San Francisco/Food

Hamburgers

Thrillist posted its picks for 100 best burgers in America. A bunch of Bay Area places made the cut.

10. Garaje (SoMa)
22. Black Sands (Haight)
28. WesBurger (Mission)
51. The Trick Dog (Mission)
54. 4505 Burgers & BBQ (Panhandle)
65. Nopa (Panhandle)
78. Spruce (Laurel Heights)

Restaurants

Must eat places. These are for the entire Bay Area, not just San Francisco. We tried to select only destination places, places that we'd encourage visitors in town to visit for a special San Francisco experience if they were only in town for a few days.

Koo	Sushi
Roli Roti	porchetta sandwich
Saravanna Bhavan	South Indian food
Gialina's	All of their pizzas are outstanding, but their chocolate dessert pizza is special.
Humphry Slocombe	ice cream
Bakesale Betty's	fried chicken sandwich
Pho Dong	Vietnamese food
Golden Boy Pizza	Late night, post-carousing Sicilian pizza.
La Palma	tortillas
La Quinta	Mexican food
La Oaxaquena	This Oaxacan place is hit or miss, but their tacos are a definite hit.
Aziza	Gourmet Moroccan
Cha-Ya	Vegan sushi. It doesn't sound good until you realize that practically everything is deep fried.
Cinderella's Bakery	Russian food.
Falafel Drive-In	Falafel
San Tung	Dry chicken wings
Chez Panisse	The capital of organic California cuisine.
Anh Hong	Seven courses of beef.
Tartine	The bread.
Bay Bread	The bread.
Hog Island Oyster Company	Oysters straight from Tomales Bay.
Oyaji	Japanese izakaya.
Kappou Gomi	Not even sure how to describe it. Delicious Japanese food.

On the bubble:

Red's Java House	Hot dogs
R&G Lounge	Authentic Cantonese food.
Shanghai Dumpling King	Xiao Long Bao
Marnee Thai	Duck pad kee mao
Dotty's True Blue Cafe	Brunch
Fraiche	Yogurt

Gap analysis:

• Italian
• Chinese
• pub grub
• brunch

Street Food

Roli Roti	Best pork sandwich ever. Chicken is underseasoned. I like the duck when it's available (although it's also a bit underseasoned. The roasted pork is continuously marinated in rendered fat and is obviously delicious.
Namu	Claim to have invented the Korean taco. Also at the San Francisco Ferry Building on Thursday's. A Fanny Singer recommendation.
4505 Meats	The DIY butcher also does truck food, also at the SF Ferry Building on Thursday's. A Fanny Singer recommendation. You can taste the food quality, but I don't crave any of their food. There are better craft hot dogs, sausages, etc. Except for their chicharrones. Their chicharrones are exceptional.
Let's Be Frank	On weekends and holidays at Crissy Field. A Fanny Singer recommendation.
Taco El Ray	In Berkeley at the foot of Ashby Ave. A Fanny Singer recommendation.
Peko-Peko	A Fanny Singer recommendation.
El Tonayense	These much lauded taco trucks in the Mission are good, but nothing to write home about. Can get equivalent tacos at local taquerias.

• "For the love of pho." SanFranciscoChronicle (November 3, 2004).
• "SF chowder house takes home prize for creative crab recipe." San Francisco Examiner (August 13, 2008). About Blue Mermaid Chowder House in Fisherman's Wharf.