Chez Papa: French classics in downtown San Francisco

Chez Papa, the bistro, has been around for sometime now operating out of Potrero Hill. Now, the owners have opened a restaurant in downtown San Francisco on Mint Plaza next to the old Mint, a renovated square that is also home to the first cafe of the Blue Bottle Coffee company. 

The cuisine is Provenςal but with a fresh modern twist. For example, I could have had a traditional bouillabaisse but instead, I ordered roasted monkfish with “Bouillabaisse Fumet” (an intensely flavoured rich seafood broth poured over the fish), potatoes, clams, calamari and rouille. The lamb daube was very delicious and rich, but not overpowering. And the pommes frites were excellent.

• Vibe: Modern and chic, but not pretentious. There’s enough space between the tables so you can carry on a conversation. Good service.

• Pros: if you like food from the south of France, this is one of the very few places in San Francisco that gets things right. It helps that the owner is from the south of France. 

Chez Papa
414 Jessie Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
+1 415 546-4134
www.chezpapasf.com

Reserve online via Open Table

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