Zuni Café
The Verdict
"Order the roast chicken for two the moment you sit down. It takes an hour to cook. Sit at the copper bar if you're walking in without a reservation. Tuesday and Wednesday nights are the easiest tables to get."
What you need to know
Zuni Café opened in 1979 and the wood-oven roast chicken for two is the dish San Francisco built half its food identity around. The restaurant occupies a triangular building on Market Street with a long copper bar and exposed brick walls.
The Food
The chicken takes an hour. Order it the moment you sit down. It comes out on a bed of warm bread salad with scallions, garlic, bitter greens, currants, and pine nuts. The dish feeds two people generously.
The Caesar salad is the other signature. Anchovies are tucked into the dressing rather than draped on top. The croutons are made from the house bread.
The raw bar runs whatever’s best from Tomales Bay and beyond. Pair oysters with a glass of champagne at the copper bar.
Lunch draws a different crowd than dinner. The burger, available only at midday, has its own following.
The Story
Judy Rodgers ran the kitchen until her death in 2013. The team has held the standards she set. The Zuni Café Cookbook is still in print if you want to attempt the chicken at home.
Practical Info
Price: Chicken for two around $72, entrees $28 to $45
Reservations: Recommended for dinner, especially weekends. Bar seats first-come, first-served.
Hours: Tue-Sat 11:30am-late, closed Sun & Mon. The burger is lunch-only.
Address: 1658 Market Street
📍 Location: This restaurant is in Hayes Valley. Explore the neighborhood →
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What to get
Roast chicken for two with bread salad, Caesar salad, oysters at the copper bar, lunch-only burger