43 Best Restaurants in The Waterfront, San Francisco

The draw at this rustic-sleek trattoria is chef Michael Tusk's (also the chef of the nearby Quince and Verjus) flavorful, seasonally driven Italian cooking, headlined by pastas, beautifully grilled or spit-roasted meats, and homemade gelato. The look inside and outside is comfortably chic, with wood tables, quality stemware, and fantastic Italian wines by the bottle and glass.

A thriving oyster farm north of San Francisco in Tomales Bay serves up its harvest at this raw bar and restaurant in the Ferry Building, where devotees come for impeccably fresh oysters on the half shell. Other mollusk-centered options include first-rate clam chowder, grilled oysters, and steamed Manila clams; the kitchen also makes one of the city's best grilled cheese sandwiches.

This bustling, lunch-only classic dating back to 1958 serves some of San Francisco's best dim sum to office workers on weekdays and boisterous families on weekends, and the take-out counter makes a satisfying meal on the run. The several dozen varieties prepared daily include the classic and the creative; steamed pork buns, shrimp dumplings, scallop skewers, and basil seafood dumplings are among the many delights. Crowds are just as large at its nearby Rincon Center sibling.

Defeating the cliché that restaurants in hotels can't be citywide draws, chef Francis Ang's longtime Pinoy Heritage pop-up is thriving at its permanent home within the Kimpton Alton Hotel. Ang's exciting contemporary Filipino cooking has gained rave reviews from national publications and well-deserved awards. The chic space has a slight tropical edge to it and includes a small patio at the front and a bar reserved for those who can't score a reservation.

Celebrated local chef Nancy Oakes' high-profile, high-priced eatery in the historic 1889 Audiffred Building has been attracting well-dressed locals and flush out-of-towners since 1993. A striking belle époque interior (originally designed by Pat Kuleto and later touched up by Ken Fulk, both star local architects) is the setting for sophisticated American food with a French accent and a distinct local California produce twist.  The main dining room has a three-course set menu with several options in each course, while most of that menu is available à la carte in the bar area.

Chef-owner Marc Zimmerman's first personal restaurant project is the city's most compelling beef-centric dining experience. Elaborate small dishes, several of which incorporate prestigious Wagyu beef elements (blood, fat, or obscure parts, for example), make up a captivating tasting menu served to diners, most of whom are seated at a U-shaped counter that overlooks a centerpiece robata grill.

Some of San Francisco's most exquisite French pastries are baked daily at this serene, cheery shop. On the savory side, most choices tend to be some form of pâté-filled pastry and are presented with all the artistry of haute cuisine; sweets are split between croissant-type items and proper dessert treats. Lunch seekers will be satisfied by the tiny selection of quiche, salads, and sandwiches.

This contemporary-minded younger sibling of Boulevard, one of the city's most beloved dining institutions, deserves to be known for its own virtues. The always-tempting food menu rotates frequently based on the seasons and is a nice mix of elevated snacks for the happy hour guests, and more refined small plates, entrées, and pastas for the full three-course dinner experience crowd. Cocktails are a particular strength at the lively bar.

To enjoy Michael Tusk's three-Michelin-starred haute California cuisine with a slight Italian influence at dinner, you'll have to splurge on a comprehensive 10-course gastronomy menu, but you'll be rewarded with seasonal items (much of which comes from Fresh Run Farm in Bolinas) reaching the highest fine-dining heights. The elite wine list is among the country's greatest, and seamless service is both refined and welcoming. After an extensive renovation, the still ultra-posh dining room reopened in 2024 with a more contemporary-leaning and sunlight-filled aesthetic (no more white tablecloths), along with an intimate bar and salon, plus the addition of a leisurely Thursday and Friday lunch.

Of the "big three" historic San Francisco restaurant classics (along with John's Grill and Tadich Grill) that date back to the 1800s, it's the intrepid Sam's Grill that serves the most consistently enjoyable food of the trio. The menu might not be exciting in a modern way—and it shouldn't be—but what arrives at the table is fresh and always enjoyable, focusing on superb mesquite-grilled fish and top-tier produce that probably weren't emphasized as much when it opened in 1867. The timeless atmosphere with a section of private booths with curtains and plenty of ice cold martinis being consumed is a trip to the past. At lunch time, Sam's often feels like the power center of San Francisco (the former mayor Willie Brown eats at a particular table here at least once a week).

