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18 restaurants vital to San Francisco
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San Francisco’s greatest restaurants are an extension of the city’s diversity and proximity to some of the country’s best produce and farms. Despite how tiny it is relative to other major cities—it’s only seven miles by seven miles, as any local can rattle off to you immediately—there are thousands of superb spots to eat.
An al fresco stunner in the Mission has served Mediterranean-inspired farm-to-table fare since before it was trendy. Both the MICHELIN guide and the James Beard Foundation gave nods to an inventive American small plates spot in the Western Addition. An adored seafood joint in the Richmond gives the Asian-Cajun treatment to local Dungeness crab.
The restaurants that are essential to Golden Gate City include all-time classics rooted in deep histories and newer additions that offer contemporary spins on a range of global cuisines. Read on for a guide to San Francisco’s 18 greatest restaurants to book now.
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