Where Chefs Eat: Local Recommendations in San Francisco
December Edition – 12/21/21
Do you want to know the best restaurants in San Francisco, Oakland, and surrounding areas? We did, so we asked our Foodom Chef community to share their favorite restaurants and dishes in the Bay Area. We’ll keep updating this list with the best local food, so be sure to bookmark this post!
Chef Sarah Davis-Mapumulo's Best Restaurants
Oaklandia Café
371 30th St. C100
Oakland, CA 94609
510-452-9210
This is the spot if you want original morning or lunch food and beverages! The owner runs the cafe and her husband bakes all the bread and amazing baked goods. Always 5 stars when I go!!
Favorite dishes: Rose latte, breakfast sandwiches, roasted cauliflower sandwich
Nidos
104 Oak Street
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 500-9757
Best fish tacos and margaritas in Oakland hands down. Great seating and areas for kids to play.
Favorite dish: Taco de Pescado Estilo Baja
Pizzetta Geraldine
Shakewell 3407 Lakeshore Ave (Every Monday)
Oakland, CA 94612
(415) 242-9503
Check their website for other events & locations
The best pizza pop-up in Oakland! Neapolitan-inspired, wood-fired pizzas with seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms. Pop ups and private events throughout the bay area.
Favorite dish: The Calabrian
Low Bar
23rd and Webster
Oakland, CA 94612
Cool Mexican-inflected cocktail spot pairing creative drinks with elevated tacos & churros.
Favorite dish: Grilled octopus kabocha squash
Bombera
3459 Champion St.
Oakland, CA 94602
(510) 452-5900
Where the culinary ways of Mexico and California intersect with the environmental urgencies of our time.
Favorite dishes: Tamal Con Mole Rojo and Duck Carnitas
Chef Itzli (Carlos) De La Torre's Best Restaurants
Ramen Shop
5812 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 640-5034
Started by three Chez Panisse alumni, Ramen Shop offers one-of-a-kind ramen, made with organic and sustainable produce.
Favorite Dish: Spicy Tonkatsu
Mission Chinese
2234 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-2800
Trendy crowds line up for the imaginative Chinese eats at this casual, nationally known destination.
Favorite dish: Mole spiced fried chicken
La Mar
Pier 1 ½ The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 397-8880
Celeb chef Gastón Acurio serves Peruvian seafood in a large, partially outdoor space on the pier.
Favorite dishes: Everything here is delicious! The 3 things I believe everyone must try are the ceviche classico, the causa limena, and the pisco sour to wash it all down.
Favorite dish: Mole Ribeye
La Torta Gorda
2833 24th Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 642-9600
Mexican deli/cafe featuring tastes from the state of Puebla, from tortas & tacos to local specials.
Favorite dishes: My favorite things to get here are the Pierna Enchilada Torta, Flor de Calabaza Quesadilla, and a glass of the Vampiro (orange, carrot, beet smoothie).
Sushi Zen
1041 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 681-1789
Kevin, the founder of Sushi Zen, has been in the Japanese food industry for over 30 years. Sushi Zen has a friendly atmosphere while serving quality authentic Japanese dishes.
Favorite dish: Chirashi Sushi, and some nice warm sake.
Chef Nicolai Lipscomb's Best Restaurants
Gozu
201 Spear St #120
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 523-9745
Modern, open-fire restaurant with a tasting menu that spotlights Japanese wagyu, seafood & whiskey.
Favorite dish: The imported A5 beef
Nopa
560 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 864-8643
Ingredient-focused Californian eats & creative cocktails in a lively, 2-story setting.
Favorite dish: Fries and amazing craft cocktails
Tribune
401 13th Street
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 285-6451
A new American Brasserie from partners Omri Aflalo and Darrin Ballon, Tribune hopes to be a dining destination for the Oakland community and beyond.
Favorite dish: Handmade Cavatelli
Rather Have a Home-Cooked Meal? Try a Foodom Chef!
For less than delivery, a professional chef will shop for your preferred ingredients, prepare meals of your choice in your kitchen for the entire week customized to your family’s needs & leave your space sparkling clean.
Watch how a working mom makes more time for work while homeschooling & boosts her family’s wellness!
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will the chefs cook?
The chefs will cook the meals in your kitchen. All the chefs cook all the dishes.
How much does the service cost?
The minimum order on Foodom is $100, for a few dishes, each one up to 10 servings and enough food for a few days. The more you order, the more you can save, as the chef can prepare a few dishes at the same time.
What does the service fee include?
The service fee includes cooking most dishes up to 10 servings, storing and clean up.
The service does not include ingredients and serving.
No time to shop? The chef can buy the ingredients for you, add this option during checkout (for an additional fee).
Do I need to buy the groceries?
You have the option to buy the groceries yourself or have the chef buy your preferred ingredients for you for an extra fee, from your preferred grocery store.
If the chef buys the groceries, you will pay for the ingredients after the cooking is done, we will email you a copy of the receipt and charge your card.
By choosing a chef shop for your groceries, you can potentially reduce your average grocery spending dramatically. The chef will buy only what’s needed for the meal without impulse shopping or buying extra quantity beyond what you need—food that you might throw away after.
How will I get the grocery list?
The grocery list will be emailed to you after the chef approves the order. You will then be able to mark what you have in your kitchen and shop for the rest or share the list with your chef to have them buy the ingredients for you.
How often can I book a meal and how much in advance?
You can book a meal as often as you like, we have customers that are booking 1-2 times a week, others are booking every other week to help them with their weekly meal preparation.
Some customers also book Foodom chefs for special occasions, such as birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc.
We ask to book the meals 48 hours in advance, to allow the chefs enough time to connect with you and prepare for the cooking.
How many servings should I order?
It's totally up to you, you can order any type of food from the menu. For most dishes, the serving size is designed to be up to 10 servings or the size of your pots and pans. For the maximum value, we recommend booking a meal once a week, that will serve you 2-3 days with leftovers and order a few more dishes that you can freeze and enjoy in the 2nd half of the week.
Another option is to group with other people and/or families into a food pod. Read more about it here.
Keep it easy, healthy, interesting, and cost-efficient.
What about COVID-19 safety
Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our customers and cooks. The chefs that work with Foodom follow FDA and CDC recommended guidelines when they are in your kitchen.
Read here about the measures taken by the cooks before, during, and after the in-home cooking service.