where to eat in the bay area?

same but different than an eater list probably

zuni cafe

i’m constantly asked: what are your favorite restaurants in the bay area? and honestly, i have such a hard time answering this because i feel like i really do not know. i do consider going out to eat kind of a hobby and i admit i eat out pretty often but i also feel like there have been so many times where i’m like: where is there to even eat here? there is nowhere to eat. i also feel like i end up going to the same 3 places over and over. so when i was asked this, it was perfect timing because truthfully, i need some new places to try out too.

thank you to everyone who recommended a place for the bay area (this includes san francisco, east bay and the south bay). i compiled all your suggestions into one big list! i can’t wait to check out some of the suggestions i bookmarked and i want to hear your thoughts on this list. do you agree? any places that were missed? any places you think are overrated? i’d love to hear because no offense, i love gossiping about restaurants :)

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restaurants + wine bars + cafes (east bay):

• bombera (this has been on my list for so long but i haven’t been able to go because it’s either closed or closed for a special event. this was recommended a few times and ben from tenderfire kitchen has told me they have the best carrots and it’s his favorite restaurant in the east bay, periodt)

• tacos oscar (i’ve also heard really great things, been on my list for like 3 years and have not gone yet. i don’t know what’s wrong with me!)

• benchmark pizza (i’ve seen this place every time i’ve gone to kensington circus pub and was always curious. maybe this is a sign)

• teni east kitchen

• kensington circus pub (girl dinner of a NY strip and mashed potatoes with gravy with sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream for dessert. trust me)

• nuevo sol (noted for mexican breakfast)

• snail bar (every east bay girlie/boy goes through a snail bar phase, i think. it’s kinda mandatory. the food is really quite good. their crudite is iconic, their ham and cheese is iconic, their dishes are special and also really incredibly beautiful, i fear)

• delage omakase

• sushi salon

• commis (for you fancy hoes)

• belotti (my go to italian place that i believe is better than most italian places in the east bay and san francisco combined. my favorites are the tagliolini with anchovy butter and their agnolotti. their sautéed greens with lemon and shallot are also surprisingly so simple but delicious. their broccoli with bechamel and calabrian chili is dangerous because it is so addicting. skip the tiramisu though, it’s kind of the worst tiramisu ever in my opinion. if you go for lunch, i hope you are seated in anthony’s section. he’s the best)

• fava on vine (ethan wanted this place gate kept but the people spoke so i have to share! lol)

• daytrip (a wine bar but i heard they have revamped their food menu to where some say it’s now better than snail? i haven’t been to daytrip in awhile so i can’t confirm but it’s on my list for summertime)

• aburaya

• pomet

• bolitas (a pop up i am very interested in trying)

• star grocery (i do love this grocery store. it’s quite far from where i live but i do like visiting. i didn’t know they were known for their sandwiches! so if you go, order one!)

• kiraku (very popular. very good and i don’t even eat sashimi…)

• saltbreaker

• chez panisse cafe (very lovely. it’s just solid, really good, classic california cuisine)

• great china (i want to gatekeep this place but i guess i can’t. this place feels extremely safe and comforting to me with such good food. i can go in sweatpants, i can go in something dressier. it doesn’t matter! you feel so good here!)

• hal’s coffee (neighborhood coffee shop where all the baristas are friendly and remember you. you can go looking like absolute shit and everyone is like good morning!!! :) lots of cute dogs)

• bar sardine/bartavelle (bar sardine at night, bartavelle during the day. i really like both places a lot. when i lived in the south bay, jeremy and i would drive the sometimes 1.5 hours just for the early girl tomato tartine. i love their small dishes in the evening and they have a nice wine selection)

• soba ichi (perfect meal for a hot summer day)

• rose pizzeria (my favorite pizza place, besides gioia. i love their outdoor patio, their spicy caesar salad, the reed pizza, the classic pep, the beach club, their tiramisu, their budino, their spritz, their beans and most of all, their incredibly kind and charming server chris!)

• poppy’s bagels (on my list)

• hella bagels (heard they’re better than boichik…)

• lazybird coffee

• CoRo coffee room (i love their seasonal drinks. their summertime root beer espresso float with whipped vanilla cream is so insane…it’s worth the stomach ache)

• rose’s taproom (i added this place because it’s a perfect place to go alone to enjoy a glass of wine while reading or working. everyone is so friendly and it just feels very comfortable to be there alone. also, hi sierra!!)

