California’s Bay Area isn’t just known for the Golden Gate Bridge — it’s a world-class dining destination as well!
From Chinatown to Little Italy, you can find just about any type of international and local cuisine you can imagine in San Francisco and other nearby cities, such as Oakland in the East Bay Area.
There are more must-visit restaurants in the Bay Area than we can fit in one short article. But, here are just a few of the hot eateries in the Bay right now to consider trying on your next visit (or if you live there and haven’t been yet!).
6 Delicious San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants To Try Today!
Lucca Delicatessen (San Francisco)
Lucca Delicatessen is a historic Italian-American-style deli offering up a wide assortment of delicious sandwiches and other traditional Italian deli goods, including their famous ravioli.
You won’t find any fancy restaurant furniture or decor here — instead, the restaurant is decorated practically, with salami and other meats ready for slicing hanging from the ceiling and filling the large glass display case.
Lucca Delicatessen has been slinging sandwiches in the same location in San Francisco’s Marina District since 1929, and many of their recipes (including their ravioli) have remained the same to this day.
The deli is a true family business, run today by brother and sister Paul Bosco and Linda Bosco Fioretti, grandchildren of one of the original founders.
If you want a true slice of classic Italian-American deli cuisine, there’s perhaps no better restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area than Lucca Delicatessen.
Paprika (San Francisco)
Paprika is a family-style restaurant serving traditional Hungarian and Czech comfort food accompanied by large mugs of cold, refreshing Czech and German beer.
Anyone who’s been to the Czech Republic or Hungary will be pleased to find regional favorites on the menu, including several varieties of goulash as well as different types of sausages accompanied by classic sides, like sauerkraut, pickles, and local Bread.
If it’s your first time trying Czech or Hungarian food, make sure to accompany any dish you order with a mug of Pilsner for an authentic experience. For the brave, Paprika even offers “Das Boot,” a large glass boot that holds over four pints of beer (Beerfest, anyone?)!
Paprika is located in the Mission District, one of San Francisco’s oldest neighborhoods, and is a great choice to kick off a night out in the area.
Shandong Restaurant (Oakland)
Most people head to San Francisco’s Chinatown for traditional Chinese food when they’re in the Bay Area (which is definitely a great idea), but Oakland’s smaller Chinatown has plenty to offer, too!
Shandong is a no-frills Chinese eatery known for its homemade noodles and dumplings. The menu boasts lots of traditional Chinese-American plates at reasonable prices. We recommend getting at least one chow mein dish to try the delicious noodles!
The Trappist (Oakland)
We’re staying in Oakland for the next entry on our list of must-try restaurants in the Bay Area and heading down the street from Shandong to the Trappist, a Belgian-style beer pub inspired by the age-old beer brewing (and drinking) traditions of Belgian Trappist Monks.
The Trappist occupies a beautiful Victorian-era building in Oakland’s historic downtown and the interior is modeled after the owners’ favorite cozy pubs in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The bar features 19 rotating beer taps, as well as tons of bottled beers for you to choose from. The Trappist’s menu is focused on bar food that perfectly accompanies their wide assortment of international beers. It includes shareable meat and cheese boards as well as bigger items like grilled cheese and pulled pork sandwiches.
House of Prime Rib
House of Prime Rib is another San Francisco staple on our list. Its history goes back more than 70 years, and its menu hasn’t changed much since then — they only serve prime rib!
Dining at House of Prime Rib is an experience in and of itself and follows very English traditions.
Your cut of prime rib gets carved tableside from a stainless steel serving cart, and your only choices are the temperature and thickness of your meat, whether you want mashed potatoes or loaded baked potatoes, and what you want to drink.
In addition to potatoes, each plate of prime rib also comes with other traditional sides, including creamed spinach, Yorkshire pudding, and a salad (also prepared at your table).
If you’re in San Francisco and want a very classic English-inspired Bay Area dining experience that has been around since 1949, definitely check out House of Prime Rib in the Nob Hill neighborhood.
La Taqueria
No list of San Francisco’s best restaurants would be complete without a taqueria. And, frankly, there are almost too many to choose from.
However, the aptly-named La Taqueria gets lots of nods for its delicious carne asada and carnitas tacos. The tacos are so loaded up with meat, guac, sour cream, and other toppings that you might only need two to get full!
They also offer special options like their “Dorado-Style” tacos, which consist of a crunchy shell inside a soft one, and the “Super” versions of all their tacos, which come piled high with cheese.
La Taqueria is located in the Mission District, which has a long history of Latino residents and amazing Latin American restaurants. In fact, you’d probably be just as well off walking down the street in Mission and hitting up any (or all) of the many taco and burrito spots around!
In Closing…
When it comes to great places for eating in the United States, you’d be hard-pressed to find any better than the San Francisco Bay Area.
We’ve barely scratched the surface of dining out in the Bay Area with the restaurants mentioned in this article, but they are all highly recommended.
Whether you have a 24-hour layover, are visiting for a week, or are living in the Bay Area, treat yourself to a meal at one of these top Bay Area restaurants the next time you don’t feel like cooking!
