The Big Eat 2018: 100 Dishes to Devour in San Francisco
The Snug's Bodega "burger" riffs on the East Coast–style chopped cheese. (Photo by Jordan Wise, courtesy of @thesnugsf)

The Big Eat 2018: 100 Dishes to Devour in San Francisco

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Clear your calendars, do a quick cleanse, and grab your stretchy pants—the 2018 Big Eat is here.

In the eating making of this year's annual feature, we learned a few things, starting with the fact that San Francisco still (or perhaps increasingly) has an absurd number of ridiculously good restaurants, and that the past year has been hella for openings.


We also learned that we are surrounded by pushers who keep us addicted to pizza, burgers, barbecue, fried chicken, tacos, and ice cream...and that we may not be eating enough vegetables (though we have notated vegetarian dishes here). We seem to have cut back on gluten (look for the GF), but we're not even close to giving it up—give us a plate of piping-hot potato flatbread and we'll dip it in anything lying around. Fortunately for us, there's no shortage of divine cheap eats here, but splurge-worthy tasting menus are also trending.

This year's Big Eat features a belly-busting number of new dishes to try—76 to be exact (*each noted with an asterisk). Many of these plates are standouts from the city's hottest newcomers, and several are old favorites that we may forever crave—all are listed in random order (we're not that hardcore!). All in all, they represent the very tastiest dishes we ate in 2017 (and early 2018)—but we confess they only scratch the surface of the yumminess available in SF. As always, restaurant menus rotate regularly and some dishes may be seasonal, so make sure to call ahead.

More than anything, we learned that we eat entirely too much. And by "we," we mean you. So get to eating! And share your progress and pics with us on Instagram with the hashtag #7x7bigeat2018.

Duna's potato flatbread and can't-eat-just-one dips.(Sarah Chorey)

