Soma Restaurants

Fifth Floor

Address: 12 Fourth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Fifth Floor
$$$
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 …

Taqueria Can-Cun

Address: 1003 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Taqueria Can-Cun
$
While it may not look like much from the outside, the SoMa location of Taqueria Can-Cun is a prime example of not judging a book by its cover. This local favorite offers some of the best fast Mexican food in The City. Voted Best Taqueria and Best Burrito 10 years in a row by the readers of the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Taqueria Can-Cun has made its reputation with wonderfully seasoned carne asada, and tasty carnitas. Tacos arrive with thick slices of avocado, and every order is accompanied by an order of chips and salsa. When in search of some …

Mehfil Indian Cuisine

Address: 600 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94107-1305
Mehfil Indian Cuisine
$$
Mehfil Indian Cuisine in the Financial District offers diners an array of choices, for those in search of a variety of dishes, from all regions the Indian Subcontinent. The menu changes on a daily basis, so should you find yourself returning, you need not worry about being subject to a monotonous set menu. The affordable lunch special include Indian staples such as a choice of curry and a bowl of rice, or your choice of daily entrées and includes soup, salad and naan. Word is out about the lunch special, so expect a lively crowd, but that comes with good …

Martuni's

Address: 4 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Martuni's
$
Martuni’s is one of the few lounges in San Francisco to offers great and affordable cocktails mixed with live music for guest sing and dance to. Martuni’s is known for their great mixed cocktails. Their bartenders take pride and effort to make guest the best concoctions with top quality liquor. Their self-titled best seller martini, The Martuni, is a mixer of Bombay Sapphire Gin with dry vermouth with an added lemon twist or olive. Also, Martuni’s piano bar is a great place for friends to gather around, listen to great live music, and possible take the mic to sing along …

Miss Saigon

Address: 100 6th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Miss Saigon
$
Miss Saigon is a joyous place for patrons looking for a bargain bite. Miss Saigon serves delicious and authentic Vietnamese cuisine for folks that are a little light on the wallet. Delicious entrees like stir-fried spicy pork slices and Dau Hu Cari, a protein packed dish of golden tofu and stir-fried vegetables in a yellow curry and coconut sauce grace their presents on Miss Saigon's vast menu. The dining area is filled with contemporary décor yet mixed with the owner's Vietnamese traditional taste.

Alexander's Steakhouse

Address: 448 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Alexander's Steakhouse
$$$$
Alexander’s Steakhouse in the SOMA (South of Market) District is a high-end American steakhouse with a hint of Japanese influence that doesn’t skimp on anything. This menu covers the gamut of decadence from items like Caviar Parfait and Shigoku Oysters on the half shell for appetizers to Day Boat Scallops and Maine Lobster for prolific entrees. However, when it comes to steak, be ready to be blown away. Alexander’s has “Wagyu” on the menu, and specializes in prime, aged steaks to intensify the flavor. Five different types of “Wagyu” are on the menu with the Sher Australian Steak leading the …

Roy's

Address: 575 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Roy's
$$$
High ceilings and flawless table settings help make Roy’s Restaurant of the SOMA district one of the top places to enjoy Hawaiian fusion cuisine in a simple, yet elegant setting. The menu consists of items that have become Roy’s signature dishes around the world; in addition, this particular Roy’s has its own local menu featuring dishes unique to the location. Diners that want to try a sampling of specialties can look to the Mixed Plates section that features options such as the Shellfish Sampler, the Surf and Turf, and the Roy’s Trio--a signature dish starring Hibachi Salmon, Macadamia Nut Mahi …

Zero Zero

Address: 826 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
Zero Zero
$$
Opened in the summer of 2010, Zero Zero in the SOMA neighborhood takes traditional Neapolitan pizza using California ingredients and flavor combinations. Named “Calipolitan” by Head Chef Bruce Hill, Zero Zero uses only the highest quality components, made in house, local or imported straight from Italy in their pizzas. Aside from their Calipolitan style pizzas, Zero Zero has a wide variety of Italian dishes using local produce mixed with Italian herbs and spices. End the night with Hill’s signature organic soft-serve made from proprietary Straus Dairy Farms ice cream blend in chocolate or vanilla. Zero Zero offers a unique tasting …

Marlowe

Address: 330 Townsend Street, Suite 101, San Francisco, CA 94107
Marlowe
$$$
Morlowe is a market driven neighborhood bistro, offering favorite entrees with a unique and flavorful twist. Head Chef Jennifer Puccio creates a mix of snacks, appetizers, and main dishes with the kinds of ingredients she loves to eat like Anson Mills Polenta and Seared Hawaiian Tombo Tuna. Marlowe also has a strong assemble of wines that spotlight lesser-known wineries and regions. The lineup is a selection of 10 reds and 10 whites by the glass and over 60 bottles to pick. Morlowe offers guest great bistro entrees that could be paired with one of their unique wines in a amazing …

