Zuni Café is a San Francisco institution on Market Street between Franklin and Gough, near the edge of Hayes Valley. Billy West founded it in 1979 “with a huge heart and exactly ten thousand dollars” (source: Zuni Café). Diners still come for its wood-fired roast chicken and seasonal Californian cooking.
The restaurant started in one narrow storefront and now fills an entire triangular 1913 building at the corner of Rose Street (source: Wikipedia). Inside, a long copper bar runs beneath tall windows, and the dining room spreads across two levels. The late chef Judy Rodgers made the roast chicken for two famous. It cooks in the brick oven and comes with a warm bread salad of currants, pine nuts and greens. The kitchen roasts each bird to order, so expect a wait of about an hour. Other favorites include oysters from the raw bar, a sharp Caesar salad, the burger on rosemary focaccia, and espresso granita with whipped cream for dessert.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Book ahead through OpenTable, especially before shows at the Opera House, Davies Symphony Hall, SFJAZZ or the Orpheum. Pre-theater evenings and weekend lunches fill up fastest. For a quieter meal, try a weekday afternoon or a late dinner. Order the chicken as soon as you sit down, then share oysters while it roasts. The closest BART station is Civic Center, and Van Ness is the nearest underground Muni stop. Check the official site for current hours and holiday closures.
