On Fillmore Street in the heart of San Francisco’s Cow Hollow neighborhood sits Atelier Crenn, one of only six restaurants with a three-star Michelin rating in all of California. Named for the chef and owner Dominique Crenn, the other half of its appellation, “atelier,” conveys that this small space is more than a restaurant — it’s an artist’s workshop where chef Crenn and her team use California’s bountiful agriculture to deliver her contemporary vision of French haute cuisine. Atelier Crenn opened its doors in 2011 and the restaurant received its first Michelin star the same year. In 2012, Atelier Crenn gained another star, earning chef Crenn the distinction of being the first female chef in the U.S. to achieve such an award. Then, in 2018, she earned another.
If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation at Atelier Crenn , the honor will cost you a pretty penny. At over $400 per person, it’s the most expensive restaurant in California. But dining at Atelier Crenn is more than a meal. The inventive 14-course tasting menu is a three-hour showcase of chef Crenn’s culinary artistry and California’s bounty. “We offer a dairy-free, pescatarian menu and our products are sourced from our sustainable, regenerative farm,” she writes in the Michelin Guide . “We work closely with our farmers towards biodynamic practices; produce waste is composted at our farm.” Chef Crenn not only pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of fine dining, she’s also leading the way when it comes to sustainable dining.
What Guests Can Expect From The Groundbreaking Atelier Crenn
Chef Dominique Crenn, who grew up in France, spent summers by the sea in Brittany. This connection to the ocean has inspired her largely pescatarian menu, although Atelier Crenn offers a vegetable-centric menu for those who don’t eat any meat. To find the best possible produce, chef Crenn and her team don’t simply head to one of San Francisco’s many local farmer’s markets — they go straight to the source to ensure all their ingredients are cultivated ethically, working directly with a partner farm in Sonoma.
In its three-star review of the restaurant, the Michelin Guide highlights a few standout meal moments from chef Crenn. With unusual pairings like Monterey Bay abalone, braised cabbage, and mustard seeds as well as caviar (read our guide on how to eat caviar for a refresher) and celtuce (a woody lettuce), chef Crenn keeps her guests guessing. But the multi-course menu isn’t all vegetables and fish. The final few dishes are desserts served up by two-time James Beard Award finalist Juan Contreras. The pastry chef has worked with chef Crenn since Atelier Crenn’s inception, designing desserts that spark the imagination, tap into beloved sense memories, and embody the connection to nature and sustainable values that Atelier Crenn represents…