Before you come visit us in SF...

Julian, wrote:
Could we possibly get a more modern visitor's guide? It appears I will be visiting San Fran for the first time in October.

I'll expect a full report from your visit to French Laundry.

grateful wrote:
I'll expect a full report from your visit to French Laundry.

Michelin Star Restaurants Mapped

Three Stars in SF:
Benu
Saison
French Laundry & Meadowood are in wine country.

Two Stars:
Acquerello
Atelier Crenn
Coi
Manresa
Quince
Baumé & Manresa are in Silicon Valley.

One Star:
All Spice
Ame
Aziza
Boulevard
Campton Place
Gary Danko
Keiko à Nob Hill
Kusakabe
La Folie
Luce
Maruya
Michael Mina
Sons & Daughters
SPQR
Spruce
State Bird Provisions


Auberge du Soleil, Bouchon, Chez TJ, Commis, Farmhouse, La Toque, Madera, Madrona Manor, Plumed Horse, Solbar, Terra, Terrapin Creek, Village Pub and Wakuriya area all "Bay Area" and will require a car.

I had a friend who was interning, for lack of a better term, out in wine country and said French Laundry was absolutely impossible to get a reservation to with a month's head notice. Which was expected, but I'd pretty much have to start trying now.

The thing about French Laundry is it has to be what you're doing for the day.  For example - it's best if you stay overnight near Yountville.  Great, so make it a wine country trip out of it - except you really shouldn't go wine tasting all day and then show up at FL.  The ideal scenario is that you leave work at noon on Friday and drive to your B&B, Uber to FL and back and the go wine tasting on Saturday.  Given that everybody knows this, reso's on Friday are near impossible without about 2 months notice. 

That's why I checked it off the lsit and don't plan on going back.  There are many convenient one star restaurant's in SF that I'm equally happy to go to.   

grateful wrote:

Julian, wrote:
Could we possibly get a more modern visitor's guide? It appears I will be visiting San Fran for the first time in October.

I'll expect a full report from your visit to French Laundry.

Nothing like a trip to French Laundry to indulge in the vegetarian menu!

Yada wrote:

grateful wrote:

Julian, wrote:
Could we possibly get a more modern visitor's guide? It appears I will be visiting San Fran for the first time in October.

I'll expect a full report from your visit to French Laundry.

Nothing like a trip to French Laundry to indulge in the vegetarian menu!

In all seriousness, this is why I rarely go to "super trendy foodie prie fixe" restaurants which make up the majority of Michelin star ranked restaurants and other lists. They very, very rarely accomodate vegetarian and vegan diets (and to be fair, I understand why the cook who is putting his name on the food is unwilling to just throw something together).

There are more and more top restaurants that have legitimate vegetarian and vegan menus but you really have to look ahead at websites, etc.

SPOILER ALERT:  This week's Economist is all about San Francisco….

Living in San Francisco today, with its bustle and big ideas, feels like ?living in Florence during the Renaissance,? effuses Sander Daniels, the fresh-faced founder of Thumbtack

Empire of the geeks

To fly, to fall, to fly again

Julian, wrote:In all seriousness, this is why I rarely go to "super trendy foodie prie fixe" restaurants which make up the majority of Michelin star ranked restaurants and other lists. They very, very rarely accomodate vegetarian and vegan diets (and to be fair, I understand why the cook who is putting his name on the food is unwilling to just throw something together).

There are more and more top restaurants that have legitimate vegetarian and vegan menus but you really have to look ahead at websites, etc.

Prie fixe's are stupid anyway.  But I should have recommended Cotogna for you - it's attached to Quince and is usually recognized as among the best vegetarian places in the city.  However, you really can't survive as a restaurant in SF without solid vegetarian/vegan selections.  Even Cockscomb, known as the Meatfest in SF serves a roasted portobello dish. 

vansmack wrote:
But I should have recommended Cotogna for you - it's attached to Quince and is usually recognized as among the best vegetarian places in the city.  

Just looked up their menu and oh heck yes, I'm doing that while I'm there.

Julian, wrote:
I had a friend who was interning, for lack of a better term, out in wine country and said French Laundry was absolutely impossible to get a reservation to with a month's head notice. Which was expected, but I'd pretty much have to start trying now.

Just do what I do and call the Centurion concierge.