San Francisco’s 8 Best Hotel Restaurants

Who would have thought the casual Thai restaurant Kin Khao, inside Union Square's Parc 55 Hotel, would nab a Michelin star and become one of the hottest reservations in town? (All photos courtesy of the restaurants)

In a city filled with tourists, it makes sense that some of San Francisco's hottest restaurants would reside inside hotels. Here are a few of our favorites that have everything but the turndown service. 

Kin Khao at Parc 55

Located on the bottom floor of Union Square’s Parc 55, this authentic Thai restaurant is a hidden gem in the sea of big-box stores, dives, and chain restaurants. When Coi's Daniel Patterson took the Vice Munchies crew to this Cyril Magnin Street eatery on his night out, the small restaurant earned some overdue notoreity. The vibe is young and casual, with the ambiance and service both sort of whatever; but menu, curated by Bangkok native proprietress Pim Techamuanvivit, bursts with style, originality, flavor, and heat. The braised beef cheek, in Massamam curry and coconut milk, is pretty much the best thing we've eaten ever.  //  Kin Khao, 55 Cyril Magnin St. (Union Square), kinkhao.com

(Photo: Ashley Batz)

Plaj at the Inn at the Opera

Chef/owner Roberth Sundell's Swedish meatballs are to 7x7 editors what bacon is to the hipster set—on our Big Eat 2015 list, we could eat those balls with everything. Plaj fuses California ingredients with traditional Scandinavian recipes for a menu that feels at once familiar and unusual. Other popular dishes might include herring, elk, and gravlax, but the menu changes daily based on seasonal ingredients at the local farmers market.  //  Plaj, 333 Fulton St, (Hayes Valley), plajrestaurant.com

The Cavalier at Hotel Zetta

SF's serious foodies don't only know the names of restaurateurs Anna Weinberg, James Nicholas, and chef Jennifer Puccio—they keep them on speed dial. In 2013, the Big NightRestaurant Group, also behind the ever-popular Marlowe and Park Tavern, worked with design star Ken Fulk to put a posh Brit veneer on the restaurant inside the new Hotel Zetta. The Cavalier opened with three stars from Michael Bauer and has earned a James Beard nom for Best New Restaurant in America. The team that does it all literally does it all here—serving elevated London-style fare from breakfast to brunch to lunch to cocktails to dinner to room service. Don't miss the Scotch eggs, fish and chips, and a decadent shepherd’s pie.  //  The Cavalier, 360 Jessie St. (SoMa), thecavaliersf.com

Jasper’s Corner Tap & Kitchen at Serrano Hotel

Don’t dismiss this gastropub just because of its proximity to Union Square. The hip lounge and sports bar saw a mix-up last year that brought more locals than tourists to the Serrano Hotel. With a great happy hour, oversized flat screens, and an eclectic menu from executive chef Adam Steudle, it’s become an easy choice for shoppers and FiDi techies alike.  //  Jasper's, 401 Taylor St, (Tenderloin), jasperscornertap.com

Campton Place at Campton Place Hotel

Absolutely beautiful food is on order at Campton Place, where a variety of kitchen visionaries have been steering it to success since the 1980s. Now under the toque of chef Srijith Gopinathan, Campton's exquisite California-Indian cuisine has garnered a Michelin star every year for the past six; this year, the restaurant celebrated a coveted second star. Indulge in the spice-poached lobster with coastal curry sauce, a spin on traditional Indian street food with a hint of San Francisco fog.  //  Campton Place, 340 Stockton St, (Union Square), camptonplacesf.com

Chambers Eat + Drink at Phoenix Hotel

Chambers Eat + Drink is the well known hot spot inside the storied Phoenix Hotel, famous for its pool parties and all manner of rock-and-roll bad behavior. We like Chambers for its swank design, interesting cocktails, and elevated bar food; everyone else likes it for the selfie opportunities provided by the lighted “Be Amazing” sign in the lounge. At brunch, you can't go wrong with a Hangover Hash with dry-aged short rib pastrami.  //  Chambers, 601 Eddy St, S (Tenderloin), chambers-sf.com

