There is nothing that compares to a savory meal at the end of a long day at a convention or business meeting. Or better yet, there’s no experience quite like an event hosted in a premier dining facility. BMPs have no shortage of wonderful restaurants to choose from when it comes to peppering their yearly itinerary with fabulous dining events for their clients in San Francisco. The local industry covers a diverse array of cuisines and culinary styles, making it possible for planners to accommodate the tastes of even their most particular clients.

From 5-star culinary establishments to well-known favorites to new hot spots, the San Francisco restaurant scene has it all. Given the depth and richness of the local market, it was hard for the team at Meetings & Events San Francisco to come up with a single list of restaurants to recommend. However, we think you’ll find the mentioned facilities in this article to be a solid sampling of what can be found in the Bay Area when it comes to fine dining establishments.

New on the Scene
There’s always a buzz worthy restaurant or two that’s opening in the San Francisco area. One such venue is Anchor and Hope Fish House. Known for its formal-meets-casual vibe, the restaurant is located in a renovated, turn-of-the-century mechanics warehouse. Although dubbed a seafood-shack, patrons can be seen dining in suits and blue jeans alike. The cuisine is prepared by Boston native Chef Sarah Shafer who brings a unique, yet, traditional take on seafood entrees to the restaurant.

Also creating much buzz is the restaurant known as the Conduit. Awarded the Best Newcomer award by 7x7 San Francisco Magazine, the Conduit has become a favorite of trendy restaurant goers. The interiors have a minimalist and modern ambiance complemented by a delicious selection of contemporary American cuisine. Diners at the Conduit enjoy an excellent wine list featuring more than 125 selections.

If a meeting planner’s goal is to hold an event at a restaurant then Serpentine just might fit the bill. Priding itself on honest food and classic cocktails, Serpentine offers food worthy of the highest praise from the city’s most practiced connoisseurs. The restaurant has a large space available for private party reservations, giving planners the perfect setup for their group to eat while they meet.

On-site Events
In keeping with the eat while you meet theme, there are many restaurants that give BMPs the option of booking flexible event space. One of the most well-known of these meet-and-eat restaurants is the Carnelian Room. The restaurant is located on the 52nd floor of the famed Bank of America Center providing stunning views of the surrounding city.

There are 13 private rooms and suites available for rent and an additional two rooms on the 51st floor. The rooms range in capacity from six to100 people for dinners and six to 200 people for receptions. Some of the rooms may be combined to accommodate parties larger than the single room capacities. For meetings that include a presentation, the A.P. Giannini Auditorium is also available for rent. The auditorium space includes full audiovisual support and catering.

The Carnelian Room also boasts a team of professionals that can assist with all aspects of the meal including personal menu customization, entertainment and audiovisual requirements. The team even includes an onsite florist for maximum visual impact. The recommended attire for the Carnelian Room is casual -elegant with jackets recommended for gentlemen.

Like the Carnelian Room, The Delancey Street Restaurant is also known for being able to accommodate large parties. There are three options for diners to choose from in addition to the main dining room. The Boardroom has seating for 45 guests in a warm and elegant atmosphere. Fine renderings of wildlife adorn the walls while large windows offer a view of the Bay and the well-groomed gardens. The Southwestern Room offers seating for groups of up to 20 and features Native American art with a Taos-style ambiance. For larger events of up to 250 people, the Private Club provides the same first-rate amenities combined with a versatile space for elaborately designed parties.

Gordon Biersch is another excellent dining facility that offers extensive event space. The restaurant is located on San Francisco’s historic waterfront, offering stunning views of the San Francisco Bay Bridge. However, it is not the views that people find most appealing about Gordon Biersch, it’s the beer. The onsite brewery handcrafts superb ales and lagers worthy of quenching any thirst. Gordon Biersch can accommodate large party gatherings of up to 500 people.

