Angler 🇺🇸
132 The Embarcadero, San Francisco · ⭐️ Michelin Star · anglerrestuarants.com
San Francisco. Great culture, arts, architecture... and dining. In my opinion The City and surrounding area has one of the best food scenes in all of North America. From fine dining palaces to one-off examples of artisanal bread, craft burritos, dim sum and off the beaten path gems — world class seafood, Italian, Asian and ethnic cuisine of all types, and all of it done with intention
But something that SF dining also has in abundance is ethos. Focused, seasonal, sustainable and innovative are all here and displayed proudly. One choice in particular embodies this approach: Angler. This branch of the Saison family has found its place — and then some. The room quite literally sparkles ✨ … beautiful, colorful and elegant, with smoky, mouthwatering smells from the open flame kitchen, glinting Zalto glassware as far as the eye can see, The Smiths and TFF playing in the background and warm, very welcoming smiles from the FOH Team. It is the archetype for generous and distinctive hospitality. Angler is that very rare combination of unpretentious, Michelin starred, wildly delicious and just plain fun.
Seemingly, every dish is memorable 💯 but some real standouts for me over the past few visits: hot tuna collar, heavenly diver scallops in an impossibly light but deeply flavored sauce, firefly squid 🦑 that are only available for two weeks per year, roasted oysters in a chipotle chorizo butter and little neck clams with an amazing seaweed vinaigrette. All of these are stars in their own right but together? Incredible products treated with care and prepared with precision.
When you go you MUST order the "Angler potato." Mandolined into razor thin slices, perfectly seasoned, reassembled, deep-fried and finally roasted over the embers — four distinct preparations to arrive at one transcendent result. The sauce beneath it is pure Sonoma — the great dairies and craftsmen of the Bay, rendered and concentrated into something you want to eat with a spoon. This is the essence of Sonoma on a plate — crispy, cloudy, fluffy and unctuous all at once, and unlike anything else being served in this city. I discovered that someone named Gretchen makes every single one of these and it is now my goal to find her and become her potato intern. 🥔 😋 Order it. Tell everyone you know to order it. Potato farmers should aspire to have theirs served here. It's THAT good.
Add here vintage Champagne, crisp Chablis and a deep dive into whisky and other craft spirits and it's an experience that seems to get better each time I go. The Team is consistently warm and engaging. Kara, Ben Rafael and Chef Josh are a big part of the experience and exude hospitality and welcome. This is an amazing restaurant and continues to be one of my very favorite tables — anywhere. Well deserving of its Michelin recognition, I look forward to my next visit.
