Discover the Top 5 Best San Francisco Rooftops to Eat and Drink With a Beautiful View
San Francisco, known for its magnificent Golden Gate Bridge, bustling culture, and steep rolling hills, has a wealth of food options as varied as its neighborhoods. Among these, rooftop restaurants stand out, offering not only excellent cuisine and refreshing beverages but also breathtaking views of the city skyline and beyond.
Whether you’re seeking to enjoy a sunny day or a starlit evening, these are the 5 Best San Francisco Rooftops to take your eating experience to the next level. From sophisticated, modern settings to comfortable, intimate settings, each site offers a distinct combination of culinary delights, artisanal beverages, and stunning views.
So, let’s ascend to these urban oases and find the best places to appreciate the city’s flavors while taking in its beauty.
1. Starlite
This is the sexiest place in Union Square to wear heels, listen to vinyl, and look gorgeous while perched on a green velvet couch. The 21st-floor location (on top of the Beacon Grand) is mostly enclosed, so you can enjoy city vistas without worrying about cocktail napkins drifting away into the fog.
It’s the ideal location for a full-fledged iPhone photoshoot on a birthday, or for a date to prove that San Franciscans do, in fact, own non-fleece outerwear. Simply stick to wine or the tart Pisco Punch—the food, such as Sichuan chicken buns and furikake fries, is subpar at best.
2. Cavaña
Cavaña offers Latin music, colorful cocktails, and delicious quesillo, ceviche, and charred arrachera. The tropical-inspired Latin American bar (in the LUMA Hotel in Mission Bay) is packed with residents, tourists, and random Giants fans sipping milk-clarified watermelon cocktails, caipirinhas, and other mezcal and tequila-forward beverages.
The inside is a plant-filled paradise that can get a little raucous, especially when the lights go down and Bad Bunny plays on the speakers. The patio also has plenty of heaters, so feel free to shimmy beneath the moonlight and consume more beverages than you should.
3. Rise over Run
Rise Over Run, located on the 13th story of The Line SF hotel in Union Square, is the perfect spot to escape the afternoon wind and fog. The rooftop features a beautiful greenhouse-style atrium complete with velvet seats, plants, and panoramic views of downtown.
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If you prefer to brave the cold and settle into a cushioned lounge chair on the beautiful terrace outside, there are fire pits, heaters, and blankets available. The cocktails and wine are reasonably priced, and the nibbles, such as the spicy tuna tostada, are edible if not particularly interesting—but pay no attention. You came here to sip and stare at the city for too long.
4. Shelby’s Rooftop
This bar on the 12th floor of the Canopy Hotel, directly adjacent to the Moscone Center, is strictly reservation-only, although they frequently have openings on OpenTable—hopefully, you’ll get lucky and get placed on a couch lining the railing.
This venue has a relaxed but slightly buttoned-up party air, like an expensive penthouse apartment party where everyone is dressed in their finest San Francisco clothes. For the greatest experience, book a table around sunset, order the thick Pasion De Mezcal, and eat a little bite like a pulpo de Olivo.
5. Kaiyō Rooftop
Kaiyo Rooftop in SoMa is located on the 12th floor of the Hyatt Place and offers panoramic views of the city as well as a scene that is as near to an exclusive, no-jeans-allowed club as you can get in town.
When you become hungry, try Peruvian-Japanese cuisines like empanadas, chicken karaage, and ceviche in a citrusy leche de tigre, as well as superb drinks and wine. There are heaters on the rooftop—this is San Francisco, after all—but bring clothes in case the wind picks up.
Final Words
As the sun sets, these 5 Best San Francisco Rooftops entice with promises of gourmet excursions and libations. They are not just venues, but experiences, with every nibble and sip complemented by the city’s beautiful views. So lift your glass to the San Francisco skyline and let these rooftops transport you to culinary heaven. Each visit to San Francisco, whether at Cavaña or Shelby’s, creates lasting memories.