Heirloom used to do this Epoisse burger that was delish and unusual, but it doesn't seem to be on their current menu.

I haven't been, and really want to go, but Mister Jiu's strikes me as offering something not easily obtained elsewhere.

There are also several "vegan Japanse" (e.g..Shizen), which again, I've had at several Bay Area restaurants, but not really seen elsewhere.

tb

I like Tartine, a lot.

Humphrey Slocombe: highly over-rated imo. The "unusual flavours" are the USP...but it's always been rather meh for me, and not worth the lines. Bi-rite, on the other hand, is the best ice-cream I've had in SF. Is it as good as the best in New England: no. Although I love the soft serve they do (and a few traditional ice-creams) with buffalo milk.

tb

Agree on BR IC especially during summer fruit season! But it's not unique to SF per OP, but is a must anyway!

Dandelion chocolates make the list of not unique to SF but still excellent places.

I would say that the buffalo (bison) milk ice-creams, though not unique, are certainly unusual.

I don't dislike Dandelion, but the price/taste ratio is off for me. Considerably better (non-SF) luxury chocolates if one is paying that sort of premium (e.g. Alain Ducasse) -- I used to go occasionally when first in SF, but don't bother now.

tb

PS off topic: but we were in the Central Coast region a month or two ago and saw this local ice-cream place with sheep milk ice-cream: really do not recommend: first of all, they needed to add all sort of gunk to make it ice-cream (instead of just cream/eggs/sugar/flavours). That aside, it just didn't taste good.

I lived in Shanghai for 3 years with monthly trips to HK. Cannot really look seriously at Chinese food in the City anymore. Far better elsewhere.

I currently live in Tokyo. Have done so for 34 years. Japanese food, is best eaten in Japan. Period. As for vegan being called Shizen which means "natural" this is not correct. We call it Vegan using the katakana alphabet in most situations (ビーガン). Of course much easier to understand n Japan is the style called Shojin Ryori served at Buddhist temples and at restaurants following those principles (i.e. not killing anything) and which is as vegan as it gets. Some of these restaurants even have Michelin star ratings. And that is just in Tokyo. So much beyond Tokyo as well.

While some folks, even some Chinese immigrants and some who are of Chinese descent, claim to prefer the food in the City, for truly next level Chinese food and even remotely authentic Japanese, elsewhere (i.e the point of origin) is really the best choice.

Tony's Pizza Napoletana.
R&G Lounge.
Hog Island, but stick to the raw items (and don't miss the bread and butter).
I've been disappointed lately by Pancho Villa, Papalote, and La Corneta, all of which were long-time favorites (Pancho Villa going all the way back to the early 90s, leading to SF trivia question: which famous rock star played an impromptu set there in 2005?).

if one goes to tartine at 18th & Guerrero, then on the block of 18th Street between Guerrero & Dolores is Delfina restaurant, Bi Rite grocery, and Bi Rite ice cream.

I buy my tartine sourdough (�country loaf�) at Epicurean Trader shop for convenience. I�m rarely in the mood for actually eating anything at Tartine as evidenced by my last two visits there (when there was zero crowd) and I browsed without buying. Go figure. I would vaguely crave a tartine loaf of country bread now.

cancun technically is a taqueria - ie not table service. I love cancun but only started going there around 2016 or so.

i agree with most of the choices. La Corneta is cash only. I can�t return to Guadalajara where I visited weekly when my office was on the same side of the block.

If one goes to Dandelion on Valencia then it�s also easy to go to these neighbors on THE SAME SIDE OF THE BLOCK - it�s really stunning that this one SIDE (west) of the block has this culinary wealth:
craftsman & wolves bakery (sweet & savory gems) - I buy their passion fruit curd at Epicurean Trader. Their Japanese milk bread loaf is great. Their chocolate chip cookie is better than Tartine�s.
Yellow Moto pizza (just as good as when this location was Flour & Water)
Matko korean (I tend to eat at the location in Twitter HQ food court)
Fort Point brewery & restaurant

If I was going to Tokyo as a tourist, I doubt I would check out any vegan offerings. And the whole point of Mr. Jiu's is not that it is authentic Cantonese...it's not. As I said, I haven't been, but I am intrigued by the concept, which I think is fairly unusual, and I would warrant is not that easy to find even in HK (although e.g. Tin Lung Heen at the RC might be conceptually similar, and having eaten there, I really enjoyed it). I have only visited Japan as a tourist, and for sure don't understand the culture like you do. But I think you misunderstood: Shizen is the name of a vegan Japanese restaurant in the City. I, for one, had not seen vegan Japanese restaurants in US cities before coming to the Bay Area. I'm sure you will be able to find dozens of examples, but I was sharing my experiences and recommendations.

