What are the best places to eat in Salzburg?

Where are some incredible places to eat in San Fransisco?

• I want to know of places to eat in San Fran. Places that locals go to frequently-not touristy places. I want at the names and types of food for at least 5 places. They can be any price range, but I want them in categories like (lunch, dinner, seafood, steak, ect.) I am spending some time there in a few weeks and I do not want to eat bad food. Thanks for your help.

• Answer:

  The first recommendation is for "Chapeau!" in San Francisco, located on Clement Street. They serve classic bistro French fare at very reasonable prices. The food and service are excellent, though sometimes slow, which is not a bad thing if you want to socialize. They don't rush you. There is a Monday-Thursday early bird special that is an outright bargain. It is always packed (with people from the neighborhood), so reservations are advised. Also on Clement Street is "Bai Som" which is a Thai restaurant open for both lunch and dinner. Again, food and service are great, and prices are very reasonable. My favorites there are: duck/pineapple fried rice, Tom Kar Kai soup, BBQ chicken, and the peanut sauce. They will make the dishes as spicy or mild as you request. Also, nice atmosphere. For amazing dim sum, especially on Sunday afternoon, I suggest Tong Kiang on Geary Boulevard near 22nd Avenue. Because Sunday is a Chinese family day for eating out, you will probably have to wait in line, but it is worth it. The restaurant is also open for dinner all week, and the food (especially Hakka dishes, seafood, and vegetables) is very good. The restaurant is cleaner and has a better ambiance than many Chinese restaurants in SF, yet their prices are about the same. The reason to specifically go there, however, is for the dim sum. Again, worth the wait and fun. If you want pizza, there are two fine pizza places in the Richmond District of SF. The first is Gaspare's on Geary Boulevard. It is family owned and the atmosphere is a throwback to the 50's Italian style: plastic grapes from the ceiling, classic Italian songs on the jukeboxes at each booth. The pizza crust is thin and hand-tossed. The toppings are of high quality. The prices are very reasonable. I think they may be open for lunch; for sure they are open at dinner, and they stay open longer than most other restaurants in SF. The other pizza place is "Greco Romana" on Clement Street and 26th Avenue. They make a very tasty pizza, and though a bit more expensive than Gaspare's, it is still competitive with higher-end chains such as Round Table. The dining area is small and not terribly inspiring, but clean. I particularly like their Greek sausage, grilled eggplant, and kalamata olive ingredients on my pizza. My daughter used to refer to it as "pizza with an attitude." Other than a few other Greek-style dishes, such as the Gyros, I don't recommend it for anything other than pizza. Again, not sure whether or not they're open for lunch. If fondue appeals to you, as it might, because SF fog can be quite chilly in the summer, I recommend "Matterhorn" on Van Ness Avenue, near Vallejo Ave. They are only open for dinner. The cheese fondue has several different selections, and they are all quite reasonable, though only one selection is for one person only. The steak fondue is only available for a party of two or more, and is a bit more expensive, but with quality ingredients and dipping sauces. The menu items are very good. The owner/chef is of Swiss German heritage, and it is reflected in the entrees. And the homemade desserts are superb. I grew up in the Midwest, and I feel like I have walked into a chalet whenever I visit the restaurant. San Francisco has amazingly good restaurants - from little storefronts to elegant dining establishments. The best Chinese food is found in the Richmond District, not Chinatown. Yet, in general, the best Japanese food is in Japantown, except for Sushi, which tends to be found in nthe more "yuppie" areas of the city, such as the northern Fillmore Street area and the Castro. The Castro/Market Street neighborhood has some amazingly good restaurants which are in a predominantly gay neighborhood, which is great if you are not judgmental, but which might offend the sensibilities of someone who has a prejudice about that. Ironically, seafood restaurants are not a strength of SF, though many individual restaurants do a nice job with their seafood entrees. Just avoid Fishermans Wharf, where the food is mostly generic and overpriced, and the dining room is filled with tourists. And last, but not least, the Mission District (Valencia, Guerrero, Mission Streets, etc.) is home to a plethora of Mexican and Central American cuisines, many of very high quality. Ask a hip-looking local for their recommendations. Oh, that reminds me: There is a very good Vietnamese dinner place called "Sunflower" in the Mission District. Atmosphere is mundane, but food is excellent. Happy dining.