San Francisco is home to a hugely diverse culinary scene and the amount of restaurants can seem daunting at times. When looking for a spot to eat or recommending a place to a friend, the sheer amount of options in San Francisco can make it very difficult to land on just one restaurant. The food scene is full of options like ramen, taquerias, and basically every other cuisine under the sun. Here are a few places to try out for those just looking for new places to eat or explore in San Francisco.
1. Sotto Mare
Sotto Mare is home to one of San Francisco's seafood staples. The seafood dish that was famously created is cioppino which is a fusion between Italian and American cuisines and is a seafood stew that can be traced back all the way back to Ligurian immigrants around the North Beach area of San Francisco. At Sotto Mare, the cioppino is the main attraction on the menu and is served in very generous portions with loads of Pacific shellfish and Dungeness crab. The rest of the seafood menu is also great to try out.
Sotto Mare can be found located at 522 Green St.
2. Sam Wo Restaurant
Sam Wo Restaurant is one of the many places tourists visit not just for the food but as an attraction in itself. Sam Wo is believed to be the first and foremost restaurant in Chinatown. In addition, San Francisco's Chinatown is one of the oldest in the country making Sam Wo Restaurant actually one of the first Chinese food establishments in all of America. The menu at Sam Wo highlights various Cantonese dishes and maintains its reputation as one of the best Chinese restaurants in all of San Francisco.
Sam Wo Restaurant can be found at 713 Clay St.
3. Swan Oyster DepotSwan Oyster Depot is another establishment with a long and rich history. Swan Oyster Depot has been around on Polk Street for over one hundred years and has continued to provide some of the greatest seafood meals from anywhere around the Bay Area. The most popular items on the menu include the crab Louie and of course as the name suggests, oysters. The establishment is very popular amongst both locals and tourists so for those looking to eat here, make sure to get in at the start of the day in order to avoid the long lines.
Swan Oyster Depot can be found located at 1517 Polk St.
4. Mong Thu Cafe
Many times when anyone thinks of Vietnamese noodles or soups, pho is the only dish that comes to mind. At Mong Thu Cafe, the very opposite is true. In fact, pho is not even on the menu at Mong Thu Cafe but instead replaced with less well known Vietnamese classics like their bun mama and bun rieu. Both of these noodle soups are just as delicious as pho and for those that have not ventured out to explore other Vietnamese dishes outside of the classic pho or bahn mi, Mong Thu Cafe is the place to go.
Mong Thu Cafe can be found located at 248 Hyde St.
5. Rintaro
Rintaro is one of the hidden gems found in the Mission District. This Japanese establishment is a cozy and well decorated izakaya with a elusive menu that brings in hordes of dedicated patrons. The restaurant's menu consists of all of the traditional izakaya food items like yakitori, sashimi, or gyoza but elevates them to an entirely new eating experience. In addition to the izakaya items, Rintaro has one of the most loved bento boxes in all of the Bay Area which have been an invaluable choice during the past year.
Rintaro can be found located at 82 14th St.