Maestro Restaurant, San Francisco

The newly opened Maestro Restaurant acquaints diners with the flavors of France in a spacious dining room with seating for 200. Along with two banquet rooms, the restaurant boasts an intimate, casual café space where mirror-lined walls guide each gaze toward bright fruit-topped tarts peeking out from a gleaming pastry case. Lounging in wicker chairs at the restaurant's round stone tables, guests can catch up on the latest gossip over cups of imported Italian illy coffee or sample traditional French entrées such as escargot and duck confit without making it to Paris in time for the Eiffel Tower to feed her young. Those without the time for carefree French afternoons can also pop in to pick up quick boxed lunches stocked at the counter.