  1. *Palak chaat (V) at August 1 Five, 524 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center), august1five.com
  2. *Gnudi (V) at Villon, The Proper Hotel, 1100 Market St. (Civic Center), properhotel.com
  3. *Bodega "Burger" at The Snug, 2301 Fillmore St. (Pacific Heights), thesnugsf.com
  4. *Omakase at Robin, 620 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), robinsanfrancisco.com
  5. *Cauliflower fritters (V) at Barcino, 399 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), barcinosf.com
  6. *Chimney cone at Garden Creamery, 2566 20th St. (Mission), gardencreamery.com
  7. *Moh Hinga at Burma Superstar, 309 Clement St. (Inner Richmond), burmasuperstar.com
  8. *'Toga tots (V) at The Saratoga, 1000 Larkin St. (TenderNob), thesaratogasf.com
  9. *Fried chicken torta at Glena's Tacos & Margaritas, 632 20th St. (Dogpatch), glenassf.com
  10. *Roasted chicken with douglas fir sour cream at RT Rotisserie, 101 Oak St. (Hayes Valley), rtrotisserie.com
  11. *The nine-course tasting menu ($225) at Eight Tables, 8 Kenneth Rexroth Pl. (Russian Hill), eighttables.com
  12. *Caviar service at Gibson, Hotel Bijou, 111 Mason St. (Tenderloin), gibsonsf.com
  13. *Tuna melt at City Counter, 115 Sansome St. (FiDi), citycountersf.com
  14. *Smoked potato flatbread with all the spreads at Duna, 983 Valencia St. (Mission), duna.kitchen
  15. *Fish + chips at Hook Fish Co., 4542 Irving St. (Outer Sunset), hookfishco.com
  16. *Adventure bread (GF) at The Mill, 736 Divisadero St. (Fillmore), themillsf.com
  17. *Ham & cheese croissant at Arsicault Bakery, 397 Arguello Blvd (Inner Richmond), 415-750-9460
  18. *Coddled eggs (breakfast and lunch) at Tartine Manufactory, 595 Alabama St. (Mission), tartinemanufactory.com
  19. *Dungeness crab and aged cheddar fondue at True Laurel, 753 Alabama St. (Mission), truelaurelsf.com
  20. *Huarache (brunch only) at Flores, 2030 Union St. (Cow Hollow), floressf.com
  21. *Monkey bread (V) at Corridor, 100 Van Ness Ave (Civic Center), corridorsf.com
  22. *Cookie Monster boozy milkshake at Trademark & Copyright Bar, 1123 Folsom St. (SoMa), trademarksfc.com
  23. *King-Dum at Dumpling Time, 11 Division St. (SoMa), dumplingtimesf.com
  24. *Matcha green tea shaved snow at Powder, 260 Divisadero St. (Lower Haight), powdershavedsnow.com
  25. *Prawn toast at Mister Jiu's, 28 Waverly Pl. (Chinatown), misterjius.com
  26. *Pork mapo tofu at Mission Chinese Food, 2234 Mission St. (Mission), missionchinesefood.com/sfo
  27. *Carnitas taco at El Gallo Giro (969 Treat Ave.), el-gallo-giro.cafe-inspector.com
  28. *Chicken biryani at Pakwan, multiple locatons, pakwanrestaurant.com
  29. *The Fideua at Bellota, 888 Brannan St. (SoMa), bellotasf.com
  30. *Breakwiches at The Board, 1077 Mission St. (SoMa), deliboardsf.com/the-board
  31. *Tasting menu ($113 all inclusive) at Aina, 900 22nd St. (Dogpatch), ainasf.com
  32. *CA pistachio with Maldon sea salt at Coletta Gelato, 685 Harrison St. (SoMa), colettagelato.com
  33. *Smoked Liberty Farms duck ($104) at The Morris, 2501 Mariposa St. (Mission), themorris-sf.com
  34. *Brisket at Native Sons BBQ pop-up (various locations), facebook.com/nsbbq
  35. *Brine pickled French fries (V) at Al's Place, 1499 Valencia St. (Mission), alsplacesf.com
  36. *Date sticky pudding (V) at Azalina's, The Market, 1355 Market St. (Mid-Market), azalinas.com
  37. *Asparagus pancetta pizza at Beretta, 1119 Valencia St. (Mission), berettasf.com
  38. *Russian honey cake (V) at 20th Century Cafe, 198 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), 20thcenturycafe.com
  39. House-made ricotta (V) at Causwells, 2346 Chestnut St. (Marina), causwells.com
  40. *Tori paitan ramen at Mensho Ramen, 672 Geary St. (TenderNob), mensho.tokyo
  41. *Rockfish a la talla at Cala, 149 Fell St. (Hayes Valley), calarestaurant.com
  42. *Sunday supper at Cotogna, 490 Pacific Ave. (Jackson Square), cotognasf.com
  43. *19-course prix-fixe ($157) at Californios, 3115 22nd St. (Mission), californiossf.com
  44. Hot dog at 4505 Burgers & BBQ, 705 Divisadero St. (NoPa), 4505burgersandbbq.com
  45. Oops! I Dropped the Lemon Tart (V) at In Situ, SFMOMA, 151 3rd St. (SoMa), insitu.sfmoma.org
  46. King Henry VIII cut (GF) at House of Prime Rib, 1906 Van Ness Ave. (Nob Hill), houseofprimerib.net
  47. *Lamb shoulder ($145/serves 2-4) at Mourad, 140 New Montgomery (SoMa) mouradsf.com
  48. *Mushroom tartine (V) at Petit Crenn, 609 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), petitcrenn.com
  49. *Fish aqua pazza at Locanda, 557 Valencia St. (Mission), locandasf.com
  50. *Pastrami salmon sandwich at Wise Sons Bagel & Bakery, 1520 Fillmore St. (NoPa), wisesonsdeli.com
