Where to Eat in San Francisco: Sourdough, Crab and Burritos

If you want to know where to eat in San Francisco, start with the three local classics: sourdough bread, Dungeness crab and the Mission-style burrito. Order sourdough at Boudin or Tartine, crab at Scoma's, R&G Lounge or Thanh Long, and a burrito at El Farolito in the Mission District. All 13 places below are inside the city limits of San Francisco, California, and each was confirmed open on its own official site.

The list runs by food, not by neighborhood, so you can build a day around what you are craving. A route at the end strings the best of it together.

What is San Francisco actually known for eating?

San Francisco is known for sourdough bread, Dungeness crab and the Mission-style burrito, three foods tied to the city's bakeries, its fishing fleet and its Mission District taquerias. Each has a long local story, and each is still easy to order today.

Sourdough here is a tangy, chewy loaf with a crackling crust. Dungeness crab comes from the Pacific and is sold along the Fisherman's Wharf waterfront. The Mission-style burrito is the oversized, foil-wrapped kind packed with rice, beans, meat and salsa, and it grew up in the Mission District's taquerias.

Where to eat sourdough bread in San Francisco

Our sourdough picks in San Francisco are Boudin at Fisherman's Wharf, Tartine Bakery in the Mission, The Mill on Divisadero and Acme Bread Company in the Ferry Building.

1. Boudin Bakery Bakery & Bistro, Fisherman's Wharf

Boudin's flagship building at 160 Jefferson St in Fisherman's Wharf has Bakers Hall on the lower level and Bistro Boudin, a full-service restaurant, upstairs. Boudin traces its start to Isidore Boudin in 1849, and it says it still bakes with the same mother dough, cultivated from a gold miner's sourdough starter. Boudin calls the Jefferson Street building the home of that mother dough, so the loaf you buy at the Wharf comes from a Gold Rush starter that has been fed for generations.

Order a loaf and watch the bakers at work, which Boudin's own site names as the reason to visit the flagship. Hours are not listed on the locations page, so check the official site before you go.

2. Tartine Bakery, Mission District

Tartine Bakery at 600 Guerrero St in the Mission District calls its Tartine Country Loaf iconic on its official site. Order the loaf, then add a pastry from the case. Check the official site for current hours and any sell-out times, since popular loaves can go early.

3. The Mill, Divisadero

The Mill at 736 Divisadero St serves toast made with bread from Josey Baker Bread, ground on site. It is typically open daily from 7 am to 5 pm. The toast menu runs from cinnamon sugar to smoked trout on dark mountain rye. Quirks to know before you go: the official site lists no WiFi and no preorders. See themillsf.com.

4. Acme Bread Company, Ferry Building

Acme Bread Company has a stand inside the Ferry Building at 1 Ferry Building, Suite 15, on the Embarcadero. It is typically open Monday to Friday from 7 am to 6 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 6 pm, and it offers prepaid pickup orders. Buy a loaf here and eat it on the waterfront. Details at acmebread.com.

Where to eat Dungeness crab in San Francisco

For Dungeness crab in San Francisco, go to R&G Lounge in Chinatown, Thanh Long in the Outer Sunset, Scoma's at Fisherman's Wharf or Tadich Grill downtown.

5. R&G Lounge, Chinatown

R&G Lounge at 631 Kearny St in Chinatown lists salt and pepper Dungeness crab as a favorite, alongside Peking duck and garlic steamed Maine lobster. Hours are typically Sunday to Thursday 11 am to 8:45 pm and Friday and Saturday 11 am to 9:15 pm. Ask the price of the crab before you order, since the official site gives none. Menu at rnglounge.com.

6. Thanh Long, Outer Sunset

Thanh Long at 4101 Judah St in the Outer Sunset calls its Whole-Roasted Dungeness Crab a signature dish. It is typically open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 4:30 to 8 pm and Friday and Saturday 4:30 to 8:45 pm, and closed Monday and Tuesday. Dinner only, so plan around it. See thanhlongsf.com.

7. Scoma's Restaurant, Fisherman's Wharf

Scoma's Restaurant sits on Pier 47 at 1965 Al Scoma Way in Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco. Order the "Lazy Man's" Cioppino: the menu calls it a Fisherman's Wharf original, made with Dungeness crabmeat, scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and market fish, so there is no shell-cracking involved. If you want the crab on its own, the menu also lists a whole Dungeness crab, served chilled or whole roasted. Hours are typically 12 pm to 9:30 pm Sunday to Thursday and 12 pm to 10 pm Friday and Saturday, and the restaurant is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. See scomas.com.

