From acclaimed spots that go all-in on Cantonese nostalgia to epic Thai tasting menus, the top new restaurants in San Francisco made this a thrilling year for dining out. The city’s most promising debuts range from a chic-all-day FiDi cafe that’s a runaway hit for its standout babka to a cool Northern Iranian wine bar serving up elegant mazze platters in the Mission.
Visit an acclaimed spot in Chinatown that raked in national awards for its bold takes on Cantonese classics. Head to West Portal for a laid-back neighborhood spot known for its crowd-pleasing Mexican combo platters and spicy margaritas. Enjoy ambitious Southern fine dining from MICHELIN-pedigreed chefs in FiDi.
Here are the top new restaurant openings of the year in San Francisco—snag your seat with an OpenTable as soon as possible.
Discover the top 13 new restaurants in SF on OpenTable.
For city views at one of the best new cocktail bars in SF: Starlite (Financial District/Embarcadero)
Fully renovated in 2024, this swanky cocktail lounge on the 21st floor of the Beacon Grand goes all in on Art Deco vibes—think velvet upholstery and jewel tones galore. Scott Baird of Trick Dog consulted on the cocktails (get the Dirty 90s martini), while MICHELIN-pedigreed chef Johnny Spero advised on elegant snacks like baked oysters and furikake fries. Add in live DJs and jaw-dropping city views, and it’s easy to see why this luxe spot was named one of Esquire’s Best New Bars in America.
For top-notch Mexican combo plates at one of the best new restaurants in SF: Elena’s (Forest Hill/West Portal)
Elena’s is the first Mexican restaurant from the family behind the city’s wildly popular North Beach Italian joint Original Joe’s. Since opening in February, it’s become one of the city’s hardest-to-snag reservations, thanks to a crowd-pleasing menu of Mexican favorites like heaping combo platters, sizzling fajitas, and top-tier margaritas. Enjoy it all in one of San Francisco’s most beautiful dining rooms, complete with live trees and cozy banquettes that reach for the rafters.
For a cool wine bar with mazze platters at one of the best new restaurants SF: Komaaj Mazze Wine Bar (Mission District)
This cool new Northern Iranian wine bar opened on a corner of upper Mission Street in February and quickly became a neighborhood favorite. At his first full-service restaurant, chef Hanif Sadr dazzles with colorful mazze platters filled with sumac labneh, naz khatoon (eggplant and walnut dip), pickles, and olives. Pair them with pitch-perfect wines from the Caucasus Mountains or cad sharbats (sweet drinks) infused with saffron and rosewater.
For bold Cantonese nostalgia fare at one of the hottest new restaurants in SF: Four Kings (Chinatown)
Four Kings roared into Chinatown in March, and the accolades soon followed. The New York Times, Bon Appétit, and others crowned it one of the country’s best new restaurants, thanks to MICHELIN-pedigreed chefs Franky Ho and Michael Long and their bold riffs on Cantonese classics. Dishes are compact and aggressively seasoned (get the smoked squab), the bar keeps the highballs flowing, and the 90s pop music is cranked up loud—all the ingredients for a lively night out.
For a knockout Thai tasting menu at one of the best new restaurants SF: Hed 11 (Western Addition)
Come to Hed 11 for an epic Thai tasting menu from MICHELIN-Starred restaurant vet chef Piriya “Saint” Boonprasarn. At this stylish space inside the Kimpton Hotel Enso, Boonprasarn whips up seasonal, 11-course extravaganzas starring bold, contemporary Thai dishes. Expect elegant plates like a caviar-topped coconut pancake accompanied by clever cocktails, including a plum gimlet and a yuzu-forward take on the classic gin sour.
For a new neighborhood Mediterranean-meets-Japanese gem: Xebec (Western Addition)
Open since June, Xebec is a must-visit spot for its playful Mediterranean-Japanese mashups. Owner George Hawawini serves up clever fusion dishes —expect everything from skirt steak and patatas bravas to sashimi and handrolls. The blue and cream-colored space with a marble bar and light fixtures that float like bubbles is an ideal spot for fancy drinks and oysters before the ballet or opera.
