San Francisco Restaurants : Financial District

E'Tutto Qua

Address: 270 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133 (Map) - Tel:(415) 989-1002

While traditional, classic, Italian cuisine has been a hit with diners all over the world for centuries, the owners and chefs at È Tutto Qua strive to infuse cutting edge recipes and techniques from Rome into their menu. Located in the heart of North Beach, È Tutto Qua does an excellent job keeping up with the latest trends in Italy, but the focus is always on quality ingredients and superb service. Meats and fish arrive fresh daily, pasta is made in-house from scratch, and many ingredients aren't added to your dish until right before it heads to your table. Knowing the ingredients are of the utmost freshness, the menu speaks for itself with its selections of unique pastas, thin crust Roman-style pizza, and entrees like Involtino di Pollo: a chicken breast in white wine sauce, stuffed with prosciutto, fontina cheese, and spinach. For a quality, gourmet meal that's hard to find outside of Italy, visit È Tutto Qua on the corner of Columbus and Broadway.

5A5 Steak Lounge

Address: 244 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94111 (Map) - Tel:(415) 989-2539

Located in the Financial District is 5A5 Steak Lounge, a modern take on the traditional steakhouse. They have seamlessly blended the atmosphere of a vibrant cocktail lounge with the culinary traditions of “steak and potatoes.” The restaurant serves some the world’s best cuts of beef and features contemporary sides and modern appetizers. The décor and ambience allow the restaurant to be an attractive meeting place for friends, business associates, or romantic partners. 5A5 caters to those looking for premium ingredients, preparation, and service. Patrons can enjoy an upbeat dining experience with music provided by live DJs.

Coi

Address: 373 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133 (Map) - Tel:(415) 393-9000

Although Coi’s décor exudes a soothing calm in shades of earthy minimalism, its cuisine is a jolt of culinary electricity. Chef Daniel Patterson’s tasting menus take diners on a sensuous adventure reflective of his diverse culinary background, which includes a stint at the infamous El Bulli. A meal at Coi is an exercise in the revelry of the unexpected: a starter might include the application of essential oils to the wrist, while a dessert might be couched in smoked yogurt. The result is an experience that embodies the doe-eyed wonder of childhood with the poise and refinement of haute cuisine.

Perbacco

Address: 230 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94111 (Map) - Tel:(415) 955-0663

As Executive Chef and Owner Staffan Terje says, "You don’t choose who you fall in love with." To that same affect, diners may not have a choice but to swoon over the elegant experience a visit to Perbacco promises. A romantic ambiance is achieved through the restaurant’s showcase of exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and opulent accents of marble. Chef Terje’s menu delights the palate just as the décor treats the eyes, and presents a truly authentic selection of Italian dishes. For example, the Coniglio Al Civet, or Devil’s Gulch Rabbit, is rich and rustic in a spiced red wine sauce, and otto file polenta.

Chiaroscuro Ristorante

Address: 550 Washington Street, San Francisco, CA 94111 (Map) - Tel:(415) 362-6012

Classic Roman Italian cuisine is balanced against the modern and sleek setting of Chiaroscuro Ristorante’s dining space, and reflects an artistic appreciation for contrasting visual elements that bring life to otherwise two-dimensional spaces. Chef Alessandro Campitelli ensures that his dishes are anything but flat by combining flavorful and fresh ingredients to compose specialties like the Tagliolini All’Amatriciana, homemade pasta mixed with caramelized onions, imported guanciale tomatoes, and romano cheese, and the Abbacchio Alla Griglia, grilled Australian lamb served with a polenta soufflé topped with a baked egg and gorgonzola cheese.