The Guide to San Francisco’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants
With 39 Michelin stars awarded to 28 restaurants, San Francisco is no stranger to award-winning food.
San Francisco is such a hotbed of culinary talent that it can be a challenge figuring out where to enjoy the few meals you have here during your stay. Making that decision even tougher? Our wealth of Michelin-starred restaurants. Yes, San Francisco and the Bay Area have an enviable collection of one-, two-, and three-star honorees—more so than any other destination in the Americas. But don't feel overwhelmed. We've created this quick and easy guide to San Francisco's best so you can decide where to indulge.
Acquerello
1722 Sacramento St.You'll find fine Italian dining at Nob Hill's Acquerello. A neighborhood institution for more than 30 years, Acquerello has been setting the standard for excellence for years. Their first Michelin honor came in 2007.
Eat at AcquerelloAngler
132 EmbarcaderoFacing out on to the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island, Angler's views are topped only by its Michelin-starred seafood. Their raw bar serves up the freshest variety of oysters, and their regular bar has an incredibly deep roster of wines, beers, and cocktails.
Eat at AnglerAnomaly SF
2600 Sutter St.This former pop-up dining experience is now taking up permanent residence in the heart of Pacific Heights, with head chef Mike Lanham opening his first brick and mortar restaurant. The tasting menu offers a 10-course dining experience revolving around artfully crafted modernist dishes using seasonal ingredients. Lanham’s experimental take on cooking brings us the famous “egg-snack,” which is a must-try at Anomaly.
Eat at AnomalyAphotic
816 Folsom St.Head Chef Peter Hemsley reworks the traditional seafood dining experience by emphasizing the importance of transparency in seafood sourcing. Each of the 10 courses includes a uniquely concocted and perfectly prepared bite of fresh seafood, along with the sourcing history of the locally farmed fish.
Eat at AphoticAtelier Crenn
3127 Fillmore St.Iron Chef winner Dominique Crenn has created a personal atelier (workshop) where exquisite, local ingredients merge with European techniques to create "poetic culinaria." In 2019, Atelier Crenn earned its third Michelin star, putting the restaurant and Chef Crenn herself in truly elite company. Open for dine-in service.
Eat at Atelier CrennAvery
1552 Fillmore St.Uniting elevated food with a fun atmosphere, Avery believes that an elegant meal should be lively and relaxed, never hushed. Their single-tasting menu of nine courses offers vibrant and creative dishes that celebrate global flavors and seasonal produce, while their beverage program specializes in rare and unique sake, as well as Champagnes.
Eat at AveryBansang
1560 Fillmore St.In March 2023, the Michelin Guide dropped some surprise recommendations, singling out six California restaurants that true foodies should have on their radar. Among them was Bansang, a Korean restaurant here in San Francisco that blends diverse ingredients with traditional fare for delicious results. The tapas-style menu means that you and your dining companion can sample multiple dishes.
Eat at Bansang
Bar Crenn
3131 Fillmore St.Another establishment helmed by Chef Dominique Crenn, this neighboring spot is more wine bar than restaurant. However, its tasting menu and a la carte selections include some enviable vegetable and seafood dishes.
Eat at Bar CrennBenu
22 Hawthorne St.Chef Corey Lee's masterpieces at Benu are inspired by blending traditional and authentic flavors with new and delicious opportunities from being open-minded. Another three-star honoree, Benu's tasting menu must be experienced to be believed.
Eat at BenuBirdsong
1085 Mission St.The 12-course tasting menu at Birdsong is always changing, featuring the finest bounty of the season. The chef's table offers counter seating that lets you watch the action in the kitchen for the duration of your meal.
Eat at BirdsongCalifornios
355 11th St.For the most elevated and elegant Mexican cuisine, make a reservation at Chef Val M. Cantu's Mission restaurant, Californios. The dessert selection is always changing, but you can never go wrong ordering whatever's on the menu.
Eat at CaliforniosCopra
1700 Fillmore St.Head Chef Srijith Gopinathan opened Copra to pay tribute to his southwestern Indian home of Kerala. Ranging from small bites to sharing platters, Copra’s menu is centered around the namesake of the restaurant and a common southwestern Indian ingredient: coconut.
Eat at CopraFriends Only
1501 California St.This omakase experience isn’t one of San Francisco’s hardest reservations to get for no reason. Head Chef Ray Lee is well known in the area for his restaurant Akiko’s. Available reservation slots are first sent to those on the Akiko's email list (hence the name), and then posted on Tock.
Eat at Friend's OnlyGary Danko
800 North Point St.With an accessible tasting menu and flexible main menu that lets you build your own culinary adventure, it's clear why Gary Danko has been a Fisherman's Wharf staple for decades.
Eat at Gary DankoHK Lounge Bistro
1136 Folsom St.Years after the tragic destruction of San Francisco dim sum spot Hong Kong Lounge II, HK Lounge Bistro has opened as a new and improved version of its predecessor. The restaurant will continue to serve locals' favorite classic dishes like Shanghai dumplings and crispy pork buns, while incorporating some new items into the menu.
Eat at HK Lounge BistroKin Khao
55 Cyril Magnin St.Located in the Parc 55 Hotel, just steps from the hustle and bustle of Powell and Market streets, Kin Khao is a terrific Thai restaurant. Their chicken wings are big and spicy and can't be passed up.
Eat at Kin KhaoLazy Bear
3416 19th St.A communal dining experience has never felt quite as good as it does now. Gather round the table at Michelin-starred Lazy Bear to learn alongside your dinner mates how Chef David Barzelay and his talented team create the succulent dishes you're soon to enjoy.
