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Best Burgers
San Francisco
Epic Roasthouse 369 The Embarcadero, Embarcadero, 415-369-9955 epicroasthousesf.com
The Draw: The cliché “sweeping views of the bay” is an understatement here. Epic is no longer open for lunch, but chef Jan Birnbaum’s legendary burger makes the dinner menu cut. The meat—a mixture of brisket, short rib, and sirloin is ground in-house, grilled to perfection, and served on a custom Panorama bun. The Scene: Pat Kuleto’s design takes advantage of the waterfront, but the interior space has several worthy focal points, including a wood-burning oven, a wood-fired grill, and a fireplace. Cook over fire much? Diners range from the usual suits and the shopping set to unapologetic carnivores from all walks of life. Hot Tip: Order your burger with a side of mac ‘n’ cheese, and ask for a booth by the window near the faux water pump for both views and privacy.
Nopa 560 Divisadero St., Western Addition, 415-864-8643 nopasf.com
The Draw: Zuni’s Judy Rogers might’ve invented pickled onions as a
now-classic burger side, but it’s Laurence Jossel at Nopa who gets the
whole package right, starting with the best beef in the Bay Area, Marin Sun Farms (grass-fed, of course). It’s grilled over almond wood and served on buttery brioche, with crunchy Little Gem lettuces, basil aioli, and harissa if
you ask for it. The Scene: Nopa is the kind of restaurant you won’t find in LA or New York. It’s both serious (about food and service) and seriously casual. It’s a neighborhood restaurant that locals drive across town for. And it’s utterly without attitude, a trait that might encourage wannabes to take a page from its book. This is a fave of the city’s top chefs. See them stacked up at the bar after work. Hot Tip: Check out the restaurant’s food blog for a window into local, sustainable food culture.
Spruce 3640 Sacrameto St., Laurel Heights, 415-931-5100 sprucesf.com
The Draw: Niman Ranch beef (grass-fed, grain-finished) is ubiquitous in SF, but there’s something about the way the Spruce kitchen pan-sears it, something about the perfectly sized homemade bun, and something about the house-pickled zucchini that makes this burger a top contender. Oh, right, the French Fries cooked in duck fat. That’s it. The Scene: One of the most elegant restaurants in town, Spruce’s tables are well spaced for comfort and privacy. It seems like there’s always some sort of illicit conversation going on at one of the corner spots in this low-lit, dark-walled space. Lunchtime crowds tend toward groups of women shoppers; evening skews to sexy, urbane couples of all persuasions. Hot Tip: The best tables are the banquettes along the western wall,
out of the main foot-traffic flow, but with an angle on the whole space.
