When family and friends come to visit San Francisco, they want both the tourist and the authentic experience. They want to ride cable cars and bike the Golden Gate Bridge, and they want to try some of the food that San Francisco is so famous for. Believe it or not, it's possible to do both, to satisfy your (rightfully) snobby tastes as well as their desire to play SF.
Just because a restaurant, bar, or bakery in this city attracts hordes of visitors doesn't also mean it's not good — on the contrary, everything on this list has food, drink, and pastry that's at the peak of what SF has to offer. Here you'll find swoonworthy morning buns, storied oyster omelets, and unbelievably fresh fish, as well as incredible views, spots dating back over one hundred years, and roast chicken that's famous all around the world.
So next time you have visitors, consult this list, because everyone is guaranteed to be happy at these 16 spots perfect for tourists and locals alike.
Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.
1. Scoma's Restaurant
- 1965 Al Scoma Way
- San Francisco, CA 94133
- (415) 771-4383
For a taste of the charms that, for better or worse, lead out-of-towners to San Francisco’s notoriously touristy Fisherman’s Wharf, Scoma’s is where it’s at. The very 1960s bar is a trip, and dishes like a “Lazy Man’s Cioppino” and classic crab Louis hit the spot. The views onto the water don’t hurt, either — the restaurant is located on its own small pier. You’ll even catch a glimpse of Scoma’s own custom-built fishing boat: The restaurant is committed to sourcing sustainable, and mostly local, seafood.
2. Buena Vista Cafe
- 2765 Hyde St
- San Francisco, CA 94109
- (415) 474-5044
You come to Buena Vista for one thing and one thing only: the exceptional Irish coffee. When you're in need of an afternoon pick-me-up, head here for whiskey-spiked sweet coffee topped with a thick, luscious layer of whipped cream.
3. Tony’s Pizza Napoletana
- 1570 Stockton St
- San Francisco, CA 94133
- (415) 835-9888
World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani bakes every kind of pizza imaginable: New York, Roman, Sicilian, and many more. His Neapolitan is an award-winner and his on-site pizza school attracts students from across the country. Bonus points for a bustling, friendly atmosphere, including a bar for date nights and booths for grandpa. And if you're feeling peckish but not in for a big meal, stop by the Slice House next door for a quick slice.
4. Original Joe's
- 601 Union St
- San Francisco, CA 94133
- (415) 775-4877
Introduce family and friends to old North Beach here, with red leather booths, white tablecloths, and walls covered in framed photographs that set the scene for ample portions of Italian-American fare. From baked lasagna to calf’s liver with bacon and onions, the classics are all here, plus a secretly great burger and fries, for lunch, dinner, and brunch. And, the bar is always lively fun for dining and drinking Manhattans in a clubby atmosphere.
5. Slanted Door
- 1 Ferry Building #3
- San Francisco, CA 94111
- (415) 861-8032
Charles Phan's iconic Slanted Door in the historic Ferry Building is the city's most profitable restaurant for a reason. It boasts a winning mix of a stunning Bay Bridge view, elegant and big-flavored Vietnamese food, an award-winning cocktail program, and a venerable wine list. It's hard to beat a sunset dinner of soft spring rolls and succulent rib eye steak, along with a pina colada that uses housemade coconut cream all in front of the Bay Bridge's twinkling lights. — Noelle Chun
6. Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory
- 56 Ross Alley
- San Francisco, CA 94108
- (415) 806-8243
The sweet smell of vanilla, sesame, and butter lures tourists to this small alley in Chinatown to watch workers make 10,000 fortune cookies a day (and pass out hot samples). You can customize your own fortunes, making a great souvenir for tourists and non-toursits alike, and you might learn a thing or two about history while you’re at it. Fortune cookies were essentially invented in San Francisco, made to be served at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate park in 1918, but later appropriated by San Francisco’s Chinese restaurants.
7. Ferry Building Marketplace
- 1 Ferry Building
- San Francisco, CA 94111
- (415) 983-8030
When's the last time you wandered through the Ferry Building? The vendors have only gotten even better, and the best time to go is on Saturday mornings to fully enjoy the farmers market. Prep yourself with patience for the inevitable crowds, but if you go with the right expectations, the outing can turn into a fun, all-day way to rediscover what you love so much about this city and make visitors love it as much as you.
