For many travelers to San Francisco, the choice of where to eat a meal is as important at visiting attractions like Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge because San Francisco has earned a reputation as a foodie’s paradise.
From fresh seafood to the most authentic Chinese food outside of Asia, the city’s restaurants are sure to please any traveler’s palate. Below are five places to eat a meal that would make an excellent addition to the to-do list of any traveler.
Tadich Grill, 240 California Street
The Tadich Grill has the distinction of being not only the oldest restaurant in San Francisco but California as well. Its menu features fresh seafood along with quality cuts of meat such as pork, lamb chop, filet mignon, and black angus steak. Because it’s often packed at lunch and dinner time and doesn’t accept reservations, guests should be prepared to wait for a table. However, they may just run into a celebrity while doing so.
Z & Y Restaurant, 655 Jackson Street
Located in Chinatown, Z & Y Restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner. The head chef and owner, Li Jun Han, has served two Chinese presidents and many international dignitaries over the course of his career. Z & Y recently earned a mention on the San Francisco Chronicle’s The Top 100 Restaurants 2018 for the innovation shown by Han and his staff in continually adding new and ever-spicier Sichuan dishes to the menu.
Z & Y also appeared on the 2018 Bib Gourmand Awards for the Michelin Guide to San Francisco. The restaurant earned this distinction by offering high-quality Chinese cuisine for less than $40, not including tax and gratuity.
House of Prime Rib, 1906 Van Ness Avenue
The House of Prime Rib, which opened on Van Ness Avenue in 1949, has changed little in the nearly seven decades since. It’s open seven days a week for dinner only. Chefs slice the prime rib right at the table to the diner’s exact specifications. This restaurant has also earned distinction as serving the top two percent of beef in the nation.
Cioppino’s Italian Restaurant, 400 Jefferson Street
Serving lunch and dinner every day of the year, Cioppino’s is most widely known for its fish stew. The dish contains Dungeness crab, mussels, calamari, and other popular seafood items. The serving is so large that diners often don a bib and use a large spoon. Of course, the dish wouldn’t be complete without a tasty side of Italian bread.
Boudin Bakery, 29 locations throughout Bay Area with Fisherman’s Wharf flagship
Serving the San Francisco area since 1849, Boudin Bakery is home of the famous clam chowder soup served in a sourdough bread bowl. Although the tradition of eating soup from a bread bowl started on the East Coast, it has been a popular dining choice in San Francisco for decades. Boudin Bakery also offers numerous sandwich options, including the turkey avocado and California baguette burger.
Visitors and locals alike can always find a unique dining experience in San Francisco. It just depends on knowing which craving they want to satisfy.