Eat at Lazy BearMister Jiu’s 28 Waverly Pl.
A relative newcomer, Mister Jiu's stormed out of the gate, earning its first Michelin star the very first year it opened. The cuisine at this buzzy Chinatown restaurant continues to impress.
Eat at Mister Jiu'sNari
1625 Post St.Located in the iconic Hotel Kabuki, this beautiful restaurant delivers with a dramatic setting and laser-focused cooking. Chef Pim Techamuanvivit showcases her personality and refined palate in dishes that combine fantastic Californian ingredients with a contemporary Thai twist.
Eat at NariNiku Steakhouse
61 Division St.Located in San Francisco’s Design District, Niku Steakhouse is a meat-focused restaurant, highlighting an in-house dry-aging program, and exclusive cuts of coveted Japanese A5 wagyu with an emphasis on wood-fired cooking.
Eat at Niku SteakhouseNoodle in a Haystack
4601 Geary Blvd.Every San Francisco native knows that gaining the reputation of “Best Ramen” in the area is a near impossible feat. For Yoko and Clint Tan, who have introduced a quirky take on such a potentially simple dish, it doesn’t seem so impossible. Noodle in a Haystack offers a seasonal menu that is constantly changing and ever-so-suprising.
Eat at Noodle in a HaystackO’ by Claude Le Tohic
165 O'Farrell St.On the third floor of One65 sits one of San Francisco's must-dine establishments: a multi-level French concept restaurant reminiscent of the Italian restaurant brand, Eataly. The O’ from O’Farrell reminded Le Tohic of the French “eau,” meaning water. From this, Le Tohic personally developed a refined culinary concept and a menu based on the elements of water, fire and earth. Luxurious but not pretentious, O’ offers modern French cuisine with elegant and attentive service.
Eat at OOsito
2875 18th St.Osito is a community-driven, live-fire restaurant in the Mission District featuring the bounty of San Francisco Bay Area’s rich agricultural heritage. The wood fire enlivens their seasonal approach to cooking, as the cuisine attempts to evoke the natural beauty of coastal California.
Eat at OsitoPrik Hom
3226 Geary Blvd.Head chef Jim Suwanpanya has singlehandedly perfected the art of curry at this new Thai restaurant in Laurel Village. It has already become a staple for neighborhood locals and visitors alike.
Eat at Prik HomThe Progress
1525 Fillmore St.Created by chefs Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, The Progress offers brunch and dinner menus. The brunch menu offers everything from steamed egg tofu to smoked bacon bratwurst.
Eat at the ProgressQuince
470 Pacific Ave.With ingredients delivered each day from farms in the East Bay and wine country, the food at Quince is unquestionably fresh. Another three-star winner, Quince is a decadent downtown destination.
Eat at QuinceRestaurant Nisei
2316 Polk St.Nisei started as a pop-up restaurant in 2019, hosting a 10-course tasting menu around the Bay Area from Chef David Yoshimura. It has now settled in the Russian Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. The tasting menu is based on California Washoku cuisine—Washoku meaning “harmony of food,” also referred to as the “home cooking” of Japan. The philosophy of Washoku focuses on principles emphasizing the balance of color, taste preparations, sense, and respect for food.
Eat at Restaurant NiseiRosemary and Pine
1725 Alameda St.This sunny new addition to the Design District serves a menu based on the lived experiences of head chef Dustin Falcon, while being rooted in California ingredients and influence. Whether it be for brunch, lunch or dinner, Rosemary and Pine’s masterfully prepared dishes and cocktails are a must-try.
Eat at Rosemary and PineSaison
178 Townsend St.Relying almost exclusively on their wood-fired ovens, the talented cooks at Saison can create an infinite combination of dishes from the fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, and fish they receive from their suppliers.
Eat at SaisonSan Ho Wan
2170 Bryant St.The second restaurant from Chef Corey Lee on this list, and one of the newest additions, is a collaboration with Jeong-In Hwang. They share a vision for a casual Korean restaurant that uses the best ingredients and meticulous techniques with real BBQ cooked over proper charcoal.
Eat at San Ho WonThe Shota
115 Sansome St.The Shota offers Edomae-style omakase sushi and a Kaiseki-inspired dishes. Using seasonal seafood items sourced and jet-flown from the well-known Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, Japan, the chefs maintain the highest quality and ensure authenticity using traditional-Edomae techniques such as aging, curing, and marinating.
Eat the ShotaSons & Daughters
708 Bush St.With a nine-course tasting menu heavily reliant on fresh produce, Sons & Daughters is a must for any vegetarian visitors to San Francisco.
Eat at Sons & DaughtersSorrel
3228 Sacramento St.You might not think that the best thing on the menu at a Cal-Italian restaurant would be a roast duck, but then you haven't been to Sorrel yet. Among many outstanding selections, this entree earns regular raves.
Eat at SorrelSSAL
2226 Polk St.SSAL is a sophisticated restaurant serving a tasting menu of Korean-inspired cuisine that is seafood-forward. The interiors are minimal, and everyone gets a view of the open kitchen when they dine, ensuring that the food is the star of the show.
Eat at SSALState Bird Provisions
1529 Fillmore St.The first creation of chefs Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski, State Bird Provisions serves creative California cuisine that's delivered to your table via dim sum carts.
Eat at State Bird Provisions
Dan is the Vice President, Global Marketing, at San Francisco Travel. San Francisco has been his home for over a decade (that makes him a local, right?). On the weekends, you can find him with a cup of craft coffee in hand, a playlist of good vibes, a growing list of books to read, or out at the city's hottest new restaurant or bar.
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