Tonga Room at Fairmont San Francisco

The kitschy Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar has been a local icon since it starting slinging tropical cocktails back in 1945, making the Fairmont a favorite destination for locals looking for a kooky party atmo. While the hotel itself just drips with formality, the Polynesian-inspired restaurant serves its claim-to-fame cocktail in a plastic coconut. EvenAnthony Bourdain likes it: “Hotel whore that I am, I’m fond of the Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. Big. Old. Built in 1907, with lots of history and character. Most importantly, a tiki bar in the cellar.”  //  Tonga Room, 950 Mason St. (Nob Hill), San Francisco, tongaroom.com

Ame Restaurant at St. Regis

When husband-wife team Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani first opened Ame back in 2006, the culinary community was a little perplexed by their twist on Asian meets Western fare. But it didn’t take long to catch on—Ame (sister to Napa Valley’s Terra) has earned accolades everywhere from Zagat to Michelin. Michael Bauer called the sake-marinated Alaskan black cod “stunning.”  //  Ame, 689 Mission St (SoMa), amerestaurant.com

Article and images sourced from http://www.7x7.com/eat-drink/san-francisco-s-8-best-hotel-restaurants

2015 Hot 20: Anna Weinberg, Empress of the SF Restaurant Scene

(photography by Aubrie Pick) 

Anna Weinberg is the life of the San Francisco party, as proprietress of Marlowe, Park Tavern, The Cavalier and, coming soon, Leo's Luxury Oyster bar.
If you’ve had a chance to perch at the bar with Marlowe’s burger, devour Park Tavern’s deviled eggs during the heady buzz of a Thursday night, or cozy into a booth in The Cavalier’s Blue Bar to nosh on lamb scrumpets, you’ve not only experienced some of the city’s most talked-about restaurants (with good reason), but you’ve likely spotted proprietess Weinberg zipping past, a flash of blonde ponytail with a mouth going a mile a minute, doling out welcome and whip-smart sass in equal measure with a New Zealand accent. Having cut her teeth as a hostess at NYC’s Barbuto, Weinberg learned from the best, but has perfected the art of hospitality here in SF as partner in the Big Night Restaurant Group. It seems there’s no stopping her.
While Weinberg will steadfastly explain that her success is not without the help of her other partners—her husband, James Nicholas, and chef Jennifer Puccio—she is no doubt the creative force of the crew, a manic dreamer of entertainment in restaurant form with seemingly endless energy. As soon as one restaurant opens, the next idea is swirling in her head. And in true hostess form, the customer is at the core of what motivates Weinberg to push the limits. “I want to do the opposite of what we just did. We need to give our regulars new experiences,” she says.
But how the hell does she manage it all? “We have a layer of four or five people we couldn’t do without, and part of retention is expansion—we keep our best people engaged and excited with new projects.” Their latest creation? Leo’s Luxury Oyster Bar, a Mad Men-esque ode to craft cocktails, raw seafood, and opulent luxury opening New Years Eve in the former Wexler’s space in the heart of the FiDi. Inspired by an episode from season one, Weinberg takes the sexiest essence of Don Draper getting schnockered at lunch and transforms it into a most anticipated new spot: “I want gorgeous men in suits, drinking martinis and eating oysters at this bar.” Yes, please.

While The Cavalier’s members only back-room bar, Marianne’s—the embodiment of Weinberg’s late-night dreams—gives a taste of what makes her tick, Leo’s may prove to be the most personal project yet: Named after Nicholas’ and Weinberg’s cherub of a son, it’s an unabashed celebration of the group’s favorite things: “Jenn will admit she doesn’t eat cooked food. And James is super healthy. More than me, it’s the food they love,” Weinberg explains.
Though her fondness for rosé and, of course, lots and lots of bubbles, are all over the wine list. Leave it to Weinberg to have a literal Champagne room—a tented space behind the dining room replete with Moroccan tile floors, leather banquettes, and table service pouring everything from Laurent Perrier to a 1980 vintage Krug. “It’s not private, but it will feel glamorous,” Weinberg affirms. With an interior modeled after a 1950s-era Park Avenue apartment, courtesy of preeminent designers Ken Fulk and Jon de la Cruz, Leo’s will have an atrium with hanging ferns, a honey onyx bar, mahogany wood panels, green leather booths, and antique mirrored walls in the dining room. “It’s nightlife meets oyster bar,” says Weinberg.
And while we probed about what’s next, she’ll tell you that right now, “The plan is to make Leo’s great.” That said, we’re betting she’ll have something else in the hopper come January 1.

Article and images sourced from http://www.7x7.com/culture/2015-hot-20-anna-weinberg-empress-sf-restaurant-scene