Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in San Francisco Bay Area? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Velvet 48 Wine Bar

5.0

5 (72)

$31 to $50

Wine Bar

Burlingame

About the restaurant

Velvet 48 is a premium wine bar in downtown Burlingame started by 20-year wine industry veteran, Jason Cooper. We offer over 40 wines by the glass, 1100 wines by the bottle, a cultivated beer selection, and a variety of delicious savory and sweet small plates.

We have wines across every price point so there is something for everyone, from the casual wine drinker to the wine aficionado, who will be impressed by a wine collection that houses some of the finest wines in the world. We aim to cultivate an experience for our guests that starts with a complimentary splash of our house label, Velvet 48 Sparkling wine, followed by outstanding service from our Wine Specialists to guide you through our expansive list. We offer a discount of 25% off bottles purchased TO GO.

Due to the nature of our alcoholic license, we are unable to allow anyone under 21 on the premises, including infants.

Thank your for your understanding.

Top review

Barry

Dined on Dec 4, 2024

Always a great time at Velvet 48 - Austin the manager gave me a great recommendation of a Burgundian wine (I typically go Californian Pinot Noir) and I really appreciated him suggesting some new geographies to enjoy!

Amarena

4.9

4.9 (1253)

$31 to $50

Italian

Russian Hill

About the restaurant

Welcome to Amarena, our beloved classic neighborhood Italian restaurant.
Proudly serving the Russian Hill Neighborhood for over 20 years, dishing out delicious Italian classics while providing loving service. We hope to see you soon!

Top review

kim

Dined 1 day ago

We love this neighborhood gem! A quick trip to Italy without the jet lag!

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Popular dish

Ravioli di Zuccca

Popular dish

Pappardelle al Cinghiale

Experience

Special New Year's Eve Prefix 4 courses menu $95

Blue Plate

4.9

4.9 (1524)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Bernal Heights

About the restaurant

The Blue Plate opened in 1999 as a casual spot where friends and neighbors can enjoy the best ingredients our seasons have to offer. Owners Cory Obenour and Jeff Trenam have created a space that feels like a home, with three distinct dining rooms each appointed with the work of local artists. In the back, a lush, night-fragrant garden offers an exotic retreat from the bustle of the city. The kitchen stays committed to using the highest quality local produce and meats in classic American and rustic Mediterranean dishes. Through a working friendship with Bay Area farmers, the Blue Plate is expanding the notion of "the blue plate special" to include dining that is casual, affordable, delicious and responsible.

Top review

Jan

Dined 6 days ago

We had five people who were all pleased with their meals. The chicory salad with blue cheese was a big hit. Great mix of lightly bitter greens with dates and nuts! Very tasty. We felt welcome and the overall experience was festive and fun.

Cafe Pro Bono

4.9

4.9 (1424)

$30 and under

Italian

Palo Alto

About the restaurant

Cafe Pro Bono stands as Palo Alto's premier destination for exquisite Italian cuisine. With a legacy spanning over 30 years, we take pride in offering a diverse array of authentic and reasonably priced Italian and European dishes, each crafted with a dedication to freshness that is evident in every bite.

Whether you seek a romantic evening or a casual dinner, our menu features a wide selection of traditional dishes at accesible prices. From beautifully presented appetizers to homemade pastas, daily fresh seafood, quality meats, and indulgent desserts, complemented by expertly crafted cocktails we strive to ensure every visit is a memorable culinary experience.

Consider our Private Event Room for your next rehearsal dinner, birthday celebration, baby shower, family gathering or business meeting. Our full bar offers a variety of cocktails, including alongside domestic and international wines.

We look forward to welcoming you soon to Cafe Pro Bono.

Buon Appetito!!!

Top review

Christopher

Dined on Dec 11, 2024

I had the rigatoni with boar sausage it was very flavorful. The burrata was quite tasty and tender with nicely oiled tostini. Desserts were perfectly sized and flavorful. Outdoor heating was adequate at 53° but below 50° you need a coat to sit outside even with two heaters going full blast.

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Popular dish

Rigatoni

Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge

4.9

4.9 (412)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Alameda

About the restaurant

About
Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge is a tropical vacation spot right in the middle of your hometown! Serving award-winning, world famous classic and exotic cocktails along with many original recipes, along with some tasty snacks, Forbidden Island is a retro-oasis in the desert of your busy modern day! Now open indoors (seated capacity only) as well as outdoors in our Tiki Garden/ Patio, 7 days a week.

