- Q: Why is San Francisco considered a top dining destination?
- A: San Francisco is known as one of the United States' top dining destinations, home to dozens of Michelin-starred restaurants and James Beard Award-winning chefs.
- Q: Where can couples dine in San Francisco?
- A: Couples can cozy up at restaurants in hip neighborhoods such as the city's Mission and Castro Districts and enjoy global fusion cuisine, blending classic Californian fare with Asian and Latin American influences.
- Q: What nightlife options are available in San Francisco?
- A: Eclectic cocktail lounges such as Potrero Hill's Beehive stay open late into the evening, while clever food trucks such as El Sur Empanadas offer takeout for couples looking to enjoy a romantic night in.
- Q: What makes restaurants in San Francisco special for dates?
- A: Spectacular decor at restaurants makes for amazing photo opportunities, taking first Bay Area dates to the next level.
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1. Foreign Cinema
The acclaimed Foreign Cinema restaurant, which opened in 1999 and is helmed by James Beard Award-nominated chefs John Clark and Gayle Pirie, takes its name from its open-air seating area, which presents screenings of international and classic films throughout the week for diners to enjoy during their meals. Elegant Mediterranean-inspired dinner options include five-spice duck breast, Kobe bistro steak with cocoa-ajwaan rub, and Madras curry-sesame fried chicken.
A full raw oyster and caviar bar is complemented by gourmet appetizers such as tuna poke and sirloin carpaccio. At brunch, diners can enjoy clever mock Pop Tarts stuffed with organic fruit such as rhubarb and pineapple, paired with entree options such as baguette French toast with wild huckleberries or Persian-style flat omelettes.
Foreign Cinema, 2534 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, Phone: 415-648-7600
2. Rich Table
Rich Table strives to create a casual, communal atmosphere in its relaxed dining space, which is decorated with salvaged barn wood elements and anchored around an open-plan kitchen design. The restaurant is overseen by executive chef duo Sarah and Evan Rich, who bring more than three decades of experience at New York City and San Francisco's top restaurants to their new venture.
Dinner service is offered daily beginning at 5:00pm, highlighting entree options such as beer-battered soft-shell crab, ricotta-stuffed pierogis with salsa roja, and 21-day dry-aged ribeye steak with bone marrow. A chef's pick prix-fixe menu is also available with participation from the entire table, along with a raw bar serving up oysters on the half shell. Clever cocktails highlight market-sourced ingredients, while wine and beer lists focus on the best craft liquors of the West Coast.
Rich Table, 199 Gough St, San Francisco, CA 94102, Phone: 415-355-9085
3. The Monk's Kettle
The Monk's Kettle is widely acclaimed as one of San Francisco's best craft beer bars, named as the state's best beer bar twice by Thrillist. The lively traditional-style pub, which was opened in 2007 within the city's Mission District, serves up a world-renowned beer list featuring 28 rotating international drafts, a cask engine offering, and more than 150 vintage cellar bottle options.
A seasonally-rotating scratch menu serves up elevated American-style pub fare prepared with locally-sourced ingredients, including internationally-inspired entrees such as Thai-style mussels and clever beef, lamb, chicken, and vegetarian burger options. At happy hour, couples can enjoy discounts on shareable appetizers such as baked chicken wings and pretzel knots with beer cheese fondue.
The Monk's Kettle, 3141 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, Phone: 415-865-9523
4. Plow
Plow is a charming farm-to-table restaurant offering from Maxine Siu and Joel Bleskacek, best known for their work at Oakland favorite Oliveto Restaurant. The Potrero Hill restaurant strives to recreate a home entertaining atmosphere at breakfast and lunch service daily, offering new Californian twists on classic comfort fare recipes.
Dates can enjoy excellent brunch fare such as lemon ricotta pancakes, Dungeness crab scrambles, and pulled pork sandwiches, complemented by homestyle buttermilk biscuits and homemade granola. Extended menus are offered on weekends, featuring delicacies such as rhubarb coffee cake and walnut rosemary muffins. Full children's menus are available for couples bringing their children along on family outings. Equator coffee, Five Mountains tea, and Apple Farm apple juice are served up alongside meals, along with a selection of regional and national craft beers.
Plow , 1299 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94107, Phone: 415-821-7569
5. Frances
Frances is one of the hottest dining destinations in San Francisco's Castro district, helmed by executive chef Melissa Perello. The restaurant, which is named for Perello's grandmother, showcases market-driven farm-to-table Californian fare at dinner service Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Menus rotate daily to reflect seasonal availability, often highlighting high-quality dishes such as duck breast with escarole panade, bavette steak with vadouvan butter, and roasted cauliflower and trumpet mushroom confit. After dinner, dates can share desserts such as fromage blanc cheesecake or lumberjack cake with medjool dates, paired with boozy affogatos, Equator coffees, or Song teas. An extensive wine list highlights an impressive amount of domestic and international options, including sparkling wines and cellar selections.
Frances , 3870 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94114, Phone: 415-621-3870
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