•★★★★★
Mexican
Californios
SoMa, San Francisco•fine dining
Californios in SoMa, San Francisco: a course-by-course walk through the three Michelin star Mexican tasting menu, from the aguachile to the tacos.
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Reviews
A collection of memorable meals and restaurant discoveries. These are the places I keep going back to -and think you should try too.
•★★★★☆
Coffee shop · Cafe
Noe Cafe
Noe Valley, San Francisco
Noe Cafe on the Sanchez Slow Street, Noe Valley: a chill spot for meetings and coffee. Get the Breakfast Sandwich and avocado toast; beer later in the day.
🍽️Must try:Breakfast Sandwich
Breakfast SandwichAvocado ToastCoffee
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•★★★★☆
Guatemalan
Arrin Cuan
Callejón de la Concepción, Antigua Guatemala
Arrin Cuan in Antigua Guatemala: go for the Cuatro Caminos, four Guatemalan dishes. Jocón, pepián, subanik, hilachas, kak'ik. Where locals bring guests.
🍽️Must try:Cuatro Caminos
Cuatro CaminosJocónLomito+4 more
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•★★★★★
Basque pintxos
La Espiga
Centro, San Sebastián•bar
La Espiga, a family-run pintxos bar in San Sebastián: Tortillita with truffles, rollito de jamón, croquetas, and wine by the glass. Open 10 AM to 10 PM.
🍽️Must try:Tortillita with trufa
Tortillita with trufaRollito de jamónSardine pintxos+4 more
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•★★★★★
Contemporary Spanish
Sala de Despiece
Chamberí · Centro · Salamanca, Madrid
Sala de Despiece review, Madrid: the giant tomato, the Rolex, raw chuletón, and fried artichoke at the bar. Wines by the glass.
🍽️Must try:Rolex
TomataRolexRibs+4 more
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•★★★★★
Basque Pintxos
La Cuchara de San Telmo
Parte Vieja, San Sebastián
La Cuchara de San Telmo, San Sebastián: cochinillo skin, kokotxas, navajas. Tiny room, fast service, portions not cheap pintxos. Tue-Sun, closed Mon.
🍽️Must try:Cochinillo
Kokotxas / Hake cheeksNavajas gallegas / Galician razor clamsBonito o merluza / Local tuna or hake+5 more
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•★★★★☆•$$
Catalan / arroceria / rice
Arrosseria Antoni Rubies
Artesa de Lleida, Artesa de Lleida / Lleida area
Arrosseria Antoni Rubies, Artesa de Lleida: Bib Gourmand roadside stop for arròs a la marinera and cordero ribs.
🍽️Must try:Arròs a la marinera
Arròs a la marineraCostillas de cordero
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•★★★★★
Spanish Tapas
Cervecería Catalana
Eixample, Barcelona
Cervecería Catalana review, Barcelona: no reservations, fast service, great energy. Order the jamón, navajas, pincho de solomillo, and crema catalana.
🍽️Must try:Jamón
JamónNavajasPimientos de padrón+7 more
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•★★★★☆•$
Korean BBQ
Geoboki Sikdang
Hoegi (Kyung Hee), Seoul•casual
Geoboki Sikdang in Seoul serves charcoal-grilled pork, chewy kkeopdegi, grilled kimchi, and lunchtime soju near Kyung Hee University.
🍽️Must try:Pig skin (kkeopdegi) / pork skin
Big pork set (moksal + samgyeopsal)Pork skin / kkeopdegiKimchi on the grill+1 more
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•★★★★★•$$$$
Shabu-shabu
食令 SHABU
Xinyi District, Taipei•casual
食令 SHABU at Taipei 101: live abalone, Iberico in the soup, and crab they clean for you. 4F luxury floor, next to Dior.
🍽️Must try:Live abalone
Live abaloneCrabJumbo shrimp+2 more
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•★★★★★•$$
Taiwanese
Din Tai Fung
Da'an District, Taipei•casual
A love letter to Din Tai Fung: xiaolongbao, chilled cucumber salad, and the original Xinyi Road shop in Taipei, plus favorite branches worldwide.
