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439 Powell St. (btw. Post and Sutter sts.). 415/986-0700. www.searsfinefood.com. Reservations accepted for parties of 6 or more. Breakfast $3–$12; salads and soups $3–$8; main courses $14–$29. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 6:30am–10pm (breakfast until 3pm). Bus: 2, 3, 4, or 38. Cable car: Powell–Mason or Powell–Hyde line.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT

For a map of restaurants in this section, see the “Chinatown & North Beach Restaurants” map

Expensive

Kokkari ★★ GREEK/MEDITERRANEAN The funny thing is, I’ve been to Athens, and the food there wasn’t nearly as good as what they’re serving at Kokkari (Ko-kar-ee), one of my favorite restaurants in the city. My love affair starts with the setting: a beautifully rustic dining area with a commanding fireplace and oversize furnishings. Past the tiny bar, the other main room is pure rustic revelry, with exposed wood beams, pretty standing lamps, and a view of the glass-enclosed private dining room. Then there are the wonderful, traditional Aegean dishes. A must-order appetizer is the Marithes Tiganites, a beautiful platter of whole crispy smelts enhanced with garlic-potato skordalia (a traditional Greek dip) and lemon. Other favorites are the pikilia (a sampling of traditional Greek spreads served with dolmades and house-made pitas) and the fabulous mesquite-grilled octopus salad. Try not to overindulge before the main courses, which include grilled whole petrale sole with lemon, olive oil, and braised greens; to-die-for moussaka (eggplant, lamb, potato, and béchamel); and lamb chops with oven-roasted lemon-oregano potatoes. Also consider the rotisserie specialties such as roasted pork loin.

200 Jackson St. (at Front St.). 415/981-0983. www.kokkari.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $14–$23 lunch, $19–$39 dinner. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11:30am–2:30pm; bar menu 2:30–5:30pm; Mon–Thurs 5:30–10pm; Fri 5:30–11pm; Sat 5–11pm. Valet parking (dinner only) $8. Bus: 12, 15, 41, or 83.

One Market ★★ CALIFORNIAN This top-notch Embarcadero restaurant has remained popular with San Francisco’s notoriously fickle dining public since it opened in 1993. Amid the airy main dining room with its open exhibition kitchen, cozy banquettes, mahogany trim, and slate flooring, a sea of diners feast from a farm-fresh menu put together by chef Mark Dommen, who has a passion for impeccably fresh local ingredients. One Market was one of the early supporters of Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market—and Dommen shops there regularly to create his highly original dishes. During my last visit, my table was wowed by the truly divine beet carpaccio, shellfish, and seafood sampler (not your everyday platter), and a superb crispy skin pork saddle with fava beans and chorizo broth. Whatever you choose, you’re bound to find a perfect accompanying wine from the “cellar,” which has over 500 selections of American vintages. Arrive early to mingle with the spirited corporate crowd that convenes from 4:30 to 7pm for happy hour at the bar—it’s a fun scene.

1 Market St. (at Steuart St., across from Justin Herman Plaza). 415/777-5577. www.onemarket.com. Reservations recommended. Lunch $16–$23; dinner $19–$29; chef’s tasting menu $79 per person. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 11:30am–2pm; daily 5:30–9pm. Valet parking $12 for lunch, $10 for dinner. Bus: All Market St. buses. BART: All BART trains.

Quince ★★ CALIFORNIAN/ITALIAN In its new expansive location in the Financial District, fans of Quince no longer have to book a month in advance to savor chef Michael Tusk’s nightly changing Italian-inspired menu. Tusk honed his chops at Chez Panisse and his cooking style reflects it: simple food that honors a few high-quality, just-picked organic ingredients. Quince-ophiles might start with a pillowy spring garlic soufflé or white asparagus with a lightly fried egg and brown butter, but no true fan skips the pasta course—garganelli with English peas and prosciutto, tagliatelle with crab, agnolotti stuffed with veal, pork, and rabbit. Meat and fish selections don