Waves of Asian and Central American immigrants have made San Francisco a flavorful and festive hotbed of cheap taquerias, backstreet Chinese holes-in-the-wall, gracious Thai and Vietnamese establishments, reasonably priced sushi houses, and Korean barbecue joints. Oakland is known for Southern-style eats and its less touristy version of Chinatown; and Berkeley has its Gourmet Ghetto, with everything a foodie could want. Marin County and the South Bay, though generally more expensive, both have their share of worthwhile restaurants, with Marin County’s known for their waterfront views.
For serious mavens, a trip to Alice Waters’ legendary Chez Panisse is a must: It’s the birthplace of the seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired style known as California cuisine. You can sample great versions of this now common fare at hundreds of excellent sit-down restaurants throughout the Bay Area where entrees cost less than $10-$15. In addition, we’ve included a handful of the city’s most cutting-edge restaurants, where entrees cost up to $20 – but at any of these places you can get away with ordering appetizers for dinner or splitting a main course. Our price categories refer to the cost of the majority of main courses at the establishment being reviewed. Unless otherwise noted, the restaurants in this chapter accept one or more major credit cards.
