The Guide to

San Francisco’s Michelin-Starred Restaurants

7 Adams

Created by acclaimed local chefs Serena and David Fisher, 7 Adams offers diners an elevated tasting menu experience at a fraction of the usual cost. Its $87, five-course menu includes such delectable dishes as roasted cauliflower cavatelli, seared black cod, and wagyu beef tongue. As the most recent SF addition to Michelin's California dining guide, 7 Adams has quickly become the hottest seat in town.

Acquerello

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.

Anomaly SF

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.

Bar Crenn

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.

Birdsong

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.

Californios

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.

Copra

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.

Four Kings

710 Commercial St.

This lively Chinatown hotspot draws crowds for its fresh take on Cantonese cuisine. Chefs Franky Ho and Michael Long serve bold flavors in a buzzing, intimate space where reservations disappear fast. Lucky diners can savor dishes like clay pot rice with bacon and Chinese sausage or savory “fish fragrant” eggplant—classic flavors with a modern twist.

Hilda and Jesse

Experience a creative and ambitious take on brunch from co-owners Kristina Compton and Rachel Sillcocks. Drawing from their fine dining experience, they’ve created a bold and flavorful menu inspired by their grandparents, who also lent their names to the restaurant. The dishes here are unexpected and satisfying, featuring fresh ingredients. At dinner, enjoy a rotating, seasonal multicourse menu with optional add-ons. 

In addition to receiving their first Michelin Star, co-owner Rachel Sillcocks also won the Michelin Outstanding Service Award. 

HK Lounge Bistro

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. 

Kiln

Experience a twenty-course tasting menu that showcases Nordic cuisine with intricate techniques like curing, drying, and fermentation, creating compelling flavor combinations.

Indulge in dishes like crisp puffed beef tendon or squab breast lacquered with burnt honey and served with truffled jus. Kiln pairs delicate flavors with visually stunning presentations, making each dish a true work of art.

In addition to earning their first Michelin star, Chef John Wesley also received the Michelin Young Chef Award.

Movida

Located steps away from Oracle Park, this restaurant-meets-lounge is a unique spot that stands out for more than just its stylish decor and exceptional hospitality. Its small menu that brilliantly combines Mexican and Persian cuisines sets it apart.

Some must-try items include the halibut in a jade-green aguachile or the tostadas topped with rich beef birria. Another favorite is the fried poblano pepper filled with a savory rice mixture, spiced lamb, and queso Oaxaca.

Nari

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. 

Noodle in a Haystack

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. 

O’ by Claude Le Tohic

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.

Osito

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.

Prelude

333 Battery St.

Located in the stylish Jay Hotel, this intimate spot offers a refined escape downtown. Chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones blends Southern influences with modern technique, creating dishes like crispy fried chicken wings stuffed with andouille dirty rice and rich pimento cheese topped with trout roe. Don’t miss the banana cream pie, reimagined as a delicate tartlet with dark chocolate and pretzel.

Prik Hom

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.

Rosemary and Pine

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.

Saison

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. 

Sons & Daughters

With a nine-course tasting menu heavily reliant on fresh produce, Sons & Daughters is a must for any vegetarian visitors to San Francisco.

Sorrel

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.

Tiya

The Marina gets a welcome addition to its restaurant roster with Tiya, an Indian spot run by chef brothers Sujan and Pujan Sarkar. Adding California flair to Indian classics, Tiya offers diners a la carte and tasting menu options. Be sure to check out their cocktail menu, too, on which every creation is named for a different San Francisco neighborhood.

Verjus

550 Washington St.

Nestled near the Transamerica Pyramid, reservations go fast at this stylish wine bar and French bistro. Bar and counter seats offer an easier chance to join the lively scene. The menu showcases top-tier seafood and seasonal ingredients, from razor clams with celery and Meyer lemon to a rich duck pâté en croûte. House-made sausages and a decadent caramelized brioche pain perdu are standout staples.

The Wild

201 Spear St.

Despite its dramatic name and striking space, this restaurant offers a warm, ingredient-focused dining experience. Guests sit around a central hearth, watching as vegetables, seafood, and meats are expertly grilled over open flames. The menu blends California sensibilities with Japanese influences, featuring dishes like yellowtail crudo with spruce and ponzu or noodles in a rich uni-lobster broth. A standout selection of Japanese whiskeys adds to the experience.