French Restaurants

Doing its part to be environmentally sound and organic is Lalime’s philosophy: local farmers markets and small distributers provide the restaurant’s produce, and the availability of such ingredients directly influences the menu. This health-conscious mindset manifests itself in a menu that balances freshness and flavor. Cold appetizers like the Cold-Smoked Scottish Salmon highlight fresh, natural flavors , while the Rack of Sonoma Lamb satisfies the appetite and fuels good intentions. Local regional wines also have a place on the menu, and are balanced nicely between Old and New World varieties.

The Village Pub not only serves the appetite for food, but it also hopes to satisfy the entire being. Whether you’re looking to tread new ground, or you’re simply hoping to be greeted by the familiar, The Village Pub has the menu and character to keep you intrigued. Executive Chef Mark Sullivan constructs his contemporary American cuisine by drawing from classic French and Mediterranean traditions, and locally cultivated ingredients. The dinner menu highlights dishes like the Shaved Foie Gras Torchon, while the pub menu offers lighter fare – the Pork and Garlic Sausage is made in-house. The truly staggering wine …

Located on the second floor of the trendy Hotel Nikko, Anzu offers up a distinctive Euro-Japanese menu in an elegant and intimate atmosphere. Chef Barney Brown, a seasoned veteran of Asian cuisine, creates tasty and colorful sushi creations as well as a range of entrées from Miso Butter-Poached Lobster to Slow-Braised Boneless Beef Shortribs. Set in the heart of bustling downtown San Francisco, this fusion restaurant is a stylish retreat equally suited for a relaxed brunch with friends and family or a romantic evening with that special someone.

Old World elegance woos modern sophistication at Scala’s Bistro through an ambience and menu that prizes classic presentation and quality. Rustic Northern Italian and Southern French influences converge in the restaurant’s traditional Parisian café setting, and Executive Chef Tim Nugent takes the opportunity to bring the European countryside to his patrons. Dishes like the Beef Carpaccio, Lemon Parsley Gnocchi, and the Seared ‘Loch Duart’ Salmon, hope to seduce you with their fresh and seasonal ingredients, while the 150 bottle wine list and classic cocktail menu compliment the cuisine and offer their own unique rewards.

Under the direction of chef and owner Michael Tusk, Quince is revitalizing a sense of European charm in Pacific Heights. Utilizing only the finest organic, local, and seasonal, ingredients, Chef Tusk creates a new menu each day to exemplify his Italian and French-inspired culinary sensibility. Diners will never experience the same meal twice, but they will always recognize familiar notes of Chef Tusk’s vision. Dishes like the Warm Octopus Salad, the Tonnarelli, and the Devil’s Gulch Rabbit, deliver the classic elegance of fine Parisian fare minus the haute pretense. The ever-changing tasting menu pairs the intricacies of flavors with the …

As Executive Chef and Owner Staffan Terje says, "You don’t choose who you fall in love with." To that same affect, diners may not have a choice but to swoon over the elegant experience a visit to Perbacco promises. A romantic ambiance is achieved through the restaurant’s showcase of exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and opulent accents of marble. Chef Terje’s menu delights the palate just as the décor treats the eyes, and presents a truly authentic selection of Italian dishes. For example, the Coniglio Al Civet, or Devil’s Gulch Rabbit, is rich and rustic in a spiced red wine …

If you’re interested in dining downtown while still escaping that engulfing city ambiance, look no further than Le Colonial. Serving up elegant French-Vietnamese cuisine made from the highest quality local farm-fresh ingredients, Chef Villanueva truly seems to have outdone himself in this latest undertaking. The décor— complete with exotic flora, a glass canopied walkway, and rattan chairs— is redolent of a 1920’s Asian colonial plantation. The food is no less striking and offers a wide variety of Vietnamese specialties that are sure to make your taste buds dance.

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 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 …

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.

The French tradition of amuse bouche is in full bloom at Jardiniere, but diners will find the execution at this one-of-a-kind restaurant to be refreshingly far from traditional. This San Francisco gem, from cuisine to decor, makes any dinner a meal to remember and is sure to leave guests longing to return for more. Foodies will adore the attention to detail and regulars are able to enjoy an ever-changing menu of seasonal specials that reflect the power of fresh, sustainable ingredients. The restaurant's proximity to the city's symphony and opera are another draw for many diners. Experience indulgence at the …

