An Afro-Caribbean lounge backed by an NBA star, a glam cocktail bar from an omakase icon, and a Cuban rooftop spot all rank among the best new restaurants in SF in 2025.
LessWhat started as a quiet cafe celebrating Korean comfort food has grown into an all-day event at The Buoy. Grab a coffee and Korean dessert to start your day, and swing back around in the evening for traditional Korean drinks and shareable plates. Try the fresh ceviche or crispy fried short ribs in the elegant space, decorated with sleek, dark wood, warm lighting, and tasteful metallic accents.
Enjoy Asian home-cooking with a local twist at Le Soleil, a family-run restaurant led by renowned chef Dennis Wong. At the newest location inside Stonestown Galleria, the menu includes signature dishes you’ll come back for again and again, like bold and savory shaken beef and aromatic curried crab. Enjoy it all in the minimalist dining space with light wood furnishings and foliage.
CIAORIGATO is where you go for traditional Italian dishes married with Asian flavors. Dig into playful takes on the classics like sashimi-style carpaccio and rigatoni with a house slow-cooked bolognese. Cozy up at a table in the elegant interiors decked with arched windows, cushioned leather booths for a pop of color, and a striking ceiling mural.
Perched on a rooftop above The Mission neighborhood, Cubita transports you straight to the heart of Havana. Expect traditional Cuban plates like fried plantains, yuca fries, and marinated chicken skewers with saffron rice on the menu. Enjoy all these and more in the bright and colorful setting, complete with old-style radios and other relics. Sip on a cocktail as you take in the view of the city from above at one of the best new restaurants in SF.
The Happy Crane honors Chinese tradition through its food. Chef James Yeun Leong Parry curated the menu items based on his experiences traveling throughout Hong Kong, Beijing, and other areas. Dig into traditional dim sum and small plates as well as mains like pork jowl and house-pulled noodles. Choose from à la carte offerings, or opt for the multi-course tasting menu. The warm interior is decorated with earth tones and neutral greens, making it an ideal place to relax and enjoy a meal.
Crustacean is the newest venture from renowned chef Helene An. This family-run restaurant is a destination for its seafood-focused Asian menu. Dungeness crab cake with mixed green salad and tuna cigars are among menu favorites, while classics like AN’s garlic noodles are also available. Enjoy your meal in the opulent interior, complete with a rose gold bar and high ceilings.
The masters from MICHELIN-Starred omakase star Shota are behind Japanese-inspired cocktail den Cafe Shoji. Come for artfully arranged sashimi and ceviche, plus burgers that arrive in a bubbling fondue. Get coffee or matcha in the morning, while cocktails and sake come out at night. Sweep down the elegant stone bar, sink into a garnet leather booth, and admire the golden mural roaring with wild animals. Don’t miss the greenhouse-like back patio covered with white arches.
Caché comes from Frenchmen and industry vets Simon Mounier and Florent Thomas, who met at a MICHELIN-Starred restaurant in Bordeaux. Come for inventive, seafood-leaning takes on French classics, like a stunning sea bream sashimi set into the shape of the fish. Expect plenty of natural wines from France and California. Steps from Golden Gate Park, the restaurant’s stylish interiors are dressed in earth tones, warm teracottas, and creams. Don’t miss the secluded wooden deck with hanging greenery.
Brewery vet Brian Reccow is behind this quintessential Cali-cool neighborhood spot. Pair blistered flatbreads with six house beers from brewer Jonathan Taylor at Fifty Vara. The two-story rustic space rises into a barrel ceiling and is decked with hunter greens, warm woods, and lush plants. The brewery recently added brunch, so come through for ricotta donuts.
This new Afro-Caribbean cocktail lounge comes from a trio of power players: chef Nelson German of Oakland’s Alamar and Sobre Mesa, restaurateur Guma Fassil of Meski’s in Berkeley, and NBA player Draymond Green. At MESKI, expect a menu inspired by the owners’ Dominican and Ethiopian roots, from arroz con pollo to yetsom platters full of vegetables and injera flatbread. The blackout space drops down to a bar below, and Black artists and designers installed paintings and flowers on both levels.