Kin Khao, Pink Zebra Named on GQ’s Best Restaurants List

Just two months into 2015, GQ has named its 25 most outstanding restaurants for the year, including two picks from San Francisco.

Downtown Thai eatery Kin Khao snagged the No. 6 spot on GQ food critic Alan Richman’s list with “some of the most complex and satisfying Thai food in America.” The restaurant, owned by former food blogger Pim Techamuanvivit, opened in spring of 2014 and continues to draw crowds at its somewhat unusual location, tucked in an easy-to-miss corner of Parc 55 hotel.

Mission District newcomer Pink Zebra landed at No. 23, but not without a fight. Richman called out the restaurant’s “sushi-Nazi policy,” where diners can only order sushi with an omakase reservation. He also noted the clams with chorizo, which was equally excellent during our mid-week visit last month, when it was easy to snag a walk-in table for two.

Somewhat surprising, two of San Francisco’s most buzzed-about restaurants, State Bird Provision and its sister location Progress, were nowhere to be found on the list.

Overall Washington, D.C., dining destination Rose’s Luxury took the No. 1 spot with “everything your love to eat, but better” and New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Austin each had multiple restaurants on the list.

Read GQ’s list HERE.