Special Occasion Restaurants

Quietly tucked within the Hotel California, at the edge of San Francisco’s infamous Tenderloin district, Millennium presents a unique marriage of socially-conscious vegan food and the exacting standards of fine dining. Chef Eric Tucker brings to life a wide range of exceptional vegetarian dishes, relying on the natural vibrancy of his produce and a gift for innovation to make each morsel complete—in spite of a total absence of meat. A small but robust wine list, focusing on organic and biodynamic options, rounds out the mission of sustainability. Millennium is an ideal choice for vegetarian diners looking for something more, or …

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.

Palio d’ Asti is a well-known Italian restaurant in San Francisco’s Financial District. The interior of the restaurant permits the viewing of the chefs in the open kitchen preparing the Italian cuisine with seasonal ingredients according to regional influence. During fall and winter, the focus is on Piemonte and Toscana. During the spring, the focus is on Rome and Umbria, while the summer is dedicated to Sicily and Naples. Dishes like the Carpaccio di Tonno, which is thinly sliced and hand-pounded raw ahi tuna with bottarga di tonno, arugula, lemon, and horseradish, can be found on the menu.

Yank Sing creates traditional and inventive dim sum in a classy and serene atmosphere. This restaurant is suitable for a business lunch or for meeting up with friends for dinner. Guests can simply point to the dumpling or dish they desire from a cart that the food server runs around the restaurant. There are more than 60 choices available every day and one favorite is the Gingery Foil-Wrapped Chicken. Yank Sing also has a to-go counter where guests can save time on their lunch break and take back some tasty Chinese food to the office.

Ozumo is nestled into the heart of San Francisco’s Embarcadero District. This restaurant serves modern Japanese cuisine in a serene and sophisticated environment. Guests can choose to to sit in a variety of rooms that each offer a unique dining experience and ambience. The Robata Grill features unique small plates of a variety of meat and vegetables that are cooked over traditional robata charcoal grills. For private dining, Ozumo offers sake tasting in their exclusive, glass-enclosed Sake Tasting Room. Those seeking a more traditional and exotic experience than the golden hued main dining room can be seated on zabuton cusions …

Centrally located on Post Street just off of Union Square, Postrio is the sort of restaurant San Francisco is famous for. Innovative food that draws from a myriad of cultures, a wine list that has both breadth and depth, a well-designed interior adorned with the works of famous local artists, and an atmosphere at once refined and relaxed makes Postrio one of the finest restaurants in the Bay. Priced reasonably enough for regular fine dining, the restaurant also offers standout dishes to turn any occasion into a special one.

It may be surprising to find a fine dining restaurant that specializes in familiar flavors when so many chefs prefer the exotic, but Town Hall takes the good ol’ American meal to its highest peaks. A large dining room designed to feel like an old school house provides an ambiance as comforting as the food. Executive Chefs Mitchell and Steven Rosenthal along with partner and maitre d' Doug Washington, share their love for refined tradition with dishes like Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Peanut Tasso Crusted Pork Chop. Some diners may even forget the surrounding skyscrapers of SOMA, San Francisco.

Even the most avid diner might be surprised how many types of cuisine have come out of the culinary paradise known as Italy. While it might be difficult to tell the difference between styles of cooking, guests at A16 will remember the signature delicacies of the Campania region in Southern Italy. Located on Chestnut Street in the Marina neighborhood, A16 presents the finest Southern Italian dishes in San Francisco, crafted by talented chefs and served by a friendly wait staff. Whether diners are stopping in to meet friends for a glass of wine and appetizers, or enjoying a celebratory meal, …

Aziza’s decadent Moroccan food and interior design makes this restaurant a San Francisco favorite. The design of the restaurant is a modern Moroccan atmosphere with hand-carved tables and mosaic glass candleholders adorned in tangerine, royal blue, and saffron. The menu has Moroccan dishes with a Mediterranean and California influence. The dishes are organic and locally produced, with unique and modern twists. Also check out the bar because the drinks are innovative and change according to what’s in season.

