Diners' Choice: Contemporary American restaurants in San Francisco Bay Area

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Contemporary American cuisine in San Francisco Bay Area? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Firefly Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (3002)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Noe Valley

About the restaurant

We serve food that, more often than not, accesses that part of our deepest soul where genuine expression can flow forth. We have always tried to give our food and service our best selves, as honest and vulnerable as we can muster. We strive to be a place where you might actually have a real connection; maybe with your server, maybe with your food or maybe with your possibly gracious host who is ACTUALLY glad you’re there.

Oh, you wanted a restaurant description? Sorry. Can’t really help you there. We’re not so big on labels. Our food is hard to nail down as we are constantly evolving and entirely seasonal and personal. We’ve used “Food you eat” as a tag line on occasion and that remains accurate. We could also describe it as “Food we really want you to eat”. When you’re here, tell us what you would call it.

Top review

Bob

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

Great neighborhood place with creative food. Great for gluten-free dining.

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Popular dish

Fried Heritage Chicken

Popular dish

Key Lime Pie

Walter Hansel Wine Bistro

4.8

4.8 (1945)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Santa Rosa

About the restaurant

We are located just 6 minutes from Coddingtown Mall and 10 minutes from Downtown Santa Rosa surrounded by beautiful vineyards with an onsite garden for fresh, farm-to-table vegetables and herbs.

"An impressive new Santa Rosa restaurant that's instantly one of our best"
Jeff Cox, renowned Wine Country food critic.

If you are unable to find the reservation you want, please call us directly at (707) 546-6462. Thank you.

Top review

Laura

Dined 5 days ago

Everyone in our party of four said their meal was excellent.

The Progress

4.8

4.8 (2460)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Western Addition

About the restaurant

The Progress is a vehicle for a completely local production. Innovative meals are served with memorable wine & cocktails. The Greatest Dinner Party Ever.

Top review

LarryHVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Outstanding food, particularly the signature duck and the Guinea hen. Kai is a superb waiter. He should own his own restaurant. Price reasonable for San Francisco.

Blossom and Root Kitchen

4.8

4.8 (148)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Danville

About the restaurant

Featuring plant based ingredients, elevated cooking techniques, a creative beverage list and a colorful ambiance with indoor and outdoor seating. Blossom & Root is the Tri-Valley dining destination for anyone curious about - or naturally inclined towards contemporary vegan fare with an "Eat Local" emphasis. Private dining is available. The pretty space is full of blue patterns and hues, with lots of plants (decorative and possibly edible). Featuring just as creative of a bar program as menu. Joe Steiner has elevated the bar program to match our eclectic menu by Chef Chris Johnson. Together the team puts out beautiful food and beverages not to be missed.

Top review

deena

Dined 2 days ago

Every dish that we ordered with friends was delicious! Service was great! No complaint.s Highly recommended!

Blue Plate

4.9

4.9 (1524)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Bernal Heights

About the restaurant

The Blue Plate opened in 1999 as a casual spot where friends and neighbors can enjoy the best ingredients our seasons have to offer. Owners Cory Obenour and Jeff Trenam have created a space that feels like a home, with three distinct dining rooms each appointed with the work of local artists. In the back, a lush, night-fragrant garden offers an exotic retreat from the bustle of the city. The kitchen stays committed to using the highest quality local produce and meats in classic American and rustic Mediterranean dishes. Through a working friendship with Bay Area farmers, the Blue Plate is expanding the notion of "the blue plate special" to include dining that is casual, affordable, delicious and responsible.

Top review

AndrewVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Great food and service. Definitely a treat to dine at Blue Plate in San Francisco

Goldfinch

4.7

4.7 (412)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Sebastopol

About the restaurant

Goldfinch, a modern American bistro located in Sonoma county, celebrates the riches of nature and the rewards of kindness and hard work. Collaboration and community are at the heart of our local and seasonally driven menu, all centered around an open-wood fire. Come eat and drink with us!

Top review

TomVIP

Dined on Dec 7, 2024

It’s a bit pricey but worth it for a special occasion

Octavia

4.7

4.7 (2621)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Pacific Heights

About the restaurant

Octavia is the sister restaurant of Frances, helmed by award-winning Chef Owner Melissa Perello. Octavia serves dinner five nights a week in an elegant and relaxed neighborhood setting. Beautifully defined flavors and seasonally driven cuisine are the cornerstones of Octavia’s menu. Leveraging longstanding relationships with the region’s top purveyors and farms, Octavia's daily evolving selections spotlight Chef Perello's commitment to sustainability and the Bay Area’s wealth of agricultural resources.

Top review

MaxVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Great meal - nice environment - attentive service!

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Experience

Christmas Eve at Octavia

Experience

Holiday Prix Fixe Menu

Experience

New Year's Eve at Octavia

Spruce

4.8

4.8 (5391)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Presidio Heights

About the restaurant

Open for lunch (two courses/$65), brunch (three courses/$98), and dinner (three courses/$125), Spruce offers seasonal prix-fixe menus crafted by Chef Mark Sullivan. Each menu offers a wide range of options, as well as luxurious additions (examples: caviar, truffles) for supplemental prices. Our cuisines is complemented by an extensive wine list which holds "Wine Spectator" magazine's highest honor, a Grand Award. The bar/lounge is available for walk-ins on a first-come, first-serve basis. We look forward to welcoming you to Spruce soon!

Top review

SharonVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Always our go to place for celebrations and just because

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Maine Lobster Spaghetti

Gatehouse Restaurant at The Culinary Institute of America

4.8

4.8 (1125)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

St. Helena

About the restaurant

Join us for a unique dining experience that is unmatched in the Napa Valley. Set on the historic campus of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone, Gatehouse Restaurant showcases the talents of CIA students who have completed two years of rigorous study, under the supervision of our world-class faculty. Enjoy a meal inspired by local produce from the college’s own farms and gardens, and other high-quality ingredients. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

Top review

StevenVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Had the four-item chef's menu, along with the recommended wine pairings, and everything was excellent. the Duck Ragu was especially awesome.

Valette

4.7

4.7 (3774)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Healdsburg

About the restaurant

Contemporary American: Portraying what Sonoma County has to offer with refined elegance and simplicity.

We will showcase what the region has to offer by focusing on the amazing network of farmers and artisan producers in the area. The relationships we have formed with our purveyors have given us the opportunity to work with what is available while providing the flexibility of changing our menu weekly.

We are determined to provide warm and personable service by dedicated professionals who love what they do. Every guest will feel as if we were inviting them into our own homes.

The wine program is inspired by the incredible history and diversity of the region that surrounds us. Here you can explore classic varieties made by the pioneers whose dedication has made Northern California one of the most exciting wine growing regions in the world.

Top review

Lisa

Dined 2 days ago

The food was--and is always--excellent, and the staff was very attentive. The overall "vibe" was warm and friendly.

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Popular dish

Day Boat Scallops en Croute

Popular dish

Coriander Crusted Duck Breast

Popular dish

Prime New York Strip Loin

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