11 Places To Eat Outside Of The Castro

(Image of Citizens Band's kitchen via The Bay Lives.)

Nominated for 2013's "Best New Restaurant" award by the James Beard Foundation, Rich Table in Hayes Valley (north east of The Castro) serves up lamb tartare, tofu miso puree with roasted potatoes, and chicken lasagna with spring onions and wheatgrass. While the name brings to mind dollar signs, the prices are fair at this trendy yet casual up-and-comer that's only open for dinner only.

A little further north in the Western Addition nabe is fellow newcomer State Bird Provisions, where a changing dinner menu of fusion and New American tapas-like eats includes duck liver mousse, steak tartare salad, and ricotta dumplings. For full plates: red trout, glazed pork ribs, and fried quail, the state's official bird. As with Rich Table, it's best to book your seat in advance.

It's a bit easier to get a seat at the Latin American-flavored tapas bar Destino, a gay favorite across from the LGBT Community Center in the Mission District. And there are plenty of readily available options in SoMa, such as Fondue Cowboy and Citizens Band, where the menu's all about comfort foods like fried chicken and biscuits. such as fried chicken and biscuit. Local oysters, clams and pork belly are on the menu at the intimate bistro Radius and diners can enjoy organic selections at Triptych, which serves a killer brunch.

Getting closer to the coast, a new popular venue is the Chicago-styled pizzeria Capo's in North Beach. Deep dish pies are of course on the menu, but so too are fine Italian dishes like Wood Fired Meat Lasagna and Chicken Limoncello. Also popular is the flashy, beautifully designed Financial District outpost of the London-based Cantonese cuisine chain Hakkasan (pictured above). Selections include Jasmine tea-smoked chicken, Hakka stuffed tofu in black bean sauce, and various dim sum platters that come in fried, grilled, baked and/or steamed.

If you're someone who likes to prepare his or her own food, make sure to stop by the famous and historical Ferry Building Marketplace in the Embarcadero District for the farmer's market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. But even if you don't plan on cooking the fishes and produce for sale here, you can at least chow down on artisan cheeses brought in from local farms and grab lunch at one of the market's many restaurants and cafes, including Out the Door, where spring rolls make a perfect take-away snack, and 4505 Meats, where burgers are on the menu.

But true foodie enthusiasts visiting San Francisco should try the city's Grub Crawl, a gastronomical walking tour through the Bay Area. You get a taste of the city and the exercise, too!