warm and professional without too much pretense.
Kiln
A relative newcomer to the San Francisco fine dining scene, Kiln comes from two alumni of Michelin-starred Sons & Daughters. But don’t expect a redux experience. Chef John Wesley blends Japanese, French, and Scandinavian cooking techniques and takes refreshingly broad creative license. Over as many as 20 tiny courses, diners might see a delicate beet cornette paired with luxurious bone marrow or lamb shark served with hay custard. Expect the unexpected, as well as service that’s both professional and warm.
Californios
Dinner at chef Val M. Cantu’s Californios will cost around $300, which includes more than a dozen exquisite plates that showcase California produce including corn and masa from Tierra Vegetables in Santa Rosa. (You can find a full list of the restaurant’s farm partners and purveyors on the back of your menu, along with a list of every member of the team.) Staff will take time to explain the provenance and inspiration for dishes like a tostada topped with a mosaic of Brokaw avocado and sustainably farmed Mexican bluefin tuna, and an eye-catching machete taco made with golden masa and filled with Maine lobster. The sleek modern dining room, with towering black walls and bold art, makes a fitting backdrop for Cantu’s striking food.
Lazy Bear
A ticket to dinner at this Mission District destination will set you back about $300 with the option to upgrade to an experience that includes dessert and an after-dinner drink for an additional few hundred bucks. But if you’re looking for a fine dining restaurant that’s not too stuffy, this is your spot. Though Lazy Bear no longer hosts diners at a single communal table to channel that extravagant dinner party vibe, this is still a high-energy dining room where staff circle throughout the cabin-like space, and the open kitchen allows for a full view of the team at work. In general, the food leans more rustic than fussy — think, airy whipped scrambled eggs infused with smoky bacon fat and a bone-in lamb chop that no one will judge you for picking up and eating with your hands.
