Jilli beef tartare. Photo by Virginia Miller. A Vietnamese classic reborn, hip Korean drinking den with food, modern British fare, Japan-worthy takeout-only sushi, healthy delivery and, yes, superb pizza… six standout new eateries plus four new takeout spots. As always, I’ve personally vetted and visited each: Vietnamese Classic Reborn: Crustacean, FiDiOpening in the Financial District in July 2025, Crustacean is… Read more →
Five are new-er, two are celebrating two or twenty years, from killer Laotian food or Italian comfort to Tatarstan Russian food. These seven are worth visiting. Last month’s standouts here. As always, I’ve personally vetted and visited each: Mattina canederli. Photo by Virginia Miller. Cal-Italian, All-Day Neighborhood Joys: Mattina, Pacific HeightsSince 2007, SPQR is one of the nation’s great pasta… Read more →
Reviewed in this article:
—Cuban Rooftop Party: Cubita, Mission
—Tiny Gem Turns 10 with Steal of a $52 4-Course Menu: Trestle, North Beach
—Tyler Florence’s OG Restaurant Reborn After 14 Years: Wayfare Tavern, FiDi
—Longing for More at Modern Ethiopian-Dominican Meski, TenderNob
—Modern German Beer Hall with a View: Radhaus, Fort Mason
—New Vietnamese Coffee and Bánh Mì Go-To: Angiday, Upper Haight
—Don’t Go Out of Your Way But Fun Finger Foods: Bar Darling, Marina Read more →
Pippal’s Taj Mahal cocktail. Photo by Virginia Miller. San Francisco has no end of brunch options, which can reach religious fervor here with long waits for no-reservations brunch spots. Here are 10 restaurants that (mostly) take reservations, across a range of cuisines and price levels. Angler lobster buns. Photo by Virginia Miller. Pampering at Saison’s more casual One Michelin sister: AnglerIt’s the… Read more →
Rise Over Run solarium and rooftop view. Photo by Virginia Miller. The Tenderloin’s (TL) roughly 7-by-5 blocks get a massive amount of bad press as the center of San Francisco’s worst drugs and homelessness. As it has everywhere, pandemic has made conditions worse as Tenderloin’s decades-old issues have expanded a few blocks. But the TL remains a tiny part of our… Read more →
Gao Viet Kitchen’s bo tai chanh (beef carpaccio). Photo by Virginia Miller. Since 2018, Gao Viet Kitchen & Bar has been a San Mateo Vietnamese favorite with long waitlists, no reservations and a 90 minute table limit during peak times. It’s also home to arguably the most expensive bowl of pho: $100 Phozilla with the cheeky menu tagline of “Nobody should… Read more →
Vietnamese Food Haven (with Cocktails) at Bodega Bodega’s bánh cuốn (Photo: Courtesy of Virginia Miller) COME SEE OUR NEW HOME — The Bold Italic has a new home online, and this story has moved! Read it here: https://www.thebolditalic.com/elegant-vietnamese-diner-vibes-and-cocktails-at-the-tenderloins-new-bodega San Francisco’s Tenderloin has long been a key neighborhood for Vietnamese food, its western blocks dubbed Little Saigon. Head out to the entire half… Read more →
These six spots cover the gamut, from “real deal” New Orleans to Korean fried chicken. Here’s why these six are worth eating at/from now: Read more →
These six notable newcomers cover the gamut, from Mexican pizza and Jewish deli pop-ups inside established restaurants, to a food hall nailing cuisine from Africa to the Middle East. Alongside this month’s full restaurant reviews — Good Good Culture Club from Liholiho Yacht Club, Automat from Lazy Bear, Chuck’s Takeaway from Charles Phan, Fort Point Valencia and 6 newcomers cafe & food truck edition — these new restaurants are worth eating at now: Read more →
Charles Phan’s fresh sandwich shop, Chuck’s Takeaway, is a rare gastronomic treat in the city Chuck’s Takeaway egg salad sandwich. (Photo: Courtesy of Virginia Miller) Slanted Door was a cherished part of my initial years in San Francisco. I moved here in 2001 and Charles Phan’s modern Vietnamese restaurant opened 1995. Living near Precita Park on the southeast side of the… Read more →