Best Luxury Dining Elite Restaurants in SOMA
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Saison
Live-fire tasting menu with elite service and cellar.
Essential Picks
#1
Saison
9.1
Two-Michelin-star temple of open-fire Californian cooking led by Executive Chef Richard Lee. A destination tasting menu where hearth, rare product, and a deep cellar draw celebratory diners to South Beach.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tasting menu (seasonal course progression), Hearth-grilled seafood course, Aged duck (when offered)
What Makes it Special: Live-fire tasting menu with elite service and cellar.
Notable Picks
#2
Birdsong
8.9
Two-Michelin-star New American tasting menu where whole-animal cookery, wood fire, and precise technique define the experience. Locals book it for celebratory nights and a front-row look at aging and butchery in the open kitchen.
Must-Try Dishes:
Aged duck service, Lacquered quail with Parker House rolls, Sea urchin cream puff
What Makes it Special: Whole-animal, fire-driven tasting menu with meticulous aging and craft.
8.8
A polished Mint Plaza dining room serving kappo and Edomae sushi with seasonal luxury ingredients. It’s a destination for special-occasion tastings where the chef’s progression blends hot and cold compositions with artful plating.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal sashimi progression, Hokkaido uni nigiri, Charcoal-seared wagyu course
What Makes it Special: Kappo-meets-Edomae tasting with seasonal luxury product in a serene room.
#4
Hashiri
8.8
Kaiseki and Edomae sushi in a hushed Mint Plaza dining room where seasonal courses highlight fish flown in from Japan. It’s the city-center choice for extended tasting menus with ceremony.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal kaiseki sashimi course, Grilled nodoguro, Matcha dessert course
What Makes it Special: Seasonal kaiseki progression pairing market fish with refined plating.
#5
Bosco
8.7
New wood-fired Italian from The Absinthe Group (opened Sept 2025) with chefs Ryan McIlwraith and Kaili Hill. Handmade pastas, hearth-kissed mains, and a polished room deliver a modern, upscale SoMa date night.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lemon Spaghetti with Sungold Tomato, Chicken Tortellini in Parmesan Cream, Wood-Fired Pork Ribs (agrodolce)
What Makes it Special: A wood-fired kitchen and handmade pasta program by a veteran SF team.
#6
Californios
8.3
The only two-Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant in the United States, where Chef Val Cantú weaves Mexican and Californian influences into a 16-course tasting menu featuring mezcal-battered black cod tostadas and house-made sourdough tortillas. Recent visitors report delicious food with well-thought-out execution, though the nearly five-hour dinner length and $325 price point can test patience. Service has drawn mixed reviews, suggesting the experience varies by evening.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mezcal-Battered Black Cod Tostada with Huitlacoche Crema, Smoked Quail in House Mole with Heirloom Corn Tortilla, Caviar-Topped Plantain Tostada
What Makes it Special: The only two-Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant in the United States, where Chef Val Cantú elevates Mexican cuisine through a 16-course seasonal tasting menu.