Foodie Photographer's Guide to San Francisco
Like most people I enjoy indulging in delicious food but I especially love it when your meal is also a feast for the eyes! I often bring my camera with me when I go out to eat because fancy eats can truly be a fun subject to photograph. I like to call it βPoetry on a plate!β
In my search for foodie photography spots I look for colorful and fresh cuisine served on bright surfaces with modern tableware. I often opt for the flatlay composition style of photography but I will occasionally mix it up.
If youβre shooting for a blog post, make sure you capture not only the food but also the interiors of the restaurant and maybe even some street shots outside. It really helps with visual storytelling and the audience can get a sense of your entire experience.
In this blog post Iβve listed San Francisco eateries where your meal is truly an experience and thereβs ample opportunities to capture beautiful photos. Whether itβs for Instagram or your personal portfolio of photography, these spots are filled with natural light and airy aestheticsβ¦ and of course yummy eats!
Best San Francisco Restaurants & Cafeβs for Food Styling Photography
Le Marais Bakeries & Cafes
The Le Marais Bakeries have modern French inspired aesthetics and are always so bright and filled with natural light. On the menu youβll find fancy pastries and healthy meals featuring fresh vegetables and light eats. They have three locations in San Francisco and theyβre all great for photography.
Tartine
The very modern Tartine Bakeries are popular for their crafted breads and cafe fare. I especially love photographing their open faced sandwiches presented on pastel matte ceramics. Their big salads also feature colorful radishes and additional vegetables that pop in photos.
Three Tartine locations in San Francisco:
Tartine Bakery on Guerrero Street
Tartine Manufactory on Alabama St
Tartine Inner Sunset on 9th Ave
Salt & Straw
Salt & Straw has two San Francisco locations - Hayes Valley and Pacific Heights, both scenic areas of the city. This creamery keeps their food style classic and more minimal, but their flavors are bursting with originality and unexpected surprises. Try the avocado and banana sorbet to give your tastebuds a revelation!
Boudin Bakery & Cafe at Fishermanβs Wharf
The clam chowder bowl is probably the most classic San Francisco food being that sourdough was invented in this very city. Boudinβs makes the original bread bowl filled to the brim with creamy chowder. Most days in San Francisco are cold and chilly so itβs a treat to warm up with this favorite comfort food.
While Boudinβs has multiple locations in San Francisco, I highly recommend visiting the original restaurant in Fishermanβs Wharf. Itβs very large and visually pleasing with views of the bay on the second floor - great for photos!
Tacolicious
When San Francisco hipsters open up a Mexican taco joint you get the popular local chain Tacolicious. These string of casual SF dining spots offer great food and fun backdrops for festive photos. I recently had a friend lunch date at the Tacolicious in the Marina District and of course we photographed our tacos before we devoured them.
Split Cafe
Russian Hill is a great neighborhood to do some sightseeing on foot and walk along Polk Street. I had a brunch date with some girlfriends at Split Cafe and took photos of our spread and the restaurant interiors. Keep scrolling to see my avocado toast with smoked salmon (the salmon was in the shape of a rose!).
Over The Moon Creamery
Take a walk along Chestnut Street (the main drag of the Marina) and pit stop for ice cream at Over the Moon. If youβre looking for some fun whimsical pops of color, their Cookie Monster flavor of ice cream is a bright bubblegum blue hue and you can order it with their one-of-a-kind cookie cups.
La Mar Cebicheria Peruana
You can find some amazing foodie photography inspiration from La Marβs popular Instagram account. Their marketing team really knows how to make their Peruvian food look almost too good to eat.
Macaron Therapy
If youβre really looking to create a rainbow of vibrant colors or you have a very specific color scheme you want to achieve, try some food styling with French macarons. You can custom order your desired colors and designs from San Franciscoβs Macaron Therapy.
Maison Danel PΓ’tisserie & Tea House
If youβre looking for an ultra feminine and vintage chic aesthetic then youβll love the delicate tea china and pastries at the Maison Danel tea house. Their serveware has sweet floral patterns reminiscent of the Marie Antoinette era.
matcha cafe maiko
You can feel like billionaire and eat 24K gold on your ice cream⦠and I mean that literally! At Matcha Cafe Maiko their beautiful matcha ice cream cones come with an assortment of toping choices including gold foil.
Dumpling Time
This trendy Chinese fusion restaurant offers a lot of fun foodie photo opportunities because dumplings come in a variety of colors, shapes and textures. Itβs very easy to snap some enticing table spreads with their innovative menu options.
Smitten Ice Cream
Foodie photographers with a sweet tooth love to capture the unique ice cream waffle bowls found at Smitten Ice Cream shops. This fresh take on the old school waffle cone makes for some fun photos.
Home Coffee Roasters
The Home Cafe is where youβll find the famous rainbow lattes which will make all your unicorn dreams come true. Theyβve taken latte art to a new level and youβll really be stoked to capture your masterpiece on camera.
Delarosa Pizzerias
The words that come to mind when I think about Delarosaβs food aesthetic are sophisticated and simple, but never boring. These Roman-style handcrafted pizzas have premium toppings and are served on warm wooden tables alongside fancy cocktails.
Super Duper Burgers
Super Duper makes fast food look fun and trendy. Their casual eateries serve burgers and fries on photogenic canteen-style food trays with graphic branding. Their food is truly drool-worthy and theyβve got several locations scattered around San Francisco.
Live Sushi
This Japanese restaurant located in Potrero Hill makes little works of art with each order of sushi. Itβs very fun to photograph their unique food designs, your photos will stand out and be extra memorable.
Dynamo Donuts
When I worked in an office in San Francisco my old boss would bring in Dynamo Donuts for the employees and everyone would be super jazzed for these gems. They are known for out of this world flavors and their unexpected toppings make them fun to photograph. You can even get edible flowers on your donut!