Best Food to Try in San Francisco

When I go home to San Francisco, all I do is eat. This city has some of the best restaurants in the world, and the local produce is hard to beat. I love making the rounds of my favorite spots and eating the most delicious dishes. If you want try the top bites in the city, today I bring you A Lady in London’s guide to the best food to try in San Francisco.

This isn’t the usual list. There are a lot of lists out there about must-try food in San Francisco, but they tend to be generic, touristy, or just like all the others.

Mine is based on my experience living in the city, and it’s a local one. Don’t expect to find clam chowder in a bread bowl here (although it’s not bad if you want to try it!).

I’ve made the rounds on this visit and tried each one of the dishes to make sure they’re still up to par (they are). I hope they make you as hungry as they make me.

1. Ahi Poke Wasabi Bowl at Pacific Catch

If I had to choose one dish to eat for the rest of my life, it would be the Original Ahi Poke Japanese Wasabi Bowl at Pacific Catch.

This tiny restaurant in the Marina has been doing poke since before it took the world by storm, and it’s still the best I’ve ever had.

The bowl contains heaping portions of rice, tuna, pickled ginger, wakame salad, daikon sprouts, avocado, and more. The soy-wasabi vinaigrette dressing is the key to its success, and it makes me want to lick the bowl clean every time.

If it’s a sunny day, I love getting this dish to go and eating lunch at the nearby Palace of Fine Arts. If you do the same, I’m guessing you’ll agree that this is the best food to try in San Francisco.

2. Sales Force Roll at Zushi Puzzle

If you’ve been reading the A Lady in London blog for a long time, you’ll know that I’ve written about Zushi Puzzle a lot. And that’s because it’s one of the best sushi restaurants I’ve ever been to (including the ones I’ve been to in Japan).

This unassuming place on Lombard Street is worth a special trip for its unique rolls. The stand-out among them is the Sales Force roll.

A giant (it’s so big you can order a half-portion, but you won’t want to), this roll is stuffed with tuna, salmon, and hamachi. It’s lightly fried and drizzled with the most delicious spicy (but not too spicy) sauces.

If you’re a local, you’ll know that the best seats in the house are at the sushi bar. Chef Roger works his magic here, and it’s a treat to watch him up close and try his personal favorites. Book well in advance.

3. Coffee at Blue Bottle

I know, I know. This is supposed to be a list of the best food to try in San Francisco. But drinks count as food, right? They do now.

And that’s not least because San Francisco does a lot of good drinks. Coffee is one of them, and Blue Bottle is among the best coffee in the city.

I fell in love with this place a number of years ago, and I still stop at their shop in the Ferry Building to get my caffeine fix when I’m home. I love the freshness and flavors.

4. Coffee at Sightglass

But Blue Bottle doesn’t have a monopoly on the best coffee in San Francisco. Sightglass is another place I’ve come to love over the years.

I have breakfast at their hip warehouse-like shop in Soma on my current trip, and it reminds me why I first fell in love with the coffee from their house-roasted beans.

Other coffee shops have gained popularity in recent years, but Sightglass and Blue Bottle still have my vote.

4. Chilaqulies at Primavera

So back to food. A lot of lists of the best food to try in San Francisco will tell you to go eat a burrito in the Mission. And they’re not wrong.

But if I had to choose a favorite Mexican food in San Francisco, it would be the chilaquiles at Primavera.

What are chilaquiles, you ask? They’re fried tortilla pieces cooked in salsa, sprinkled with cheese, and served with eggs and beans. Primavera has elevated them to an art, with the richest beans, creamiest avocados, and most divine eggs.

And where is Primavera? It’s a stall at the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market at the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero.

My Saturday morning ritual is to go to the market, get a coffee at Blue Bottle, pick up chilaquiles at Primavera, and enjoy it all with a view of the Bay Bridge.

5. Cupcakes at Miette

Elsewhere in the Ferry Building, I can’t resist the cupcakes (or anything else, for that matter) at Miette. This pretty-in-pink patisserie makes mouth-watering cupcakes in a range of flavors.

My favorite is the chocolate with vanilla frosting, not least because the double chocolate cake is rich in flavor but light in volume, and the buttercream frosting is creamy but airy.

I love getting one after my chilaquiles and walking through the market as I savor every bite.

6. Cupcakes at Kara’s Cupcakes

Two cupcakes on one list, you say? I can’t help it. The ones at Kara’s Cupcakes are every bit as good as Miette’s, but in the exact opposite way. While Miette’s are light, Kara’s are dense.

The fleur de sel cupcake is not only filled with gooey caramel, but the chocolate ganache frosting is so thick I have to eat it in small bites. It’s worth it for the intense flavors and richness, though.

7. Croissants at Arsicault Bakery

When it comes to breakfast, the best food to try in San Francisco is the croissants at Arsicault Bakery on Arguello Boulevard.

This French hole-in-the-wall is so popular there’s usually a line down the block all morning.

A friend introduced me to their chocolate and plain croissants, and now I make a point of having one of each every time I go home.

Arsicault’s croissants offer the perfect balance of flakiness and buttery goodness. They’re so good I hear my stomach rumbling every time I think about them.

8. Burritos at El Farolito

I couldn’t write a blog post about the best food to try in San Francisco without including at least one burrito. The Mission is famous for them, after all, and they’re delicious.

My favorite place for burritos in San Francisco is El Farolito. This no-frills place on Mission Street has delicious Mexican food, and I always enjoy picking up a burrito and taking it to nearby Dolores Park to have lunch with a view.

9. Kouign-Amann at B Patisserie

Over on California Street in Pacific Heights, B Patisserie’s kouign-amann pastries rank among the best foods to try in San Francisco. The perennial line outside shows how well-loved this place is, and I’m always happy to wait in it.

B On The Go, its sister restaurant on the opposite corner, serves great sandwiches and salads, too. I like picking up a kouign-amann at B Patisserie before heading over to have lunch at B On The Go. Because dessert first is always a good idea.

Top tip: B Patisserie is right around the corner from the house from the TV show Full House.