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The Starter

It’s that time of year. Across the country, food writers have been experiencing the agony and the ecstasy of compiling best-of lists. They’re celebratory and subjective, exclusionary and eternal. Someone’s feelings are going to get hurt. Someone is going to be elated. 

That goes double for San Francisco chefs, an understandably sensitive cohort. If you prick them, they definitely bleed — and sometimes attack you on social media in response.

So it was with some trepidation this week that we anointed San Francisco’s best new restaurants of the year. Plenty of great places opened here in 2025, but barring the ones that were near unanimously fawned over by both local and national writers — The Happy Crane, Jules, and the eight-seat Fù Huì Huá (where, like teensy Sun Moon Studio, we couldn’t get a table) — there weren’t a ton of smash-you-over-the-head hits. It wasn’t a weak year. Just a diffuse one.

This meant The Standard’s picks became more personal. Limiting ourselves to 10, with wiggle room for some runners-up, we had to make some tough choices. We put each restaurant through a type of personality test: Did it excite us? Did it add something to the city’s food scene? Had it been open long enough to prove itself? Would we recommend it to our most discerning friends? Would we return ourselves? 

We all had our own love affairs. Astrid fought hard for Ciaorigato, which they loved for its cocktails, freewheeling approach to Itameshi cuisine, and sheer gorgeousness. Lauren fell for Arquet, the ambitious new anchor to the Ferry Building, helmed by Alex Hong, the chef at Sorrel. And I was a champion of Meski (pictured), not just because of chef Nelson German’s playful mashup of Ethiopian and Dominican food but because it has consciously created a vibrant, velvet-rope scene for a community often sidelined in San Francisco. 

We unanimously rallied around the Indonesian barbecue at Fikscue — where, on a perfect day overlooking the Mission Bay waterfront, we demolished a behemoth plate of beef “dino ribs” and braised coconut-milk greens. While the Alameda location has lines, the Thrive City location is comparatively quiet, so get yourself there.

Speaking of casual, another shift shaped our list: Across the country, it’s become the norm for best-of lists to celebrate a more eclectic group of restaurants — everything from street food to mom-and-pop shops to fine dining. It is a great trend — one that motivated us to enthusiastically include the new Outta Sight Pizza in Chinatown and Jalebi Street, a family-run Upper Haight joint focused on North Indian street food. True, neither has service like Via Aurelia’s or a cocktail program like Bar Brucato’s. But that slice of shoyu-glazed Spam, jalapeño, and pineapple: fantastic. And the chole bhature with chickpeas? We’ve been dreaming of it. 

When I returned to our north-star questions, the answer to almost all of our top new restaurants was, “Hell, yes!”

— Sara Deseran (@saradeseran_food)

Got a hot tip, a juicy morsel, a spicy take? Email offmenu@sfstandard.com.

Reads of the Week

The 10 best new SF restaurants of 2025The electrified dining scene brought a modern Chinese gem, a line-inducing pizzeria, and a barbecue phenom’s first location in the city.

The best new SF bars of 2025Beer is back, Korean rice wines are trending, and classic cocktails continue to reign supreme.

SF’s 12 best martinis, according to a panel of restaurant prosWhether you prefer them shaken, stirred, dry, or extra dirty, here’s where you should order them.

This restaurant may annoy the hell out of you. Then you’ll fall in loveOnce you get past the frustrating reservation system, La Cigale is a cozy, live-fire restaurant that showcases regional southern French cuisine.

Rich Table is getting another sibling. Here’s the first peekRT Bistro will be an extension of chefs Sarah and Evan Rich’s eclectic style of cooking — not just steak frites.

Sara’s picks

If you don’t want to cook on Christmas (or don’t celebrate), Thanh Long — the beloved Vietnamese restaurant in the Outer Sunset that draws people from all over for crab and garlic noodles — is open. Snag yourself a reservation.

A stiff drink and a little jazz at dark and divey The Royal Cuckoo Organ Lounge at the base of Bernal make a merry combo. Follow the bar on Instagram for the music schedule (and if Lavay Smith is playing, make haste).

A bag of tamales is the kind of hostess gift I’d like to receive this holiday season. In past years, I’ve ordered the great ones from Donaji, the cute Oaxacan restaurant in the Mission. Fillings include chicken tinga and pork with achiote, cheese, and pepper.

Lauren’s picks

After coming home from a long bout of travel full of heavy eating (as I did Sunday), I always crave a massive salad. My go to? The famous kale salad ($13) from Quik Dog, a mountain of curly greens with avocado, parmesan, pepitas, and slow-cooked egg yolk dressing.

It’s panettone season, and if you can’t get your hands on the city’s most popular one, I suggest turning to Starter Bakery, which is taking orders. Chocolate orange panettone ($62) can be picked up in Berkeley until Sunday. It was a hit with my family last Christmas.

This holiday season I’m skipping the usual hostess gift — a bottle of wine — in favor of more unusual beverages. For a recent Hanukkah dinner, that meant Brucato’s Woodlands amaro ($45), which you can find at Bar Brucatoor local stores, including Bi-Rite. Herbal but chocolatey-sweet, it’s perfect for sipping after a big meal.

This week’s don't-miss pop-ups

Dec. 20 

Egg Pals and Molly’s Refresher at Ramen Shop

Head to Ramen Shop in Oakland for the third annual breakfast party with Egg Pals and Molly’s Refresher. It runs from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will feature festive beverages, “a new seasonal tea for gifting,” and more.

Dec. 21 

The Merriest Bar at Nightingale Bar

San Francisco’s most prolific bar group is bringing the cheer downtown with The Merriest Bar, a holiday pop-up. The Christmas-themed drinks menu includes Fireside Flannel ($15), made with chai-spiced vodka, Fuji and green apple juices, Pommeau, cinnamon, and bubbles. 

Dec. 22 

Industry night at York Street SF

Coffee pop-up York Street SF is wrapping up its residency in the former Lucca space at 1100 Valencia Street with a series of events that run Dec. 18 to 22. The final event will be a free-to-attend party featuring Bar Tanuki, Last Rites, and Kope House. 

Tables for two to grab right now

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