Hi friends! Here is a running list of restaurants that I’ve eaten at in San Francisco. You’ll find the good and the bad here. I’ve organized them alphabetically, but you can also find the neighborhood, a price estimate, and my rating (1-5) for each place. I often post a photo of the place, so I’ve included a link to my Instagram when I have one.
For Dinner:
Barrel Room
Price: $$-$$$
Neighborhood: Financial District
Rating: 5/5
Review: A great spot in the restaurant-challenged Downtown/Financial District. Meat is on the menu – lots of it. Every dish we had was heavy and filling, but in the best way. Everything we tried was delicious. They also make their own charcuterie, which is super trendy in San Francisco right now. They are opening a wine shop and tasting room next door in summer 2015. I was impressed by how friendly the staff was and also how knowledgable they are about wine. They have tons of different options for wine flights and a great place for an after dinner drink.
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Bobo’s Lounge/ Bobo’s Steakhouse
Price: $$-$$$
Neighborhood: Marina
Rating: 5/5
Review: Once you get beyond the cheesy masquerade-themed decor, this is one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. It’s a complete hidden gem, and a great steakhouse/surf ‘n turf option in the Marina. This is the masterpiece of Andrea Froncillo, an old-school San Francisco character who has a serious pedigree. Some of the best steak (wagyu beef) I’ve ever had – tender, juicy perfection and a great range of seafood including an impressive and ridiculously delicious whole fish. I want to marry their smashed potatoes, and almost everything else on the menu.
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Cafe de la Presse
Price: $$-$$$
Neighborhood: Union Square/Chinatown
Rating: 5/5
Review: One of the best meals we’ve had in San Francisco! If you’re craving French food, this is absolutely the place to go! Think perfectly cooked food in a charming setting with impeccable service. They also have a great wine list and are very knowledgeable on what to pair with your meal. You can get a four course tasting menu for $50 which is an incredible deal in San Francisco. They also have amazing bread that transported me back to France. You must go here!
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Canela
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Castro
Rating: 5/5
Review: Great Spanish restaurant in the Castro. They have an extensive wine menu and the food is so good! They feature wonderful Spanish food, including tapas. I went for a special dinner featuring grains and it was a great twist on traditional Spanish food. Everything was perfectly flavored and so delicious! It left me wishing I could replicate each dish at home. Luckily I had a few bites of leftovers to enjoy for lunch again the next day! I also hear their Sunday night paella is incredible.
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Caputo
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: SOMA
Rating: 5/5
Review: A new Italian-inspired trattoria that recently opened on the Embarcadero. They have delicious wood-fired oven Neapolitan pizzas and a great selection of antipasti. No joke – their charred octopus was the best octopus dish I have ever had. I don’t know how they did it but there wasn’t even a hint of rubberiness. The service was exceptional and we can’t wait to go back!
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Central Kitchen
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: Outer Mission
Rating: 5/5
Review: I had one of the worst dining experiences at Central Kitchen as one of my first dining experiences in San Francisco. There were issues with everything from the dishes being oversalted to the meal taking almost three hours. That being said, I’ve had the chance to go back now on three separate occasions, and my tune has totally changed. Central Kitchen, we got off on the wrong foot, but now you’re one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. The restaurant itself is beautiful, with lots of natural wood and greenery and a skylight. The service is exceptional, and the people who serve it actually seem to be passionate about the food and your dining experience. Most importantly, the food is amazing. It’s California farm-to-table at its finest, with fresh locally sourced ingredients done in thoughtful and delicious ways. They recently closed for a couple of weeks and have reopened with a new hearth and pasta maker, meaning a very fun expanded menu. The pastas are incredible, and the chef is the same as Flour + Water, which has a whole cookbook just devoted to pasta. Absolutely worth checking out.
Fujiyama-Ya Japanese
Price: $
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Rating: 5/5
Review: The best value sushi in the city! Rolls run $3-$7 and the quality of the fish is excellent. The service is efficient, but not cold. All meals come with green tea and miso soup included, which is a nice gesture. I’ve been burned on several cheap sushi places, and this one is worlds better.
Hawker Fare
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating: 1/5
Review: Great ambiance and lovely staff. Unfortunately it stops there. The food is greasy and tasted awful. The cocktail was over-sweetened and tasted like something you’d get on spring break in Florida. I’ll never go back.
