When I moved to the Bay Area in 2021, I had never visited San Francisco before. Boy, was I in for a foodie adventure. Best known as “SF” or “The City,” San Francisco has been described as the culinary capital of the U.S. thanks to its delicious and diverse food scene, from fancy Michelin-starred restaurants to hole-in-the-wall establishments serving tasty burritos.
Whenever I have friends visit, I make sure they see the Golden Gate Bridge, perhaps the most iconic bridge in the world, and we always go out for food, as there are just so many amazing options here. It was quite difficult to narrow this list down to just five restaurants, but I managed to decide on these fan-favorites that always go down well with my mates. Fortunately, most of them are also close to other fun things to do in The City.
As SF is one of the world’s most expensive cities, the food options can also be quite pricey, and I have avoided including super high-end options — I would be reluctant to ask friends to drop $300 on a meal. SF is very walkable, so this guide includes a lot of info about walking distances, but it is also possible to take various public transportation options or hail a cab or Uber.
Picaro, Mission District
Picaro is located in the Mission, a funky and eclectic district that also happens to be one of SF’s oldest, with its origins dating back to the 1700s when Franciscan missionaries established Mission San Francisco de Asís. Since then, the Mission has evolved into a bustling multicultural community. It is one of the first areas I discovered in the city when I moved from the U.K., and it holds a special place in my heart. It can be chaotic and a bit rough around the edges, but in my view, it has some of the best and most affordable restaurants in SF…