tb

R&G lounge is decent Cantonese. The famous crab dish is a tad over-rated but still tasty. If one is hankering for Cantonese, I prefer Dragon Beaux. I actually love the cheese toast at Hog island: but would I go there and order it as a tourist, no.

tb

This requires a two-fold answer:

1) People prefer what they've become accustomed to; and
2) "Ethnic" foods tend to get stuck in time from the era of the mass migrations,and then typically westernized on top of that. I grew up eating west coast Cantonese-American slop, and didn't know any better. It is only in recent years (with new immigration) that a myriad of regional Chinese cuisine restaurants have emerged at a high quality level.
3) Some of us just "suffer" with the local fare, and can't always go to Japan when hankering for Japanese foods. I suffer accordingly, in an area that provides me with Japanese cuisine better than 98% of the USA. And, I'm more concerned with "delicious" than "authentic." I've said it time and time again - nothing could be more authentic than a bad restaurant in the country of the food's origin.

Accordingly, if someone wants "go to" Japanese-origin deliciousness in the East Bay, might I suggest Delage in Oakland (if budget isn't an issue) and Mujiri, for sushi take out (or a small dine in area now open). You wouldn't be disappointed, although the poster I'm quoting might only give it a "it's ok" until said poster and I have downed the third bottle of something Rhone, at which point, said poster might even want seconds!

I�ll drink the Rhone with you every day but the likelihood of me going to a sushi place that offers both sushi and Katsu is not very high. Nor am I likely to go to a place that serves spicy sushi and that looks like that. I saved my Japanese food eating for Japan, which, unfortunately have ample opportunity to sample.

The US has too many other good options that are done much better than Japanese is in America so let�s do the wine and get anything but Japanese to accompany it.

I appreciate restaurant discussions of any type, but let�s keep to the topic of go to eat in San Francisco. Please feel free to start a restaurant thread and I�m happy to let it go on !

squeakr
mod SFO

If OP ends up in Hayes valley which is by opera / symphony / ballet / sf jazz / city arts & lectures:

a Mano (italian)
chez maman (French bistro)
ler ros (Thai)
papito (Mexican - restaurant, not taqueria)
suppenkuche (German)
Hayes grill (American)
dumpling home (Chinese dim sum) - corner of gough / fell
rich table (American)
doppio zero (Italian / pizza) - a mano is better
absinthe (amazing French and I haven’t been since 2018 or so)

fast casual (order at counter and await your food):
rt rotisserie (rotisserie chicken)
la boulangerie of sf (originally La boulange which was bought & assimilated by SBUX, then sold back to original owners!)
salt & straw (ice cream)
wise sons (deli)
souvla (Mediterranean - small sf chain)
dragon eats (Vietnamese)
gioia pizza (they also have good salads)
hayes bakeworks (bakery with pizza & Sammies)

unrequested tasting menus:
robin (omakase - range $120-200)
nightbird (French / American)
monsieur Benjamin
kiln (Californian)

bars:
smugglers cove (tiki - ultra hyped with a queue to enter - too much demand)
linden (tied with Nightbird and also too tiny)
sugar (understaffed because it’s not popular)
Phono (with a DJ spinning digital - very nice)
absinthe (bar part)

if you come to this area for supper, then be mindful of pre-arts crowds.

I have eaten at all the above restaurants within the past decade or even 7 years. I’ve been to most of these places during 2024 and after May 2023 (ie past 12 months). I ate at Lers Ros, Papito, and Gioia during May 2024.

ama if you have further Qs.

eta Otoro for Japanese supper / luncheon - sushi etc. I love this place and often go there before concerts at Rickshaw. I forgot to mention it.

If you want to experience a ghost kitchen restaurant with kiosk ordering for pizza, Korean food, and a cafe, then the Namu Stonepot (59 9th Street) would be fun. It�s also a block from X building which has a good food court. Go for luncheon. I think it�s less fun at night.

Looking for recommendation on a great pizza place to sit down for a pie and few glasses of nice wine near the Hyatt Regency Downtown