On Tuesday, Forbes Travel Guide released its star award winners for 2022 that highlighted a slew of top Bay Area restaurants considered to be among the “most outstanding” businesses around the world.
In its 64th annual list that honored more than 250 restaurants worldwide, 20 fine dining Bay Area restaurants were recognized in the esteemed guide for everything from their elegant cuisine to the beautiful ambiance of each space. Atelier Crenn, Benu, and Saison were among some of the five-star winners in San Francisco.
“Remember that 1980s television show ‘Fantasy Island,’ where a man dressed in white made visitors’ every wish come true? Saison is the culinary equivalent — a customized and luxurious hunter-gather fantasy dining experience in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood,” Forbes wrote of Saison.
Saison restaurant in San Francisco was among the five-star winners in Forbes Travel Guide’s 2022 Star Awards.
Lin L. on Yelp
Beyond San Francisco where other top destinations like Manresa in Los Gatos, Navio in Half Moon Bay as well as many in Napa and Sonoma County, which featured chef Thomas Keller’s much-acclaimed The French Laundry. Forbes likewise added restaurants that earned four stars and others that were within its “recommended” section. Of San Francisco’s Spruce restaurant, which was recommended, Forbes lauded the moody décor and its delicious bites, but added that it’s kitchen and service can “suffer from unevenness.”
The roster of Forbes winners comes the same week as the James Beard Foundation announced its media award nominees where Brandon Jew, chef-owner of Mister Jiu’s, and co-author Tienlon Ho were selected for their cookbook, “Mister Jiu’s in Chinatown: Recipes and Stories From the Birthplace of Chinese American Food.” Kristina Cho, San Francisco author, and Bryant Terry, Oakland vegan chef and author, were likewise nominated for their cookbooks.
See the full list of Bay Area restaurants that landed in Forbes Travel Guide’s 2022 Star Award below. For a full list of national winners, see Forbes Travel Guide 2022 list.
- Atelier Crenn in San Francisco
- Benu in San Francisco
- Campton Place in San Francisco
- FARM in Napa
- Farmhouse Inn Restaurant in Forestville
- The French Laundry in Napa
- Gary Danko in San Francisco
- Layla at MacArthur Place in Sonoma
- Lucy Restaurant & Bar in Yountville
- Madera in San Jose
- Manresa in Los Gatos
- Navio in Half Moon Bay
- Parallel 37 in San Francisco
- Quince in San Francisco
- The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford
- The Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena
- Saison in San Francisco
- Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg
- Solbar in Calistoga
- Spruce in San Francisco