3 Best San Francisco Restaurants: The New York Times List

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Just last month the 2021 Michelin Guide was released, peppered with plenty of San Francisco establishments. On Tuesday, the New York Times released it's own restaurant list of "The 50 places in America we're most excited about right now."

Three San Francisco eateries were chosen. Only one of the three is a repeat of the Michelin list, and none of the city's three- and two-star restaurants were included.

So, how were they selected? "The Food desk dispatched critics, reporters and editors around the country to find the 50 most vibrant and delicious restaurants in 2021. They’re not ranked, but together they reflect the rich mosaic of American dining."

Here are the San Francisco choices, along with their reviews:

Mister Jiu’s San Francisco

Brandon Jew’s glamorous restaurant in an old Chinatown banquet hall started out strong five years ago with banquet-inspired fare, but it’s only gotten stronger — the exquisite food and the soaring dining room somehow more joyful and dazzling than ever. Though his newer projects hold their own delights, like the casual takeout-inspired Mamahuhu (with its Platonic ideal of kung pao chicken), Mister Jiu’s is a destination.

Nari San Francisco

Dinner at Nari is family-style, so a meal there feels more like a merry feast than a dainty tasting menu. And if you still think of fine dining as a bunch of small courses, served one at a time, Pim Techamuanvivit’s Thai restaurant is a mind-bending revelation, with freshly pounded nam priks and brilliantly nuanced curries inspired by traditional haute Thai food, as well as an exciting cocktail and wine list that focuses almost entirely on women producers.

The Anchovy Bar San Francisco

Anyone can pop open a tin of caviar and serve it on ice. The real luxury is much farther down the food chain — a handful of fresh, gleaming anchovies, caught, gutted and brined earlier in the day. The Anchovy Bar, run by Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski of State Bird Provisions, serves fresh, silvery fillets with toasted bread and fixings, and treats the glorious seafood of the West Coast with all the care it deserves, from Hama Hama oysters and Monterey squid to Marin Coast octopus and geoduck clams.

Other California restaurants that made the list:

• Mini Kabob, Glendale, Calif.
• n/naka, Los Angeles
• Pearl River Deli, Los Angeles
• The Marshall Store, Marshall

Read the full story in The New York Times.

Also see: 90 CA Restaurants Named To Michelin Guide: LIST