California Restaurants

Step inside Farallon and feel yourself being whisked away to a mermaid’s paradise. Designer Pat Kuleto’s interior design is so stunning it looks like an art nouveau underwater palace, and may very well be a destination in its own right. Taking cues from the natural beauty of the underwater world, Kuleto fills the space with artful details like jellyfish lamps with graceful trailing tails, and conch-shaped rooms with booths that follow a natural spiral. While the décor is quintessential whimsy, the cuisine is very much rooted in reality, with the elegant, multifaceted creations of Chef and Owner Mark Franz. Franz’s …

Dinner at Gary Danko is as titillating as a night at the opera, from the dramatic 69 page wine list, to the choreographed service of the staff, to the series of complex acts that come streaming from the kitchen and the carefully calibrated intermissions between them. Gary Danko’s combination of artfully crafted food and service turns a meal into an event. World-class Executive Chef Gary Danko uses his classic training to reinvent French, Mediterranean and regional-American cuisine, and the numerous awards he has won reflect the quality of his food, placing him at the forefront of America’s best chefs.

Centrally located in the buzzing business district of San Francisco’s Union Square, Campton Place provides the opportunity for a quick business lunch, cocktails, or a 5 course sit-down tasting dinner. The restaurant serves a great deal of upscale fare like Caviar, rare wines, and delectable desserts with blown sugar accents as well as scrumptious main courses. Head Chef Srijith uniquely adds a Mediterranean flare to his California cuisine by infusing balance into each dish that is made from fresh locally grown ingredients. Campton Place is surely a winemaker’s and wine lover’s destination as the restaurant’s wine list boasts some of …

Daffodil Restaurant radiates the sunny charm of its namesake. Located in the Orchard Hotel, this sun-swept restaurant emphasizes the art of culinary balance and communal feasting. Executive Chef Russell Rummer creates imaginative and seasonal small plates designed for sharing, which when masterfully paired with wines from the restaurant’s extensive and exquisite collection, achieve a dining experience that is as transcendent as the restaurant’s décor. For those with heartier appetites, larger plates are also available, complete with their own wine recommendations. A bright and airy glass-walled private wine room enables diners seeking a more intimate gastronomic affair to focus on their …

Foreign Cinema, located in the heart of the Mission, is a novel concept restaurant specializing in fine California/Mediterranean cuisine and a unique entertainment offering of nightly foreign and independent films at dusk. Since its fruitful beginning under executive chef duo Gayle Pirie and John Clark, visitors and celebrities from all over have been captivated by the restaurant’s innovative menu and reels of atmosphere. The restaurant has garnered rave reviews from critics coast to coast and remains a favorite dinner and weekend brunch destination among locals.

Although Coi’s décor exudes a soothing calm in shades of earthy minimalism, its cuisine is a jolt of culinary electricity. Chef Daniel Patterson’s tasting menus take diners on a sensuous adventure reflective of his diverse culinary background, which includes a stint at the infamous El Bulli. A meal at Coi is an exercise in the revelry of the unexpected: a starter might include the application of essential oils to the wrist, while a dessert might be couched in smoked yogurt. The result is an experience that embodies the doe-eyed wonder of childhood with the poise and refinement of haute cuisine.

When it comes to restaurants, Zuni Café is a San Francisco institution. Its warm and inviting space, unpretentious feel, and delicious food are reasons to come back again and again. Judy Rogers cooks the way mom might if she had access to all the best produce and hours of time. Whether it is the classic Chicken-For-Two with a side of bread salad, a perfect cut of meat, or the heavenly Ricotta Gnocchi, the dishes are all wonderfully executed and mouth-watering. It’s near impossible to sample everything San Francisco has to offer, but if you’ve had a chance to dine at …

Named after one of the Basque region’s signature dishes, Piperade combines accomplished Chef Gerald Hirigoyen’s robust and unique native cuisine with the Bay Area’s fresh and bustling vibe. Nestled between Telegraph Hill and the Financial District, this warm, chic restaurant attracts a lively crowd. Piperade’s menu focuses on fresh, savory seafood and gourmet touches, and even offers daily prix fixe lunch specials. The Cold Poached Foie Gras with black pepper, sea salt and apple compote as well as the Piperade with sautéed serrano ham and poached egg are promising selections that make this menu stand apart. With an inviting outdoor …

When Chez Panisse was conceived in 1971, it was the most atypical of restaurants in America, designing its menu daily based on the freshest seasonal and local ingredients. Though this unique approach to food has since gained momentum, Chez Panisse is still one of the most influential proponents of the move towards a more sustainable approach to food. With Alice Waters at the helm, Chez Panisse stays true to its initial vision, serving one fixed price menu daily, based on what is freshest at the moment. Still in its birthplace in a converted house in liberal-minded Berkeley, Chez Panisse retains …

The warm and bold contemporary design of Coco 500’s dining space entices visitors to stop in, while the invigorating freshness of the menu keeps the tables full. Every element of the menu reveals a thoughtful and sincere gesture to exploit the region’s bounty of local, seasonal, and organic produce. The “California Dirt” section of the menu showcases vegetable dishes like the Wine Forest Mushrooms and the Roasted Pumpkin; the American Kobe Bavette Steak and the Sonoma County Duck Breast are a couple of the exquisite main courses served. Desserts are not neglected either – one might like to sample the …

With colorful flower boxes, large picture windows, and a sunny saffron-colored sign, La Folie exudes a charming Frenchness. Inside, a luminous dining room in warm hues and lush fabrics is an elegant canvas for the presentation of Executive Chef Roland Possat’s French and California-inspired creations. The prix-fixe menu whimsically explores the interplay between tradition and experimentation: classic French ingredients like foie gras, frog legs, and snails mingle with dishes featuring lobster vanilla sauce and oxtail stuffed calamari. While, as its name suggests, La Folie has a playful streak of madness, it is more the result of a masterful and supremely …

The sultry Middle Eastern ambience of Saha’s windowless dining area creates a secluded scene for diners to enjoy their meals. The name comes from an Arabic toast meaning “to good health,” and the warmly welcoming staff clearly cares about your comfort too. Saha offers unique Arabic fusion cuisine that combines traditional Yemeni food with both Californian and French influence. The dishes are as complex in execution as they are creative in origin, and include some vegetarian and even vegan standouts. Be sure to finish with the infamous Slap Ya Mama, a dessert known both for its devious name as well …