An Ode to Downtown San Francisco

I moved to San Francisco in 2018 to start my first job. Like many new grads, the relatively affordable rent in Chinatown / Nob Hill led me to an apartment on the corner of Jackson and Mason, across the street from the cable car depot. On my daily commute from the apartment to my office downtown, I walked through Chinatown as the markets were accepting deliveries and starting their work for the day.

A lot has changed since 2018 and a lot of noise is being made about the empty real estate downtown - there’s no doubt it’s a problem. Over a quarter of downtown commercial real estate is empty - the shift to remote work and never-ending waves of tech layoffs have done a number on the neighborhood. All that said, some of the best restaurants in the city are still packed every night of the week, so all is not lost.

🥢R&G Lounge / rnglounge.com 

R&G’s status as the gold standard of Cantonese food has been validated time and time again, both in-person and delivery. The restaurant got a shout out as Ali Wong’s wedding caterer and on Padma Lakshmi’s Taste the Nation, along with a visit from Anthony Bourdain.

Order This ⬇️ (white people version)

• Roasted Peking Duck

• Diced Honey Garlic Chicken

• Chow Mein

• Fried Rice

• R&G Special Beef

• Sliced BBQ Pork (to be eaten with fried rice)

• Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

NOTE: although they are known for their Dungeness Crab, I’ve never ordered it due to how crazy delicious everything listed above is. I’m sure it’s great, but if I’m in the mood for crab I head to Thanh Long in Outer Sunset.

Eat Here 🔗 Reservations | Delivery & Takeout | Map

🍝 Cotogna / cotognasf.com

I’ll start out by saying this place will drain your wallet, and you’ll be pretty happy about it. I had a beautiful late afternoon lunch here - everything was executed to the highest standards, but the restaurant made it look effortless. Their parklet might be the best in the city, with food and service to match.

Order This ⬇️ (with cocktails, wine, aperitif, and espresso)

• Prosciutto with gnocco fritto & Lambrusco pickled onions

• Pizza "Carbonara" with farm egg, guanciale, pecorino & black pepper

• Tomato Salad (note - not on the menu as of Jan 2023, hopefully it comes back)

• Raviolo di ricotta

• Semifreddo al cioccolato with coffee liqueur

• Marsala panna cotta with Comice pear & hazelnut

Eat Here 🔗 Reservations | Delivery & Takeout: N/A | Map

🍢 Kokkari Estiatorio / kokkari.com

Kokkari is really one of those only-going-because-my-parents-are-paying places. The ambience is stunning, but feels like it was designed a much older crowd. That said, I’ve hosted friends for dinners here with no complaints. I’d love to be able to come here for a casual lunch so I can try more on the menu, but alas, I am not a millionaire.

Order This ⬇️ (heavy on the starters, share everything)

• Dolmathes

• Spanakopita

• Saghanaki

• Arnisio Souvlaki

• Moussaka

• Baklava

Eat Here 🔗 Reservations | Delivery & Takeout: N/A | Map

🦪 Leo’s Oyster Bar / leossf.com

If you haven’t been on a date to Leo’s yet, you can go ahead and skip right to the reservation link at the bottom. Not a first date spot, but one of, if not the sexiest bar in the city where you can get intimate over high-end bar food and drink.

Order This ⬇️ (share everything with cocktails and white wine or champagne)

• Oysters (duh, I know. I like smaller, sweeter ones.)

• Leo’s Crudo

• Blistered Shishitos

• Leo’s Deviled Egg

• Spicy Salmon Bites

• Lobster Roll

• French Fries

Eat Here 🔗 Reservations | Delivery & Takeout: N/A | Map

City View Restaurant / cityviewdimsum.com

I’ve been told there’s better dim sum in SF, but nobody’s been able to prove that yet. Fair warning that you might have to wait for an hour (or more) to get a table during the weekend, but if you’ve got nothing better to do that day, why not spend it eating delicious and shockingly cheap dim sum?

Order This ⬇️ (with tea for the table, and maybe it goes without saying at this point, but SHARE EVERYTHING)

• Shrimp Dumpling

• Shanghai Siu Lung Bao

• Pork Siu Mai

• Whole Peking Duck with Lotus buns

• Sticky Rice Wrapped in Lotus Leaf

• Chili Oil Wonton

• Green Onion Pancake

• Shrimp Egg Roll

• Stir Fry Garlic String Beans

• Steamed Custard Lava Buns

NOTE: it’s tempting to order rice or noodles - I prefer to leave room for dumplings. Do not skip the lava buns, everyone needs one. Do not skip the tea. They haven’t brought back the roaming carts yet, I can only hope they’re not gone forever.

Eat Here 🔗Reservations | Delivery & Takeout: N/A | Map

Jack's List is a collection of San Francisco stories, as told by the places we love to eat and drink. We love sharing SF culture with my friends, share this with yours!

Not sure you can trust us? See the full list here.

Disagree? Something to add? Reply and let us know!