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Start a Top 5 for FrenchEditor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in The Infatuation. Updated August 2026.
Le Central · Financial District
The Infatuation. A longtime FiDi brasserie whose own sign claims the cassoulet has been simmering for nearly 18,000 days (a claim the guide says it can't verify). Escargot de bourgogne comes with a generous pile of crusty sourdough.
Chez Maman West · Hayes Valley
The Infatuation. A Hayes Valley bistro for French staples: onion soup, roast chicken with mashed potatoes, steamed white-wine mussels, and fries with a thick garlicky aioli.
Zazie · Cole Valley
The Infatuation. A Cole Valley bistro with a heated patio, recommended at dinner when reservations are plentiful. Start with the french onion soup, then the poulet francais or the salmon piallat.
Verjus · Financial District
The Infatuation. A Jackson Square wine bar under a glossy red ceiling. A silky Boursin omelette and duck confit lead into a caramelized pain perdu.
Caché · Inner Sunset
The Infatuation. A seafood-led French kitchen in the Inner Sunset serving brunch through dinner. Flaky skate in a buttery grenobloise and sea bream sashimi served inside a whole fish.