Our Top 11 Places in San Francisco of 2025

Since 2008, owners Jake Godby and Sean Vahey have tantalized the Bay Area with unique and unexpected ice cream flavors. Secret Breakfast is a fan favorite, featuring bourbon ice cream with cornflake cookies, while the Vietnamese Coffee and Matchadoodle flavors also delight and inspire. Multiple locations

Read the complete list of our favorite ice cream shops here. 

Meticulously plated cuisine is served at Akikos.

Best Sushi: Akikos 

If we had to recommend just one sushi place for a guaranteed phenomenal meal, it would be Akikos. It’s SF’s first omakase restaurant, originally opened in 1987. Now in a different location, Akikos offers beautiful classic and modern Japanese fare. The setting is chic and sophisticated, the staff is dedicated and inviting, and the beverage program is innovative and thoughtful. 430 Folsom St., 415.397.3218 

Read the complete list of our favorite sushi spots here. 

Ritual Coffee Roaster’s two SF locations, including in the Mission District and Hayes Valley, are excellent picks for coffee lovers. Founded in 2005 by Eileen Rinaldi, Ritual focuses on relationship sourcing. Its team visits coffee-origin countries with an emphasis on supporting small farms each year to foster partnerships. Back at the cafes, the baristas brew up top-notch pour-over brewed single-origin coffee and espresso drinks. Multiple locations

Read the complete list of our favorite coffee houses here. 

Photo courtesy of the restaurant

Epic Steak transports with its iconic ambiance and one of the best views of the Bay Bridge. Whether you want to stop by for brunch or dinner, this restaurant boasts dishes from chef de cuisine Colton Hays, ranging from fried chicken and waffles to A5 Wagyu striploin. 369 The Embarcadero

Read the complete list of our favorite steakhouses here. 

Best Italian Restaurant: Flour + Water 

Over the years, chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow have created more than 90 unique pasta shapes, from morel tortellini to squid ink corzetti. If you’re looking for a memorable culinary experience, you’ll find it here every time. Flour + Water never disappoints. 2401 Harrison St., 415.826.7000

Read the complete list of our favorite Italian eateries here. 

Bar Sprezzatura boasts an impressive cocktail menu

Courtesy of All Day Social

Italian elegance abounds at Bar Sprezzatura. When you walk in, the charming owner, Carlo Splendorini, will offer you a glass of Prosecco. Order a Negroni—Bar Sprez specializes in them—and a plate of chichetti, the tapa-like snack native to Venice. In the mood for a larger snack? Chef Joseph Offner’s housemade seasonal pastas are sensational. 300 Clay St #100, 646.710.5777

Read the complete list of our favorite bars here. 

Colorful cuisine at Via Aurelia

Best New Restaurant: Via Aurelia 

Mission Rock’s newest restaurant is chef David Nayfeld’s return to fine dining. At Via Aurelia, diners devour modern interpretations of iconic Italian dishes like bistecca alla Fiorentina, handmade pastas, fresh seafood and dishes that celebrate the bounty of local produce. Named for the ancient road that once linked Rome to Pisa, everything about this eatery is a memorable experience. 300 Toni Stone Xing, Ste. A

Best New Wine Country Restaurant: Clementine 

Clementine opened earlier this year in the wine country hamlet of Yountville and quickly worked its way into the hearts of local food lovers. The decor is thoughtful and lovely, the cuisine is interesting and delicious, and it’s well worth the drive for lunch or dinner on the restaurant’s charming patio. I’m still dreaming about the flatbread with apple, prosciutto and blue cheese that I enjoyed earlier this Fall. 6525 Washington St., Yountville, 707. 948.6055