Every evening, the SF sky ignites in hues of pink, yellow, and baby blue while the city’s restaurants light candles and stoves to prepare for your arrival. Sophistication meets ambition and quality at the best date night restaurants in San Fran. Your whims and desires are preempted by courteous, polished teams.
Each dining spot on this list tells an intimate story of flavor and ambiance. Excellent food and drink awakens the senses, sparks conversation, and arouses intrigue. Pick one (or two, or more!) and indulge your beloved in a sensational experience.
Whether they’re partial to a French bistro or contemporary American dining, San Fran has a romantic spot to suit. Explore these things to do in San Francisco if you're in for an amorous evening.
Italian Cuisine
When you visualize romance, it makes sense for Italy to come to mind first — Rome is in the name, after all. The country’s rich cultural heritage and reverence for beauty make it one of the most romantic destinations in the world.
There are some breathtaking restaurants and date ideas in San Francisco with inventive and comforting menus. Each plate of food is a work of art, crafted with passion, honor, and dedication. Like fine paintings, texture and color add depth and nuance to dishes.
Let the freshness and flavor of Italian food intoxicate your senses as you share a once-in-a-lifetime experience at one of these Italian restaurants.
1. Penny Roma
At Penny Roma, slippery ribbons of tonnarelli and plump agnolotti pockets languish in herby, zingy Italian sauces — and all the handmade pasta is made fresh.
Bring your sweetheart here and wow them with the seasonal, authentic menu crafted by chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow. The former’s resume includes stints at La Folie, Gary Danko, and Quince, while the latter cut his teeth at 2-Michelin Star behemoth Mugaritz.
With stunning skylights, dark wood furnishings, climbing plants, and the distant sound of a fountain, it feels like you’re in a fairy tale as you nibble on comfort food at its finest. Italian, Californian, and French bottles dominate the wine list, which is full of lesser-known wines.
Pop into the pasta and wine shop next door to stock up on fresh pasta and buy bottles from the list at shockingly discounted prices.
2. Seven Hills
Quince alumni Anthony Florian’s Seven Hills is a remarkable spot for a dinner date in San Francisco. It’s notoriously challenging to get a reservation — so be sure to plan ahead.
Locals love this Russian Hill stalwart for the exquisite handmade ravioli. But for us, it’s the charming service and house-produced limoncello that swept us off our feet. (Considering we’re a group of acrobats and dancers, sweeping us off our feet is no easy feat!)
Thoughtful little extras make you and your guest feel special, making it easy to forget about everyone else as the stunning restaurant buzzes around you. The pasta, meat, and sauces are exquisite, and the dark and brooding ambiance makes it perfect for a midweek date night in SF.
3. Luisa's Restaurant Wine Bar
Saunter into Luisa's Restaurant Wine Bar with your soulmate, and prepare to be infatuated by the pillowy pizza dough, silky strands of pasta, and mouthwatering sauces.
Right in the heart of Little Italy, this Columbus Avenue trattoria has been delighting SF diners for more than 60 years. Just one bite of their meatballs makes it abundantly clear why.
Every dish sings with the clarity and freshness of being homemade by chefs with love in their hearts and passion in their souls. And it’s contagious.
Food this good has a way of uplifting your spirits and starting joyful conversations that bring you closer together. Considering its prime location, the prices at Luisa’s are affordable. It's a great date-night destination for couples seeking a spot to become regulars of.
4. Fino Bar & Ristorante
Farm-to-table cuisine isn’t hard to find on the West Coast, but it’s rare to stumble upon chefs that do it as well as the team at Fino Bar & Ristorante. Don’t let the small, unassuming dining room fool you, these are masters of classic Italian cooking techniques and experts in local produce.
What’s more, the servers know the menu and approachable wine list inside out and always seem excited to help you and your beau choose the most satisfying meal. If you’re the type of couple who loves being spoiled for choice, you’ll fall in love with the long food and drinks menus that keep locals coming back again and again.
Natural wine lovers are catered to in an exhaustive list that includes California favorites, such as Stag’s Leap cabernet and Cakebread chardonnay, along with ripe Italian reds, such as Barolo and Amarone.
American Cuisine
Contemporary American cuisine is like jazz improv. Global ingredients are the musical notes and American chefs are the composers. Just as you’re enjoying the familiar flavor of tradition, it gives way to a spontaneous and unexpected modern twist.
Bold, dynamic, and full of surprises, these are the best restaurants in San Francisco for American cuisine.
5. Gary Danko
Pop over to North Beach’s Gary Danko and prepare to be spellbound by this vintage SF date night restaurant. It’s like stepping back into a simpler time, with decor that nods to old-world glamor and food inspired by 1970s France.
Suited waiters remove cloches from dishes with an enchanting flourish and clear your table so discreetly that you barely notice their presence. Their movements seem so well-rehearsed, they remind us of our awe-inspiring dancers and acrobats, whose evocative movements tell stories of precision and practice.
This tried-and-true approach to fine dining makes it ideal for a date, as you’re never interrupted or imposed upon. That said, the moment you look up to make a request, a well-mannered server arrives immediately to make your wish come true.
With 1 Michelin Star, a 94-page wine list, and sinfully rich desserts, Gary Danko offers couples a dining experience so generous, seamless, and slick, it’s otherworldly.
6. Mersea Restaurant & Bar
Make your lover giddy by treating them to spectacular views of the Bay Bridge lit up at night from a hidden Treasure Island. Bring them down to Mersea Restaurant & Bar, where Hawaiian music is always playing and the vibes are endlessly immaculate.