• lulu’s on solano (palestinian cuisine. was in berkeley but recently relocated to solano ave. looks so delicious and woman owned)

• good to eat dumplings

• pho huang que

• udupi palace

• ordinaire (popular date spot, good people watching, good late afternoon/early evening share a bottle of wine spot)

• banter (i heard about this place from ethan and my friend mia but i haven’t had a chance to go. the owner of rose pizzeria, alexis, recommends this place)

• tanzie’s (also recommend by alexis but this place came up on my radar when i read an article about it recently. it looks really amazing and has insanely good reviews)

• ruth’s buka

• anh

• standard fare (ethan introduced me to this place when he first moved to the east bay 7 years ago. i’ve always liked it. it’s just a good salad/sandwich cafe. i also love their waffles)

• lou’s takeaway

• fusion delight

• haddon hill coffee

• edith’s pie (not a pie girl but if i were, i’d probably love this place)

• chipotle on gilman ave (ethan’s 1 recommendation, lmao)

restaurants + wine bars + cafes (san francisco):

• golden sardine (wine and poetry?????? ok…i’m listening…)

• buddy bar (love this place, big fan, takes reservations!!!)

• mijote (good prefixe)

• outta sight pizza

• back to back (i’ve been here once, liked it, loved faris who is a server there. if you go, sit in his section! he’s so funny and knows so much about wine)

• boogaloos (never heard of this place but the name has my ears perking)

• neighbor’s corner (best cappuccino, so i’m told)

• saint frank

• beit rima (maybe the most recommended restaurant so far. i’ve heard amazing things about this palestinian restaurant and can’t wait to go soon)

• the laundromat (northern california’s courage bagel equivalent i guess?)

• pancake boy

• devil’s teeth (best, best, best breakfast biscuit sandwich. i am not really a breakfast sandwich girl but wow, i always convince myself i could probably eat 2 of them if i really wanted to)

• high treason

• millay

• penny roma (i like this place)

• prik hom

• inle burmese cuisine

• yamo (i’ve liked this place since my very early 20’s. i like getting takeout and going to dolores park or sitting at the counter and getting yelled at for taking photos)

• holy nata (best portuguese egg tart, so i’m told)

• turner’s kitchen (for the ones who think a good sandwich can heal/save them aka me. will be bookmarking)

• tartine manufactory (duh!! perfect lunch place, tbh)

• saison

• kin khao ( i totally forgot i’ve been here before for jeremy’s birthday when we first started dating and i liked it!)

• rise and grind coffee (they say to order the spicy chai so i guess we must)

• parada 22 (puerto rican food!)

• four kings (i love cantonese food so i will definitely be bookmarking this)

• udon mugizo

• chuy’s fiesta

• el farolito (when i was 21, it was my first time ever smoking a joint and i took one too many puffs outside of el farolito and got so, so stoned i ended up puking my brains out and had to sit in my car for 3 hours until i felt even a little bit human and then waited another hour to walk inside el farolito to order a carnitas burrito and i really thought i was going to die. god….)

• fox and lion

• 20 spot (i went here a few months ago for the first time and i really love how warm and dimly lit the bar is. it’s really cozy and really nice wine)

• terracotta warrior (kinda obsessed with this name)

• andytown coffee

• bar part time (this spot is soooo sf to me, lol, but the bartenders are really nice)

• itria

• house of prime rib (i c o n i c)

• shuggies (is it style over substance? i’ve been once and i don’t know…)

• angie’s pizza

• rintaro (so good)

• copra

• lapisara

• the morris

• mister jiu’s (yes, especially if you’re with a group i think so you can share the duck!!)

• zazie

• picaro (even the dips are outstanding, is what i’m told)

• simple pleasures

• pearl 6101

• abv bar (had a celery salt martini here that sent me over the mf edge!! omg)

• lolo’s

• stoa (their menu right now is so good, i’m told. so go!)

• rich table

• little lucca’s

• bar gemini (on my list)

• front porch (one of jeremy’s favorite go to places in sf)

south bay + everywhere else:

• sue’s coffee

• voyager coffee

• pho dao

• vesta

• qq noodle

• hana izumi

• sushi sam’s

• sol food

• bar zola (i love, love, love their steak frites and their intimate atmosphere)

• hookfish

• sogo tofu

• pho 54

• blue line pizza

• good time bar

• fish

• one house bakery

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i hope this list provides you some places to go when you’re visiting the bay or if you live here and feel like there is nowhere to go. let me know what you end up trying :)

xx