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Food and interior photos of Mediterranean restaurant Alora in San Francisco.
Step inside Alora, the newest power lunch player on the Embarcadero.
Neetu Laddha

Here Are San Francisco’s Strongest Power Lunches

Pull up a chair, it’s time for lunch

by Flora Tsapovsky
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Step inside Alora, the newest power lunch player on the Embarcadero.
| Neetu Laddha
by Flora Tsapovsky

With all due respect to sandwiches, grain bowls, and hand-held burritos on the go, sometimes lunch just needs to be a lavish affair. Maybe it’s a proper business lunch with a boss or a mentor. Or maybe you’re pulling a power lunch move for someone who requires impressing. Maybe it’s a Tuesday and you just happen to have two free hours, extra budget, and the capacity for a cocktail. For any and all of those occasions, here are San Francisco’s best power lunch spots.

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Dalida

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Out-of-town CEOs and digital nomad entrepreneurs love the Presidio. For lunch in the historic neighborhood, look no further than Dalida, where pretty decor and delicious food happily coexist. During lunchtime, you’ll find a full menu with standouts like a meaty arayes burger and manti dumplings, stuffed cabbage, and mushroom tabbouleh. Choices are abundant. 

101 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 237-1999
(415) 237-1999
Patricia Chang

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Alora

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While the Embarcadero is home to power lunch stalwarts like La Mar and Waterbar, the newer Alora just might be the most compelling option at the moment. In addition to looking especially pretty in the daytime light — the design is a highlight — it offers a light and interesting menu of colorful dips, mezze, and more, which is easily shareable and can be enjoyed as a group. 

Pier 3, San Francisco, California 94111
Food and interior photos of Mediterranean restaurant Alora in San Francisco. Neetu Laddha

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Kokkari Estiatorio

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A classic Jackson Square destination for power-lunching, Greek restaurant Kokkari truly has it all: multiple rooms with fellow diners having the best time, white tablecloths, knowledgeable service, and just the right atmosphere to make one feel incredibly important. Anything on the lunch menu, from the grilled octopus to souvlaki, is guaranteed to be generous, flavorful, and impressive.

200 Jackson St (at Front St), San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 981-0983
(415) 981-0983

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The Third Floor

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Lunch at a good hotel restaurant intrinsically feels special, and The Third Floor, at the newly refurbished Jay in Fidi, is a great contender for a little lunchtime adventure. Hide among indoor plants and clashing prints, and order the sweet and salty cauliflower and the seared black cod. A light, herbaceous cocktail wouldn’t be out of the question.

433 Clay Street, San Francisco, California 94111
(415) 375-8062
(415) 375-8062

One Market Restaurant

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A good festive lunch requires a certain dose of old-school charm, which One Market more than delivers. The menu, appropriately, is filled with airy classics such as tuna tartare, a nice Caesar, but also a juicy brisket and lamb bolognese for the serious eater. For dessert, celebrate your raise, deal, or life in general, with a delicious butterscotch pudding.

1 Market St (at Steuart St), San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 777-5577
(415) 777-5577
One Market Restaurant

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Wayfare Tavern

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With its brown beams, attentive service, and central location, Wayfare Tavern has been an unbeatable business lunch spot for years. Come here if you want to experience a classic San Francisco vibe, with a side of excellently prepared fried chicken — or a loaded burger. 

558 Sacramento St (at Leidesdorff St), San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 772-9060
(415) 772-9060
Wayfare Tavern

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Angler

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Between the waterfront location, the taxidermy, and the swift service, Angler’s relatively new daytime service is a textbook power lunch. On the menu, jacket-clad patrons can find oysters, spicy frog legs, and an excellent antelope burger. None of the food is too buttoned-up, which adds a fun, messy angle to your business meeting.

132 the Embarcadero (Mission), San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 872-9442
(415) 872-9442
Angler

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Sam’s Grill and Seafood Restaurant

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It’s not a power lunch without a steakhouse experience. Sam’s Grill, a historic landmark, has remained consistently good through the years, and the interior has a fun Mad Men vibe. Feast on chilled oysters, clams casino, or a steak with a martini in hand.