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Le Marais Bistro & Bakery
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Marina
Rating: 5/5
Review: This marina gem serves brunch and dinner, so check out my brunch review below. Le Marais is a great place for a French-inspired dinner made with local, seasonal ingredients. The dishes are colorful and beautiful. We had everything from savory beignets to asparagus gazpacho. Beautiful and fabulous!
Luce Restaurant at the Intercontinental Hotel SF
Price: $$$$
Neighborhood: SOMA
Rating: 5/5
Review: I’m usually skeptical of hotel restaurants, but you’d be remiss to skip a visit to Luce Restaurant at the Intercontinental Hotel. They are Michelin-starred for starters, and offer beautiful and delicious California-inspired cuisine with fresh ingredients. Every dish of their tasting menu is prettier than the last – literally art on a plate! My favorite was the sweetbread ravioli, which thankfully has a permanent place on the menu.
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Mason Pacific
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: Russian Hill
Rating: 5/5
Review: Located right on the cable car line, the newly-rennovated Mason Pacific is airy and charming. We had a chance to try a variety of plates on their French-inspired New American menu and none disappointed. The beautiful small plates mean you can try a wide array of things from their fun and fresh menu. They also have a great wine list and excellent service. The menu changes regularly, but we love the scallops crudo and the curried carrots with mussels.
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Myriad Gastropub
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating: 5/5
Review: A brand new gastropub in the Mission neighborhood. Pat and I absolutely loved this place. The food was amazing and the service was spot on. Our favorite dishes were the farm toast (with roasted plums and fromage blanc) and the moroccan-spiced lamb sandwich. Dessert was also so good with everything from a homemade ice cream sandwich to ricotta zeppole (Italian doughnuts). Something interesting – they don’t have a full liquor license (apparently it costs around $200,000 to purchase one in SF!) so they’ve gotten around that by creating a cocktail list that made of only non-distilled alcohol (like sherry and cardamaro).
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Outerlands
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Rating: 3/5
Review: I dislike nothing more than leaving a restaurant hungry. This happened for us twice at Outerlands. It doesn’t matter how good the food is, the dishes are far too small for how expensive they are. The food was good, but not great. They do sell loaves of bread to go, so if you’re looking for excellent local bread, this is a great place.
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Ozumo Oakland
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: Oakland
Rating: 5/5
Review: You’d think with SF being a big culinary city that there would be a million places with a decent bowl of ramen! Not true though, the best ramen I’ve had in the bay area is actually in Oakland at Ozumo. Their ramen Wednesdays are legendary, and totally worth the trip to the East Bay. They also have amazing sushi. Their lily roll is wrapped with soy paper instead of seaweed and it’s so unique and delicious! You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
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Palm House
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Marina
Rating: 5/5
Review: I never thought I would say this in San Francisco, but a tropical-themed restaurant is one of my favorite spots in the city. I absolutely adore this place – they menu is tropical, but in a smart way. It’s not the barely palatable stuff you’ll find at an all-inclusive resort – it’s fun and fresh. Their burger is excellent, especially with the works (photo 1). They also do great cocktails. I recommend the smashed avocado (aka crack) and the ceviches. Bonus, the tables in the outdoor (heated) seating area are teal. Aka the color that makes all food look amazing. It’s one of the best places in the city for Instagram and food photography!
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Pacific Catch
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset, Cow Hollow/Marina
Rating: 5/5
Review: The spot for poke bowls in San Francisco. Think super sushi-grade fresh fish in a number of varieties, all perfectly seasoned. It’s heaven. The Inner Sunset location also has great sushi rolls. I’m always impressed when restaurants serve spicy tuna rolls with chopped tuna instead of ground tuna as this means the fish isn’t just the old rejects that can’t be made into rolls anymore. They also have great fish and chips with delicious sweet potato or spicy fries. Seriously though, their poke bowls are now on my San Francisco eating bucket list. And the service is always impeccable. You have to try this place!
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Paragon
Price: $$
Neighborhood: SoMa
Rating: 3/5
Review: Good food, but fairly forgettable. Given that SoMa doesn’t have a ton of food options, this is definitely a worthy pick, but not worth traveling across town for.
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The Progress
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: Fillmore
Rating: 4/5
Review: The latest restaurant from the brains behind San Francisco’s famous State Bird Provisions. The Progress has a family style meal where you choose as a group from a list of several delicious options. The portions are perfect, the dishes are interesting and the restaurant itself is beautiful. The building has all of the original wood and great high ceilings. It’s also easier to get a reservation than State Bird.