Benu

Address: 22 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Benu
$$$$
A relaxing blend of neutral colors adorns the interior of Benu, a classy restaurant located in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco. An extensive wine list is hand selected, and provides an ideal complement to the different menus available. Although both menus are subject to change with the availability of fresh ingredients, the Tasting Menu features unique dishes such as Thousand-Year-Old Quail Egg and “Shark’s Fin” Soup. The A La Carte dinner menu offers diners the option of building their own meal, with entrée categories such as Fish and Shellfish and Pasta and Rice. Carnivores and vegetarians alike can find …

54 Mint

Address: 16 Mint Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94103
54 Mint
$$ New
There’s a bit of Rome right in the heart of San Francisco. 54 Mint presents bold flavors with imaginative pairings and infuses a bit of Italy into everything they prepare. This combination restaurant and wine bar is located downtown on the historic Mint Plaza and attracts locals and tourists alike with its charming décor and ambiance. 54 Mint has a comprehensive wine list and food menu as well as community seating in their wine cellar which can also be rented out for private events.

Anchor and Hope

Address: 83 Minna Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Anchor and Hope
$$
Anchor and Hope isn't directly on the water, but its nautical atmosphere full of dock ropes, fishnets, and tribal fish wall paintings will make patrons feel like they are right on the wharf. Located in a renovated General Motors warehouse, this restaurant teems with sea life, both on the walls and in the kitchen. Watch the chefs work their magic from behind the counter just a few feet away from one of the many dining rows. Offering a range of both fish and regular meat, you can devour the freshest food that comes right out of San Francisco itself.

Straits

Address: 845 Market Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
Straits
$$
Sleek and sultry Straits restaurant and lounge gives the weary shopper a sexy little break from the hustle and bustle of the San Francisco shopping scene. East and West intertwine in Chef/Owner Chris Yeo's Singaporean fusion cuisine, inspired by Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, and Indonesian flavors, and featuring traditional fare such as Singapore Satay Sticks and savory spiced Roti Prata. For another flavorful option, mint and fragrant saffron cultivate a zesty Rack of Lamb that slides right off the bone, rolling onto the tongue in a culmination of satisfaction. Slow things down with a ginger-infused cocktail to finish the courses off.

Luce

Address: 888 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Luce
$$$
When gazing in awe down at the plate before them, many diners at Luce are tempted to ask, “Does art imitate food, or is my meal multitasking as a masterpiece?” The answer to both questions might just be, “yes.” Patrons’ appetites and imaginations are stimulated by Chef Dominique Crenn’s artful constructs that marry the best aspects of local, regional, and international, ingredients to create thoughtful and flavorful dishes. The highly refined and modern décor only contributes to the dining experience, and encourages visitors to make the connection between the orb-like lamps and the Chocolate “Egg,” with hot coco and cookies.

Ame

Address: 689 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Ame
$$$$ Top 10
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 …

Town Hall

Address: 342 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Town Hall
$$$
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.

Kuleto's

Address: 221 Powell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Kuleto's
$$$ Top 10
Kuleto’s embodies the vintage charm and refined class of historic San Francisco. Lavish marble floors and cathedral-like vaulted ceilings greet diners and immediately plunge them into an atmosphere of sublime sophistication. A 40-foot-long carved wood bar is a highlight, transported from the Palace Hotel and steeped in a history that precedes the 1906 earthquake. While the atmosphere is almost regal in its ostentation, Kuleto’s Northern Italian-inspired menu embodies the satisfaction of a home-cooked meal, albeit with masterful execution. Kuleto’s is an exercise in true sensual gratification, an immensely pleasurable feast for the eyes and the taste buds.

Split Pea Seduction

Address: 138 6th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Split Pea Seduction
$
Split Pea Seduction may sound like a complicated yet sensual concept, but everything else about this small eatery/catering company is simple. Their daily changing menu focuses on simple, fresh, seasonal ingredients with one item remaining a constant: the restaurant’s namesake, Split Pea Seduction soup. The menu features a dozen or so items each day, with scrumptious selections suitable for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner. All of the unique dishes are hand-made from scratch in the restaurant, ensuring a short trip from local farms to your plate. The menu usually boasts unique sandwiches, salads, and egg dishes that one would …

Koh Samui and the Monkey

Address: 415 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94017
Koh Samui and the Monkey
$$
If the name itself isn't enough to lure one into the doors of Koh Samui and the Monkey, perhaps the promise of authentic Thai decor hand-picked by owner/operator Aom Foley will justify a look. Foley and her husband Chris have carefully crafted the inside to reflect the beauty of Thailand, where they first met while scuba diving in Koh Samui. Tongue-tickling selections on this menu include food inspired by Bangkok street vendors such as the fried sweet corn patties, or spicy curries prepared in unique ways, like the Pumpkin Curry Chicken in Red Curry sauce served in a pumpkin and …

Amber India

Address: 25 Yerba Buena Lane, San Francisco, CA 94103
Amber India
$$ Special Offer
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 …