374 Bush St (at Kearny), San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 421-0594
(415) 421-0594
Sam’s Grill and Seafood Restaurant

Also featured in:

Yokai

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There’s something stylish and cool about Yokai, the slightly more casual SOMA spot from the team behind Gozu, and there’s something refreshing about the concept of lunchtime skewers. If dining in a group, ordering a number of small appetizers — and all the skewers, of course — is practically a team bonding exercise. 

545 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 658-7654
(415) 658-7654
The Yokai bar. Patricia Chang

Chotto Matte

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One of San Francisco’s glitziest rooftop restaurants just added a lunch menu to its roster, making this a perfect opportunity to splurge. Tuck into a donburi bowl or a fancier version of a bento box — think BBQ salmon with smoked purple potato puree — while you people watch. 

50 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 234-5650
(415) 234-5650
Plates of food from Chotto Matte in San Francisco Chotto Matte

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Absinthe

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Nothing like classic French fare to make lunch feel special and at this Hayes Valley institution, Parisian vibes rule with quaint decor and a menu that delivers hit after hit. The onion soup is a must, but so is the warm Salad Lyonnaise, the buttery sole Meuniere, and the steak frites. While here, a glass of wine at noon makes perfect sense. 

368 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 864-2693
(415) 864-2693
Absinthe

Fort Point Valencia

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The Mission is brimming with casual eateries, but more serious power lunch spots are hard to come by. Enter the dimly lit, funkily designed Fort Point, where the lunch menu gets serious with fresh oysters, a crudo that pays homage to the Swan Oyster Depot, and one of the best Crab Louie salads in the city. For bigger appetites, there’s a hearty cioppino and a selection of fish and seafood sandwiches. A side of cider or beer is available too, if lunch gets too business-like. 

742 Valencia St (btwn 18th St & 19th St), San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 361-7001
(415) 361-7001
Sarah Chorey

Also featured in:

Palm Court Restaurant

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Let’s be honest, even among regular power lunchers, Palm Court is an indulgence. But some occasions (hint: a highly Instagrammable lunch with a social media-savvy out-of-towner) call for marble, splendor, and a $50 avocado adorned with caviar. For humbler budgets, go for the loaded salads or a rotisserie chicken sandwich; they’re just as cute. 

590 20th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
The Palm Court Restaurant including a fountain and four date palms in the center of the dining room. RH

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Dalida

101 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94129

Out-of-town CEOs and digital nomad entrepreneurs love the Presidio. For lunch in the historic neighborhood, look no further than Dalida, where pretty decor and delicious food happily coexist. During lunchtime, you’ll find a full menu with standouts like a meaty arayes burger and manti dumplings, stuffed cabbage, and mushroom tabbouleh. Choices are abundant. 

101 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 237-1999
(415) 237-1999
Patricia Chang

Alora

Pier 3, San Francisco, California 94111

While the Embarcadero is home to power lunch stalwarts like La Mar and Waterbar, the newer Alora just might be the most compelling option at the moment. In addition to looking especially pretty in the daytime light — the design is a highlight — it offers a light and interesting menu of colorful dips, mezze, and more, which is easily shareable and can be enjoyed as a group. 

Pier 3, San Francisco, California 94111
Food and interior photos of Mediterranean restaurant Alora in San Francisco. Neetu Laddha

Kokkari Estiatorio

200 Jackson St (at Front St), San Francisco, CA 94111

A classic Jackson Square destination for power-lunching, Greek restaurant Kokkari truly has it all: multiple rooms with fellow diners having the best time, white tablecloths, knowledgeable service, and just the right atmosphere to make one feel incredibly important. Anything on the lunch menu, from the grilled octopus to souvlaki, is guaranteed to be generous, flavorful, and impressive.

200 Jackson St (at Front St), San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 981-0983
(415) 981-0983

The Third Floor

433 Clay Street, San Francisco, California 94111

Lunch at a good hotel restaurant intrinsically feels special, and The Third Floor, at the newly refurbished Jay in Fidi, is a great contender for a little lunchtime adventure. Hide among indoor plants and clashing prints, and order the sweet and salty cauliflower and the seared black cod. A light, herbaceous cocktail wouldn’t be out of the question.

