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Restaurants
Turkish-Californian Delight
When you think of Turkish food, kebabs and hummus likely come to mind. Troya may have started out as a kebab house, but as of 2008 this Inner Richmond gem has evolved into a well-rounded spot worthy of inclusion in the SF foodie pantheon. How? A new chef with a solid pedigree. More
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Restaurants
Cold Craft Beer at New Mission Hot Spot
Opened in December 2007, The Monk’s Kettle replaces a string of mediocre restaurant ventures at the (some would say cursed) corner of 16th and Albion. Despite a few missteps by staff and kitchen, its mid- to high-end "craft beer and wine tavern" concept is flourishing; with only eight tables and limited seating at the bar, the restaurant fills up quickly, with quite a wait at the door. More
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Restaurants
Bringing a New Sense of Community to SOMA
Opening the massive front door of this wine bar/restaurant/café just might be the most difficult obstacle to the evening, but once the door's ajar (often the hostess will lend a hand), the 40-plus by-the-glass wine list, wood oven-grilled pizzas, and airy décor will make for a relaxing evening. Perhaps that's why when we visited Local Kitchen and Wine Merchant (sans reservations) for dinner on a Tuesday night, we snagged the last seats in the whole place -- two spots at the 30-foot-long, walnut-topped communal table. More
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Restaurants
Artful Cuisine on the Valencia Corridor
Executive chef Justin Deering, fresh from two years at Boulevard after stints at Jeanty at Jack's, Redwod Park, Fifth Floor, and Tra Vigne, has years of high-end cooking under his belt, and it shows. Presented gorgeously on oversized plates, the dishes at Conduit are rich and intense. Yes, as critics have claimed since the restaurant opened in December 2007, the portions are smallish -- but this much buttery goodness probably needs its limits. More
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Restaurants
Phancy Pho in the Inner Richmond
Borrowing its moniker from the French dish, pot-au-feu, Vietnamese restaurant, Pot de Pho takes over the former Spanish Fly on Geary Boulevard and provides a more upscale setting for Vietnam’s favorite street food, the brothy noodle soup pho (pronounce “fuh”). This means that instead of the typical utilitarian Formica furnishings of your traditional pho joint, at Pot de Pho you’ll find a casual and tasteful setting with white napkins, dark teak, and rows of fresh orchids. More
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Restaurants
Authentic Venetian Cicchetti Becomes a Russian Hill Staple
Like a fine wine, some restaurants get better with age, and Pesce -- a bustling, Venetian-style small plates eatery that highlights fresh seafood -- is one of those lucky few. Open since 2000, Pesce graces Polk Street with a winning combination of consistently fresh, relatively healthy cuisine and a friendly atmosphere that accommodates first dates, business meetings and casual neighborhood diners. While it's possible to walk in without a reservation, an immediate seat at one of the closely packed tables is never a guarantee. More
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Restaurants
Classed-Up Urban Soul Food
With the latest blast of urban renewal in the Western Addition, homeowners' (and developers') hopes are high for the proliferation of fancy shops, sleek restaurants, and at least one less Shabu Shabu joint in the freshly renamed Fillmore Jazz Preservation District. On the other hand, some people simply want juicy ribs, flaky biscuits and a classy bar with stiff drinks. More
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Restaurants
Pan-Asian Cuisine in the FiDi
Dinner in the Financial District is usually a big-ticket, hopefully expensable, occasion -- the likes of Boulevard, Aqua, and One Market -- while affordable, low-key "neighborhood dining" alternatives seem as elusive as a certain one-horned mythical creature. That is until Unicorn Restaurant opened last fall. While dinner is an option and happy hour specials run throughout the week, lunch is when Unicorn, the sibling to Berkeley’s acclaimed pan-Asian outpost, is at its busiest. More
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Restaurants
Done, but not Overdone
Americans have grown accustomed to the politically charged images of Baghdad in flames in recent years. Either in spite of or because of the current military climate, a culture of which we knew nothing a decade ago has been slowly creeping into our own; in media, in language, and -- what’s of most interest to us here -- in food. Does this Iraqi restaurant go beyond the same old Middle Eastern fare that has made hummus as mainstream as salsa? More
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Restaurants
No Invitation Required
Everyone loves the idea of a “neighborhood” restaurant -- that little gem just down the street where you can almost always snag a table and run into someone you know. In San Francisco, or in any city for that matter, the concept seems to mostly be just that: a concept. In the case of Bar Jules however, chef/owner Jessica Boncutter seems to have created a true neighborhood spot. More
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