Must-eat SF restaurants around $25 per person?
Looking for must-eat SF restaurants that are around $25 per person (assuming 1 entree and 1 drink). I've been going over the boards for popular foodie SF places, but most restaurants that are recommended seem to be on the expensive side (i.e. Chez Panisse, French Laundry mecca type places or even less expensive spots like Aziza or Slanted Door). Aside from mission style burritos, Chinatown picks, and your neighborhood gourmet burger place, are there any other places you would recommend that are good and reasonably priced? The only criteria would probably be that it has to be a super local favorite, quintessential San Francisco, and would have good atmosphere. Thanks!
By krystle920
on Apr 20, 2009 04:49 PM
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Are we talking $25pp out the door, or without tax & tip? Out the door would be Park Chow, which is certainly a local favorite, although not necessarily quintessential SF. However $20 entries and $8 drinks would open you up to a whole new world of choices.
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Thanks, probably $45-60 including tax and tip.
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Velvet Cantina, located on 23rd Street at Bartlett (just below Mission Street) is very good Latin American food with a nice neighborhood vibe, and you're treated that way as well.
Large portions and food you'll remember for all the right reasons. And if you want to spend $25.00/person you'll have to order two drinks!
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Latin food is definitely usually well-priced. In the NY area, we always eat in Port Chester which gives us tons of food and pitchers of sangria. Although atmosphere/trendiness is definitely a bit lacking.
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i'm not from sf - but had some good eats and good atmosphere at
http://www.magnoliapub.com/
http://www.destinosf.com/menu.htm - order tapas
http://www.pizzeriadelfina.com/index.html
also
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/listing...
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Yeah, I was looking at Magnolia and Pizzeria Delfina because they seem to be reasonably priced and popular enough to be SF institutions. Coming from NY though, would you still recommend eating at pizza places such as A16 or Pizzeria Delfina?
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well, like in la, i would try to rise above any comparison b/w pizza in ny and pizza out west. it's a different beast. if you want to enjoy something new/different - go for it. if you don't like anything but ny pies - skip it and save yourself the conclusion that home is so much better. . . but i would think that with everything when your traveling, don't compare, just try to savor the different experience.
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I actually don't really like NY style pizza. However, in recent months, there has been an increasing number of gourmet type / Neapolitan type pizza places that have cropped up in NY. Kinda the new trend. So just wondering if the SF places would be similar to these.
http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/co-company/
http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/...
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Those places sound somewhat similar to Pizzeria Delfina, except they don't look to be as focused on first-rate seasonal ingredients.
Pizzaiolo, Dopo, and A16 have market-driven menus that change daily. Pizza's just one part of what they do, I often don't even order pizza at those places.
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I think this area has evolved distinctive variations on both Italian food in general and pizza in particular that are different from what you have in New York.
Pizzaiolo in Oakland might be the apotheosis of the Chez Panisse-influenced pizzeria. The chef-owner cooked at CP for eight years. http://www.pizzaiolooakland.com/menu/
Dopo in Oakland is another great one. Pizza's similar in style to Delfina's (neither has a wood oven). No menu online I've been able to find.
Pizzeria Delfina is a very SF-style, Cal-Italian place, probably not like anything you have in NY. http://www.pizzeriadelfina.com/menu.html
A16's pizza should be similar to any other Verace Pizza Napoletana-certified place, or anyplace that's doing things that way, but the rest of the menu might be different from what you have in NY. http://a16sf.com/menus
The same chef runs SPQR, a sort of Cal-Roman place. No pizza. Their menu's probably not remotely like anything in NY. http://www.spqrsf.com/menus
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Angkor Borei, Bodega Bistro, Helmand Palace, Larkin Express, Lers Ros, Maykadeh, Memphis Minnie's, Poc-Chuc, and Thai House Express on Larkin are my favorites in that price range.
Bodega Bistro, Hemand Palace, and Maykadeh are pretty nice in terms of decor (e.g. I think they all have tablecloths), if that's what you mean by "atmosphere."
