These beautiful restaurants in San Francisco didn’t skimp when it came to the design of their dining rooms, and the results are absolutely phenomenal. Here’s a list of some of the most beautiful restaurants in the city, compiled with a little help from our Instagram followers. Check them out this Valentine’s Day!
1. Tonga Room
The beloved Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar is one of the longest continually running tiki bars in the States. It’s basically everything a tiki bar should be; an explosion of deliciously kitsch tropical decor with all the themed, lethal cocktails and Polynesian-fusion dishes you could hope for. But it truly stands out for the large plunge pool in the center of the room, where a live bands performs on a floating thatched-roof boat.
Location: Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason Street
2. Palm Court Restaurant
This gleaming live-fire restaurant is a nod to SF’s Gilded Age in the newly-opened RH San Francisco Gallery. When RH overhauled Pier 70’s historic 5-story Bethlehem Steel Building, they took great care to create a luxurious dining space featuring palm trees below an enormous skylight, which was quickly recognized as one of the most beautiful restaurants in San Francisco. Treat yourself to a gourmet meal while taking in the grand chandeliers, trickling fountain, and gold marble details. If you can’t commit to a Wagyu ribeye steak or beet carpaccio, consider ordering a glass of wine at the bar and taking a stroll through the galleries or up to the rooftop garden.
Location: 590 20th Street
3. Foreign Cinema
This magical SF restaurant is famous for its romantic outdoor patio adorned with string lights and a large screen to project films. The soft lighting contrasts beautifully with the industrial concrete walls, a theme that applies to their indoor dining room as well. Enjoy beautifully-prepared oysters and shellfish, creative salads, and entrees made from seasonal ingredients.
Location: 2534 Mission Street
4. Che Fico
Enjoy handmade pizzas and California-inspired Italian fare at this spacious and beautiful restaurant in San Francisco. Their long family-style table is illuminated by sculptural chandeliers that cast a lovely warm light, and the entire space is adorned with creeping vines and dried florals suspended from exposed wooden beams. Gorgeous decor aside, Che Fico still fosters a relaxing and casual dining environment where you can dine on tasty pizza and pasta dishes, as well as rotating seasonal entrees.
Location: 838 Divisadero Street
5. Villon
This pale blue dining room at San Francisco Proper Hotel is simply gorgeous to look at from every angle. You can tell an immense amount of thought went into every detail from the patterned floors, to the textured walls, to the library ladder behind the bar, to the interesting fabric light fixtures. The menu centers around New American cuisine highlighting creative seafood dishes and seasonal roasted vegetables.
Location: San Francisco Proper Hotel, 1100 Market Street
6. Mourad
This innovative Michelin-starred Moroccan restaurant has a vibrant, shiny interior that reflects the punchiness of its flavorful menu. The large glass windows reflect shimmering golden light from the disco ball-style bulbs suspended throughout the space, which contrasts gorgeously with the denim blue walls. The menu itself showcases the best of Moroccan cuisine with a modern, Californian twist – think couscous, halibut and lamb dishes with bright flavors and dynamic spices.
Location: 140 New Montgomery Street
7. Jaranita
Jaranita is a popular Peruvian grill and rotisserie, known for its colorful yunza tree decked out with multicolored ribbons and lights. It comes from a Peruvian tradition in which people fill a tree with gifts at the end of Carnaval celebrations, and anything taken from the tree must be returned twofold the following year. At Jaranita you can hang a ribbon from the branches yourself in the spirit of community, or simply admire it while you enjoy some seriously flavorful entrees. Be sure to stop by during happy hour from 4-6pm Monday through Friday for $15 cocktail flights – on Mondays and Thursdays, they also have live music.
Location: 3340 Steiner Street
8. Son & Garden
You’ve probably come across pics of Son & Garden on Instagram, as it’s filled with stunning flower canopies and decor that make for great backdrops. The Asian-influenced menu brings picture-perfect dishes that fit in spectacularly with the rest of the restaurant, the most impressive of which is the Cloud 9 Cocktail topped with a swirl of cotton candy and an edible butterfly.
Location: 700 Polk Street
9. Baia
Baia is a vegan Italian restaurant that stands out for its shining cascade of transparent stars suspended from the ceiling. The sculptural 4-pointed stars make for a stunning focal point over the bar visible from all 3 floors of the restaurant, and the interior’s dusty blue and gold accents add to the celestial theme. Visit Baia for spectacular vegan dishes including pizzas, pastas, risotto, lasagna, polenta, bruschetta, and plenty more.
Location: 300 Grove Street
10. Bix
Be transported to the 1930s at this swanky 2-story supper club where everyone dresses to impress. The entire dining room exudes an ambiance of Hollywood glamor, from the white-jacketed waiters to the nightly live jazz music and the grand staircase. Be sure to take a look around at the paintings embellishing the walls, and snap a pic out front where string lights dress up a modest alley lined with red-brick walls. As for the menu, you won’t be disappointed with indulgent American-French dishes including braised pork and classic shrimp cocktail.
Location: 56 Gold Street
Featured image: RH