Local Dish: The Haute 5 Favorite Restaurants for Locals in San Francisco

Living in a fantastic city like San Francisco has many advantages. One of the best is all the amazing cuisine the city has to offer. If you ever visit the San Francisco, it’s best to avoid the tourist locations and experience the city like a local.  Here are a few spots where residents like to dine.

Blue Bottle Coffee

Though technically not a restaurant, I felt that Blue Bottle Coffee Company had to be placed on this list. Blue Bottle, which is a Bay Area based organic coffee company, has mini cafes sprinkled all over San Francisco and are extremely popular with residents. In addition to their sophisticated coffees, they serve a variety of tasty desserts.

Blue Bottle Coffee Company has varies locations over the Bay Area. They can be found at www.bluebottlecoffee.net.

NOPA

Aptly named due to its location north of the panhandle, this restaurant has been garnering local attention for some time now. NOPA aims to serve rustic and organic wood-fired American cuisine. They always use seasonal ingredients and keep the dishes simple and delicious.

NOPA is located at 560 Divisadero St., San Francisco. For reservations call 415.864.8643 or visit www.nopasf.com.

A16

Walk by this venue on a weekend night and you will easily notice the popularity of this restaurant. Named after the highway that runs from Naples to Canosa, Puglia, this dimly lit upscale Italian restaurant is a well known Marina spot for any San Franciscan. A16’s staple dishes are their handcrafted Neapolitan pizzas and their vast Italian wine list.

A16 is located at 2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco. For reservations call 415.771.2216 or visit www.a16sf.com.

Frascati

This Russian Hill bistro serves scrumptious food, but watch out. Their menu threatens that to steal your cell phone if you use it in the retaurant and make it into soup. Their cuisine is focused on fare from the Mediterranean Coast, which consists of mainly Italian and French influenced dishes. This bright restaurant is located on a cable car lined street and attracts foodies from all over SF. Their menu changes daily in order to take advantage of fresh and seasonal ingredients.

Frascati is located at 1901 Hyde St., San Francisco. For reservations call 415.928.1406 or visit www.frascatisf.com.

Firefly

This eatery promises you not only the “Fried Chicken of Your Dreams” but a great experience as well. This restaurant has a cozy neighborhood feel and is more casual than you would expect out of a top rated restaurant. Don’t be fouled though, they definitely deliver on delicious cuisine that has locals going back for more.

Firefly is located at 4288 24th St., San Francisco. For reservations call 415.821.7652 or visit www.fireflyrestaurant.com.