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Thanks, how about Burma Superstar? It seems popular enough and we also don't have a lot of good Burmese restaurants in NY.
I ate at a place called Helmand in Baltimore and it was awesome. Hope they are somewhat related.
Oh and by atmosphere, I don't mean tablecloths necessarily. Just that the restaurant doesn't look like your generic, the owner obviously just ordered restaurant supplies without giving a thought to design decor.
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Those places all have a certain amount of style.
Larkin Express Burmese Kitchen is better than Burma Superstar. If you do go to Burma Superstar, the branches in Alameda and Oakland (just opened) are nicer and you probably wouldn't have to wait.
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Pagan is also better than Burma Superstar and isn't in the Tenderloin -- that would be my vote for Burmese.
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I wasn't impressed with Pagan - but haven't been to BS so can't compare - there is a thread on the chowdown at Pagan recently which you might want to look at to see other ch thoughts.
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Pagan Restaurant
3199 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121
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Isn't BSS in the Inner Richmond?
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Larkin Express Burmese Kitchen is in the Tenderloin. It's right across the street from the Federal Bldg.
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How about Pagolac for their 7-course beef? I've never had this before and I don't think it's common in NY.
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Right now, my list is as follows:
-Dosa on Fillmore
-Poc Chuc
-Burma Superstar
-Pagolac
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The bo 7 mon at Anh Hong in Berkeley is very good. I don't know if the Tenderloin branch is as good.
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Anh Hong Restaurant
808 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94109
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You might want to look at grayelf's thumbs down trip report on Pagolac's 7-courses of beef.
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Dosa on Valencia would be great. I just ate there myself tonight and had a masala dosa ($9) and an appetizer and the total was $20. I didn't have a drink, but if you skip (or share) apps you can get in for around $25 per person.
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How is Dosa on Valencia different from Dosa on Fillmore? I think I will put this on my list as we don't have Indian restaurants in NY with all-natural type ingredients.
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I haven't been to Dosa on Fillmore yet. You can compare the menus online but I believe they are the same menu. Fillmore is a much larger location and most would say has a better atmosphere. I think they have a full bar at Dosa on Fillmore as well. But if you want to check out the Mission I'd go to the Valencia location.
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The menus are very similar for sure, but it feels like there's more on the Filmore menu. Maybe its just having the elbow room and enough light that I can finally /see/ the whole menu at the Filmore.
The Filmore location is much larger, airier, and much nicer in many ways. They took a cavernous old bank space and transformed it into a stylish, varied space that works well. The Valencia location is a more packed, intimate, bustling buzz when it gets crowded at night. In some ways that might be more exciting. Other times in other moods its just loud and uncomfortable. I've loved Dosa every time I've been, so I don't want to sound too down on the Valencia location.
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Thanks, just made a reservation at Dosa on Fillmore for Thursday night!
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I don't think I've ever made it out of Dosa for under $25pp -- but I' a big eater and I always get at least one round from the bar. My last visit, at the Filmore location, my family of 4 (two and a half non-drinkers) spent $120 w/tip, if my memory serves me... I'd definitely put Dosa on the must-eat list, but not in the OP's price point.
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The pasta dishes at Perbacco are under $20 and they serve their dinner menu at the bar. Personally I'd opt for a salad instead of a drink. I posted a similar question and received Plouf as a recommendation. Their steamed mussels are enough for a meal and the atmosphere is unique.
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Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Plouf
40 Belden Place, San Francisco, CA 94104
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Also, does anyone know how much it usually costs to eat at Sushi Ran? They don't seem to have their menu online.
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It would definitely vary depending on what you order but would definitely be more than $25pp. Probably a good deal more.
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dunno about "quintassential SF" but I *love* L'Osteria del Forno (North Beach, cash only, no reservations) and Helmand Palace (Russian Hill)
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Noticed this price was listed as $26/pp.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/590638
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