* Please note that all reservations are limited to 90 minutes for groups of 1-3 and 2 hours for groups of 4-8.

Top review

JohnVIP

Dined on Dec 6, 2024

Always enjoy Forbidden Island. Great cocktails and super friendly staff. All our drinks were crafted perfectly!

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Experience

New Year's Eve Tiki Party

Luna Ristorante - Concord

4.9

4.9 (483)

$30 and under

Italian

Concord

About the restaurant

“I’m the owner and the chef, so I’m always here,” he says in his lyrical Mediterranean accent. “It’s nice to do business with locals.”

Jacifi describes his menu as a blend of new and old: “You get old-school tastes with a modern presentation.” The restaurant specializes in northern and southern Italian standards like saltimbocca, chicken cacciatore, and risotto. But the eighteen-year-old Luna takes these familiar dishes very seriously. Redoune, partner and co-chef Hafid Tadri, and co-chef Habib Jacifi don’t so much replicate the old standards as define them.

Take the fettuccini with Bolognese sauce. Many restaurants make a Bolognese; few do it well. Like the sly smile on the lips of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous lady, this brick red sauce reveals a depth of character beyond its simple appearance. Carrots, celery, and onions add a layer of sweetness, while bacon contributes a sultry, meaty backbone.

Top review

Joseph

Dined 3 days ago

Great little Italian restaurant. Food was excellent, wine selection was great. A definite “Be Back again” restaurant

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4.9

4.9 (509)

$31 to $50

Spanish

Russian Hill

About the restaurant

Welcome to Abrazo! We are a neighborhood restaurant nestled in the historic and beautiful Russian Hill neighborhood. Chef/Owner Michael Pawliks menu features contemporary Spanish-Californian inspired cuisine, sourcing only the freshest and most traditional ingredients. Abrazo features a lofty 18ft ceiling, a cozy bar, and a private dining room that seats 16. The wine list features the best of Spain's legendary wine regions alongside Napa Valley classics.

We hope to see you soon!

Top review

DoriaVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Super lovely dinner date at Abrazo. We split three small plates and the paella and it was the perfect amount of food for two. Highlights were the grilled persimmon salad and the octopus! My only tip would be to uber there or leave ample time for parking!

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4.9

4.9 (434)

$31 to $50

Italian

Downtown / Union Square

About the restaurant

Serafina is a little gem of a restaurant, perched on top of Nob Hill, with views overlooking the city and Bay Bridge. Serafina was owner Maurizio Bruschi’s grandmother, and the name of her eponymous restaurant in the heart of Trastevere (Rome), where Maurizio first began making pizza at the age of 14. The executive chef is Umberto Cannarsa, a successful chef from Rome, who left his own restaurant in Rome to work with Maurizio again. The menu offers everything, including vegetarian options, but specializes in innovative Italian fish dishes, including fresh calamari, stuffed with olives, escarole, anchovies, drizzled with a potato leek sauce, as well as homemade pastas and dolci. The space is warm and elegant, where neighbors and friends can come together.

Top review

Julie

Dined 2 days ago

The flavors and freshness of the food was extraordinary. So delicious! We will go back, for sure

Base Camp

4.9

4.9 (269)

$30 and under

Asian

Mission District

About the restaurant

At Base Camp we aim to keep your taste buds tingling by inviting you join us and enjoy the blend of unique spices from the land of high mountains, fresh California produce and warm Nepali hospitality.

Top review

Hannah

Dined on Dec 10, 2024

The food was incredible!!! Service was amazing. Definitely recommend

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4.8

4.8 (714)

$30 and under

Italian

North Beach

About the restaurant

Chef & co-owner, Mario and his delightful wife, Stephanie, have a knack for making you feel as if they are cooking and serving just for you at this super-reasonable North Beach nook offering robust Southern Italian fare reminiscent of his native Naples; whether you’ve snagged an outdoor table or are in the small, casual interior, it delivers a pasta fix. The menu changes daily to ensure freshness.

Top review

Alan

Dined on Dec 11, 2024

This is one of my “Go To “ restaurants in San Francisco, love the owners and love the food. It is traditionally perfect.

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