San Francisco’s cuisine reflects the city’s rich past and multifaceted culture. The city’s first restaurants served robust foods like sourdough bread and seafood chowders to the influx of newcomers during the Gold Rush. The city’s cuisine reflects the many cultures that have settled there.

One of the earliest Chinatowns in North America, it brought authentic Chinese cuisine to the city of San Francisco. The pasta and pizza joints of North Beach may thank Italian immigrants for their existence. The counterculture of the 1960s popularized organic, health-oriented restaurants.

San Francisco has recently elevated farm-to-table principles, prioritizing using locally produced ingredients and being environmentally conscious. The Ferry Building Marketplace is a focal point of San Francisco’s food scene.

Michelin-starred restaurants in San Francisco combine new techniques with old favorites, while food trucks and ethnic restaurants showcase cuisines worldwide. The city’s food is a reflection of its character as a crossroads of cultures, a hub of innovation, and a place where people value a wide variety of fresh flavors.