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Reverb
Price: $$-$$$
Neighborhood: Russian Hill
Rating: 5/5
Review: Russian Hill’s Verbena has rebranded and reopened as Reverb. I have nothing but the nicest things to say about this spot. I enjoyed one of the best meals I’ve had in SF here. The focus is on fresh, seasonal vegetables prepared in unique ways. The meat is excellent too, but (in my opinion) appropriately serves to highlight the veggies. One of the best farm-to-table restaurants in San Francisco. It’s moderately priced, making it a great value for the quality of food you get. I especially went gaga for the asparagus soup (obviously seasonal), the cavatelli pasta and the brioche doughnuts. Everything was perfectly seasoned and perfectly salted, making it a very satisfying meal.
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Rich Table
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Rating: 5/5
Review: One of the best meals I’ve had in San Francisco. Thoughtfully prepared, perfectly balanced and seasonal. We had a tasting menu prepared for a large group, which allowed us to try several dishes on the menu. I absolutely loved every bite and left feeling full but not stuffed. It was absolutely perfect – and not as expensive as many menus that are of equal quality.
Rosamunde Sausage Grill
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating: 2/5
Review: Sausages, sausages, sausages! There are just some moments in life when you need the satisfaction of a greasy sausage. Rosamunde is here to fill that void. The entire menu is a list of types of sausage. Absolutely delicious, but unfortunately the atmosphere and service will prevent me from ever going again. The staff was downright rude – too busy admiring their tattoos, I suppose. It was impossible to carry on a conversation at Rosamunde as the music was deafening. If you’re going, I suggest grabbing a sausage or brat to go.
Sons & Daughters
Price: $$$$
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Rating: 5/5
Review: Truly farm to table. The group that owns Sons & Daughters also owns a farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains where they grown many of the produce featured in their restaurant. Each dish of the set tasting menu was like a work of art – which is good because a meal costs as much as a small painting! There were many ingredients I’d never had before, like headcheese and fiddlehead fern, but done in a way that wasn’t intimidating or stuffy. Also some of the friendliest staff. Everything was so beautifully-plated – I tried to buy some of the dishware right off the table.
Souvla
Price: $-$$
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Rating: 5/5
Review: A fabulous place that’s become a regular stop for me. The best Greek food in the city, but done with a modern and fresh twist. Their gyros were featured in Bon Appétit as one of the top food trends of 2014. They also do brunch (see below). They also have a new location with an outdoor patio in NOPA.
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State Bird Provisions
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: Fillmore
Rating: 4/5
Review: Everyone has to eat at State Bird Provisions once.The food is good, but really the reason to come to State Bird is the atmosphere. It’s one of the most fun dining experiences I’ve ever had. The restaurant features dim sum, or small plates that are passed around by the waitstaff. The atmosphere is exciting and choosing what to eat becomes almost an adrenaline rush. The staff are also super friendly and they love to talk about the dishes. If you’re trying to get a reservation for State Bird Provisions, they release reservations at midnight and sell out in a blink, so plan ahead!
Sweet Woodruff – CLOSED
Price: $
Neighborhood: Nob Hill / TenderNob
Rating: 4/5
Review: A delicious counter service restaurant with great sandwiches and American classics – like deviled eggs and stew done well. They have an impressive pedigree too, as they are owned by the same group that owns one of my favorite restaurants – Sons and Daughters.
Tacolicious
Price: $
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating:
Review: The secret to Tacolicious is the secret menu – be sure to order the crunchy taco. I love the 10 taco plate so I get to try all of their great options. They have a great outdoor patio and gorgeous tile, which is a #fromwhereIstand hit. Get there early, because they are always busy. They also have a second location in the Marina.
Tamarind Hall
Price: $-$$
Neighborhood: North Beach
Rating: 5/5
Review: If you’re looking for an interesting, delicious and colorful dining experience in San Francisco, definitely check out Tamarind Hall in North Beach. This fun restaurant features Thai Street food, but the dishes are actually very sophisticated and well done. Everything on the menu is beautiful and tasty, but we especially liked the Yam Makua Yao (Grilled Eggplant with Soft Cooked Duck Eggs), Yum Kai Dao (Crispy Fried Duck Eggs), Mango Salad, Salmon Yellow Curry, and Grilled Whole Sea Bass.
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Trou Normand
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Financial District
Rating: 2/5
Review: In sum, heavy handed on the oil and lacking in flavor. Definitely not worth the money – $18 for oily farro! People rave about their charcuterie, which I haven’t had the privilege to enjoy. It’s expensive, but apparently some of the best in the city – if you have $75 to drop on sliced meat.