For fan-favorite pizza and pasta at one of the best new restaurants in SF: Fiorella (Noe Valley)
Come to the new Noe Valley outpost of Fiorella for the crowd-pleasing blistered pizzas and fresh pastas that made this super popular local Italian restaurant a runaway hit. Stay for seasonal salads, fun spritzes, and a lively dining room with colorful illustrations inspired by mid-century Italian pop art. Grab a seat at the six-seat pizza bar to watch pies bubbling in the custom black oven or by one of the windows for prime people-watching at this quintessential neighborhood spot.
For Southern fine dining from a MICHELIN-pedigreed restaurant group: Prelude (Financial District/Embarcadero)
This ambitious fine dining restaurant from culinary powerhouse Omakase Restaurant Group opened in August inside the Jay Hotel. An alum of Niku and Commis, chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones puts a refined spin on Southern classics—think catfish dumplings and pork chops with fuji apple barbecue sauce—best paired with bar director Franco Bilbaeno’s bourbon-forward cocktails. Enjoy it all in a sleek space that channels the Presidio with sage green accents and Eucalyptus seed pod-inspired light fixtures.
For fresh Peruvian fare from a local legend: Altamirano (North Panhandle/USF)
The latest Peruvian restaurant from prolific restaurateur Carlos Altamirano (Mochica) opened with a bang in September. The menu brings back all of the chef’s greatest hits: ceviche, sashimi, and lomo saltado plus family-inspired recipes like his mother’s seco de cordero (lamb stew). Settle in for a feast in the cozy dining room with warm wood shiplap and blue banquettes, or grab a seat on the back courtyard by the cozy firepit to sip on pisco-inspired cocktails.
For a charming, Parisian-inspired bistro by the bay: Bon Délire (Financial District/Embarcadero)
A hot take on a French bistro, Bon Délire arrived in Embarcadero in October. Restaurateur Kais Bouzidi of Sens and Barcha grew up in the center of Paris and brings that elegant sensibility to his first French restaurant. The menu goes all in on classic bistro comfort foods like steak frites, escargots, and a croque monsieur. Grab a seat at the horseshoe-shaped bar for a round of cocktails (get the kir royal) while a DJ booth spins vinyl in the corner and a projector casts movies on the wall.
For slam-dunk pizza before a game: Che Fico Pizzeria (SOMA)
The wildly popular Che Fico team has been on a roll the past couple of years, opening an outpost in Menlo Park, complete with a market next door. This year, the Italian sensation dropped a 8,300-square-foot pizzeria just outside Chase Center in October. Sure, you could grab a slice before a Warriors game, but it’s worth booking a table for the full experience. Tuck in for a feast that includes the cult-favorite pineapple and chili pizza, plus chopped salads, crispy chicken cutlets, and a killer negroni.
For Korean barbecue with wagyu swagger: ABSteak by Chef Akira Back (SOMA)
This upscale Korean steakhouse from celebrity chef Akira Back landed in SOMA in October. ABSteak is a glam underground lair designed as an abstract interpretation of a cow’s belly, complete with oxblood red marble and ribcage-style arches. You’re here for the steak, and smokeless grills sear off American angus and Australian wagyu to perfection—just what you’d expect from Back, whose MICHELIN-pedigreed restaurant empire spans the globe from Seoul to London.
For a cool new all-day cafe at a city landmark: Café Sebastian (Financial District/Embarcadero)
Café Sebastian, a chic all-day cafe from chef Brad Kilgore, opened across the street from the newly revamped Transamerica Pyramid in November. The sunny space is where you go for standout breakfast sandwiches and housemade pastries, including a decadent dark cocoa babka. With sandwiches, mains, and toasts like beef tartare on sourdough, the lunch menu also leans into a seasonal, Cali-fresh aesthetic.
From playful takes on Cantonese classics to Mexican combo plates and locally beloved Cal-Italian pizza and pasta, these top new restaurants in San Francisco stood out from the crowd this year. Whether you’re looking for the perfect date night spot or a full-on celebratory feast, the best new restaurants SF book up quickly.
Grab a reservation while they’re hot and book now on OpenTable.
For more amazing dining options in San Francisco, check out these guides:
- These 12 San Francisco restaurants ace outdoor dining
- 13 top restaurants in San Francisco that scream special occasion
- The 12 most beautiful San Francisco restaurants to visit right now
- 12 quintessential date-night restaurants in San Francisco
Becky Duffett is a food writer living and eating in San Francisco. Follow her on Instagram at @beckyduffett.