🍽️Must try:Xiaolongbao
XiaolongbaoChilled Cucumber Salad with Chili OilHot-and-Sour Soup+7 more
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•★★★★★•$$
Spanish Tapas
El Chato
Mission, San Francisco•bar
El Chato is that Spanish corner that brings Madrid to the Mission. Tortilla española, navajas, jamón, chatos of natural wine, and vermut.
🍽️Must try:Tortilla Española
Tortilla EspañolaNavajasJamón and Cheese+4 more
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•★★★★★•$$$
American Contemporary
The Morris
Mission / Potrero Flats, San Francisco•fine dining
The Morris review, San Francisco (Mission / Potrero Flats): extraordinary duck, great bread, salads. Dinner reservations are easy to get.
🍽️Must try:Duck
DuckBeets and radicchioBread+1 more
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•★★★★☆•$$
Singaporean / Malay
The Coconut Club Beach Road
Beach Road / Kampong Gelam, Singapore•casual
Nasi lemak at The Coconut Club Beach Road near Arab Street and Masjid Sultan, with ayam goreng berempah, beef rendang, and homemade otah.
🍽️Must try:Ayam Goreng Berempah
Ayam Goreng Berempah Leg SetBeef Rendang nasi lemak setHomemade Otah
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•★★★★★
Hong Kong-style dim sum
HK Lounge Bistro
SoMa, San Francisco•casual
HK Lounge Bistro in SoMa, San Francisco: Hong Kong-style dim sum. Xiaolongbao, tender and flavorful pork buns, very attentive service. Small, so weekends get crowded.
🍽️Must try:Xiaolongbao
XiaolongbaoPork bunsFried rice+2 more
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•★★★★★•$$$
French
Mijoté
Mission, San Francisco•fine dining
Mijoté review, San Francisco: former Mission sushi bar, weekly four-course French prix fixe. Sit at the bar, love the bread, ask what wine is on today.
🍽️Must try:Weekly four-course prix fixe
Weekly four-course prix fixeLamb loin with saffronBread+1 more
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•★★★★☆•$$
Mexican
Mosto
Mission, San Francisco•casual
Tacolicious has a small mezcal bar next door in the Mission: Mosto. Pastor tacos from a proper trompo, and the pastor that the Mission gives.
🍽️Must try:Tacos Al Pastor
Tacos Al Pastor
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•★★★★☆•$$
Chinese
China Live
Chinatown, San Francisco•casual
China Live review, San Francisco Chinatown: xiaolongbao and dim sum in a big hall for groups. Cold Drinks Bar upstairs; Eight Tables is its own tasting menu.
🍽️Must try:Xiaolongbao (Soup Dumplings)
XiaolongbaoDim sum selectionCold Drinks Bar
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•★★★★☆•$$
Burmese
Burma Love
Mission, San Francisco•casual
Burma Love review, San Francisco: the Valencia branch is the best one. Get the tea leaf salad, coconut rice, a curry, and noodle soup at the round table.
🍽️Must try:Tea Leaf Salad
Tea Leaf SaladCoconut RiceCurry+2 more
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•★★★★★•$
Mexican
La Taqueria
Mission, San Francisco•counter service
La Taqueria review: my top burrito in San Francisco's Mission. Carne asada, supreme, no rice, extra guac. The Michelin line is long; come back for tacos.
🍽️Must try:Carne Asada Burrito (Supreme)
Carne Asada Burrito (Supreme)Extra GuacamoleCarne Asada Tacos+4 more
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•★★★★☆
Steakhouse
Casa Escobar
6a Avenida Norte, Antigua Guatemala•casual
Casa Escobar in Antigua Guatemala, one block from the parque central: get the Mar y Tierra and ask for the local lomito. Also Cayalá and Zona 10.
🍽️Must try:Mar y Tierra
Mar y TierraLocal lomitoTortillas Chancol+1 more
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•★★★★★•$$$$
Cantonese
Le Palais
Datong, Taipei•fine dining
Le Palais review, Taipei: three-Michelin-star Cantonese duck at Palais de Chine. Pre-order 先知鴨 or 火焰片皮鴨 when you book.
🍽️Must try:先知鴨 or 火焰片皮鴨
先知鴨 / Young duck火焰片皮鴨 / Flame crispy-skin duckDuck soup+2 more
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•★★★★★•$$$
Seafood
Swan Oyster Depot
Polk Gulch, San Francisco•counter service
Swan Oyster Depot review, San Francisco: fresh seafood on Polk Street since 1912. Get the Sicilian sashimi. No reservations; expect a line.