Dietary Staples
San Francisco has a bevy of restaurants that have come to symbolize the city to a degree only matched by the Golden Gate Bridge. The restaurants located on the famed Fisherman’s Warf are some of the most well-known as well as some of the best seafood restaurants in the country. Alioto’s, one of San Francisco’s oldest restaurants, is a culinary landmark famous for its cioppino. Built in 1925, the restaurant is still owned and operated by the Alioto family and most of its staff has been employed there for more than 20 years. Further incentive to try Alioto’s includes its capacity to accommodate parties of 18-50 people, not to mention that its prime location on the end of a pier guarantees diners gorgeous waterfront views.

Since 1946, San Franciscans have enjoyed Italian food prepared in the Fisherman’s Warf manner at Capurro’s Restaurant. The facility is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nothing but locally caught fresh seafood is served and visitors couldn’t ask for a more appetizing selection. Recently remodeled Capurro’s has a comfortable atmosphere reminiscent of classic San Francisco. The restaurant can accommodate large parties and special events when necessary.

Thomaso Castagnola, who created the first shrimp cocktail for the 1915 World’s Fair, journeyed to San Francisco the following year to open a crab stand on Fisherman’s Warf. Today, a restaurant bearing his name tantalizes the taste buds of diners on the same spot where he once served crab to passersby. Offering fresh seafood, steaks, lamb, veal and pasta, Casagnola’s has become a local’s favorite and a hot-spot destination for tourists alike. The restaurant’s private dining room boasts impeccable views and can accommodate parties of up to 200 people.

While Fisherman’s Warf hosts some of San Francisco’s best known dining establishments, the pinnacle of San Fransisco’s culinary repertoire is the Cliff House. Built in 1863, the Cliff House is just what its name implies - a structure erected on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Diners at the Cliff House can enjoy one of two sumptuous options. Sutro’s is a casual restaurant with panoramic views of sea rock and the splashing waves below. The menu is changed seasonally, ensuring the freshest flavors are used to enlighten diners’ pallets.

At Bistro, guests get the chance to dine in the 1906 neoclassical Cliff House that was fully restored in 2004. The restaurant is also casual and does not accept reservations. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the cuisine encapsulates traditional San Francisco fare. BMPs will enjoy exploring the Terrace Room at Cliff House which is available for large parties and special events of up to 120 people.

If You Insist
In addition to culinary classics, San Francisco offers some of the most cutting-edge and widely acclaimed cuisine in the world. One such place is Michael Mina San Francisco. In 2009, the restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars. Located in the historic Westin St. Francis, Chef Michael Mina brings his James Beard Award-winning cuisine to the city. The fare is American and the ambiance is that of unsurpassed elegance.

Another two-Michelin star recipient is Aqua, named one of San Francisco Chronicle’s top 100 Bay Area Restaurants for the third year in a row in 2009. Located in the heart of the city’s financial district, Aqua offers seafood and produce combinations skillfully crafted into sheer culinary masterpieces. Its elegant dining room seats 120 and a private dining area can accommodate 30 guests. In addition, Aqua now offers off-site catering for intimate dinners and parties of up to 400 people.

Aromatic Option
One final place for BMPs to consider is the most pungent restaurant on the West Coast. The Stinking Rose, whose moniker derives from the nickname for a clove of garlic, is easy to find, as locals are familiar with the location’s unmistakable smell. The restaurant not only serves more than 3,000 pounds of garlic each and every month, its décor is also comprised of garlic characters and memorabilia. The Stinking Rose can accommodate party reservations of between 15 and 60 guests.

San Francisco is often described as a culinary destination, a place where eager pallets convene to take their taste buds on a journey. When it comes to the culinary arts, the city does not disappoint. While the previous pages have provided a glimpse into a few selected choices, it’s important to remember that this article was just an appetizer to the main meal. For a complete directory of available restaurants, check out the listings starting on page 90 or visit the dining section of www.MeetingsAndEventsSanFrancisco.com