12 Unique Bay Area Date Ideas

Foreign Cinema

The acclaimed Foreign Cinema restaurant, which opened in 1999 and is helmed by James Beard Award-nominated chefs John Clark and Gayle Pirie, takes its name from its open-air seating area, which presents screenings of international and classic films throughout the week for diners to enjoy during their meals. Elegant Mediterranean-inspired dinner options include five-spice duck breast, Kobe bistro steak with cocoa-ajwaan rub, and Madras curry-sesame fried chicken.

A full raw oyster and caviar bar is complemented by gourmet appetizers such as tuna poke and sirloin carpaccio. At brunch, diners can enjoy clever mock Pop Tarts stuffed with organic fruit such as rhubarb and pineapple, paired with entree options such as baguette French toast with wild huckleberries or Persian-style flat omelettes.

Foreign Cinema, 2534 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, Phone: 415-648-7600

Rich Table

Rich Table strives to create a casual, communal atmosphere in its relaxed dining space, which is decorated with salvaged barn wood elements and anchored around an open-plan kitchen design. The restaurant is overseen by executive chef duo Sarah and Evan Rich, who bring more than three decades of experience at New York City and San Francisco's top restaurants to their new venture.

Dinner service is offered daily beginning at 5:00pm, highlighting entree options such as beer-battered soft-shell crab, ricotta-stuffed pierogis with salsa roja, and 21-day dry-aged ribeye steak with bone marrow. A chef's pick prix-fixe menu is also available with participation from the entire table, along with a raw bar serving up oysters on the half shell. Clever cocktails highlight market-sourced ingredients, while wine and beer lists focus on the best craft liquors of the West Coast.

Rich Table, 199 Gough St, San Francisco, CA 94102, Phone: 415-355-9085

The Monk's Kettle

The Monk's Kettle is widely acclaimed as one of San Francisco's best craft beer bars, named as the state's best beer bar twice by Thrillist. The lively traditional-style pub, which was opened in 2007 within the city's Mission District, serves up a world-renowned beer list featuring 28 rotating international drafts, a cask engine offering, and more than 150 vintage cellar bottle options.

A seasonally-rotating scratch menu serves up elevated American-style pub fare prepared with locally-sourced ingredients, including internationally-inspired entrees such as Thai-style mussels and clever beef, lamb, chicken, and vegetarian burger options. At happy hour, couples can enjoy discounts on shareable appetizers such as baked chicken wings and pretzel knots with beer cheese fondue.

The Monk's Kettle, 3141 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, Phone: 415-865-9523

Plow

Plow is a charming farm-to-table restaurant offering from Maxine Siu and Joel Bleskacek, best known for their work at Oakland favorite Oliveto Restaurant. The Potrero Hill restaurant strives to recreate a home entertaining atmosphere at breakfast and lunch service daily, offering new Californian twists on classic comfort fare recipes.

Dates can enjoy excellent brunch fare such as lemon ricotta pancakes, Dungeness crab scrambles, and pulled pork sandwiches, complemented by homestyle buttermilk biscuits and homemade granola. Extended menus are offered on weekends, featuring delicacies such as rhubarb coffee cake and walnut rosemary muffins. Full children's menus are available for couples bringing their children along on family outings. Equator coffee, Five Mountains tea, and Apple Farm apple juice are served up alongside meals, along with a selection of regional and national craft beers.

Plow , 1299 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94107, Phone: 415-821-7569

Frances

Frances is one of the hottest dining destinations in San Francisco's Castro district, helmed by executive chef Melissa Perello. The restaurant, which is named for Perello's grandmother, showcases market-driven farm-to-table Californian fare at dinner service Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Menus rotate daily to reflect seasonal availability, often highlighting high-quality dishes such as duck breast with escarole panade, bavette steak with vadouvan butter, and roasted cauliflower and trumpet mushroom confit. After dinner, dates can share desserts such as fromage blanc cheesecake or lumberjack cake with medjool dates, paired with boozy affogatos, Equator coffees, or Song teas. An extensive wine list highlights an impressive amount of domestic and international options, including sparkling wines and cellar selections.

Frances , 3870 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94114, Phone: 415-621-3870

Octavia

Octavia is one of the latest offerings from acclaimed Bay Area executive chef Melissa Perello, best known for her work at Castro District favorite Frances. The restaurant is housed within a gorgeous romantic Lower Pacific Heights spot, located on the street that gives the bistro its name.

Expertly-crafted elevated New American fare is crafted with sustainably-sourced ingredients, focusing on comfort dishes such as striped bass with mushroom and savoy cabbage, petit filet mignon with rutabaga and creamed spinach, and English pea and bacon tagliatelle. Couples can select wines by the bottle or carafe for sharing or split loaves of the restaurant's acclaimed housemade levain bread, which is served with traditional ligurian olive oil and cultured butter.

