Wondering where to have your reception after your San Francisco City Hall wedding? I’ve put together some of my favorite, achingly cool San Francisco restaurants that will be happy to your reception or meal after your City Hall wedding!
All of these epically hip restaurants serve excellent food and will take good care of you & your party. I know because I’ve met with and chatted to the folks at each of them. The good news they all LOVE City Hall weddings! Want more help planning your City Hall wedding day, including a full sample timeline? Check out my article linked below.
Are you getting married at City Hall and looking for a San Francisco City Hall wedding photographer? I can’t wait to hear your love story!
What are you looking for in a restaurant for your San Francisco City Hall reception?
While compiling my list, I realized it can be surprisingly hard to find places to eat after your San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony.
Why is that? Well, a lot of restaurants in San Francisco actually close down for the hours between lunch and dinner (2-5pm typically!). And you know you might need to plan your meal for an odd time of day, because you’re normally fitting in the meal around your ceremony time.
That’s why every place on my list is, to the best of my knowledge, open throughout the day, either every weekday or closing on just one day of the week.
Also you want somewhere with a convenient location (easy to get to from San Francisco City Hall) that is going to make for great photos.
Are you looking for ways to get around on your City Hall wedding day? I got you covered! Check out my article below.
There are various options available at each spot. What makes the most sense will depend on the size of your group. I’d suggest chatting through your needs with the restaurant’s events manager. They are happy to talk you through the different areas and guide you towards a regular table or a private rented area.
So, herea few of my favorite choices for hip & cool restaurants for after your San Francisco City Hall wedding ceremony that you’ll love! Hip, hip, hooray!
If you’re booking a reception, we also recommend booking a hotel in San Francisco to head back to after your festivities are over. My list of recommended hotels is below:
View all on map (desktop only):
Honorary mentions: I haven’t gotten around to creating full and detailed entries for these restaurants quite yet (it’s only my list!) but here are a few new entries to the list (especially seeing as the Cerf Club and Corridor are sadly no more since the pandemic)
Wayfare Tavern
The Sequoia Room, a private dining room at the Wayfare Tavern | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
With plush couches and a roomy feel, the Sequoia Room is my favorite private area at the Wayfare Tavern | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
The highly Instagrammable exterior of the Wayfare Tavern | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
Web: https://www.wayfaretavern.com/
View on map: Wayfare Tavern, 558 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Type of cuisine: American
Group reservations maximum: 60 seated, 80 standing
Private dining? Yes – three unique rooms
What does Wayfare Tavern offer?
- British pub-style setting with an old-meets-new world flavor
- Features American dishes inspired by the San Francisco restaurant scene of the early 1900’s
- Finely curated wine list, local artisan beers and a Victorian-era inspired cocktails list with a modern twist.
- Located in the heart of the Financial District
Updated photos coming soon!
Palio
The larger of two private rooms at Palio restaurant, San Francisco | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
The main dining area of Palio, San Francisco | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
View on map: Palio, 640 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Type of cuisine: Italian Modern
Group reservations maximum: 100
Private dining? Yes (private & semi-private)
What does Palio offer?
- This Financial District family-run institution has been in business for 30 years and was extensively remodeled in 2018.
- Offers a spacious lounge area, perfect for relaxed dining or nibbles.
- Elegant, with a contemporary and clean, black-and-white aesthetic.
- Wine Spectator award-winning wine list, recently voted Best Overall Restaurant in San Francisco.
San Francisco Proper Hotel
Charmaine’s the gorgeous rooftop bar at San Francisco Proper Hotel | Image courtesy of Proper Hotel
Gilda’s a gorgeous private room at San Francisco Proper Hotel | Image courtesy of Proper Hotel
Web: https://www.properhotel.com/hotels/san-francisco/
View on map: San Francisco Proper, 45 McAllister St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Type of cuisine: American Modern
Group reservations maximum: 100+
Private dining? Yes
What does San Francisco Proper offer?
- Officially San Francisco’s hippest hotel
- Proper hosts a variety of bars and restaurants under one roof… or on the rooftop!
- Housed in a landmarked flatiron-style building in San Francisco’s vibrant Mid-Market district
- Luxurious surroundings, high-end setting and exquisite attention to detail
Stable Cafe
The back of Stable Cafe with a bar set up | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
Stable Cafe patio set up for a wedding | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
Web: http://www.stablecafe.com/
View on map: Stable Cafe, 2128 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Type of cuisine: Californian / Latin American
Group reservations maximum: 100
Private dining? Yes but only after 4pm when the cafe closes
What does Stable Cafe offer?
- Stable Cafe is a unique space built in an old 1800’s carriage house in the Mission District offering friendly dining in an outdoor back patio.
- It has a relaxed and low-key vibe, with romantic string lights, patio seating and unique floral and fauna design creations courtesy of their resident floral designer.
- Best known for its breakfasts and brunches! This place is known in the neighborhood as a go-to brunch spot and offers brunch on weekdays too.
- Open Monday-Friday 7:30-4pm and Saturday-Sunday 9-4pm. No reservations are possible during regular opening hours, but if your group is small, casual and you don’t mind a short wait, it’ll be worth it!
25 Lusk
The roof terrace at 25 Lusk | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
A little nook on the roof terrace at 25 Lusk | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
View on map: 25 Lusk, 25 Lusk St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Type of cuisine: American / Californian Modern
Group reservations maximum: 600
Private dining? 25 Lusk has many private dining options available depending on the size of the group.