  51. Salt and pepper crab at R&G Lounge, 631 Kearny St. (Chinatown), rnglounge.com
  52. *Panko avocado taco (V) at Lolo, 974 Valencia St. (Mission), lolosf.com
  53. Grilled lamb chops at Kokkari Estiatorio, 200 Jackson St. (Jackson Square), kokkari.com
  54. Special bánh mì at Dinosaurs, 2275 Market St. (Upper Market), eatdinosaurs.bigcartel.com
  55. Breakfast potatoes at Plow, 1299 18th St (Potrero Hill), eatatplow.com
  56. *Burger at Finn Town, 2251 Market St. (Upper Market), finntownsf.com
  57. Custard French toast (V) at Nopa, 560 Divisadero St (NoPa), nopasf.com
  58. Shanghai dumpling at Yank Sing (multiple locations), yanksing.com
  59. "Deviled" egg (GF) at Octavia, 1701 Octavia St. (Pacific Heights), octavia-sf.com
  60. *Impossible burger (V) at Jardiniere, 300 Grove St. (Civic Center), jardiniere.com
  61. *A Walk in the Forest at Atelier Crenn, 3127 Fillmore St. (Cow Hollow), ateliercrenn.com
  62. *Spaghittusu cun allu ollu e bottariga at La Ciccia, 291 30th St. (Noe Valley), laciccia.com
  63. *Warm cabbage, house buttermilk and uni bottarga (tasting menu only, $97) at Lord Stanley, 2065 Polk St. (Nob Hill), lordstanleysf.com
  64. Karaage chicken and beer waffle at Nomica, 2223 Market St. (Upper Market), nomicasf.com
  65. *Broccoli di ciccio pizza at Del Popolo, 855 Bush St. (TenderNob), delpopolosf.com
  66. Beef heart tartare at Cockscomb, 564 Fourth St. (SoMa), cockscombsf.com
  67. Fancy oyster at Leo's Oyster Bar, 568 Sacramento St. (FiDi), leossf.com
  68. The Prix-Fixe Menu ($275) at Quince, 470 Pacific Ave. (Jackson Square), quincerestaurant.com
  69. Spring rolls at Slanted Door, 1 Ferry Building #3 (Embarcadero), slanteddoor.com
  70. Falafel bowl (V, GF) at Sababa, 329 Kearny St. (FiDi), sababasf.com
  71. *Assorted sashimi at Saru, 3856 24th St. (Noe Valley), akaisarusf.com
  72. *Avocado "toast" on croissant at Le Marais Bakery, 498 Sanchez St. (Castro), lemaraisbakery.com
  73. *Seasonal kouign amann (V) at B. Patisserie, 2821 California St. (Pacific Heights), bpatisserie.com
  74. Fried chicken at Wing Wings, 422 Haight St. (Lower Haight), wingwingssf.com
  75. *Daily pizza (V) at Arizmendi Bakery, multiple locations, arizmendibakery.com
  76. *House noodles with beef at Yamo, 3406 18th St. (Mission), 415-553-8911
  77. *Chilaquiles at Primavera, Saturdays at Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market (Embarcadero), cuesa.org
  78. *Duck noodle soup at Hy Kai Mi Gia, 707 Ellis St. (Tenderloin),
  79. * Khan Toke salad (V) at Khan Toke Thai House, 5927 Geary Blvd. (Outer Richmond), khantokethaihouse.com
  80. *Heated Danish (V) at Louis', 902 Point Lobos Ave. (Sea Cliff), louissf.com
  81. *Eggs Avignon at Zazie, 941 Cole St. (Cole Valley), zaziesf.com
  82. *Third Culture Bakery's mochi muffin (V, GF) at Boba Guys, 429 Stockton St. (Union Square), bobaguys.com
  83. Mary's Free Range chicken salad at Souvla (multiple locations), souvla.com
  84. Sesame chicken at House of Nanking, 919 Kearny St. (Chinatown), houseofnanking.net
  85. *Parisien empanada at El Sur, 300 De Haro St., Ste. 342 (Potrero Hill), elsursf.com
  86. *Cleopatra wrap (V) at Turner's Kitchen, 3505 17th St. (Mission), turnerskitchensf.com
  87. *Grilled chicken tacos at Taqueria la Alteña, 3346 Mission St. (Mission), taquerialaaltena.com
  88. Tuna poke (GF) at Liholiho Yacht Club, 871 Sutter St. (Tendernob), liholihoyachtclub.com
  89. Cast-iron grilled cheese sandwich (V) at Outerlands, 4001 Judah St. (Outer Sunset), outerlandssf.com
  90. *St. Louis cut ribs (GF) at Cat's Head BBQ, 1665 Folsom St. (SoMa), catheadsbbq.com
  91. *Meatloaf at Blue Plate, 3218 Mission St. (Bernal Heights) blueplatesf.com
  92. *Rosemary, fiore sardo and pine nut pizza (V) at Pizzetta 211, 211 23rd Ave. (Outer Richmond), pizzetta211.com
  93. *Burger at Marlowe, 500 Brannan St. (SoMa), marlowesf.com
  94. *Chile relleno at Puerto Alegre, 546 Valencia St. (Mission), puertoalegresf.net
  95. *Cheese spatzle in onion butter sauce (V) at Suppenküche, 525 Laguna St. (Hayes Valley), suppenkuche.com
  96. *Cioppino at Anchor Oyster Bar, 579 Castro St. (Castro), anchoroysterbar.com
  97. *Sizzlng sisig at Namu Stonepot, 553 Divisadero St. (Nopa), 415-926-8065
  98. Carne asada burrito at La Taqueria, 2889 Mission St. (Mission), 415-285-7117
  99. *Teishoku sets (lunch) at Izakaya Rintaro, 82 14th St. (Mission), izakayarintaro.com
  100. *Bittersweet chocolate panna cotta (V) at Rich Table, 199 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), richtablesf.com

Bellota's Fideua paella.


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