United States California Best Castro Restaurants By Anne Tittiger Anne Tittiger Writer and former managing editor for San Francisco magazine, this San Francisco native has been writing about the Bay Area since 2010. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 10/23/19 Fact checked by Michelai Graham Fact checked by Michelai Graham Michigan State University American University Michelai Graham is a technology and business reporter who has written for The Urban Institute and Scoop News. She reports for AfroTech, Lifewire, and The Plug. TripSavvy's fact-checking Courtesy of Finn Town The Mission may be the spot to open up hot new restaurants, but the Castro is full of local joints that have a certain neighborhood appeal. Although their settings, styles, and cuisine are all different, walk into any one of these eateries and you’ll feel right at home. 01 of 09 Frances Casual Restaurants 4.6 California cuisine is all over this city, but nowhere does it quite like Frances. Something about the small, cozy space and neighborhood vibes makes it feel like you’re dining at a close friend’s house—if that close friend just so happened to have a Michelin star. Though the menu changes daily, popular base items include pork chop, bavette steak, and fresh fish. But this place is no hidden secret—reservations are booked a solid three weeks out, so call early. 02 of 09 Saucy Asian Saucy Asian In April 2017, the Castro obtained this delicious Korean, Latin, and California fix – one with a menu is rolled out in steps. First, choose whether you’d like a standard bowl, poke bowl, wrap, or taco. Then select your protein from such offerings as spicy pork and soy garlic chicken. Finally decide on a side (kimbap – rice with spicy pork and pickled daikon – is a popular favorite). It’s fast causal dining at its finest. 03 of 09 Izakaya Sushi Ran Izakaya Sushi Ran A sibling to Sausalito's lauded Sushi Ran restaurant, this upscale izakaya took over the Castro's former Nomica space (another eatery under the same owners) and transformed it into a Japanese-style pub. Along with sashimi, sushi rolls, and tempura dishes, the tavern-like Sushi Ran features a menu of small hot and cold plates including almond milk tofu served with sweet umami soy sauce and miso glazed salmon with pickled vegetables, ideal for enjoying alongside creative cocktails made with awamori, Okinawa's preferred distilled rice spirit. 04 of 09 Mama Ji's View Map Address 4416 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94114, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-626-4416 Web Visit website This no-reservations neighborhood establishment is the go-to for an easy weeknight family dinner that’s loaded with flavor. Owners Lily (aka Mama Ji) and Marv serve up home-style Sichuan food — items like pork shumai and cilantro shrimp dumplings — and are longtime residents of the community, lending the place a familial feel. Continue to 5 of 9 below. 05 of 09 Starbelly Starbelly View Map Address 3583 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94114-1620, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-252-7500 Web Visit website Brunch is the name of the game at the sun-soaked Starbelly, a casual spot serving up California comfort cuisine in a friendly, relaxed setting with its own outdoor patio. Along with this delicious daily offering, the restaurant also features happy hour and evening menus that run the gamut from a white cheddar hamburger on a challah bun to pizza topped with bacon, jalapeño, arugula, and green goddess dressing. Basically, it offers a little something for everyone. 06 of 09 The Sausage Factory View Map Address 517 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-626-1250 Web Visit website First opened in 1968 in a former sausage factory, this family-owned Italian eatery is a Castro Street staple. Pillowy dough crusts and the perfect amount of cheese yields delicious pizza slices, and a cozy interior with vinyl booths, papered walls, and a plethora of framed photos make it almost as though you're dining at nonna's house. 07 of 09 Finn Town Finn Town View Map Address 2251 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94114-1612, USA Get directions Web Visit website The specialty at this popular Castro neighborhood "Tavern with a Twist" (and home of Chef Larry Keck, Season 7 winner on the Food Network’s “Guys Grocery Games”), is elevated dinner and weekend brunch pub fare, which includes items like quinoa and goat cheese burgers, a daily changing flatbread, hearty salads, and braised short rib entrees. With an energetic vibe and a colorful decor complete with comfy mismatched chairs and tufted booth-backs to match, Finn Town easily draws in crowds — and extended kitchen hours - (until 11pm) Tuesday through Saturday evenings only helps the cause. 08 of 09 Anchor Oyster Bar View Map Address 579 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114-2511, USA Get directions Phone +1 415-431-3990 Web Visit website Seafood Restaurants 4.6 This little seafood spot has been serving up a bevy of classic dishes since 1977, and is today a local institution. Crowds pour in for dishes like crab cakes served with housemade tartar sauce and roasted potatoes, and wild Mexican prawns, but it's the Oyster Bar's cioppino – a traditional seafood and pasta medley that's best split between friends – that's really made a name for itself. Whatever your order, be sure and cleanse your palate first with a couple of oyster shooters. Continue to 9 of 9 below. 09 of 09 Lark Dishing out California-Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in a rustic wine bar setting, Lark exudes a distinctly European air. Lunch and dinner are par for the course, with small sharable plates like Angus sliders, burrata caprese crostini, and lamb souvlaki contributing to the eatery's already lively atmosphere, and making dining into more of a jovial party than a standard sit-down meal. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email