What does 25 Lusk offer?
- The rooftop of Lusk is where it’s at! This spot is open from morning through evening everyday and is dreamy! It is suitable for smaller groups only, perfect for City Hall couples!
- Chef Matthew Dolan has created a culinary program which embraces contemporary California cuisine with influences from around the world.
- Features a modern aesthetic through a historic brick and timber warehouse originally built in 1917 as a meatpacking and smokehouse facility.
- Less than 2 miles from City Hall in the Soma / Mission Bay neighborhood
Starbelly
Back patio at Starbelly, perfect for casual, elegant receptions after your City Hall wedding | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
Interior at Starbelly in the Castro District, San Francisco | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
View on map: Starbelly, 3583 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Type of cuisine: Californian Comfort Food
Group reservations maximum: 110
Private dining? Yes, heated back patio is great for around 40 people
What does Starbelly offer?
- Starbelly is a casual and friendly neighborhood restaurant in San Francisco’s lively Castro District.
- They have a dining room heated patio, and sidewalk seating; walk-ins welcome
- Hearty meals for brunch 7 days a week, lunch and dinner – served late, and perfect any time of the day.
- F Line transport accommodation from SF City Hall
- Well-known as a destination for seasonal craft cocktails utilizing seasonal fruit plus a unique collection of wine and craft beer.
Foreign Cinema
A birds’ eye view of the main area at Foreign Cinema, Mission District | Image courtesy of Foreign Cinema
Mezzanine level of Foreign Cinema which seats up to 40 seated | Image courtesy of Foreign Cinema
Web: http://foreigncinema.com/
View on map: Foreign Cinema, 2534 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Type of cuisine: Californian-Mediterranean
Group reservations maximum: 170 seated, 350 standing
Private dining? Yes, seats up to 60 or 100 standing.
What does Foreign Cinema offer?
- Not open to regular diners the entire day without break, but Foreign Cinema has earned a place on this list because of its incredible, versatile private dining.
- A San Francisco Chronicle “Top 100 Restaurant” for 18 consecutive years and winner of many other awards for culinary innovation.
- Chefs Gayle Pirie and John Clark’s collective visions weave food, wine, cocktails, film, and art gallery into one harmonious ambiance. A must for film-lovers.
- They personalize the menu for each wedding, matching sustainable, seasonal and market availability with guests’ special preferences.
Lazy Bear
Lazy Bear is a dining sensation in San Francisco! They do things a little differently here | Photography by John Storey Photography for SF Chronicle / Patricia Chang Photography
Web: https://www.lazybearsf.com/
View on map: Lazy Bear, 3416 19th St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Type of cuisine: American Modern
Group reservations maximum: 40 seated, 80 standing
Private dining? No but you can do a full buyout (required for groups of 13 or more)
What does Lazy Bear offer?
- A one-of-a-kind communal dining experience in which chefs plate each dish right in front of you
- Unforgettable, multi-sensory, fine dining events
- Hyper-seasonal, two-Michelin-starred menu
- Guests are seated at two long American Elm tables
Zazie
The heated back patio at Zazie is perfect for brunch + mimosas | Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
A wedding couple and their guests tuck into pancakes at Zazie after their SF City Hall wedding| Photography by Zoe Larkin Photography
View on map: Zazie, 941 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Type of cuisine: French
Group reservations maximum: 20
Private dining? No but even without just a table reservation, the back patio feels private
What does Zazie offer?
- Zazie has been around for almost 30 years and is a Cole Valley favorite. They are a Legacy Business of SF with almost 5,000 reviews on Yelp!
- Located in a historic schoolhouse with brick walls and soaring ceilings in a quiet neighborhood near public transit.
- Specializes in modern Californian fare with a French twist – think pancakes, benedicts, salads and entrees.
- The romantic (heated!) patio at the back is excellent for groups of up to 22. For groups up to 40, a patio buyout is required.
- Family style, white tablecloths, linen napkins and personalized menus make for an elegant but relaxed event.
Zuni
Interior of Zuni Cafe showing two levels | Image by Bill Addison for SF Eater
Image source: unknown, via Zagat
Web: http://zunicafe.com/
View on map: Zuni Cafe, 1658 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Type of cuisine: French-Italian
Group reservations maximum: 20
Private dining? No
What does Zuni offer?
- This San Francisco institution has been in business for over 40 years and prides itself on being rustic and cosmopolitan, audacious and familiar, intimate and convivial.
- A walk-in restaurant, or reserve a table up to 1 month in advance
- A casual, bustling cafe vibe with lots of white walls and exposed brickwork
- Award-winning food and great location within a short walk of San Francisco City Hall
Thank you for reading my guide to some of my favorite restaurants for a reception after your San Francisco City Hall wedding! I hope this was helpful and has given you some restaurant reception ideas.
Some of these restaurants, especially that are a little further away from City Hall, might tie in with a portrait location. While you go shoot some awesome couples’ photos with your photographer, your guests can get drinks and get settled in the restaurant.
Looking for more San Francisco wedding venues? Check out my guide to the 30 best San Francisco wedding venues linked below!
And hey if you haven’t reached out yet, check out my wedding photography services for your City Hall wedding!
Pin this to your City Hall wedding planning Pinterest board!
SF City Hall wedding reception restaurants | Zoe Larkin Photography
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