Woodward's Garden, San Francisco

Sample Menu

• Appetizer: medjool dates with kumquats, kale, parmesan, pomegranate syrup, and walnuts

• Entree: maple-leaf duck leg braised with oranges and fennel on truffled polenta with broccoli

• Dessert: blackberry-brown-butter tart with whipped cream

Where to Sit: The large, open kitchen in the main dining room lets diners watch chef-owner Dana Tommasino at work, while the quaint back room is a bit quieter, filled with two-top tables lit with romantic wall sconces and a crystal chandelier.

What’s in a Name: The restaurant is named after a 19th-century amusement park that operated in the Mission District from 1866 to 1891.

Celebrity Accolades: Martha Stewart named Woodward’s Garden as one of her top-five restaurants in San Francisco, despite its unlikely location underneath the freeway.

Inside Tips

• Don’t shy away from the vegetarian plates; Chef Tommasino honed her meatless cooking skills at veggie hotspot Greens Restaurant.
• Your server just might be co-owner Margie Conard, who has helped operate the restaurant with Tommasino since 1992.
• Regulars enjoy perusing the wine list, which features offbeat selections from California and Europe