Dalida Oysters. Credit: Isabel Baer

San Francisco Dining Is Back and Better Than Ever

10 Minute read

23 Sep 2025

Journalist

From revitalized icons like Quince and Atelier Crenn to newcomers 7 Adams and Dalida, San Francisco’s restaurants are proving the city’s culinary spirit is stronger than ever.

San Francisco has long fused technological and culinary innovation, drawing on its proximity to Northern California’s farms, fisheries, and makers. The city’s recovery lagged in the immediate post-pandemic years, but its dining scene is surging again, powered by a new wave of culinary talent.

From independent, husband-and-wife-owned standouts like Michelin-starred 7 Adams and the Eastern Mediterranean restaurant Dalida to refreshed stalwarts such as Quince, Atelier Crenn, and Crustacean, the city’s dining landscape feels newly energized. According to the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, the number of food and beverage outlets now roughly matches 2019 levels, based on San Francisco Department of Public Health permits. The City and County of San Francisco projects about $2.72 billion in restaurant and bar spending this year.

The Ferry Building’s Beating Heart

To see why San Francisco’s appeal endures, start at the Ferry Building on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday morning, when the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market fills with more than 120 regional farmers and artisan vendors. Michelin-starred chefs such as SSAL’s Junsoo Bae and Mister Jiu’s Brandon Jew shop here weekly, mingling with crowds while scouting peak-season produce. Among the market’s draws are small but standout vendors like Mi Comedor and Peaches Patties—both women-owned businesses that began at La Cocina, the nonprofit that supports entrepreneurship for women, immigrants, and people of color.

Both a commuter hub and a tourist magnet, the Ferry Building anchors San Francisco’s food culture by making high-quality, locally grown products accessible. Visitation is at record levels—up to 30,000 people on Saturdays—but braving the crush is rewarded with fleeting bites of peak-season nectarines, peaches, and other market treasures.

“The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is where some of the Bay Area’s most talented chefs find the best of the season every week, year-round, rain or shine,” says Lulu Meyer, director of operations for Foodwise and the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. “It gives chefs a chance to speak directly with farmers, plan menus, and anticipate what’s coming next in the season.”

Amid San Francisco’s slow recovery, chef Michael Tusk overhauled the dining room at Quince to mark the restaurant’s 20th anniversary. Since reopening in 2023, he says business has been strong, despite fewer tourists from Asia.

“Closing for a full year and taking on such a big renovation was a risk, but it was also a commitment,” Tusk says. “It was our way of betting on the future of the city. We wanted the restaurant to feel more in step with how people like to dine today—less formal, more choice in the menu, a touch of whimsy, and a relaxed elegance in the way we serve.” Quince has also introduced lunch service for the first time, reflecting how Tusk prefers to dine while traveling.

Fellow three-Michelin-star Atelier Crenn also reopened in 2023 after a renovation, unveiling a new design inspired by California’s landscapes and a pescatarian menu.

Crustacean, a Vietnamese culinary institution, relocated this summer from lower Nob Hill to a historic building with soaring ceilings in the Financial District, bringing the entire kitchen team from Polk Street to Pine Street. Family matriarch and chef Helene An, often called the “Mother of Fusion,” introduced Vietnamese flavors to American diners when she opened Crustacean in 1991. She was later honored by the Smithsonian Institution with a Pioneer Award in Culinary Arts. Menu mainstays such as roasted Dungeness crab and garlic noodles remain, joined by newer dishes like Vietnamese filet mignon banh mi with pho dip and tuna cigars. Now steps from corporate offices and some of the city’s top hotels and residences, the restaurant draws locals, professionals, and travelers for both its food and hospitality.

“San Francisco will always be special to us because it’s where our family was finally reunited after the fall of Saigon, joining my grandmother who had opened Thanh Long here in 1971,” says Monique An, chef Helene’s daughter and proprietor. “From the very beginning, we were embraced by the community and felt proud to contribute to the city’s incredible diversity. I believe people in the Bay Area are adventurous, open-minded, and willing to take risks—qualities that make them eager to try something new.”

Fresh Blood

Like wildfires clearing space for new growth, the upheaval of the pandemic also sparked notable restaurant openings, including Hilda and Jesse, Kiln, and Side A. Husband-and-wife team David and Serena Fisher earned a Michelin star for 7 Adams less than a year after opening in 2024, and their approachable pricing—three menus all under $200—keeps the dining room full.

“What matters most to us is creating value,” Fisher says. “We want our guests to have it all—seasonal ingredients, precise execution, and beautiful presentation, set within a fun and welcoming atmosphere.” 7 Adams offers a five-course prix fixe for $87, with choices for pasta, main protein, and dessert, alongside an expanded seven-course tasting menu and a six-seat chef’s counter for those seeking something extra. Fisher notes that business is picking up across the city. “Serena and I have been dining out quite a bit lately, and we’re continually impressed with the creative work of our peers, as well as the buzz filling their dining rooms.”

Dalida, an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in the Presidio, is another husband-and-wife project that opened in 2023. It was recognized as a Best New Restaurant by Esquire and named Restaurant of the Year by Eater. Chef Sayat Ozyilmaz says the Bay Area feels strong again and business is thriving. “Tech is buzzing, restaurants are packed, and there’s a fresh spark in the city,” he says.

Produce Defines the Bay

With vibrant spices, dishes like Persian saffron tahdig with a California twist, and shareable entrées such as whole grilled Mediterranean turbot and 12-hour braised lamb shoulder tandoor, Dalida illustrates the diversity that keeps San Francisco dining exciting for both locals and visitors.

“We have an incredible concentration of talent in San Francisco,” Ozyilmaz says. “The community has a way of gathering around its culinary heroes and supporting them as they reach for new heights.” He adds that the ingredients are equally unmatched: “San Francisco’s culinary scene is very much defined by the producers that surround it, including those in Napa and Sonoma and the many farms across Northern California—the best growing region in the world.”

Tusk echoes the sentiment. “I came to the Bay Area because of the produce,” he says. “The quality of the fruits and vegetables grown around here is unmatched. Over the years, I’ve built friendships with the farmers and ranchers who raise and grow what we serve, and I don’t think there’s another place with such a rich network of producers so close to the city.”

23 Sep 2025