Focusing on Noe and the Mission.
food
Benu: best meal I've ever had
Boulevard: like a more flavorful version of union square cafe
ichi sushi: amazing sushi; just get the omikase and you''ll get a ton of great stuff
dosa: love the dosas, good drinks too
limon: rotisserie chicken is fantastic
Saru: very good sushi (no reservations)
Commissary: very tasty; easy to get a reservation for how good it is
State Bird Provisions: very tasty; dim-sum style American; not as upscale as rumored
Quince: great; insanely expensive
Commonwealth: good (not memorable)
Papalote: good mexican
lolo: really good tapas and wine
zero zero: really good pizza (make a reservation)
SPQR: fancy, tasty Italian
The Progress: amuse-bouches were amazing; rest of dinner solid
Delarosa: pizza, very laid back
Contigo: upscale; not amazing
Firefly: upscale for Noe
Central Kitchen: very tasty, very bad service
local mission eatery: bunch of tasty stuff
Beretta: really good sit-down pizza
Absinthe: good
old jerusalem: well spiced plate of chicken and hummus, yum
velvet cantina: love the guacamole
range: good; forget what i ate there
udupi: h's favorite indian place; good dosas and no line
aslam's rasoi: not as good as udupi, h says
Delfina: eh; everyone says it's amazing but I don't see it
Jackson Fillmore: Italian
Gracias Madre: tasty but vegan
Zaytoon: fine but not special
Nopa: dinner not worth the hype (waiter promised "best meal you've ever had"; it was mediocre)
La Mediteranee: fine but not special
haven't been yet
Gamine
Bacca (Diamond/24th)
Tuba
4505 meats: chelsea's recommendation
Al's
Zuni
Alta CA
brunch
Griddle Fresh: insanely good pancakes and savory stuff
Zazie: almost as good as GF
Foreign Cinema: good, overhyped
Kate's Kitchen: not as good as GF
Chloe's: fine but not special (they were out of the walnut bread though)
+Craftsmen and Wolves: nothing was good the 1 time i went (with josh)
--- haven't been yet:
Pomelo
Nopa
Mission Beach Cafe
Plow
h's places that i haven't been yet:
yamo
osha
sunflower
balompie
slow club
monk's kettle
little star
arinell pizza
additional h ones:
Chez Maman (Potrero Hill and Hayes Valley)
Cincinetta (North Beach)
Laguna Cafe (Haight)
Alembic (Haight)
Mazzat
Two Sisters
j's places that i haven't been yet:
California cuisine
+Universal Cafe
+Blue Plate
+Serpentine (same owners as Slow Club)
+Mission Beach Cafe
Japanese
+Minako: quirky (read a review on Yelp so that you know the correct protocol before going)
Low-key:
+Church Chow
+Burrito places (Taqueria Can Cun)
+Kasa: indian - Kathi rolls
Brunch
+Bar Tartine
+Dottie's True Blue Cafe
Pizza
+Una Pizza Napoletana (pizza only - it's Tony the difficult guy from e. village...)
+Mozzeria
+Pauline's pizza
Other cuisines
+Kokkari Estiatatorio: greek
+OuterLands cafe
Ice cream:
Xanath
Bakeries:
+Bakery Tartine
+Sandbox Bakery
g's places that i haven't been yet:
Locanda: sometimes they have ribs
Lolinda
Aatxe: super fancy
Atelier Cren
Liholiho
coi
st vincent
Rich table
AQ
Sweet maple
saison
Hotel Biron: good for wine/snacks
cynk's places that i haven't been yet:
Kusakabe- best sushi in the country, IMHO. Recently got a Michelin star within months of opening.
La Santaneca de La Mission. Burritos are so last year. Phenomenal pupusas- get the revueltas. $6.
maria's:
jardiniere
Le Colonial: if you like fancy Vietnamese, is awesome
Amber India
Luce: inside Hotel Intercontinental
Frances: in the Castro, they have bacon beignets
Cotogna: supposed to be good
RN74
Town Hall
Salt House
Perbacco
all the michael mina restaurants
bar agricole: supposed to be good
Big 4: is stuffy, but their food is ok
Flour + Water
Spruce
drinks
20 Spot: nice place for a glass of wine
Mission Cheese: drinks and cheese!
Biergarten
Schmidt's: beer-hall style with great pretzels
Noir: good atmosphere; crowded
Pi Bar: good for a chill beer; pizza too?
---have i been to the following?---
ABV
Bond
El Techo
Hotel Biron
coffee
sightglass: new favorite
blue bottle: great
philz: eh; i don't like drip coffee; the mint thing is really good though
four barrel: hit or miss
ritual: used to be good; not lately though
ice cream
bi-rite: awesome
mitchell's: good
humphrey slocum: don't bother; they lack flavors like "chocolate" in favor of weird stuff
bakeries/bagels
Noe Valley: great seeded demi baguette with
Arizmendi: good stuff in general
Holey Bagel: best bagel I've found in SF
Noe Bagel: not good
nick's neighborhood
sandwich spot: best sandwiches ever
sabrosa: fantastic guac, amazing margaritas, nice lighter stuff like salads
terzo: was consistently high quality; lately less so
Capannina: Italian
umami sushi: good but don't get the crazier stuff
Mamacita: chilaquiles better than fish tacos
rose's: fine
isa: fine
--- haven't been yet:
Lucca (deli)
closed/moved:
Baker and Banker