Brasseries in San Francisco

Francophiles rejoice: San Francisco brasseries offer up divine French fare without the wallet-denting prices.

The Absinthe Brasserie and Bar in Hayes Valley serves up stylish craft cocktails, an intimidating wine list, and a few mind-bending options as the name promises. Theater lovers, classical music connoisseurs, and Baryshnikov buffs flock to this chic spot post performance for French-inspired food. Between the glinting glass, the blood-red walls, and the pressed-tin ceilings, your heart will sing ooh la la all night long.

Over in the sometimes gritty scene of Soma, Marlowe is an utter escape from the teeming streets, boasting rich meals like roasted bone marrow, baked oysters, and their famous eponymously named burger with cheddar, bacon, and horseradish aioli. Look for the brick exterior with big front windows emblazoned with food quotes. Despite its rather rustic facade, it’s fairly sleek and modern inside, sans any froufrou accoutrements.

If you’re looking for a little alfresco noshing, Chaya Brasserie on Embarcadero is an ideal sun(set) basking spot, perched right on the Bay. A rare combo of French/Asian fusion, it features a big patio and two interior dining rooms. For a rowdier night, check out the main dining room beside the windows, and for a more intimate tete-a-tete, head to the cozier carpeted area by the sushi bar.

Once you step inside a San Francisco brasserie, you’ll never want to say au revoir.