8. House of Prime Rib
- 1906 Van Ness Ave
- San Francisco, CA 94109
- (415) 885-4605
This San Francisco classic is a total trip back in time to when plating with tweezers was not yet a thing. The restaurant's apropos name says it all — it serves one thing and one thing only, and it does that roast beef very, very well. The only choices you need to make are: meat temperature, cut thickness, mashed or loaded baked potatoes, and martini or Manhattan. Each plate comes with a salad prepared tableside, creamed spinach, Yorkshire pudding and potatoes — and of course a hulking piece of beef cut from roving meat carts.
9. Tadich Grill
- 240 California St
- San Francisco, CA 94111
- (415) 391-1849
Before “New American” fare or “slow food,” there was Tadich Grill. Open since 1849 under a changing roster of proprietors, the restaurant is a San Francisco original, occupying its current location since 1967. Tadich Grill has tried to honor its history by keeping the interior authentic to the times with train-car-like booths lining the wall and other mid-century flourishes in the wooden bar. Just be patient, because there are no reservations and it can get pretty tourist-heavy, but the bartenders at the massive bar help you pass the time pleasantly. Once you're seated, servers in white coats help your navigate the seafood-focused menu, of which the Hangtown Fry, an oyster omelet, is most well-known. The menu is organized by cooking preparation, so you choose the style and then the type of seafood or meat. — Noelle Chun
10. Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar
- 950 Mason St
- San Francisco, CA 94108
- (415) 772-5278
Oh Tonga Room, you beautiful relic. This tiki bar embedded in the bottom of the Fairmont Hotel has been churning out tropical drinks, pupu platters, and live entertainment to the delight of locals and visitors for decades. Its nostalgia is well-warranted, and brings fans back year after year.
11. Top of the Mark
- 999 California St
- San Francisco, CA 94108
- (415) 392-3434
Since 1939, customers have gathered at this 19th story bar atop the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, itself perched on top of Nob Hill, to sip martinis and watch the fog roll in. Yes, it’s a hotel bar, but the very best kind: One with a sense of place. Famously, it’s where US servicemen in World War II had their farewell drinks before departing for the Pacific theater. The skyline (and the prices) may have changed, but time stands still for the length of a few drinks at the Top of the Mark.
12. Swan Oyster Depot
- 1517 Polk St
- San Francisco, CA 94109
- (415) 673-1101
Open only for lunch, Polk Street’s 100-year-old gem still churns out the best crab, oysters, and sourdough in town. Get there early to snag one of the handful of seats (and a prime view of the quirky, old-school staff), or be prepared for a long wait.
13. Cliff House
- 1090 Point Lobos Ave
- San Francisco, CA 94121
- (415) 386-3330
Perched on a chunk of craggy rocks, the Cliff House offers a view up and over the rocky landscape of the Pacific Ocean, and the giant cruise and cargo ships as they head into port. It's a visitor's dream. Skip going for a full meal and instead slurp oysters and down martinis at sunset or bloody marys at brunch.
14. Zuni Cafe
- 1658 Market St
- San Francisco, CA 94102
- (415) 552-2522
Besides "the" chicken, Zuni's burger, Caesar salad and bloody Mary have all been called the best in the city. It's the utility belt of restaurants: good for brunch, for late-night dining, for oysters and a cocktail at the bar, or for a lovely sit-down meal with a date. And did we mention that chicken?
15. Tartine Bakery
- 600 Guerrero St
- San Francisco, CA 94110
- (415) 487-2600
With an entire cookbook out on the market dedicated to Tartine’s breaded breakfast goodies, it’s no surprise that the line to buy them at the source regularly exceeds a 45-minute wait. First timers usually go for the morning bun, a flaky but dense pastry with a hint of citrus to it. Bread, tarts, cookies, cakes, and more fill the rest of the saliva-inducing display, all of which make the perfect pairing with people watching in the outdoor seating area. (For a full dining experience, head over to Tartine Manufactory for lunch or dinner.)
16. La Taqueria
- 2889 Mission St
- San Francisco, CA 94110
- (415) 285-7117
It wouldn’t be San Francisco without the Mission’s squadron of gut-busting taquerias. La Taqueria leads the pack with its recent win as FiveThirtyEight's America's Best Burrito, cementing it as not only a local favorite, but a nationally-recognized one, too. That's reflected in lines out the door, but fear not — they move quickly. Pro tip: make sure you order your burrito "dorado," or grilled, making it nice and crispy on the outside.
