During normal, non-pandemic times, the Eater 38 is our attempt to answer any question that begins, “Can you recommend a restaurant?” It’s a curated list that covers the entire city, spanning numerous cuisines. And, even now, it’s a list that tells the story of the San Francisco food scene, documenting the blend of taquerias, dumpling shops, and tasting menu spots that make this city a unique place to eat — even if what some places are serving at the moment looks very different than it did 10 months ago.
So it is, then, that we’re once again updating the Eater 38 on a quarterly basis, adding restaurants that were previously overlooked, are newly eligible (Eater 38 restaurants must have been open for six months), or have stepped up their game. Sometimes a still great restaurant makes way for another one, in order to keep things new and fresh — and, importantly, to make sure that the Eater 38 is an inclusive and representative list.
Added in January 2021: La Torta Gorda, Mahila, Mamahuhu, Nari, Wildseed, and Yamo. Coming off for now are the still-excellent (but temporarily closed as of January): Aziza, Foreign Cinema, Mister Jiu’s, Nightbird, the Progress, and Verjus.
Added in November 2020: Aziza, Hina Yakitori, Old Mandarin Islamic, PPQ Dungeness Island, Prubechu, Reem’s, Sam Wo, and Tacos El Patrón.
Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.