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For Breakfast or Brunch:
20th Century Cafe
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Rating: 5/5
Review: One of my favorite brunch spots in the city. I take friends here when I want to impress them. Every detail is perfectly thought out. All the servingware and dishes are vintage and so charming. It’s really an Instagram‘ers dream. The dishes are unique and perfectly prepared. I want to eat there every day.
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B. Patisserie
Price: $
Neighborhood: Lower Pac Heights
Rating: 5/5
Review: One of the most famous bakeries in the city. A great place to grab a coffee and each a pastry, either inside or outside. In my humble opinion they have the best pastries in San Francisco. My favorite is their kouign-amann, but you you really can’t go wrong here. Seriously, the stuff daydreams are made of.
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Brenda’s French Soul Food
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Tenderloin
Rating: 5/5
Review: Beignets, beignets, beignets! If you’ve never had one, you absolutely must. And you must eat them at Brenda’s French Soul Food. The restaurant is lovely, but tiny and there is usually a line out the door. Definitely one of those ‘must eats’ for San Francisco.
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Craftsman & Wolves
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating: 3/5
Review: A very hip all day brunch spot that features a lot of food that looks gorgeous but tastes average. They are most famous for The Rebel, a savory muffin with a soft boiled egg inside. Also average, in my opinion. Another one where I’m in the minority as this place definitely has a strong following.
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Darwin Cafe
Price: $$
Neighborhood: SoMa
Rating: 5/5
Review: A great place for lunch. Their most famous dish is their massaged kale salad and it’s definitely worth the hype. The sandwiches are delicious, the coffee is great and it’s reasonably priced.
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Devil’s Teeth Baking Company
Price: $
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Rating: 4/5
Review: A humble place near the beach in the Outer Sunset that has a huge fan following. They are all in search of one thing – the special breakfast sandwich. This small piece of heaven has scrambled eggs, cheese, bacon and avocado all on a buttermilk biscuit. And it’s glorious.
The Dorian
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Marina
Rating: 5/5
Review: The Dorian has a crazy good brunch with everything from savory to sweet. We ordered wayyy too much food and still managed to devour it all. It was just so good! Things I recommend: the Deviled Eggs, the Dorian burger, the Cure-All Flatbread, and the Soft Scramble. The place is light and airy and their decor was actually just featured in Elle Decor. The service was great and they have this really fun GIF-and-photo booth. Definitely one to check out.
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Gaspar Brasserie
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Financial District
Rating: 5/5
Review: A great place for lunch if you’re downtown. They just introduced a ‘market lunch’ which is $25 for a fantastic 3 three course meal (honestly a steal in SF). The food is light and fresh, and thoughtfully prepared. It’s french, with food like nicoise salad and pâté on the menu. My favorite part of the market lunch was the delicious chocolate chip cookie wrapped up to go – perfect for a quick lunch when you don’t have time to linger!
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Le Marais Bistro & Bakery
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Marina
Rating: 5/5
Review: This marina gem serves brunch and dinner, so check out my dinner review above. Le Marais has a full range of bakery offerings from croissants to kouign-amann’s. In addition, they have a full brunch menu which is absolutely fabulous. The dishes are delicious, and also beautiful and brightly colored. I highly recommend the salted caramel tart, which was described as ‘life changing’. I have to agree.
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Outerlands
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Rating: 2/5
Review: Outerlands has a small brunch menu, but long lines. The couple of times I’ve eaten there they are out of everything that I’ve wanted to order. The food that has come has been mediocre at best. I also haven’t had the best luck with the staff, who are too busy being pretentious to care too much about service. That being said, they are quite popular and many people rave about them.
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The Palace Hotel
Price: $$$
Neighborhood: Financial District
Rating: 4/5
Review: A fun place to get dolled up in your fanciest, grab your girlfriends and go for high tea. Weekends only and it costs a pretty penny, but definitely worth doing once! The finger foods are absolutely darling and the setting is breathtaking.
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Plow
Price: $-$$
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
Rating: 5/5
Review: My ‘hood and home of the best comfort food brunch in the city. You have to try the Plow Platter with soft scrambled eggs or you can’t officially consider yourself a San Franciscan. The lemon ricotta pancakes are incredible and if you aren’t in San Francisco you can find the recipe on my blog. Come early or on a weekday or be prepared for an epic line.
