The best luxury restaurants in San Francisco in 2026 are the four with three Michelin stars: Atelier Crenn, Benu, Californios and Quince. This list ranks the city’s 10 top-rated fine-dining restaurants, the four three-star and six two-star restaurants in the 2026 Michelin Guide California, announced on June 24, 2026. Californios is the newest three-star, and many names from our earlier list have fallen out.
| Rank | Restaurant | Cuisine | Neighborhood | Stars (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benu | Asian | SoMa | 3 |
| 2 | Quince | Contemporary | Jackson Square | 3 |
| 3 | Atelier Crenn | Contemporary, French | Cow Hollow | 3 |
| 4 | Californios | Mexican | SoMa | 3 |
| 5 | Saison | Californian | SoMa | 2 |
| 6 | Acquerello | Italian | Nob Hill | 2 |
| 7 | Lazy Bear | Contemporary | Mission District | 2 |
| 8 | Birdsong | Contemporary | SoMa | 2 |
| 9 | Kiln | Contemporary | Hayes Valley | 2 |
| 10 | Sons & Daughters | Contemporary | Nob Hill | 2 |
1. Benu: San Francisco’s first three-star restaurant
Chef Corey Lee, the former chef de cuisine at The French Laundry, opened Benu in 2010. In 2024 it celebrated ten consecutive years of three Michelin stars, and in 2019 it first appeared on a global best-restaurants list.
The set tasting menu focuses on seafood and vegetables with a few meat dishes.
Verdict: the longest unbroken run at the top in the city.
2. Quince: three stars since 2017
Michael and Lindsay Tusk opened Quince in 2003 in Pacific Heights, and it has been in Jackson Square since 2009. In 2017 it became the sixth restaurant in the Bay Area to win three Michelin stars.
It has a global selection of caviar. Until 2023 a prepaid ten-course tasting menu was the only option, and the restaurant closed for 11 months before reopening in 2023.
Why here: three stars and the strongest wine and caviar program.
3. Atelier Crenn: a menu written as a poem
Dominique Crenn and Juan Contreras opened Atelier Crenn in January 2011, in the Cow Hollow neighborhood, as a homage to Crenn’s father. It became the seventh Bay Area restaurant with three Michelin stars in 2018.
The menu is written as a poem, with each line representing a dish.
Our take: the most original menu concept in the city.
4. Californios: Mexican cuisine with three stars
Chef Val Cantú opened Californios in the Mission District in January 2015, and it moved to SoMa in early 2021 after its original location closed in 2020. It won its first Michelin star in 2015 and its second in 2017.
In 2026 it was awarded a third star, and it is described as the first Mexican restaurant in the world with three Michelin stars.
Rating note: the newest three-star restaurant and the biggest story in the 2026 guide.
5. Saison: the Californian restaurant that went from three stars to two
Saison is a Californian restaurant in SoMa. It earned three Michelin stars in 2014 and holds two in 2026.
Bottom line: the best-known name among the two-star restaurants.
6. Acquerello: Nob Hill’s Italian two-star
Acquerello is an Italian restaurant in Nob Hill with two Michelin stars. It is co-owned by Giancarlo Paterlini.
In short: the best Italian fine dining in the city.
7. Lazy Bear: a communal dinner in the Mission
Lazy Bear is a dinner restaurant in the Mission District with two Michelin stars, owned by chef David Barzelay.
Score logic: two stars and a reputation for a lively dinner party format.
8. Birdsong: SoMa contemporary cooking at two stars
Birdsong is a contemporary restaurant in SoMa. It had one star and has had two for several years.
The trade-off: steady and creative.
9. Kiln: Hayes Valley’s rising two-star
Kiln is a contemporary restaurant in Hayes Valley. It went from none to one star, then to two stars in the 2025 guide, and kept them in 2026.
Summary: the fastest climber of the group.
10. Sons & Daughters: two stars in Nob Hill
Sons & Daughters is a contemporary restaurant in Nob Hill. It moved from one to two stars in recent years and kept two in 2026.
Final note: a compact tasting-menu room at two stars.
What happened to the other restaurants on our earlier list?
We removed SPQR, Boulevard, Wayfare Tavern, Maven, Central Kitchen, Michael Mina, Gary Danko, Luce and Jardiniere, because none of them is among the starred restaurants in the 2026 Michelin Guide for San Francisco and we could not verify their current status. Three one-star restaurants lost their stars in 2026: The Shota, O’ by Claude Le Tohic and Le Comptoir at Bar Crenn, and Le Comptoir has announced it is closing.
Keep reading
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- Best luxury restaurants in Chicago: the other big US fine-dining city
FAQ
What is the best restaurant in San Francisco?
In our ranking it is Benu, which has held three Michelin stars for more than ten years. Quince, Atelier Crenn and Californios also hold three.
How many three-star restaurants does San Francisco have?
Four in the 2026 guide: Atelier Crenn, Benu, Californios and Quince.
Which San Francisco restaurant is new to three stars?
Californios, which was awarded its third star in 2026 and is described as the first Mexican restaurant in the world with three stars.
Which restaurants lost a star in 2026?
The Shota, O’ by Claude Le Tohic and Le Comptoir at Bar Crenn lost their stars.
Can I book at the last minute?
Rarely. Most of these restaurants take reservations well in advance.
Do you list prices?
No. Tasting-menu prices change, so check each restaurant’s site.
How we put this list together
We built this list from the 2026 Michelin Guide California, announced on June 24, 2026, and checked each restaurant’s neighborhood, history and star record. The order is our own view of track record and originality within the stars.
Last updated: October 2026.