Elevated comfort food is the name of the game. Think Caesar salad and brioche croutons, fish and chips with tartare sauce, and freshly baked chocolate brownies. Executive chef Parke Ulrich and cofounder MeeSun Boice named the restaurant Mersea after the Old English word for "Island Oasis," and it offers a true escape from the daily grind.
When we come singing, dancing, and somersaulting into town, we always order the santorita margarita — an exciting spin on the classic with cucumber puree and Old Bay seasoning.
7. Harris' Restaurant
Looking for old-world Californian luxury that sizzles with refined elegance? Sink into a sumptuous booth at Harris’ Restaurant with your dearest and immerse yourself in a menu that reads like a tantalizing story of indulgence and flavor.
Opened in 1984, this classic steakhouse ticks all the boxes — a jazz band, ice-cold martinis, and exquisite beef. Grand decor and a tome-like wine list complement the menu of tender Wagyu and Midwestern cuts.
Bring your partner here and get transported into a bygone era of warmth and sophistication as the atmosphere wraps you up in a cocoon of comfort. Oh, and don’t forget to try the creamed spinach — even by steakhouse standards, it’s out-of-this-world.
8 Spruce
Book a San Francisco anniversary dinner at Spruce and embark on an unforgettable journey of inventive, intricate, and downright delicious food and drink.
With crisp white tablecloths, a glossy marble bar, pudgy leather chairs, and an army of waistcoat-wearing servers, eating here feels exactly how fine dining should feel.
There’s a sommelier to guide you through the encyclopedic wine list, which is renowned among the well-heeled folks of SF. It even has a Coravin, so you can indulge in wines you wouldn’t typically find by the glass, including a 2019 Rully Premier Cru and a 2012 St. Julien.
While it’s awesome for romantic dinners, you can pop into Spruce for a brunch or bar date if you fancy something a little more casually sophisticated.
Our Guide for the Perfect San Francisco Night!
Planning your San Francisco itinerary? Make time for a Cirque du Soleil show while we’re in town!
French Cuisine
For many, the best romantic San Francisco restaurants evoke the ambiance of the world’s number one proposal destination, France. Renowned for inventing fine dining as we know it, French restaurants showcase a mesmerizing ballet of culinary finesse and flavor combinations that pirouette on the palate and leave you breathless.
Classic techniques combine with state-of-the-art craftsmanship to thrill and excite diners, while love finds its rhythm at the privacy of your table.
9. L'ardoise Bistro
Stepping into L’ardoise Bistro feels like wandering into a Parisian dream, with its burgundy ceilings, walls, dark wood furniture, and soft yellow lighting.
Nestled in the Duboce Triangle, it beckons besotted couples, promising moments of delight and revelry shared over French classics, such as coq au vin, escargot, and duck leg confit. The charming bistro is the perfect cozy space for you and your loved one to get lost in comfort food and the warm embrace of each other’s company.
Chef Thierry Clement moved from France to San Francisco 10 years before opening L’ardoise in 2008, and he’s proud to serve a friendly crowd with lots of regulars. He says, “We start early and we finish late, so we do a lot of people in this small place.”
10. Chapeau!
Opened in 1995, the eatery Chapeau! has a hard-earned reputation for finesse, fancy French food, and some of the friendliest service in San Francisco. It’s a popular date night, so you’ll need to make a reservation well in advance.
The atmosphere is more fun and buzzy than prim and proper. It’s a great date spot to visit before you witness the heart-pounding experience of a live show curated by our masters of artistry. Cassoulet, filet mignon, and French toast are a few menu items that made our hearts skip a beat at this beloved neighborhood spot.
11. Bouche
A list of romantic restaurants in San Francisco wouldn’t be complete without the French restaurant Bouche. You and your partner can taste Provence in the heart of downtown. Unlike many other French restaurants in the city, the menu changes often to reflect California’s produce rather than strictly sticking to French classics.
Don’t worry — there’s still beef tartare and French toast, but you’ll also find innovative dishes, such as porcini tagliatelle, halibut with chorizo, and cauliflower soup.
Unique Dining Experiences
Romantic dining in San Francisco doesn’t look the same for everyone. While some of you dream of gazing into your lover’s eyes and whispering sweet nothings into the night, others might cringe endlessly at the thought — and we’re here for you guys, too. If your idea of romance is a little more upbeat, these are the date restaurants in SF for you.
12. Bix
Shimmy back into the sultry 1930s at the restaurant Bix, a destination supper club with a difference.
Your date will know they’re in for a treat as you lead them down the alley toward the grand doorway. They’ll feel like they’ve arrived as a white-jacketed server deftly pulls out their chair. Some say Bix makes the City’s best classic cocktails, but you’ll have to sip for yourself.
13. 25 Lusk
Chef Matthew Dolan’s 25 Lusk is a concept restaurant in SOMA that uses cutting-edge techniques to turn each meal into an edible adventure. The downstairs dining room feels like an industrial chic club, while the rooftop offers scenic views over the city. It’s a must-try for couples looking for a bustling and intimate space to eat, drink, and be merry.
Savoring Romance in San Francisco's Culinary Scene
Now you’ve been on a virtual tour of the most romantic restaurants in San Francisco — and the most amorous cuisines in the world — you’re ready to woo. After a dinner party, why not soar through a kaleidoscope of wonder to one of our shows?
Our performers are modern-day alchemists who blend athleticism with grace and tell ethereal stories using artistry, color, and boundless creativity. Allow your imagination to run wild the next time you visit one of our shows in San Francisco, as each rippling movement and unbelievable feat captivates and astounds you.