The Coolest Meals Traits in San Francisco in 2021

Also known as Pandemic Take Two, 2021 has really been a wild ride for restaurants, and the resulting food trends reflect that. We went from full lockdown to full reopening, bundling up for the coolest parklets first before finally taking a seat in plant-filled dining rooms. But guests in San Francisco tore each other out of their bodies in all of this, and the food-obsessed city still found plenty of dishes, drinks, and other culinary details to talk about. From the freshest and finest crudos to pineapple buns filled with custard, surprisingly affordable tasting menus to eating with dogs – here are the food trends that defined San Francisco in 2021.

Fancy frozen pizza

While it may seem like a distant memory, San Francisco was completely cordoned off only 12 months ago, and one of the coolest trends was – chic frozen pizza. So much so that your hard-working Eater SF editors created a definitive guide with flavorful tasting notes. Pizzeria Delfina, Tony’s, Piccino, and Casey’s still seem to offer frozen cakes if you want to stock up for the winter. What relapse on the spot, right?

Itria

Real raw fish

With full reopening over the course of the summer, it suddenly seemed like the Bay Area was collectively craving raw fish. Itria opened the Mission cool with half a dozen different crudos on the menu, while Le Fantastique in the Hayes Valley shone with small plates of raw and cured fish that defy the omakase or crudo categorization. Even hot new openings like Ernest and Penny Roma no longer have a hamachi on the menu, but rather several different crudos, carpaccios and tartares.

The band

Teething canned fish

The canned fish trend has been around for a while, but while it may have started with home cooking, it is now packed to the brim on menus across town. Anchovy Bar was one of the biggest openings of this pandemic, where the State Bird team not only cures local anchovies, but you can also try different cans side by side. While fun new bars like Chezchez and La Bande pry open cans of sardines and clams and proudly put them on plates.

Patricia Chang

All Asian-American baked goods

Last year, a cohort of talented bakers explored Asian-American flavors and nostalgia: Bake Sum rained purple pineapple buns across the bay, Sunday Bakeshop cruffins filled with strawberry pocky, Jina Bakes folded spicy braised short ribs into croissants, while Grand Opening amazes honey cake burned with his star.

Patricia Chang

Appealingly affordable tastings

The Michelin star mania started in the fall when these chic French inspectors released an update for the California travel guide. But Bay Area diners seem interested in cheaper tasting menus these days: the city fell in love with Marlena, the Michelin-starred mom-and-pop Michelin stunner in Bernal Heights, where four courses cost $ 65. At affordable Omakase, the Chisai Sushi Club debuted with a full experience for $ 80, while Sushi Sato offers snacks for $ 40 to $ 55. The new Hilda and Jesse even make a tasting menu for breakfast – with three courses for 45 US dollars.

Balboa Cafe

Espresso Martini Mania

Let’s not call it a trend, because strong coffee cocktails have always been around in San Francisco. But espresso martinis in particular have seen extremely caffeinated overdrive this year. Soft and sweet with a double roar, the velvet hammer is on nitro at the Balboa Cafe and trembles at 15 Romolo and Macondray, to name but a few notable excellent versions, and drinkers can’t seem to get enough.

Patricia Chang

Cool, creative parklets

Between late approval and unfair fines, making parklets permanent in San Francisco has been a rocky road. Regardless, restaurants have poured sweat, tears, and endless creativity into the outdoors, from bold modern designs to serene paper lanterns and succulents, library-inspired living rooms to tugs and trams.

Patricia Chang

Dog friendly food

The pandemic puppy boom has also infiltrated restaurants. First of all, several locals named their restaurants after dogs: meet pit bull lady Lucy from Lucinda’s Deli, resident bar dog Kona from Kona’s Street Market and of course the esteemed Mr. Digby from Mr. Digby’s. But it’s not just cooks and bartenders who are obsessed with their dogs. Patrons love taking them to parklets, so much so that restaurants across town will be pleased with “yappy hour” menus, from canine “caviar” at Angler to “churro chews” at Tacolicious.

Patricia Chang

Lots of lush plants

The plant mom trend is also flourishing in restaurants. As soon as the dining rooms are open again, restaurants and bars are dripping with plants everywhere. Propagation Plant Bar, Nightingale Fern Bar, Macondray and others are so full of plants that you can’t even sip a cocktail without brushing your fronds – in a good way.

David Matesanz

Natural wine without end

And finally, the natural wine trend has never stopped flowing this year. Trendy new wine bars like Daytrip, Snail Bar and Bar Part Time dug up natural and funky bottles, turned them on under glittering disco balls and turned would-be nights into bacchanal parties. And even with hot restaurant openings, it feels like you can’t turn up a menu without natties prominently on the wine list.

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