Forty years young and still thriving as if it were newborn, locals and visitors remain drawn to this SF institution. Famous for its laid-back California vibe and great, locally sourced eats, this iconic space embraces its unique shape, and is styled with bold artwork-covered walls, a copper bar and wood-burning oven sending out delightful pizzas that fill the room with mouthwatering aromas. Copyright from top to bottom: Jason Bowman/Atelier Crenn, Leo Cabal/Atelier Crenn, Jason Bowman/Bar Crenn, Adahlia Cole & Colin Peck/Bar Crenn, Christian Andrade/O' by Claude Le Tohic, John Troxell/O' by Claude Le Tohic, Kevin Po/Routier, John Paul Carmona/Routier, Zuni Café, lizelleg/Instagram

Hayes Valley If you could only have one meal in San Francisco ever, Zuni would be a strong candidate for capturing the city’s food scene at its best. Moreover, in an informal poll of essential San Francisco dishes, nearly everyone who responded, food writers and food lovers alike, cited The Chicken at Zuni. This is, of course, Zuni’s incomparable roast chicken for two, boasting a whole bird cooked to snappy-crisp-skinned, juicy perfection in the restaurant’s wood-fired oven, served atop a currant-studded bread salad plump with drippings and brightened with a bitter-fresh scattering of greens and vinaigrette.

This copper-and-brick-filled dining room at Zuni Cafe is where we imagine we’d spend all of our weekday lunches in a glorious alternate universe where we have zero responsibilities and wide-open schedules. This Civic Center restaurant is an SF institution that serves arguably the most famous roast chicken in the city—plus other hits, like a burger on fluffy focaccia, a mountain of crispy fries, and plump, cold oysters. It's also at its best during the day, when the space gets flooded with natural light coming through the massive windows.

Even though brunch is technically usually a mix of dishes offered at both breakfast and lunch, most people tend to go for the eggs and pancakes of it all. When you’re in the mood for proper afternoon food on the weekend, however, there’s no better choice than Zuni. At this classic San Francisco restaurant, skip all the dishes you could also order during dinner (yes, even the famous roast chicken for two), and opt instead for pizza from the wood-fired brick oven or the house-ground grass-fed hamburger on grilled focaccia.

Walking into Zuni feels like stumbling upon a hidden gem, no matter how renowned it is or many times you've been. This bi-level bistro is classic romantic San Francisco, with vested bartenders, live piano music, soft lighting, and plenty of intimate nooks to enjoy your meal in veritable privacy—even if it is technically in public. In a city that’s always trying to outdo itself, the food is classic and thoughtful, not trendy, and that’s exactly why people love it.

After more than 30 years, Zuni has developed a dedicated following as a destination restaurant that's on a par with Berkeley's Chez Panisse. One of a handful of restaurants that helped define San Francisco's fresh, seasonal and regional style back in the 1980s, it's still considered one of the best in the city. There's simply no equal for Zuni's signature Caesar salad and brick-oven roasted chicken for two.

She put in a brick oven—and thus the Zuni roast chicken was born. This dish, more than any other (except perhaps the Caesar salad), defines Zuni. The chicken is roasted in the brick oven and served over a bread salad: greens with chewy bread croutons.

I prefer Zuni Cafe - which is fabulous - but they are closed on Monday's - Valentine's Day is on Monday this year. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!. We are staying in Nob Hill - but don't think there are many restaurants in Nob Hill.

a young food writer friend sighed at me. “It seems like the kind of entry where people will just go, ‘Oh, yeah, OK’ and gloss over it.” I did not have a fast zinger retort, and still don’t. I told him simply that Zuni Café, in operation for 45 years now, still holds significance to a lot of people, and they might wonder about its continued value in the community. Something about the space feels eternal: the glass windows across its triangulated angles, the standing copper bar, the carefully chosen art, the see-and-be-seen staircase that connects to the more secluded second floor.

If you and your special someone feel more at home amid a bustling crowd, the busy Zuni Café may be more to your liking. Open from morning till well into the night, Zuni serves up bestsellers like their very own version of the Caesar salad and their roasted chicken for two, charcoal-grilled to perfection at their onsite brick oven. Lest you think that a busy bistro is not what a romantic dinner is made of, the restaurant is housed in a charming building with glass windows that provide a magical view of the surrounding low-lit streets.

Specializing in classic French cuisine since 1979, this Market Street fixture has received a multitude of awards, including James Beard wins for Outstanding Restaurant, Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Service. The restaurant has a loyal following for its daily-changing menus, which include dishes like house-cured anchovies, spaghetti neri and, of course, the lauded wood-oven-roasted chicken. There’s also a carefully curated wine list that includes 150 selections from France, America and Italy, plus several by-the-glass options.

Zuni Café has been a fixture of the San Francisco dining scene since its conception in 1979. From its very humble beginnings (a kitchen that was composed of a toaster and an espresso machine that doubled as an egg cooker), Zuni Café has gone on to catch the eye of the Michelin Guide and has won two James Beard Awards. This is possibly the best plate of chicken and fries you’ll ever eat, all the while enjoying that old-school scrappy San Francisco energy Zuni Café has maintained all these years.

