Where to eat in San Francisco depends on the neighborhood you’re in. Try Dungeness crab at Fisherman’s Wharf, pizza in North Beach, dim sum in Chinatown, oysters at the Ferry Building and a burrito in the Mission District, then use the guide below for specific spots.
The sourdough at Boudin on Jefferson Street starts from a mother dough first mixed in 1849. When the 1906 earthquake and fire swept the city, Louise Boudin, the founder’s widow, carried it out in a wooden bucket, and a piece of it goes into every batch today. The bakery is a short walk from the Fisherman’s Wharf Sign where our San Francisco tours meet, and it serves clam chowder in a bowl made from that same sourdough.
Fisherman’s Wharf runs into North Beach, the city’s Little Italy, and North Beach runs into Chinatown, the oldest in the United States. All three sit close enough to walk between, so crab on the waterfront, a slice of pizza and a plate of dim sum can fit into a single afternoon.
Restaurant tips come with the ride on a Dylan’s tour. Elizabeth, who recently toured with one of our guides, wrote that he “gave our group great recommendations, especially for food.” We’ve been running small-group tours out of Fisherman’s Wharf for 20+ years. Instead of a citywide list of the best restaurants in San Francisco, this guide sticks to the neighborhoods visitors spend time in, so you can eat and drink like a local without crossing town for a reservation.
Come hungry. Over three hours on the Lombard Leap Food Tour, you’ll ride down Lombard Street in an open-air vehicle, stop for photos at the Golden Gate Bridge and eat your way through North Beach pizza, Chinatown dim sum and a surprise treat on board with a local guide. For more of the city’s highlights, check out all of our San Francisco tours.
Where to Eat in Fisherman’s Wharf: Crab, Clam Chowder and Cioppino
Fisherman’s Wharf still has a working fishing fleet, and you can watch the boats unload in Fish Alley before you order Dungeness crab, clam chowder in a sourdough bowl or a plate of cioppino.
Fresh local Dungeness depends on the commercial season, which California often delays to protect migrating humpback whales. The counter staff can tell you whether the crab in the case is this season’s catch.
- Crab and chowder stands at Taylor and Jefferson. These walk-up counters sit right by the Fisherman’s Wharf Sign and sell clam chowder, crab cocktails and shrimp salads with no reservation needed. It’s the quick option before or after a tour.
- Scoma’s, Pier 47. Founded in 1965 and family-owned for three generations, Scoma’s sits on a working pier with its own fish receiving station and buys directly from local fishers. Come for a sit-down seafood dinner and order the “Lazy Man’s” Cioppino, which the San Francisco Chronicle has called possibly the city’s best.
- The Buena Vista, Hyde and Beach. The first Irish coffee in San Francisco was poured here on November 10, 1952. The café sits at the end of the Powell-Hyde cable car line, so you can ride in over Russian Hill and order one at the bar.
Our guide to the best clam chowder in San Francisco compares the Wharf’s best-known bowls, from Boudin’s sourdough to Fog Harbor Fish House at Pier 39. For the sea lions and everything else between meals, start with our insider’s take on Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39.
Where to Eat in North Beach: Pizza, Pastry and Café Culture
North Beach runs along Columbus Avenue, and a few of its family kitchens have been feeding the neighborhood for generations. Come for pizza, pastry and espresso, and plan around the morning if Liguria’s focaccia is on your list, because the doors close early, often as soon as the trays are empty.
- Liguria Bakery, Washington Square. The Soracco family opened this bakery in 1911, and today it bakes only focaccia, in flavors like pesto and garlic and rosemary. Bring cash and arrive early.
- Golden Boy Pizza, Green Street. This takeout-only pizzeria has served square slices on a thick, crispy-bottomed crust since 1978, and generations of San Franciscans have grabbed one here. The clam and garlic slice is its signature.
- Caffe Trieste, Vallejo and Grant. Giovanni Giotta opened Trieste in 1956, and it’s credited as the first espresso house on the West Coast. Order an espresso and a cannoli and grab a table by the window.
For a sit-down dinner, from cioppino to fresh pasta, our guide to the best restaurants in North Beach covers the neighborhood’s Italian classics.
Where to Eat in Chinatown
Chinatown sits between North Beach and the Financial District, and it runs along two main streets. Grant Avenue is the lantern-lined main drag, and a block west, Stockton Street is where residents shop for produce, groceries and bakery snacks.
- Good Mong Kok Bakery, Stockton Street. This takeout-only dim sum eatery turns out shrimp dumplings, siu mai and baked char siu bao. There’s usually a line, and the wait often means a fresh batch is about to come out.
- Golden Gate Bakery, Grant Avenue. Flaky egg tarts, called dan tat in Cantonese, and seasonal mooncakes are the draw here. The hours change often and the bakery sometimes closes for stretches at a time, so call ahead.
- Mister Jiu’s, Waverly Place. Chef Brandon Jew’s Chinese-American restaurant draws on his family’s Cantonese cooking and has held a Michelin star. Book ahead and choose between the tasting menu and à la carte dishes like smoked tofu, served in a bright dining room with big windows.
Our Lombard Leap Food Tour pairs a North Beach pizza tasting with Chinatown dim sum on the same Saturday ride, with a local guide sharing the stories behind each neighborhood. Book the Lombard Leap Food Tour, and for temples, alleys and the fortune cookie factory, see our guide to San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Where to Eat at the Ferry Building Food Hall
The Ferry Building opened on the Embarcadero in 1898 as the city’s ferry terminal, and today it’s a marketplace of local oyster bars, coffee roasters and California food producers, with a farmers market outside that draws growers from across the Bay Area.