The chic Fifth Floor restaurant acts as a culinary and visual bridge connecting the Bay area and executive chef Laurent Manrique’s native Southwestern France. The menu is both refreshingly modern and faultlessly traditional, with one dish having a provenance traced to King Henry IV’s table. Fifth Floor’s décor enhances the experience of regional pastiche, with a color scheme that evokes the landscape of both regions. Cool ocean blues mingle with sandy ochres and wine reds, colors that embody not only the surrounding Bay area, but simultaneously transport the diner to Southern France. An evening at Fifth Floor is an exploration …

Fleur de Lys presents guests with sophisticated French cuisine in a romantic and intimate setting. The restaurant gives off a dramatic atmosphere with dim lighting, large vases full of flowers, and their trademark fabric ceiling tent. The menu offers creatively crafted dishes like the Duo of Veal Tenderloin and Braised Veal Shank “Parmentier,” which is scented with juniper berry and orange essence. Guests can choose to create a three-, four-, or five course meal with or without wine pairings. Chef/ Owner Hubert Keller is an award-winning chef who was featured on Bravo’s Top Chef as a guest judge in 2006.

Located a few streets away from the busy Union Square area, Ame provides a relaxing and elegant getaway and a delectable dining experience. Ame is decorated in a chic and intimate Asian style, with a signature red table that seats eight. Ame offers a New American cuisine that is widely influenced by Japanese creations. The menu provides raw treatments from the sashimi bar as well as various appetizers and entrée plates. Creative dishes like Tai Snapper Sashimi “Kombu Jime” with seaweed, crab and cucumber sauce come from the Sashimi bar. For an appealing main course, Grilled Veal T-bone Steak on …

Revel in an evening of intimate and flavorful dining at Rue Lepic, in Nob Hill. Executive Chef and Owner Michiko Boccara has constructed a refined menu that showcases her aesthetic for Japanese artfulness and her knowledge of French technique. Two impressive variations of the “Chef’s Menu” offer five courses that give patrons the opportunity to experience Chef Boccara’s range. One menu has you begin with the Seafood Pasta; move on to the Soup of the Day; savor the Garden or Caesar Salad; delight in the Lobster Tail sautéed in a lemon butter sauce; then end on a high note with …

Located in a building that will transport you to a quaint Parisian street corner, Garcon hosts a wide selection of classic French fare. This unpretentious neighborhood gem is recognized for its friendly and attentive service and intimate ambience. Once you enter, you will be greeted by a sleek nautical color scheme of navy blue accented by a rustic wood floor and chairs. The menu is sure to please the palate with favorites such as French Onion Soup, Steamed Mussels Mariniere, and Duck Confit. Also, be sure not to miss out on their full bar and extensive wine list.

Located in Hayes Valley, Absinthe Brasserie & Bar combines elements of fine French dining with the laid back atmosphere of a Parisian café. Absinthe recalls an earlier time when food and spirits were homemade and without preservatives, and when one could dine on a fine meal without worrying about all the etiquette. The name itself brings to mind nostalgia of a time long past, but certainly not forgotten. The pressed tin ceilings and copper table tops shine amidst the traditional French design and are an ideal setting for the restaurant’s American-inspired French and Northern Italian cuisine.

Set in an old transformed warehouse in SoMa, just a mere block from the Moscone Convention Center, Restaurant Lulu evokes the feeling of being in Provence while still staying true to its urban cityscape. Most notably recognized for its wine selection, this French eatery boasts a selection of 500 bottles and over 70 wines by the glass from all around the world, and a slew of awards from Wine Spectator. The seasonal Provençal menu is served family-style on rustic blond wood tables, the bold flavors of the food the ideal complement to the colorful and contemporary space it occupies.

A Cote restaurant is symbolic of Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood--cozy, friendly, and inviting. Jack and Daphne Knowles planned it that way, and their careful choices are reflected not only in the decor, but in the food and atmosphere. Everything in this restaurant reinforces the idea of intimacy, from the family style dishes to the wood fired oven in the open kitchen. Their Mediterranean cuisine is perfect for an intimate dinner for two, or for an after work bite with coworkers after a hard day. This is definitely a place to fill your belly and ease your mind.

Catering to diners’ many tastes, appetites, and personalities, Le Zinc offers a menu and setting fit for a true Parisian retreat. Diners can prop their elbows against the zinc bar and enjoy a light snack and fine glass of wine, or settle in at a table for a long and leisurely meal. They can also catch up with friends, or make new ones, on the sun-lit patio. Come in for brunch and try the Crepes Au Chocolat; nibble on tapas selections like the Foie Gras de Canard; indulge in the evening with the Cassoulet Au Confit (duck leg confit).