Eater SF 2024 Awards: Celebrating Culinary Excellence
As the year draws to a close, the Eater Awards present a significant opportunity to recognize the most outstanding restaurants and bars that characterized the Bay Area’s food and beverage scene throughout 2024. Eater SF has meticulously reviewed the diverse range of dining experiences, capturing the unforgettable meals and inventive cocktails that have defined this vibrant culinary landscape.
Restaurant of the Year: Four Kings
Four Kings has emerged as the frontrunner for Restaurant of the Year, after its debut in March transformed San Francisco’s dining atmosphere. Following a successful year of pop-ups in 2023, the restaurant blends nostalgic elements of 1990s Cantopop with the traditional Hong Kong café concept, a nod to the founders’ childhoods. Chefs Mike Long and Franky Ho, alongside partners Lucy Li and Millie Boonkokua, have created a unique culinary experience that straddles authenticity and innovation, showcasing a contemporary approach to Cantonese cuisine.
Dishes like XO sauce escargot and mala-spiced mapo spaghetti demonstrate a harmonious blend of rich cultural influences, alongside family recipes featuring homemade Chinese sausage and clay pot rice. The detailed execution of dishes like fish-fragrant eggplant or steak chow fun evokes nostalgia while introducing diners to new flavors grounded in cultural heritage.
Best New Bar: Stoa
Quietly confident, Lower Haight’s Stoa has swiftly established itself as a must-visit bar. Its founders—hospitality veterans Allyson Jossel, Yanni Kehagiaras, Gonzalo Guzmán, and chef Joji Sumi—focus on excellent drink craftsmanship and well-curated food offerings, creating a distinctive neighborhood environment. Stoa’s cocktail menu, categorized into ‘Low Octane, Yet Complex’, ‘Stern, but Fair’, and ‘Lean & Mean’, exemplifies the potential of utilizing a few key ingredients elegantly.
Notable offerings include the “Gentleman,” a thoughtfully crafted cocktail featuring tequila, Bonal, and gentian. The bar complements its drinks with inventive dishes such as Korean rice cakes and rice porridge, each designed to enrich the drinking experience.
Best New Bakery: Blooms End
Located in Petaluma, Blooms End has captivated local residents with a whimsical assortment of pastries served from a vintage camper. Created by Mary Denham, this destination bakery features seasonal items like hot honey morning buns and delicata squash croissant tarts, all echoing a playful, nostalgic vibe. Each week, Denham introduces new creations, enticing patrons with inventive flavors such as roasted rhubarb twists and tomato pie. This bakery has successfully created an environment that feels both charming and inviting.
Restaurant Where We Want to Be Regulars: Tanzie’s
Tanzie’s offers a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of a Thai breakfast setting, engaging a community that seeks comfort in culinary familiarity. Owners Krissana “Tanz” Tussanaprasit and Jezreel “Jae” Rojas showcase Chiang Mai-inspired dishes, including soft scrambled “lava eggs” served with rice and various proteins like house-made sausage flavored with lemongrass. As this establishment expands its offerings to include dinner, it is poised to further entrench itself in the Berkeley dining scene.
Bartender of the Year: Izler Thomas
Izler Thomas has made a significant impact in San Francisco’s cocktail arena, translating his international experiences into distinct drink offerings. Employed at Tiya, he blends local inspirations with traditional techniques to craft cocktails that reflect the city’s diversity. His creations, such as a clarified rum and mango lassi-inspired drink, exemplify his innovative approach and skillful mixology.
The 2024 Eater Awards have highlighted exceptional talent and creativity across San Francisco’s culinary landscape, reflecting the city’s dynamic and ever-evolving food culture. The winners have not only redefined dining experiences but continue to engage and inspire the local community.