433 Clay Street, San Francisco, California 94111
(415) 375-8062
(415) 375-8062

One Market Restaurant

1 Market St (at Steuart St), San Francisco, CA 94105

A good festive lunch requires a certain dose of old-school charm, which One Market more than delivers. The menu, appropriately, is filled with airy classics such as tuna tartare, a nice Caesar, but also a juicy brisket and lamb bolognese for the serious eater. For dessert, celebrate your raise, deal, or life in general, with a delicious butterscotch pudding.

1 Market St (at Steuart St), San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 777-5577
(415) 777-5577
One Market Restaurant

Wayfare Tavern

558 Sacramento St (at Leidesdorff St), San Francisco, CA 94111

With its brown beams, attentive service, and central location, Wayfare Tavern has been an unbeatable business lunch spot for years. Come here if you want to experience a classic San Francisco vibe, with a side of excellently prepared fried chicken — or a loaded burger. 

558 Sacramento St (at Leidesdorff St), San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 772-9060
(415) 772-9060
Wayfare Tavern

Angler

132 the Embarcadero (Mission), San Francisco, CA 94105

Between the waterfront location, the taxidermy, and the swift service, Angler’s relatively new daytime service is a textbook power lunch. On the menu, jacket-clad patrons can find oysters, spicy frog legs, and an excellent antelope burger. None of the food is too buttoned-up, which adds a fun, messy angle to your business meeting.

132 the Embarcadero (Mission), San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 872-9442
(415) 872-9442
Angler

Sam’s Grill and Seafood Restaurant

374 Bush St (at Kearny), San Francisco, CA 94104

It’s not a power lunch without a steakhouse experience. Sam’s Grill, a historic landmark, has remained consistently good through the years, and the interior has a fun Mad Men vibe. Feast on chilled oysters, clams casino, or a steak with a martini in hand.

374 Bush St (at Kearny), San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 421-0594
(415) 421-0594
Sam’s Grill and Seafood Restaurant

Yokai

545 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105

There’s something stylish and cool about Yokai, the slightly more casual SOMA spot from the team behind Gozu, and there’s something refreshing about the concept of lunchtime skewers. If dining in a group, ordering a number of small appetizers — and all the skewers, of course — is practically a team bonding exercise. 

545 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 658-7654
(415) 658-7654
The Yokai bar. Patricia Chang

Chotto Matte

50 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94108

One of San Francisco’s glitziest rooftop restaurants just added a lunch menu to its roster, making this a perfect opportunity to splurge. Tuck into a donburi bowl or a fancier version of a bento box — think BBQ salmon with smoked purple potato puree — while you people watch. 

50 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 234-5650
(415) 234-5650
Plates of food from Chotto Matte in San Francisco Chotto Matte

Absinthe

368 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Nothing like classic French fare to make lunch feel special and at this Hayes Valley institution, Parisian vibes rule with quaint decor and a menu that delivers hit after hit. The onion soup is a must, but so is the warm Salad Lyonnaise, the buttery sole Meuniere, and the steak frites. While here, a glass of wine at noon makes perfect sense. 

368 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 864-2693
(415) 864-2693
Absinthe

Fort Point Valencia

742 Valencia St (btwn 18th St & 19th St), San Francisco, CA 94110

The Mission is brimming with casual eateries, but more serious power lunch spots are hard to come by. Enter the dimly lit, funkily designed Fort Point, where the lunch menu gets serious with fresh oysters, a crudo that pays homage to the Swan Oyster Depot, and one of the best Crab Louie salads in the city. For bigger appetites, there’s a hearty cioppino and a selection of fish and seafood sandwiches. A side of cider or beer is available too, if lunch gets too business-like. 

742 Valencia St (btwn 18th St & 19th St), San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 361-7001
(415) 361-7001
Sarah Chorey

Palm Court Restaurant

590 20th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107

Let’s be honest, even among regular power lunchers, Palm Court is an indulgence. But some occasions (hint: a highly Instagrammable lunch with a social media-savvy out-of-towner) call for marble, splendor, and a $50 avocado adorned with caviar. For humbler budgets, go for the loaded salads or a rotisserie chicken sandwich; they’re just as cute. 

590 20th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
The Palm Court Restaurant including a fountain and four date palms in the center of the dining room. RH

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