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Rose’s Cafe
Price: $
Neighborhood: Marina
Rating: 4/5
Review: A cute brunch place with great vibes in the Marina. They claim to be inspired by Italy, but for brunch at least it’s mostly just delicious, but heavy, breakfast fare. They also have excellent pizzas which are fun to share among friends. The outdoor seating is great for people watching.
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Souvla
Price: $-$$
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Rating: 5/5
Review: A newbie on the brunch scene, but absolutely fabulous. They also do brunch (see above). Try the breakfast gyro and the yogurt. And the soft serve frozen Greek yogurt!
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Tartine Bakery
Price: $-$$
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating: 4/5
Review: Get read to stand in line as this is a San Francisco hotspot. Definitely worth the wait! Their famous bread pudding is wonderful, but best shared as it’s incredibly rich. My personal favorite is the morning bun. The lattes are delicious and served in a bowl that is almost as big as your head.
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Yuzuki
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating: 5/5
Review: If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to do brunch in San Francisco, one of the best Japanese restaurants in town, Yuzuki, now offers brunch on the weekends. It was definitely a first for me and it was so much fun! The food was absolutely fantastic – we especially loved the salmon oshizushi and the tenzaru soba (cold soba noodles). The atmosphere is very serene, the service is excellent and it was fun to stray from the usual traditional american breakfast. Their desserts are also crazy good!
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Zazie’s
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Cole Valley
Rating: 5/5
Review: Om nom nom. Great classic brunch food done well. Glorious pancakes, crispy bacon, and perfect eggs. Enjoy outdoor seating year round in the dog friendly backyard thanks to the heaters.
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For a Cup of Coffee & A Snack:
Coffee Bar
Price: $
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating: 4/5
Review: This is a place with a fun vibe thanks to the eye-catching red chairs on their outdoor patio. They have great light breakfast food, like avocado toast and breakfast sandwiches. One of their newest offerings is a cool nitrogenated cold brew coffee with foam just like Guinness. Their beans come from Mr. Espresso, a local roaster, that is also owned by the founder, Carlo DiRuocco. They are one of the few hip coffee places in SF with free wifi, which they justify by also offering a super fast premium service for purchase as well. They have a few comfy sofa seats and lots of large tables.
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The Mill
Price: $
Neighborhood: Alamo Square
Rating: 4/5
Review: Another purveyor of $4 toast (see Trouble Coffee), the Mill serves some of the best bread in San Francisco. The bread is made by Josey Baker (yes, that’s his real name) who recently had an awesome short documentary made about him. The toast isn’t as good as Trouble coffee, but they have many more options and the space is beautiful. It has great natural lighting, high ceilings and tons of seating. Great for people watching and the Fourbarrel coffee is wonderful.
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Jane on Fillmore
Price: $
Neighborhood: Fillmore / Pacific Heights
Rating: 5/5
Review: A gorgeous coffee shop that is a favorite of bloggers. The food is delicious, and best enjoyed on the photogenic black and white tables that you’ll find inside. They also have a location on Larkin street.
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Trouble Coffee
Price: $
Neighborhood: Outer Sunset
Rating: 5/5
Review: THE best toast in town. Inventors of the $4 toast and I promise they do it better than anyone else. Only one option, which is all you really need in my opinion. It’s loaded with butter and cinnamon sugar. The staff has a reputation of being rude, but they’ve always been nice when I’ve been there. The shop gets its name because it was started by a woman with mental health issues who has been an outspoken advocate for the rampant mental health issues in San Francisco. There is a beautifully-written piece about her on Pacific Standard that is a must read.
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Sightglass Coffee
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Mission
Rating: 4/5
Review: A small but lovely gem in the outer mission. Great coffee and great pastries. The tile in the entryway spells out ‘coffee’ so is a great place for a ‘where I stand’ Instagram (obviously something I prioritize).
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Sightglass Coffee
Price: $$
Neighborhood: SOMA
Rating: 4/5
Review: A huge, beautiful space with high ceilings. The beans are roasted right in house which is fun to watch. The coffee is delicious and they have lots of delicious things to nibble on, including the amazing ($5!) kouign-amann’s from B. Patisserie (review above).
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Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters
Price: $$
Neighborhood: Marina / Cow Hollow
Rating: 3/5
Review: I don’t think anyone would have ever heard of Wrecking Ball if it wasn’t for the owner’s genius idea to install pineapple wallpaper from Rifle Paper Co. It’s basically the selfie capital of a selfie-obsessed city. The coffee is definitely an afterthought, but it’s still worth a stop for the photo-op.
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