At lunch, scale Zuni's shoestring potato mountain ($9), in addition to picking up its beloved hamburger ($20) made with Stemple Creek Ranch beef. House-cured anchovies in olive oil are a fun and off-the-beaten-path snack, especially when accompanied by a set of celery, Parmigiano Reggiano and Coquillo olives ($16). The menu changes often according to what’s available, so expect nourishing soups with tender greens ($12) in the springtime and juicy warmed figs with goat cheese ($16) in the fall.

No list of iconic San Francisco spots is complete without mentioning Zuni Café. Since its opening on February 15, 1979, Zuni Café has earned recognition like the James Beard Foundation Award for ‘Outstanding Restaurant’ in 2003 and ‘Outstanding Service’ in 2018. With a commitment to seasonal organic ingredients and a blend of French and Italian cuisine, Zuni’s daily changing menus reflect sustainability, featuring produce, meat, and fish that are predominantly farmed or harvested sustainably.

With its iconic yellow awnings casting eternal sunshine inside, Zuni Cafe(1658 Market St.) is the neighborhood's original destination for elevated Californian fare. The best celebrations are shared over the famous roast chicken and gateau Victoire. // Impress a date with Kim Alter's exquisitely plated, modern iterations on California-inspired cuisine at Nightbird(330 Gough St.),then sip on delightful cocktails at the restaurant's chic and tiny adjoining bar, Linden Room(330 Gough St.).

Zuni Cafe is a preeeeetty famous restaurant – they’ve been open since 1979, and are one of the true pioneers of California cuisine. A beautiful marriage of Italian and French fare, you’ll see nothing but fresh, seasonal ingredients on the menu, and the oysters are no exception. Zuni Cafe has some of the best oysters in SF- they’re never cheap, but they’re expertly curated (for example, they’re one of the few oyster bars in SF that Hog Island deems worthy of their Sweetwaters).

Blending rustic and cosmopolitan allure, Zuni Café is undoubtedly one of the top 10 restaurants in San Francisco. It has a long history in the city, opening in 1979, expanding its space in 1987, and beginning to receive national acclaim when partner Judy Rodgers published The Zuni Café Cookbook in 2002. At the time, the restaurant was undergoing an evolution from Mexican to more Eurocentric cuisine, due to Judy’s culinary training in France.

Zuni Cafe is a quaint pet-friendly restaurant in San Francisco. “Order your Zuni Chicken for Community: the classic Zuni Café roasted chicken for two with $10 donated to UR Blessings, a Hayes Valley-based organization fighting food insecurity in San Francisco.” Zuni Cafe offers brunch, lunch, dinner, and drinks. And they have a dog-friendly sidewalk patio with limited seating where you can hang out with your good boy or girl while you eat.

Whether you’ve got family in town for the first time, are playing hooky with your roommates, or just want a kind of fancy lunch all to yourself, Zuni Cafe is the answer. The Civic Center restaurant is an SF institution, and for good reason - their wood-fired roasted chicken and face-sized piles of shoestring fries are excellent. Plus, it’s the type of place that’s built for long lunches and never-ending glasses of white wine.

A bi-level bistro with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the busy Market Street, Zune Cafe is a landmark restaurant in the city. Named after the indigenous Zuni tribe, this famed Californian restaurant is the place to eat the best roast chicken in town. Roasted to perfect texture and flavor in a wood-fired brick oven, Zuni Cafe’s roast chicken is traditionally served with warm bread salad.

If upscale bistro bites delight your palate, then San Francisco's Zuni Café may be the perfect place to stop for a plate of French and Italian-inspired (and wood-oven-fired) seasonal fare. Oysters and other shellfish are served at Zuni Café alongside brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, and drinks. The dining options combine elements of fine dining finesse with more rustic portions and plating.

That’s when the new chef, general manager and co-owner Ryan Cantwell, who hopped around restaurants like Zuni Cafe, Chez Panisse and Black Cat Jazz Club before coming here, most obviously flexes the mores of California-Italian cuisine. Nearly every component of the menu is made from scratch, sauces and crunchy bits and doughs put together from seasonal ingredients the slow and arduous way.

First opened in 1979, Zuni has gone on to win various awards and the hearts of the bustling Market Street. Their menu changes frequently, but it’s always filled with seasonal produce and sustainably farmed meat and fish. Try their chicken for two roasted in a wood-fired oven, with scallions, dried currants, and skin so crispy it’ll sound like creme brulee when you tap it.

This modern, multi-level bistro is one of San Francisco’s most iconic restaurants. It boasts a stylish, airy setting with floor-to-ceiling windows, and serves up a combination of French, Italian and American dishes made with seasonal organic ingredients. The most famous dish here is a simple one – wood-fired roast chicken served with warm bread salad and seasonings.

Market Street's most glamorous spot for roast chicken is dog-friendly. Pets are welcome at the limited number of outdoor tables along the sidewalk, and it's advised that animal owners bring a little bowl of water for their four-legged friend. Other than that, there's nothing else for pet-possessing Zuni customers to do but sit back and let the service come to them.

