Restaurants in South San Francisco

Clement Street Bar & Grill’s blue-and-white storefront has been a Richmond District landmark since 1983, when the eatery first flung open its doors to serve heaped plates of fresh seafood, roast chicken, and other hearty American fare. Patrons feeling cramped after road trips in a 2-D Jetsons aerocar can stretch out in roomy wooden booths with white-linen-covered tables, or take a seat beneath greenly glowing overhead lamps at the bar.

In Bistro SF Grill, glasses brimming with Slavic wines clink in toasts, launching their cool song against carmine walls punctuated by vivid paintings. Patrons slide into booths or seats to browse a menu dominated by inventive, sustainable, organic burgers trapped between organic multigrain or kaiser bread. Patties crafted from Johansing Farms' grass-fed and free-range beef parade alongside a construction named for Iggy Pop, which captures the fiery personality of the rock icon with roasted red peppers atop organic grass-fed buffalo from Wyoming. Chicken, turkey, and vegan burgers proffer beefless options, and the bistro's wine menu highlights Eastern European varieties, including wines from Slovenia and Croatia, which patrons may sip at the bar while holding staring contests with a dazzling mosaic-ringed mirror. The terroir of each elixir is shaped by Mediterranean, Alpine, and Continental climates that flock to the region's feuding meteorologists.

Queen's Louisiana Po-Boy Café radiates with authentic New Orleans culture, pairing French Quarter–inspired décor with sandwiches and fixings, some imported straight from The Big Easy. The menu brims with creole and Cajun creations, ranging from seafood gumbo to overstuffed oyster po boys made with french pistolet baguettes. Bag of Zapp's potato chips or beignets, the famed New Orleans dessert and paternal grandfather of the doughnut, can sidekick meals. Regional art and faux gas lanterns line the dining room, casting a muted glow into an atmosphere already rich with the scent of savory fare.

Free-range meats and local vegetables nestle between slices at AK Subs, where breakfast and lunch seekers fill up on omelets, meaty and vegetarian sandwiches, and smoothies. As one of the city's original grease recyclers and long-time composters, the sandwich slingers are committed to environmentally friendly practices, even using biodegradable cleaning solutions, causing rivers and lakes to squeal with joy. Local produce bridges the gap between layers of preservative-free bread, baked fresh daily at three bakeries. Hormone- and antibiotic-free meat includes free-range, organic chicken and wild red snapper to round out the earth-conscientious menu.

Santorini's Mediterranean Cuisine's chefs place house-made pizzas in their brick oven, expertly grill marinated meats, and spread fresh sauces over pastas. In the intimate main dining room, guests can linger over a DeLoach cabernet and pomegranate chicken as they take in aromas of baking bread, cooking olive oil, and Mediterranean spices. Nearby, artwork depicting traditional Greek village architecture and ancient Greek teleportation devices hangs on the restaurant's yellow walls.

Delirium cocktail lounge and bar welcomes revelers under its retro neon sign into darkened interiors for late-night libations and themed music nights. Weekly events see appearances by oft-recurring guest DJs who swaddle guests' ears in throbbing spins of electronic, ska, and punk anthems. Bartenders stir up eclectic vodka and whiskey cocktails at a marble-sided bar, while guests cavort across the tile floor, surrounded by graffiti décor and bathed in soft blue light. Delirium also hosts recurring events such as comedy nights, crock-pot offerings, and a complimentary afternoon barbecue on Saturday, Sunday, and any day when the barbecue stork drops by.