San Francisco

In the year since my last visit, the restaurant has found its center, and the service has become smooth, understated and seemingly effortless. Saison is now playing in the big leagues. — San Francisco Chronicle

A full-fledged tasting menu kind of place, a reservation here is best reserved for a special occasion. — goop

His house-made chickpea ravioli comes in a pepper-spiced squid sauce, and his Roman-style oxtail stew is subtly seasoned with cloves and cinnamon. — Travel + Leisure

This is poetic culinaria at its best, complete with poetry for menus, and artsy plating with food served on slabs of bark, slate, and eucalyptus branches. — Frommer's

Three words: Get the chicken. This San Francisco institution has been in business for more than 35 years and is most famous for its cooked-to-order roast chicken for two. — Where

The highly seasonal and obsessively sourced food (some of it is even foraged by chef Patterson) matches the space in sophistication. — Fodor's

Be prepared to wait your turn for a table behind chef Gary Danko's legion of loyal fans, who typically keep the reservation book chock-full here. — Fodor's

"Nostalgics" insist the lively "banter with the owners behind the counter" is the extra sauce sealing its deal as “the Valhalla of seafood." — Zagat

Delfina is a restaurant that has consistently won praise for more than a decade, and it's still tough to get a reservation. — Condé Nast Traveler

Must-order items include innovative snacks like sardine chips and porcini doughnuts and creative cocktails. — Where

Airy, sexy room serves late. — Not For Tourists

One of the first restaurants in the city to base its menu around its (outstanding) cocktail program, Beretta is always packed—and for good reason — Where

The Italian-inspired cuisine with farmers ingredients excels at bread-like items, like flatbread and farinata (a chicpea cake). — Fodor's

While the menu and wine list change daily... the Foreign Cinema in the Mission serves up a full oyster bar and California/Mediterranean-influenced dishes with the movie. — Travel + Leisure

Dim sum with a Michelin twist—don't miss the signature quail. — Bon Appétit

Postpone the diet and pack your credit card if you want to enjoy the adventurous menu at this five-star restaurant run by the namesake local chef. — Rough Guide

The concise menu always includes the fan favorite, “pretty hot” wings and “chicken fat rice” with ginger-poached chicken, but pretty much everything is worth trying here. — Frommer's

Bringing good value, rusticity, refinement, and an affinity for pork, this is the kind of sophisticated and soulful cuisine that we all wish we ate a little more often. — Michelin Guide

The Mission District is filled with taquerias—but Californios attracts patrons seeking cerebral Mexican cuisine — Condé Nast Traveler