If the iconic Zuni is associated with one dish, it’s a pretty perfect roast chicken, but local hero chef Stuart Brioza advises against sleeping on the anchovies. “What I love about those cured anchovies is that they are a local ingredient, in season here from April to October. During that time, Zuni will cure several hundred pounds of very fresh ones in rock salt.

A poster child for the Northern California food scene since 1979, with an always-perfect industrial- chic atmosphere, Zuni is ideal for a long lunch with a friend or a birthday dinner party. Must-tries: the famed roast chicken for two (sub a vegetable side for the accompanying bread salad), Caesar salad (hold the croutons), house-cured anchovies, and raw oysters.

On July 14, the Times updated its list from last October that named city stalwarts, like Zuni Cafe, Cotogna, Benu and other award-winning restaurants.The original list also included San Francisco’s hardest-to-get reservation, Noodle In a Haystack, along with HK Lounge Bistro and Octavia. However, the last two were stricken from the record in the recent update.

Zuni may be known for its infamous roast chicken, but no meal would be complete without starting with a dozen perfectly sweet and briney oysters. With almost 18 varieties to choose from with locales from Tomales Bay to Washington to British Columbia and beyond, Zuni boasts one of the most thorough oyster selections in the city.

Zuni Cafe is one of the most savory and iconic brunch options on this list. Founded in 1979, Zuni was an instant classic; but it wasn't until 1987, when Chef Judy Rodgers helmed the kitchen, that the restaurant started being recognized nationally. This restaurant has not one, two, but three James Beard awards to its name!

If you’re wondering how roast chicken became one of the most iconic dishes of San Francisco cuisine, I too was once in your shoes. I don’t even care for chicken all that much, but the version at Zuni Café is something close to perfection, and after I tried it, I agreed that the dish is definitely worth the hype.

Zuni Café (1658 Market Street) is a San Francisco institution. The two-level corner restaurant located at the point where Market and Rose streets meet has attracted celebrities, couples on dates, and friends out on the town since 1979. Zuni exudes California vibes and French countryside warmth in the city.

Zuni Café is a San Francisco institution known for its slow-cooked, roasted chicken (order ahead) and bread salad. The restaurant’s commitment to using fresh, local ingredients shines through in every dish. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with a large wood-burning oven that anchors the open kitchen.

This much-loved mainstay has evolved into one of San Francisco's favorite restaurants. The interior features Southwestern accents, but the food takes cues from California, France, Italy, and the Mediterranean. Fresh oysters at the bar make a good introduction, and the Caesar salad is famous far and wide.

Zuni Café is a longtime San Francisco spot known for its busy vibe and daily-changing bistro menu. It focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients and has a relaxed setting where people often chat and linger. Expect a bit of a wait, but it’s a true favorite among locals and visitors alike.

We're not sure how official that declaration is, however, we do know that most everyone in The City would agree. Zuni Cafe has been serving up their fresh, fun, and hands-down delicious menu for over 40 years, and lucky for us, they're serving that amazing roasted chicken to-go!

Located in the heart of the city, Zuni Café has been a local favorite since 1979. Their menu features delicious Californian cuisine with a Mediterranean twist, and their iconic roast chicken is a must-try. The warm and inviting atmosphere adds to the overall dining experience.

If there’s one restaurant that sums up the city, it’s this airy, two-story magnet for socialites, bohemians and other local characters. Musts include the fresh lime margarita, Caesar salad, roast chicken for two (be patient, it takes an hour) and espresso granita.

A San Francisco institution, Zuni Caf� is famous for its rustic, California-inspired cuisine and legendary roasted chicken with bread salad. With a charming atmosphere and a focus on seasonal, high-quality ingredients, it�s a must-visit for food lovers.

I do have to add that I think Zuni, Nopa, Dosa, Slanted Door are ones visitors really do like. The suggestion of the Ferry Building is great too. I would highly recommend going to Tartine for a treat (morning bun or bread pudding w/ seasonal fruit).

Zuni Cafe presents a timeless classic - a whole chicken, roasted over wood, served with a delectable bread salad featuring grilled bread, tomatoes, and basil. This dish embodies the essence of rustic and flavorful cuisine.

This popular bistro offers roast chicken as well as other delicious and seasonal wood-fired meals. Whether you are looking for dinner, lunch, brunch, or just dessert this restaurant has a delightful menu.

Zuni’s unique architecture and “vibe” bring the experience to new level. Although it’s a little on the pricier side, their wood-fired roasted chicken and other specialties taste magnificent.

The famous roast chicken is the ultimate San Francisco splurge. Throw in a nice bottle of Burgundy, some vegetables, and you’ve got a great meal. Dining status: Takeout.

Looking beyond the epic roast chicken, the wine list is well-stocked by wine director Thierry Lovato, with the best of France, Italy and the US. Finish with a Calvados.

Knowing that my husband loves roast chicken, Zuni was on the top of the list. I made reservations for Friday night. For the most part, we were not disappointed.

There’s plenty on the menu at Zuni, but we always suggest sharing the roast chicken for two with warm bread salad and a bottle of lightly oaked chardonnay.

1658 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102Phone: 415-552-2522 Visit Website. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Zuni Cafe (@zunicafe)