San Francisco is a city that can eternally excite you with the treasures hidden within its plethora of nooks. It’s like an artichoke—the deeper you get into it, the richer the experience. When you look past the concrete hills and stunning bay, you can’t help but feel consumed by the city’s contagious energy. San Francisco loves the good life. From its locavore restaurants to swanky cocktail bars, indulgence is an expectation when you fly into the Bay Area on your private jet.
The Progress
A must-visit restaurant in the 2017 Michelin Guide and James Beard award winner for best chef, the Progress is a banquet-style culinary adventure that marries Japanese-inspired cuisine with West Coast ingredients. When you dine here, bring your colleagues, family or friends because the dishes are served family style. Pick a handful of dishes from the menu and enjoy a grand feast. Dishes include wasabi-lime beets with fresh cured trout roe and smoked cod cream, garlic fried rice, grilled escarole and Spanish octopus, caccitore-style chicken polpette, caviar potato cloud made with California sturgeon, and warm apple crepes.
If you’re dining alone or with a smaller party, you can still enjoy chefs Stuart Brioza and Nicole Kransinski’s wonderful masterpieces at State Bird Provisions, which you’ll find next door. The sign-less, Michelin-star-rated eatery serves à la carte options that are a foodie’s dream come true.
Chocolate Covered
If you hold a special place in your heart for chocolate, make space in your itinerary to visit Chocolate Covered in the Noe Valley. The small boutique features over 900 types of chocolate from nearly 20 countries—from local confections to overseas delights, such as Omnom Chocolate from Iceland. You’ll also find vegan and sugar-free options, as well as bacon-infused bars.
Modernist
One of the favorite secret hideouts among the Bay Area’s more affluent residents, the Modernist is a members-only social club that expanded in SoMa in 2016. It’s where the who’s who in city go to dine on gastronomical delights and imbibe creative cocktails in an upscale environment without the stuffiness witness in the area’s other private social clubs. Yes, you’ll need deep pockets to purchase a membership or an invitation. However, if you’d like to check out the establishment without an invitation or paying dues, you may book an “experience” online using a ticketed reservation system.
Garden Court
Step into another world in the newly renovated Garden Court within the financial district’s Palace Hotel. While traditional menu items are nothing less than five-star-delicious, the best meals are on Sunday, between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. À la carte brunch items include sticky buns, lobster rolls, Kobe beef meatballs, seafood platters for two, mini muffins, and Mission-style eggs benedict with Kalua pork, refried beans, and a chipotle hollandaise. Take the experience a step further with a Saturday Signature Tea, an upscale high tea ritual with an elegant menu fit for royalty.
Lazy Bear
A former pop-up that now has a real street address, a ticket to Lazy Bear in the Mission district is one of the most sought-after, exclusive items in the city. Serving dinner Tuesday through Saturday night, chef David Barzelay offers a 12- to 18-course prix-fixe menu that changes monthly. To get a seat at a communal table in the in the lodge-like dining room, you must purchase tickets online. The tickets are generally sold at noon on a Wednesday in the middle of the month. Only those who sign up for the restaurant’s email list or follow Lazy Bear on Twitter know the exact date of the ticket sales. As you feast on the bites and beverage pairings, write down your thoughts in the provided passbook.