Octavia, 1701 Octavia St, San Francisco, CA 94109, Phone: 415-408-7507

Causwells

Causwells is a popular American-style bistro in San Francisco's Marina district, opened by executive chef Adam Rosenblum, best known for his work at the Mission District's hip brunch spot Alba Ray's. The restaurant is best known for its beloved smash-style Americana cheeseburger, which has been acclaimed as one of the United States' best burger entrees. Couples can enjoy Mediterranean-influenced Californian fare at lunch, dinner, and late-night service throughout the week, showcasing dishes prepared with locally-sourced ingredients. Savory entrees include saffron chicken with Israeli couscous, red wine pappardelle, or falafel burgers with yogurt sauce and red bell pepper. Fine West Coast and European wines are available to complement all meals, along with a selection of draft and bottled craft beers.

Causwells, 2346 Chestnut St, San Francisco, CA 94123, Phone: 415-447-6081

Madcap

Madcap is a delicious Californian-Japanese dining destination in Marin, located across the Golden Gate Strait from downtown San Francisco. The elevated fusion restaurant is owned and operated by executive chef Ron Siegel and is known for its impressive a la carte and chef's tasting menu options, served up in an intimate dining room space perfect for impressing dates. Dinner service is offered Thursdays through Mondays, focusing on comforting entrees such as golden sesame duck breast, bellwether ricotta ravioli, and dry-aged flannery ribeye with English peas and potatoes. Tasting menus provide diners with an opportunity to sample small plates such as rabbit tortellini with mushroom miso puree or share desserts such as goat cheese almond cake. Wines, beers, and sakes are available to complement all meals, including tasting menu pairing selections.

Madcap, 198 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Anselmo, CA 94960, Phone: 415-453-9898

RT Rotisserie

RT Rotisserie is the latest offering from San Francisco's Rich Table restaurant group, putting a new, casual spin on New American-style rotisserie. The counter-service, walk-in-only restaurant in Hayes Valley is a great choice for couples looking for a quick, fun date idea at lunch or dinner throughout the week. Half and whole rotisserie chickens or quarter-rack pork spare ribs are customizable with sauces such as honey mustard, chimichurri, or chipotle yogurt barbecue sauces. Hearty sandwiches feature creative takes on pork belly, lamb kebab, and Southern fried chicken fillings, while vegetarian and vegan options such as umami fries and roasted cauliflower with red beet tahini expand the restaurant's menus for alternative diets. Takeout and delivery options are also available for couples looking to cozy up for a night in at home.

RT Rotisserie, 101 Oak St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Inverness Park Market

Inverness Park Market is a buzzing neighborhood market in Point Reyes, acclaimed by Eater SF as one of Marin's most unique culinary destinations. The market is one of the Bay Area's most versatile date spots, offering full coffee shop, bakery, deli, and tap room services throughout the week. Fresh, local ingredients from small purveyors stuff all homemade sandwiches, soups, salads, and savory fare such as quiches, pot pies, and burritos. Creative espresso and yerba mate beverages offer alternative milk options, perfect for pairing with house-baked muffins, turnovers, or pastries. The market's tap room serves craft beers on tap along with a selection of carefully-curated wines available by the bottle or by the glass. A large grocery section at the market also sells unique items for couples looking to plan a hillside or parkside picnic afternoon.

Inverness Park Market, 12301 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Inverness Park, CA 94937, Phone: 415-663-1491

Humphry Slocombe

Humphry Slocombe is a delicious ice cream parlor in Oakland, founded in 2007 by Jake Godby and Sean Vahey. The shop is named after two characters from the popular 1970s British sitcom Are You Being Served and stocks several items of memorabilia related to the show for interested customers. Ice cream is prepared from high-end ingredients, showcasing unique sweet and savory flavors. Flavors rotate seasonally, but frequently feature favorites like the company's signature Secret Breakfast, which blends bourbon-infused ice cream with cornflakes. Other unusual varieties include matcha snickerdoodle, chocolate coconut passion fruit, summer corn, and Vietnamese coffee. At the company's Uptown Oakland location, diners can enjoy their treats within a space housed within a refurbished shipping container.

Humphry Slocombe, 2335 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, Phone: 510-338-3120

Bardo Lounge and Supper Club

Bardo Lounge and Supper Club is a classic lounge and dining room in Oakland's gorgeous Grand Lake District, newly opened in 2018. The restaurant strives to recreate the splendor and ambiance of midcentury dinner parties, paying tribute to the American tradition of old-school home entertaining. Decor mimics a swanky 20th-century living room, showcasing furniture and design elements picked from West Coast antique and flea markets. A rotating menu of seasonal supper fare is crafted by executive chefs Brian Starkey and Anthony Salguero, showcasing upscale fare like country fried quail, barbecued pork belly, dry-aged New York strip steak, and the restaurant's signature burger, which pairs radishes, pickles, and American cheese with the restaurant's signature Bardo sauce. Reservations are strongly encouraged for the restaurant's main dining room, though walk-in seating is offered at its lounge and bar throughout the week.

Bardo Lounge and Supper Club, 3343 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland, CA 94610, Phone: 510-836-8737