The 15 best restaurants in San Francisco

1529 Fillmore Street

Food: 4.7

Husband-and-wife team Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski have created a "cutting-edge" restaurant with a "vibe as exciting as the food," Zagat diners rave.

If you can get a reservation, the quail (or "state bird," as it's labeled on the menu) is a must-try.

3870 17th Street

Food: 4.7

This cozy neighborhood spot in the Castro can get crowded, but its Californian creations are worth the wait.

Applewood-smoked bacon beignets and "lumberjack cakes" are diner favorites.

2316 Polk Street

Food: 4.7

Chef Roland Passot opened this contemporary French restaurant in 1988, and critics have loved it ever since.

The tasting menu is pricey, but it provides a full "epicurean delight," according to Zagat diners.

1556 Stockton Street

Food: 4.7

Tony's Coal Fired Pizza and Slice House is the takeaway cousin to Tony Gemignani's sit-down pizza joint located just two doors down.

New York- and New Haven-style pizza is the name of the game here, and many visitors take their pizza to enjoy in Washington Square Park across the street.

1230 Grant Avenue

Food: 4.7

The House offers up inventive Asian fusion dishes in a small, somewhat cramped setting that's popular for both lunch and dinner.

Zagat diners are fans of the joint's sake and wine menu, and say the food "continues to impress."

1570 Stockton Street

Food: 4.7

Twelve-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani cooks his delicious pies in seven different types of ovens he has on the property.

Lines can get long here, but fans say it's well worth the wait.

22 Hawthorne Street

Food: 4.8

This SoMa restaurant has minimalist decor and an extremely pricey tasting menu.

Still, Zagat diners rave that eating at Benu is an "experience that won't soon be forgotten" and that "you'll be overwhelmed by the creativity and imagination."

1 Mission Street

Food: 4.8

With vintage French decorations and beautiful views of the Bay Bridge, Boulevard is a San Francisco favorite.

Noted chef Nancy Oakes serves an outstanding New American menu that includes Spanish-style octopus and fresh sea scallops.

2821 California Street

Food: 4.8

Grab a morning coffee and world-class pastries at this European-style cafe in Lower Pacific Heights.

Highlights include chocolate-banana-almond croissants and a flaky kouign amann.

584 Washington Street

Food: 4.8

Chef Mitsunori Kusakabe crafts "beautiful cuts of fish" at this Financial District sushi spot.

The omakase certainly isn't cheap — one prix fixe menu will set you back $95 a person, while another costs $150 each — but Zagat diners rave that it is indeed worth the splurge.

291 30th Street

Food: 4.8

Husband-and-wife owners Massimiliano Conti and Lorella Degan provide a welcoming eating experience at this Italian mainstay in Noe Valley.

Though the focus is Sardinia, the wine menu features 180 labels from all over Italy.

200 Jackson Street

Food: 4.8

With a large fireplace and lots of handmade pottery, this longtime downtown favorite is both rustic and elegant.

Diners and Zagat reviewers love Kokkari's menu, which features Greek classics like moussaka, lamb shanks, and baked feta.

800 North Point Street

Food: 4.8

Award-winning chef Gary Danko creates time-honored classics like roast Maine lobster and lamb loin at his eponymous restaurant.

The spot also ranked highly on Zagat's measures of service and decor.

1722 Sacramento Street

Food: 4.9

Acquerello is a romantic Nob Hill restaurant with food that Zagat diners describe as "divinely inspired" and "world-class."

There are two tasting menus, including a seasonal version that has a number of surprises from the chef.