Romantic Restaurants in San Francisco

By Barbara Koh

San Francisco Expert, about.com

 

There’s no better way to mark Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and other momentous events than with a meal. And if you can’t or don’t want to cook, you’re fortunate to be in San Francisco, which is bursting with romantic and special occasion restaurants that serve superb food. Here are some of the city’s best, as well as acclaimed restaurants run by couples and info on dining in places you may have overlooked.

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For Valentine’s Day 2015, Open Table lists hundreds of San Francisco and Bay Area restaurants, many with prix fixe menus or other specials.

* San Francisco Restaurants for Special Occasions *

Acquerello
Elegant and sumptuous, this two-Michelin-star restaurant in a former chapel has a vaulted ceiling, soft lighting and a rose on each table. Choose a prix fixe of three to five courses or the tasting menu of the restaurant’s contemporary Italian dishes. The wine list is as long as a book. 1722 Sacramento St., San Francisco 94109. (415) 567-5432.

Aziza
Michelin-star nouveau Moroccan by Mourad Lahlou. The Morocco native cooks up sophisticated twists on the traditional cuisine, using duck confit instead of pigeon in the basteeya and subbing farro for couscous, for instance. The exciting dishes are served amid low lighting and arches and bright colors that evoke Morocco. 5800 Geary Blvd., San Francisco 94121. (415) 752-2222.

Gitane
On the relatively secluded Claude Lane, this French-Spanish restaurant feels like a little hideaway in the bustling Financial District. Rich colors, big mirrors, dim lighting, swooping tapestry, eclectic artwork and décor, and a dining room that overlooks the gleaming bar add up to a swanky, romantic atmosphere. Try the bonbons (goat-cheese-stuffed prunes wrapped in prosciutto) to start and sherry and the chocolate cremeux to finish. 6 Claude Lane, San Francisco 94108. (415) 788-6686.

Jardiniere 
California-French cuisine in a two-story dining room with a balcony, sheer curtains, sparkling lights, table lamps and mahogany and marble accents. Its Civic Center location makes Jardiniere a natural date-night choice, paired with an opera, symphony or ballet performance. 300 Grove St., San Francisco 94102. (415) 861-5555.

La Folie 
This Michelin-star contemporary French restaurant, opened by Roland Passot in 1988, has stylish, tall columns, drapes and mirrored walls. Prix fixe menus of three, four and five courses are offered; choose among dishes like pig’s feet with sweetbread and lobster terrine, Burgundy snails in Pernod lemon butter, duck breast with confit gateau and smoked duck tongue, and Edam cheese soufflé. 2316 Polk St., San Francisco 94109. (415) 776-5577.

* Restaurants Run on Love *

[post_ads_2]If you like the idea of love having had a role in your meal, there are several excellent San Francisco restaurants operated by couples. They include: Ame (Michelin-star Californian-Asian cuisine in the St. Regis Hotel, by chef Hiro Sone and pastry chef Lissa Doumani); Canela Bistro Bar (Spanish, by chef Mat Schuster and wine guru Paco Cifuentes); Cotogna and the two-Michelin-star Quince (adjoining Italian restaurants owned by chef Michael Tusk and wife Lindsay Tusk); Rich Table (casual ambiance; chefs Evan and Sarah Rich); and State Bird Provisions (holder of a Michelin star and winner of the 2013 James Beard Award for best new restaurant in America; chef Stuart Brioza and pastry chef Nicole Krasinski).

* Dine on the Bay *

For instant romantic ambiance, think water (waterfalls, lakes, ponds, fountains). We're fortunate to have a lovely bay, and boats on which you can wine and dine. For Valentine's Day and other holidays, San Francisco Bay cruises add things like cocktails, chocolate, music and dancing to the rides.

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In 2015, Hornblower’s various Valentine cruises from San Francisco on Feb. 13-15 include dinner-and-dancing cruises and Champagne brunch cruises. Hornblower also has dinner-and-dancing cruises from Berkeley on Feb. 14. From Pier 39, Adventure Cat Sailing Charters offers a 1.5-hour sunset sail aboard a 55-foot catamaran; included in the ticket price are beverages and light hors d'oeuvres. 

* Dine at a Hotel *

On restaurant-crowded dates (which in San Francisco means any Saturday night), consider dining at a hotel, which may well have tables available. Though they may not have celebrity chefs, San Francisco’s top hotels generally provide smooth service and attractive food and surroundings. For New Year’s Eve, Mother’s Day, Easter and other holidays, most of them offer special menus or packages that combine dining with accommodations, spa treatments or other features.