Ask locals where to eat at Fisherman's Wharf and you'll usually get a blank look, but the real answer is this San Francisco classic that is undoubtedly the leader among its peers (or piers?). The Pier 47 spot was a coffee shop when brothers Al and Jay Scoma bought it in 1965 (the homey coffeehouse vibe still lingers around the retro-renovated space with worn walls covered with historic photos of the local sports teams), and the restaurant continues to be a great stop for excellent fresh fish and seafood preparations.

After a short but strong run as the Wagyu-beef-centric restaurant Gozu, executive chef/founder Marc Zimmerman changed course in 2024 and unveiled a mostly different concept with The Wild. The main similarity between the two is the sleek U-shaped dining counter around the open kitchen and its featured hearth with binchotan charcoal. Many dishes are cooked over those coals with the most precise, laser-like grilling care. The Wild is all about bringing together creativity and nature, where superb local ingredients are gently integrated into exciting but not overly elaborate compositions. Even though there isn't a physical bar, the cocktails, wine, and spirits here are a standout.

The title of "best omakase" has many worthwhile contenders in the city, but many would name this sleek destination in downtown's "East Cut" area as the most captivating sushi-centric tasting menu. It's undoubtedly a splurge and can feel a little Vegas-flashy, yet the raw and gently torched fish nigiri preparations are nothing short of remarkable. Service, glassware, ceramics and the ultra-polished, wood-heavy design centered on an abstract triangle-shaped sushi bar are of the highest level of contemporary luxury.

Immaculately fresh seafood and a wood-burning hearth are the centerpieces of this bustling yet luxurious sibling to Saison. The menu descriptions might be brief, but it's really all about the ingredients and impeccable technique—whether it's a grilled hand-dived scallop or the signature thinly sliced potato with a decadent sauce of Taleggio cheese—fulfilling their full potential on the plate with a few smart embellishments.

Guests can almost smell the Adriatic salt water–kissed air while digging into cicchetti (similar to open-faced crostini bites with various toppings) and other clever Venetian-inspired dishes at this gorgeous restaurant next to the Embarcadero Center. As delightful as the food is, the glamorous design and intricate cocktails are just as noteworthy. Mixologist Carlo Splendorini is one of the leading modern figures of the city's cocktail industry, and his drinks at this dolce vita–filled bar-restaurant are the perfect partner to the tall floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook a grand European capital-style plaza outside complete with a fountain.

With a strong joie de vivre in a spectacularly chic setting, mini croque monsieurs, and juicy steak frites, there's a distinct French Riviera vibe nowadays along the Embarcadero with Bon Délire's arrival in 2024. A dramatic horseshoe-shaped bar anchors the intimate waterfront space (though you can't actually see the water inside) that ultimately toes the line between a bistro, a café, and a cocktail bar with great French cuisine bites. Quietly and surprisingly, the desserts are the best part of the menu.

Start the morning on the outskirts of Fisherman's Wharf with an açaí bowl and strong coffee, or enjoy puffy chicken-and-cream cheese-filled coxinha pastries as a lunchtime snack at this cheery stop by the cable car turnaround. It's refreshing for visitors who are tired of crab and clam chowder. The breezy, tropical-leaning setting is a breath of fresh air in one of the most touristy parts of the city.

As part of the revamped Transamerica Pyramid complex (in a separate building across the redwood park from the actual pyramid), this daytime fast-casual café/sleek restaurant in the evening quickly emerged as a FiDi favorite after its 2024 opening. The food is courtesy of chef Brad Kilgore, a major Miami culinary figure who is thriving with his San Francisco debut. Breakfast and lunch are a mix of the familiar and more unique yet casual plates (like a marvelous tortellini en brodo with apple), while dinner shows more of an ambitious side to the compact menu.

After several years as a full-service restaurant in the Outer Richmond and then North Beach, husband-and-wife team chef Kris Toliao and Yuka Ioroi's Japanese-Californian-inspired concept decided to downsize dramatically and switch to a daytime-only café model. However, this new home happens to be a lush palm tree and plant-filled courtyard oasis in the heart of charming Jackson Square. Since its opening in early 2025, Cassava swiftly has become the rare place that is a lunchtime go-to for both the food travel cognoscenti and nearby office workers.

