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Whether you are looking for grass-fed beef, Dungeness crab soup, trademark martinis, rosebud crème brûlée, duck salads, North Beach-style Picon Punch, tripe, chile verde, Rocky Road ice cream, wild mushroom ragout, "hot nuts", or the best Bloody Marys in town, these restaurants and bars are probably a good starting point. For each listing, you'll find a web site address (URL) if available, a phone number to call for reservations, and an address to give to the cab driver.
- Acme Chophouse, 24 Willie Mays Plaza, 415.644.0240
(grass-fed beef) - Andalu, 3198 16th St., 415.621.2211
(creamy, steaming crock of aioli-topped salt cod brandade, seared veal carpaccio with tuna-anchovy dressing and wild arugula, scallop and truffle ravioli, ahi tuna tartare tacos with mango salsa, venison sausage with smoky bacon-braised cabbage, persimmon dessert) - Ana Mandara, Ghirardelli Square, 891 Beach St., 415.771.6800
(Mekong Basa, Dungeness crab soup, live jazz) - Bacar Restaurant and Wine Salon, 448 Brannan St., 415.904.4100
(1500 bottles of wine, modern brasserie fare until midnight, live jazz) - Bissap Baobab, 2323 Mission St., 415.826.9287
(fried plantains and pastelle: fish pastries; mafe: vegetables in peanut sauce on rice; fish casamance: grilled Red Snapper served with Yassa sauce) - Bix restaurant and Lounge, 56 Gold St., 415.433.6300
(trademark martinis, inventive American fare, live jazz) - Boulevard:
1 Mission Street, 415.543.6084
(Sumptuous new-American cuisine, Beaux Arts dining room) - Brother-in-Law's BBQ No. 2, 705 Divisadero St., 415.931.7427
(a smoke shack where you stand in line and order for take-out the best ribs and beans in the city) - Buena Vista Cafe, 2765 Hyde St., 415.474.5044
(Irish Coffee) - Citizen Cake, 399 Grove St., 415.861.2228
(pastries, rosebud crème brûlée, lemon tart with brown sugar meringue) - Clémentine, 126 Clement St., 415.387.0408
(boeuf bourguignonne, duck salads) - Curbside Cafe, 1345 Bush St. (at the Aliance Française), 415.923.1375
(chocolate cake and espresso) - Dos Amigos Taqueria, 1409 Polk St., 415.776.4642
(tripe) - E and O Trading Co., 314 Sutter Street, 415.693.0303
(Asian fare) - Gino and Carlo, 548 Green St., 415.421.0896
(Picon Punch, North Beach-style) - Greens:
Building A, Fort Mason, 415.771.6222
(inventive vegetarian cuisine; ask for a window table overlooking the Bay) - Jeanty at Jack's, 615 Sacramento St., 415.693.0941
(French bistro) - John Barleycorn, 1415 Larkin St., 415.771.1620
("hot nuts") - Koi Palace, 365 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, 650.992.9000
(duck tongues with XO sauce) - La Felce Italian Cuisine, 1570 Stockton St., 415.392.8321
(tripe) - Lapis, Pier 33, 415.982.0203
(Moroccan-spiced crab cake, spicy carrot salad, crispy whole fish with couscous, curried lobster broth) - Le Central, 453 Bush St., 415.391.2233
(cassoulet) - Liguria Bakery, 1700 Stockton St., 415.421.3786
(Liguria) - Maxfield's Restaurant, 2 New Montgomery Stree, 415.546.5020
(Named after the famous artist Maxfield Parrish; serves innovative California cuisine for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner daily. The Pied Piper Bar is home of the Maxfield Parrish mural "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" and voted one of the "World's Seven Greatest Bars") - Neiman Marcus, Rotunda, 150 Stockton St., 415.362.4777
(steaming popovers, lobster and shrimp spring rolls, seafood cobb salad) - Pacific Café, 7000 Geary Blvd., 415.387.7091
(seafood) - Panchita's 3, 3115 22nd St., 415.821.6660
(chile verde, carne asada, crab enchiladas, flan) - Pier 23 Cafe, Pier 23 (The Embarcadero), 362-5125
(oven-roasted fresh crab; steamed mussels and clams; and fresh crab and shrimp specialties. Live music five nights a week) - Polly Ann Ice Cream, 3142 Noriega St., 415.664.2472
(Rocky Road, take the kids) - Postrio, 545 Post Street, 415.776.7825
(Wolfgang Puck's ultra-hip spot in Union Square: Gourmet pizza and people watching) - The Ramp, 855 China Basin, 415.621.2378
(Corned-beef hash, eggs benedict, and pancakes; burgers, sandwiches) - Red's Java House, Pier 30
(burger, hot dog, onion rings, etc. since 1923) - Restaurant Gary Danko, 800 North Point St., 415.749.2060
(glazed oysters with zuccini pearls, pan-roasted quail with wild mushroom ragout) - RNM, 598 Haight St., 415.551.7900
(short ribs, risotto, chicken pot pie, pizzas, banana brownie sundae) - Rose
Pistola: 532 Columbus Avenue, 415.399.0499
(authentic Genoese and Ligurian food: fresh local fish, pasta and wood-hearth braised dishes) - Rubicon, 558 Sacramento St., 415.434.4100
(1600 or so wines, California cuisine) - Sam's Anchor Café, 27 Main Street, Tiburon, 415.435.4527
(American/seafood cuisine, waterfront restaurant) -
Sam's Grill and Seafood Restaurant, 374 Bush St., 415.421.0594
(rex sole; sand dabs; and broiled petrale) -
St. Supery Vineyards and Winery, 8440 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford, CA 94573, Tel: 707.963.4507
(St. Supéry Red and White Meritage Napa Valley wines; Limited editions: Dollarhide Ranch and Rutherford) - Soluna Cafe and Lounge: 272 McCallister Street, 415.621.6200
(breakfast: organic coffees, and fresh bagels and bakery items; lunch and diner: California Cuisine, with gourmet soups, salads, pastas, and entrees; after-dinner cocktails and music) - Swan's
Oyster Depot: 1517 Polk Street, 415.673.1101
(freshly shucked oysters, cracked dungeness crab, Anchor Steam on draft, original 1912 décor, clam chowder that puts Boston to shame. Lunch only) - Sweet Heat, 1725 Haight St., 415.821.6600
(strawberry margaritas, and Mexican) - Tadich Grill, 240 California St., 415.391.1849
(cioppino, pacific oyster stew, "hangtown" fry, oysters Rockefeller, sand dabs, baked lamb, lobster tails and steaks) - Tommy's Mexican Restaurant, 5929 Geary Blvd., 415.387.4747
(Yucatan food, great selection of tequilas) - Town's End Restaurant and Bakery, 2 Townsend St., 415.512.0749
(housemade pastries, scones) - Zuni:
1658 Market Street, 415.552.2522
(Italian and southern French cuisine: Caesar salad and crispy pommes frites, best Bloody Marys in town)