State Bird Provisions, San Francisco

How it Works: The menu at State Bird Provisions is short—because it only scratches the surface of what you can eat there. In addition to à la carte dishes such as pancakes and “commandables,” servers bring around trays and carts of ever-changing provisions whipped up by husband-wife owners Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski. Guests can order off the menu, grab from the cart dim-sum style, or do a bit of both.

A Taste

• Provision: duck-liver mousse with almond biscuit
• Commandable: buttermilk-fried quail with sweet-and-sour onions and parmesan—the signature dish of the restaurant
• Pancake: smoked-sturgeon pancake with beet and horseradish
• Dessert: poppy-seed-ice-cream sandwich with grapefruit curd, candied lemon, and fennel

Where to Sit: Pull up a seat to a simple wooden table surrounded by cement walls and pegboard. In such a bare space, the aesthetics of the food pop.

How to Get In: Tables at State Bird Provisions might just be some of the most sought after in town. Reservations are available 60 days in advance but remain steadily full. Every morning at 4 a.m. a new day of reservations opens, but those seats are generally gone by 7 a.m. Fortunately, one third of the tables are kept open for walk-ins and those who’ve shunned computers and telephones. The line usually starts forming outside an hour before opening.

Awards and Accolades

• James Beard Award for Best Restaurant in 2013
• Awarded one Michelin Star in 2014
• One of Zagat’s 10 Hottest Restaurants in the World in 2013

Inside Tip: Servers keep track of the food you order from their carts or trays by tallying a slip on your table.

While You're in the Neighborhood
Before: Catch a matinee at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas (1881 Post Street).
After: Swirl and sip a glass of draft wine at Fat Angel Food and Libation (1740 O'Farrell Street).