🍽️Must try:Sicilian sashimi
Sicilian sashimiCrab cocktail
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•★★★★★•$$$$
Korean
San Ho Won
Mission, San Francisco•fine dining
San Ho Won review: Michelin-star Korean BBQ in San Francisco's Mission. Galbi grilled for you. Hard to book; share it with 4 to 6 people.
🍽️Must try:Galbi
Galbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs)Egg SouffléCrispy Scallion Pancakes+2 more
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•★★★★★•$$$$
Italian
Zass
Amalfi Coast, Positano•fine dining
Just outside Positano, Zass at Il San Pietro is a romantic Michelin dinner: the view, octopus with figs, and lemon tagliatelle.
🍽️Must try:Tagliatelle with lemon, lobster, and pistachios
Octopus with figsTagliatelle with lemon, lobster, and pistachiosSpaghetti+4 more
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•★★★★★•$$$$
Chinese-American
Mister Jiu's
Chinatown, San Francisco•fine dining
Mister Jiu's: always go for the Liberty duck. $125 Peking duck banquet you pre-order. À la carte sells out. Chinatown, San Francisco.
🍽️Must try:Liberty Duck
Liberty Duck / Peking duck banquet
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•★★★★★
Contemporary Guatemalan
Diacá
Cuatro Grados Norte, Guatemala City•fine dining
Diacá in Cuatro Grados Norte, Guatemala City: tasting menu and brunch with grandpa. Huevitos revueltos chapines, sausage of beans. Now in Muxbal.
🍽️Must try:Huevitos revueltos chapines
Huevitos revueltos chapinesSausage of beansTasting menu
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•★★★★★•$$
Japanese
Rintaro
Mission, San Francisco•izakaya
Rintaro review, San Francisco: the Mission izakaya that feels like Tokyo. Yakitori chicken skewers, daily specials, and a strong sake list. Book on Resy.
YakitoriTsukuneHanetsuki gyoza+5 more
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•★★★★☆
Farm-to-table · Breakfast & lunch
Caoba Farms
Outskirts of Antigua, Antigua Guatemala
Caoba Farms, Antigua Guatemala: a farm and breakfast place with a mariposario and bees. Take a tuk tuk; closed Monday and Tuesday.
BreakfastLunch
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•★★★★☆•$$$
Italian
Tony's Pizza Napoletana
North Beach, San Francisco•casual
Tony's Pizza Napoletana: only 73 Margheritas a day in North Beach. You usually get one if you care. Golden Boy if you just want a slice.
🍽️Must try:Margherita Pizza
Margherita PizzaThe Specials
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•★★★★★
Modern Mexican
Pujol
Polanco, Mexico City
Pujol in Polanco, Mexico City: Enrique Olvera's tasting menu, elotitos, tacos and mezcales, and the mole madre you taste beside a newer mole.
Mole madreElotitosTacos+1 more
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•★★★★★
Salvadoran
Balompié Café
Mission · Bernal Heights, San Francisco
Balompié Café, San Francisco: my go-to place for pupusas. Get the queso con loroco and a Kolashampan. Two SF spots: 18th & Capp and 3801 Mission St.
🍽️Must try:Pupusa de queso con loroco
Pupusa de queso con lorocoPupusa mixtaKolashampan
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•★★★★★•$
Japanese
Mensho Tokyo
Tenderloin, San Francisco•counter service
Mensho Tokyo review: special ramen on Geary in the Tenderloin. The line is worth it. Their broth is special. Dinner only, Tue-Sun.
🍽️Must try:Special ramen
Special ramen
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•★★★★★•$
American Brunch
Plow
Potrero Hill, San Francisco•casual
Plow review: the best brunch in San Francisco, in Potrero Hill. Lemon ricotta pancakes, the Chinese breakfast when they have it. No reservations; go early.
🍽️Must try:Lemon ricotta pancakes
The PlowLemon ricotta pancakesGrain bowl+3 more
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Looking for more?
Check out my San Francisco restaurant guide for places I want to try next.
SF Restaurant Guide