Farm-fresh cuisine from the owners of Tartine Bakery.

by Patrick Heig

From the pastry power couple behind the award-winning Tartine Bakery, this elegantly hip restaurant brings a touch of haute cuisine to an area better known for dive bars and thrift shops. Sun floods the space in the early evening, landing on the elk-antler chandelier, dark-wood floors and marble bar, and warming up a crowd that's equal parts well-heeled diner and scruffy hipster. Chef and slow food specialist Chris Kronner rustic, simple plates that let the uber-fresh, organic food from local purveyors shine. A deep wine list, fantastic desserts, and, of course, heavenly bread from the bakery round out the offerings at this charming, original spot, which, though a bit pricey for the area, provides a nice counterpoint to the pervasive grittiness of the neighborhood.

04/14/09

Believe the hype

by samherlihy

Went for brunch the day before Easter...bf had foie gras panini...I had the duck and scrambled eggs on country bread. Both were a-ma-zing.

Vinny (awesome waiter!) gave us great suggestions for drinks to go with and even treated us to a scoop of ice cream after we determined we were too full for dessert. He said "I know you're full, but you HAVE to try this."

Burnt sugar...UNBELIEVABLE. Really out of this world. Vinny was right...I would go back to SF just for that ice cream!

Great experience overall.

• Pros: What's not to like?
• Cons: Only beer and wine...but we survived

11/21/08

Delightful!

by localknowz

Savory morsels await you here, from fois gras to yellowtail crudo. Surprisingly even the simpler dishes such as the gnocchi are very tasty. $$$ for the price and they only serve wine and beer FYI. There is no sign outside except for the numeric address, so if you blink you will miss the darkened doorway access. This is very nice place for a date with nice ambience, dark mood lighting. Reservations recommended and parking is bleak in the mission so take a cab for sure!

Bon Apoetite!

05/14/08

Marrow! Lamb! Quail! Oh My!

by saintiggy

On a recent jaunt to SF my friend and I made our way to just about every place in the new eat.shop.sf guide. Zuni, Boulettes Larder, Swan Oyster Depot etc and so forth and on and on. Out of all of that many things stay in focus and many more things fade to the backround. Our night at Tartine burns bright. We were shocked to find an reservation at 9 pm on Open Table, we booked it to a cab and huddled in the doorway waiting for our table. We were super comfortable and understood that people were lingering over dessert, the hostess was lovely offering her apologies (not needed!) and two glasses of sparkling rose for our troubles (hardly troubled but grateful for the bubbly) We sipped the delicious elixir while waiting only moments more and then were ushered to a tiny table right in the center of the room. Every piece of cutlery was perfectly placed, and the waitress was right there to attend to any need. We ordered the asparagus and goat cheese salad, which seemed simple enough but arrived an beautifully complex pile of leaves and vegatables. Next up the Marrow and arugula. The marrow was intense and fatty at once off putting and irresistible, I needed a good pinch of salt to melt into unctuous stuff but it was nowhere to be found. I am sure had I bothered to ask it they would have given it to me- but I was too busy enjoying myself to bother. Next I had the Quail stuffed with fois gras and my friend had the Lamb. Both were really delicate, perfectly executed and beautifully plated. For dessert we shared a chocolate ? tart with earl grey ice cream - wowza! All the while the dining room glittered, the executive chef roamed the room making sure everyone was happy, the staff were attentive without being overbearing. It has changed my expectations of food and service for ever.

• Pros: casual yet elegant, inventive food, great great great great service

11/10/07

A new favorite restaurant

by rickosmon

Since I love the bakery, I was curious to try the restaurant. We walked in on a Wednesday night about 10:15 and were told they were closed but that they would be open until 11 on Thursday. So we came by at the same time the next day and were quickly seated. Service was prompt, informative and comfortable and correct. The menu was eclectic enough to sound intriguing. The bread was crusty with a luscious interior. We ordered some simple salads with beets and a mustard/whole egg dressing. Best salad I've eaten since I can remember. I had the charcuterie plate (rabbit terrine and chicken liver pate) and my partner ordered scallops with cauliflower puree. Both were so good we finished the bread wiping the plate. We shared the roasted banana parfait for dessert. Totally up to the Tartine standards of excellence. I will be back here again and again!

• Pros: Food, service, ambience, wine list
• Cons: Parking

05/08/07

The ONE restaurant you MUST try.

by jenniferewhite

One of the best meals and experiences in SFO. We've eaten at some of the best restaurants in SFO and if I had only one meal on my trip- I would choose Bar Tartine. The people were incredibly happy and friendly. Delicious may not do the food justice. The mix of interesting flavors was amazing.

It's more casual- you could go in jeans or dressed up. If you don't like sitting close to strangers, this may not be the place for you.....

All in all a MUST-- Z & J

04/21/07

Must try this little hidden jewell...

by alexdethier

I was a bit shocked that there was practically nothing french on the menu, yet, the restaurant is called bar TARTINE!... ok, i was hoping for french food that night. Let me tell you that everything we (6 of us) ordered was awesome. The staff was typical mission street district, with an extra twist of pleasantness. I highly recommend trying this restaurant.

02/14/07

Limited menu, but tasty otherwise

by muhlberg

Great place if you're seeking a unique dining experience. The menu was limited, but filled with food that you would not normally find in the inner mission. Amongst the marrow and pork belly, I managed to find gnocci and it was the best gnocci I've ever had , short of traveling to Italy. As for the dessert menu, there were plenty to choose from and among the four of us, tried two and the plate was cleansed.

• Pros: Location, atmosphere, dessert
• Cons: Menu a bit too different for my taste

11/02/06

Great food - atmosphere and service!

by manusse

We, a group of five, walked in there a few weeks ago on a Thursday evening around 10PM. Very few tables were still occupied and we were the last diners to walk in. Nevertheless that it was late, etc. we were welcomed and enjoyed great food (the truffle gnocchi were amazing!) and very nice service. The place was somewhat non-descript from the outside and we kind of wandered in there almost by coincidence. The interiors are warm with and the dark finishes lend a very cozy ambience. Can't wait to go back.

• Pros: Food - Ambience
• Cons: Is there a sign outside? Could be hard to find.

10/09/06

One of my favorites in the City

by t_whlz

This place has made it's way to become one of my top restaurant picks. I've been there more than once and have yet to be disappointed. Where do I begin? The bread is wonderful (How could it be less than that given that it's related to the bakery?)! It was chewy on the inside yet crunchy on the outside. The cheese plate was delicious and went well with the bread as a spread if you chose to eat it that way. Rather than get the entrees, my group orders many appetizers so it's tapas-style dining. Of all the ones we've tried, the ones that stand out are the sardine bruschetta, fried green tomatoes, manila clams, and chicken pate. Others are also very good but I can't remember their names. Remember to save room for dessert as that's the best part (for me at least). The neapolitan is light and crunchy with a wonderful coffee-flavored ice cream; the Bergen tart is divine (It's chocolate so how can you go wrong?); and the Bergen bon bon with strawberries and sorbet is unbelievably good. The service staff is pleasant and attentive.

• Pros: appetizers, bread, desserts
• Cons: parking, fills up quickly