Once you locate tiny Gold Street, one slender block in San Francisco’s Jackson Square area, you’ve won half the battle. Now just look for the neon sign pointing the way inside and you will be lavishly rewarded upon entering Bix. The surprisingly spacious interior is pure elegance, like the dining room of a luxury Ocean liner from the 30’s. The lighting is dim, the cocktails are chilled to perfection, and whether you are on a sexy date or a buttoned down business dinner, you’ll know without a doubt that you have made the right choice. A sumptuous dinner awaits all …

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.

Delfina Restaurant sits nestled in the heart of the Mission district among a large range of trend-setting and highly regarded bistros, brasseries, trattorias, rosticerias, taquerias, pizzerias, and eateries. With a menu presented in the traditional Italian style, Executive Chef Craig Stoll creates relatively fine-tuned dishes that explore the entire country of Italy with local, lavish ingredients. Low-level lighting, shiny steel tabletops, a beautiful mosaic of small blue tiles behind the bar, a garden patio, and an open kitchen create an unpretentious exquisiteness that flows through to the wait staff and makes for good meal.

East meets West in sleek, contemporary Amber India. Executive Chef Anish Potdar applies traditional Indian cooking techniques to unexpected ingredients like sundried tomatoes, goat cheese, and lobster. The result is a delightful amalgamation of dishes that please both Indian cuisine purists and those with more experimental palates. The spirit of innovation is also in full display in Amber India’s diverse array of cocktails, comprised of uniquely exotic ingredients like acai, roasted cumin, and Zen Green Tea Liqueur. The museum-like space is an excellent stage for these satisfying surprises, with vivid reds, saffrons, and teals distilling the boldness of Bollywood into …

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 …

Located in the Westin Hotel on Market Street, Ducca presents an innovative menu featuring many of Italy’s culinary staples. Guests can dine under the sparkling chandeliers or enjoy the popular style of bar dining, as seen in the Veneto region. Chef Erica Holland-Toll crafts a variety of mouth watering dishes that are geared to leave even the most discriminating foodie satisfied. The wine list highlights the dual regional influence, with a focus on Italian and California vintages offered by the glass and bottle. The Venetian inspired décor (take note of the gold forks), combined with impeccable service and delicious cuisine, …

If you follow Cortland Avenue until it appears to end, you’ll likely stumble upon Piqueo’s, a charming Peruvian gem specializing in tapas. Showcasing an acclaimed chef from Peru who creates native specialties in his open kitchen, the restaurant feels more like a home than a business. An unassuming exterior conceals a small vibrant space, complete with dim lighting and a sultry atmosphere. Piqueo’s features an extensive tapas selection that will have you walking away at the end of the night feeling like you’ve finally experienced that elusive taste of Peru and its culinary delights at their best.

Destino is lively and casual, and walking inside on an otherwise quiet Monday night can feel like being transported to a South American city during happy hour. The bright walls of the dining room are decorated with religious icons and mirrors of all shapes and sizes. Destino's menu is composed completely of small plates, all infused with flavors that Executive Chef James Schenk grew up with. Examples of the menu include three striking ceviches, tiger prawns with a spicy sofrito puree over plantain-bacon cakes, and a popular Peruvian street food: beef-heart skewers served with aji panca pepper reduction.

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 …

As the self-proclaimed “modern American restaurant with a New Orleans accent,” The Elite Café offers Southern-inspired dishes in an Art Deco dining space. You may reminisce about being in the Big Easy while you enjoy the house-made Biscuits and Gravy, the Fried Oyster Po-Boy, or the Roasted Quail with Cornbread. A cocktail list with the likes of a Cajun Martini – made with jalapeno-infused Skyy Vodka and jalapeno-stuffed olives – might even inspire you with a Southern sense of hospitality too. And let’s not forget the 100-bottle wine list either. The Elite Café hopes it can draw out the Southern …