{"id":195668,"date":"2026-02-27T00:39:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T00:39:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/195668\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T00:39:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T00:39:35","slug":"sam-smith-is-absolutely-living-for-sfs-restaurant-scene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/195668\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam Smith is absolutely living for SF\u2019s restaurant scene"},"content":{"rendered":"

The account isn\u2019t new, but something about San Francisco certainly got Smith\u2019s stomach growling. Prior to February, @samserved had but one post, a wistful remembrance (opens in new tab)<\/a> of a sandwich from a Middle Eastern chain in Copenhagen.<\/p>\n

On Feb. 9, Smith enthused over poke (opens in new tab)<\/a> at Hook Fish in the Outer Sunset. On Monday, they gushed about chowder (opens in new tab)<\/a> at Sam\u2019s in Tiburon. They waxed exuberant on Wednesday for Mission Chinese Food\u2019s tiger salad and fiery kung pao pastrami, (opens in new tab)<\/a> but bemoaned that a dish that spicy is inadvisable ahead of a performance. \u201cI\u2019m going to shit myself on stage if I eat any more of that,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n

At Molinari\u2019s, a North Beach institution, Smith ordered (opens in new tab)<\/a> the Molinari Special, an Italian combo on sea-salt focaccia. Owner Nicola Mastrelli, a fan of Smith, says the musician was down-to-earth, inquiring about the history of the 130-year-old deli. \u201cI was trying to keep it together,\u201d Mastrelli said of Smith\u2019s visit Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Over in Noe Valley, at the homey New American restaurant Firefly, Smith dropped in at 6 p.m. on Feb. 18, a mere three hours before curtain. \u201cWhen we heard they were coming in, we were in disbelief and all started panicking,\u201d chef-owner Haley Sausner said. \u201cBut that all dissipated the moment they arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith ordered fried chicken \u2014 and posted an influencer-like shot with mouth agape (opens in new tab)<\/a>, about to consume a drumstick whole \u2014 as well as furikake-crusted ocean trout, Gulf shrimp and cheddar grits, and griddled daikon radish cakes, which are apparently one of Smith\u2019s favorite foods. \u201cThey even have a tattoo of them that they were more than happy to show me,\u201d Sausner added.<\/p>\n

Smith\u2019s commentary is almost uniformly positive, although some of the references might be difficult for Americans to parse. One one pic, they wrote in all caps (opens in new tab)<\/a>, \u201cI Pat Butchered that,\u201d a reference to a slap-happy ex-beauty queen character on the long-running U.K. soap \u201cEastEnders\u201d who remains a queer icon despite being killed off years ago.<\/p>\n

Smith is detailing more than new restaurant discoveries. Asian condiments have gotten some love, too. The singer appears to be a newly minted fan of Laoganma chile oil, posting a video with a red-lidded jar balanced on their head (opens in new tab)<\/a>. \u201cI have it with most meals right now,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIf someone tells me it\u2019s bad for me, I\u2019m going to scream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, Bay Area commenters are chiming in to rep nearby restaurants such as Prubechu and Ramenwell and encouraging the chicken-loving Smith to visit the Inner Sunset\u2019s San Tung for its ever-popular wings. The singer tried, but every table was occupied, they said in one video.<\/p>\n