8. Tadich Grill, Financial District

Tadich Grill at 240 California St in the Financial District serves seafood cioppino, clam chowder, mesquite-broiled fish and crab Louie, plus Dungeness crab cakes. Tadich Grill says it has been serving San Francisco since 1849, when it began as a coffee stand on Long Wharf, and it calls itself the oldest continuously run restaurant in California. Hours are typically Monday to Friday 11 am to 9 pm and Saturday 4 to 9 pm. Sunday is closed to regular service. Check tadichgrillsf.com.

9. Sotto Mare, North Beach

Sotto Mare at 552 Green St in North Beach is the cioppino stop in the Italian-American neighborhood: order the Crab Cioppino, the house specialty its own site boasts about. Seating is typically Sunday to Thursday 11:30 am to 9 pm and Friday and Saturday 11:30 am to 10 pm. See sottomaresf.com.

Where to eat a Mission-style burrito in San Francisco

The Mission-style burrito is best eaten in the Mission District, at El Farolito or Pancho Villa Taqueria.

10. El Farolito, Mission District

El Farolito's flagship at 2779 Mission St calls itself open late night and famous for super burritos, tacos and quesadillas. Order the super burrito with al pastor or carnitas. It is cash only, and the official site gives no hours, so call (415) 824-7877 or check elfarolitosf.com.

11. Pancho Villa Taqueria, Mission District

Pancho Villa Taqueria at 3071 16th St cooks carne asada and chicken on a grill and is typically open daily from 10 am to 10 pm, with online ordering. Order a burrito with grilled meat. See sfpanchovilla.com.

Where else should you eat in San Francisco?

Two more places are worth adding if you have time: a Ferry Building oyster bar and a Market Street classic.

12. Hog Island Oyster Co., Ferry Building

Hog Island Oyster Co. is at 1 Ferry Building, Suite 11A, on the Embarcadero. It serves fresh oysters, craft cocktails and a seasonal menu, with no reservations. Hours are typically Monday to Thursday 11:30 am to 8 pm and Friday to Sunday 11 am to 8 pm. It is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. See the official page.

13. Zuni Café, Market Street

Zuni Café at 1658 Market St lists roast chicken for two among its classics, served with warm bread salad, which is a good use of day-old bread. Dinner is typically Tuesday to Sunday 5 to 9:30 pm, lunch is Friday to Sunday 11 am to 3 pm, and the restaurant is closed Mondays. See zunicafe.com.

How we chose

We started with the foods San Francisco is known for, then looked for places known for that exact food. Each pick had to sit inside the City and County of San Francisco and be confirmed open on its own official site. A few well-known names are missing because we could not confirm their details on an official site; we would rather leave a place out than guess. Hours and prices change, so check each official site before you go.

Can you eat all three classics in one day?

Yes: sourdough in the morning, crab in the afternoon and evening, and a burrito late at night. In San Francisco, the bread, the crab and the burrito each get their own neighborhood, and one day is enough for all three.

1. Morning: a loaf from Acme Bread Company in the Ferry Building, then a walk along the Embarcadero.
2. Midday: watch the bakers and buy a loaf at Boudin in Fisherman's Wharf.
3. Afternoon: cioppino at Scoma's, or Sotto Mare in North Beach.
4. Evening: salt and pepper crab at R&G Lounge in Chinatown.
5. Late night: a super burrito at El Farolito. Bring cash.

A few tips: Tadich is closed on Sundays, Thanh Long is closed Monday and Tuesday, and El Farolito takes cash only. For more places to eat by area, see the food and dining listings.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What food is San Francisco famous for?

San Francisco is famous for sourdough bread, Dungeness crab and the Mission-style burrito. You can try all three in a day: Boudin or Acme for bread, Scoma's or R&G Lounge for crab, and El Farolito for a burrito.

Where can I get the best sourdough bread in San Francisco?

Boudin at 160 Jefferson St in Fisherman's Wharf is the classic stop, and Tartine Bakery in the Mission District and Acme Bread Company in the Ferry Building are also good. Which is best is a matter of taste.

Where can I eat Dungeness crab in San Francisco?

R&G Lounge in Chinatown serves salt and pepper Dungeness crab, and Thanh Long in the Outer Sunset serves whole roasted Dungeness crab. Scoma's at Fisherman's Wharf and Tadich Grill downtown serve cioppino.

Where is the best burrito in San Francisco?

El Farolito at 2779 Mission St in the Mission District is a long-running favorite for the super burrito, and Pancho Villa Taqueria at 3071 16th St is another. El Farolito is cash only.

Which of these restaurants are open on Sunday?

Tadich Grill in San Francisco is closed to regular service on Sunday, but R&G Lounge, Thanh Long, Scoma's, Sotto Mare, Pancho Villa Taqueria, Hog Island Oyster Co., Zuni Café, Acme Bread Company and The Mill typically open on Sundays. Thanh Long is closed Monday and Tuesday and Zuni Café is closed Monday, so check each official site before you go.