With its Bay Bridge views and stellar Spanish tapas, the late chef Michael Chiarello's San Francisco restaurant is a big hit that’s equal parts rustic and chic, a lively destination for both small bites and larger meals. Toothpicked pintxos (small snacks) like quail egg with sausage are a tasty way to start, but the real draws are the inventive cocktails, luscious paella, and dazzling selection of cured meats.

One of Downtown San Francisco's most storied restaurant spaces is now on a permanent Mediterranean vacation. After a longtime tenure as Aqua (where Michael Mina's legendary career began) and later as Mina's flagship namesake restaurant, the prominent California Street dining room's latest concept looks towards Greece and Mina's Egyptian heritage. With soft white tones and plush, oversized booths opposite a bustling bar, it's a great place to dress up for a leisurely dinner centered around the oak-grilled fish offerings, yet also relaxed enough for a few happy hour cocktails and bites.

This classic for prix-fixe dining has earned legions of fans since 1999 for its refined and creative seasonal California cooking, displayed in dishes like glazed oysters with Osetra caviar and roasted quail with pork and scallion stuffing. The posh-contemporary banquette-lined rooms, with stunning floral arrangements, are as memorable as the food and impeccable service. The cost of a meal is pegged to the number of courses, from three to five, with several choices in each course. The wine list is immense.

The team behind French baking sensation Le Marais serves some of the greatest savory buckwheat galettes and sweet crêpes in the Bay Area at a kiosk on the water side of the Ferry Building. It's the perfect stop for breakfast, lunch, or a dessert snack. Fillings range from traditional ones like Nutella or ham and Comté, to more atypical choices such as cherry tomatoes and burrata.

Everything feels like a Roaring '20s party at the FiDi's go-to glamorous restaurant-bar for power lunches and celebratory happy hours (there are switches at each table to summon champagne and martini carts), except it actually only opened in a different '20s decade (2023). The food could coast in mediocrity because of the elegant, eye-catching environs; but thankfully it doesn't, thanks to sharp dishes like a fantastic petrale sole with hazelnut brown butter that will win over any skeptic of that oft-ignored flaky fish. The adjacent glass-ceiling atrium, known as the Conservatory at One Sansome, is utterly spectacular and often used for extra seating.

Ayesha Curry teamed up with the city's most prolific chef/entrepreneur, Michael Mina, on this hip spot inside the glitzy Millennium Tower. Don't call it a barbecue restaurant—it's more of an open flame, smoke-driven style of cooking inspired by various global cuisines. Every table has an order of Curry's freshly baked cornbread (SF's best) and one of the different smoked ribs offered.

Satisfy your craving for outstanding Greek taverna food—albeit at luxe steak-house prices—from a dizzying selection of mezethes such as stuffed grape leaves to main courses that showcase Athenian standards like moussaka, lemon-oregano chicken, and grilled lamb chops. There’s a lively after-work scene in this chic farmhouse setting with wood-beamed ceilings, a roaring wood oven, and candlelight. Service is doting for its many well-heeled regulars (but tends to be less so for other guests).

Right on the water's edge, this perpetually popular destination courtesy of global mega-chef Gastón Acurio imports the signature flavors of his home country, Peru, to San Francisco. Fresh seafood is a big draw here, including a long list of ceviches and the can't-miss causas (whipped potatoes topped with a choice of Dungeness crab, chicken, or vegetable salads). Even though Acurio has many restaurants around the world, this one always feels extra special since it was his first to open in the U.S. back in 2008.

Two long years elapsed between the closure of acclaimed chef Nite Yun's Oakland restaurant, Nyum Bai, and (to the relief of many Bay Area diners) the 2024 opening of its successor across the bay in the Ferry Building, Lunette. Like most Ferry Building venues, it's a fast-casual operation but thankfully more of a relaxed experience given that it's a little tucked away from the main (hectic) passageways. Cambodian cuisine-inspired noodle soups and rice plates are the main features of a small but tempting menu that invites repeat visits to try everything.

A three-decade-old favorite for business lunches and special dinners, this white-tablecloth spot caters to suits brokering deals and well-dressed romantic dates, who carve their way through upscale dishes accented by local produce and often intricate sauces. Its menu skews seasonal and meaty, and its largish front bar is popular for Financial District/pre-commute happy hour. At lunch, New York-style deli sandwiches and smoked salmon-topped latkes (originally a COVID-19 pandemic pivot that proved so popular it couldn't subsequently leave) take center stage.