- Hog Island Oyster Co. The oysters come from the company’s own farm in Tomales Bay, and the dining room and patio look out over the water.
- Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Farmers and food makers set up outside the building every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, year round. Saturday is the big one, with 100+ vendors and plenty of brunch and lunch stalls. The Thursday market leans toward street food lunches.
- Gott’s Roadside. This burger stand got its start in St. Helena in the Napa Valley, and its Ferry Building outpost serves farm-to-table takes on burgers, fries and shakes.
Our full guide to Ferry Building restaurants covers the rest of the marketplace.
Where to Eat in Union Square: Classic Diners and Michelin-Starred Kin Khao
Union Square is the city’s shopping and theater district and the turnaround point for the cable cars, so plenty of first-time visitors end up staying here. You can eat well within a few blocks of your hotel, from pancakes at breakfast to Thai food at dinner.
- Sears Fine Food, Powell Street. This Union Square mainstay has served classic American diner breakfasts and Swedish pancakes since 1938, and an order comes as 18 silver-dollar-size pancakes with warm maple syrup and whipped butter. Brunch draws a line, so come early.
- John’s Grill, Ellis Street. Open since 1908, John’s Grill shows up in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon, where detective Sam Spade orders chops, baked potato and sliced tomatoes. Sam Spade’s lamb chops are still on the menu.
- Kin Khao, Mason and Ellis. Pim Techamuanvivit’s Thai restaurant sits in the back of the Parc 55 hotel and has earned a Michelin star. Look for the entrance on the corner of Mason and Ellis.
Still deciding where to stay? Our guide to the best hotels in Union Square puts you within walking distance of all three.
Where to Eat in the Mission: Burritos, Bakeries and Ice Cream
The Mission is the city’s warmest neighborhood and the home of the San Francisco burrito, so this is where to go for a taqueria lunch, a bakery stop and an ice cream cone in Dolores Park.
- La Taqueria, Mission Street. Miguel Jara opened La Taqueria in 1973, and in 2017 it won a James Beard Award as one of America’s Classics. His burritos skip the rice and double down on the meat, and the dorado style is griddled until the tortilla turns crisp and golden.
- Tartine Bakery, Guerrero and 18th. Tartine opened in 2002, and the morning bun, flaky and laced with cinnamon and orange zest, is the pastry to order. The line often wraps around the corner, so arrive early on weekends.
- Bi-Rite Creamery, 18th Street. Small-batch ice cream half a block from Dolores Park. Take your cone up the hill for the skyline view.
Our San Francisco neighborhood guide covers the Mission’s murals and Mission Dolores, the city’s oldest standing building.
Where to Eat in Japantown
San Francisco’s Japantown is one of only three historic Japantowns left in the United States, six blocks centered on the five-tiered Peace Pagoda. The Japan Center malls at its heart are packed with noodle shops, sushi counters and tea cafés, and noodles are the reason most visitors come hungry.
- Marufuku Ramen, Japan Center. Marufuku specializes in Hakata-style ramen, with thin noodles in a rich tonkotsu pork broth. There’s usually a waitlist, so add your name before you browse the mall.
- Hinodeya Ramen, Japantown. A few blocks from Marufuku, Hinodeya goes the other direction with a lighter broth built on dashi.
- Udon Mugizo, Japan Center. The noodles are made in-house, with a long menu that runs from kitsune udon in dashi to katsu curry udon. Seating is walk-in, so if there’s a wait, browse the mall.
For the Peace Pagoda and the rest of the neighborhood, see our list of 50 things to do in San Francisco.
Frequently Asked Questions About Where to Eat in San Francisco
What foods should you try in San Francisco?
Start with sourdough bread and clam chowder at Fisherman’s Wharf, then try Dungeness crab, cioppino, an Irish coffee at the Buena Vista, dim sum and barbecue pork buns in Chinatown, and a Mission-style burrito.
Where are the best places to eat in San Francisco by neighborhood?
Fisherman’s Wharf is best for seafood, North Beach for pizza, focaccia and espresso, Chinatown for dim sum and bakeries, and the Ferry Building for oysters and the farmers market. Union Square has classic diners and fine dining, the Mission has burritos and bakeries, and Japantown has ramen and udon.
Is it expensive to eat in San Francisco?
It can be, but some of the city’s best-loved food is casual. Takeout dim sum at Good Mong Kok, a square slice at Golden Boy Pizza and a burrito at La Taqueria are all counter-service meals.
Which San Francisco restaurants need reservations?
Sit-down restaurants in San Francisco like John’s Grill, Mister Jiu’s and Kin Khao are best booked ahead, especially on weekends. Counter spots like La Taqueria, Good Mong Kok and Golden Boy take no reservations, so plan for a line instead.
Can you eat in Sausalito on a day tour?
Yes. Our Full Day Famous Tour with Muir Woods includes over an hour for lunch in Sausalito, at your own expense, between the city neighborhoods and the redwoods.
Eat Like a Local: Plan Your SF Food Day With a Guide
Our Half Day Famous Tour with Muir Woods passes through North Beach and Chinatown on its way across the Golden Gate Bridge to the redwoods, and our local guides are happy to share their favorite places to eat along the way. Book direct with code SF10 for $10 off.
