Does Zuni Cafe deserve its S.F. icon status?

Our new critic weighs in on 45-year-old ‘benchmark’ that still delivers despite leadership changes

A month ago, I posed a question to you, the readers: As a new restaurant critic, where should I eat? I suspected there would be many duplicate responses, but to my delight, there was little overlap among the 500-odd suggestions, which ran the gamut from recently opened hot spots to neighborhood stalwarts.

There was one notable exception: You wanted me to review Zuni. Judging by the accompanying comments, this was not because you were curious about how the food at the 45-year-old institution has changed under the leadership of Anne Alvero, who took the helm from longtime chef Nate Norris in 2022. Nor were you seeking a reappraisal of the award-winning hospitality after owner Gilbert Pilgram did away with tips in 2021, replacing them instead with a “fair wage surcharge” distributed among front and back of house staff.

“It’s a benchmark,” wrote one respondent, “and will tell a lot about her as a critic.” Another added, “It will provide background into who she is, her tastes, her vibe.” Zuni Café is such a fixture in the collective unconscious of San Franciscans that seemingly none of the commenters were interested in what my review would say about the restaurant. They were interested in what it would say about their new critic.

For those scryers eager to divine whether I’m a “well-rounded food critic” or a feckless Millennial only interested in “restaurants with one syllable names,” this one’s for you.

I find Zuni to be as convivial and gracious a spot as ever, a restaurant that embodies the spirit of San Francisco through boom times and bust. Although service can be uneven — a forgotten order of Acme bread here, a misidentified after-dinner drink there — Alvero’s kitchen continues to celebrate Judy Rodgers’ legacy, turning out dishes that are a paean to California’s bounty in a space that glows with the warmth of diners enjoying each other’s company. It is not an inexpensive restaurant, but prices are fair relative to peers. Zuni Café remains a spot for celebrations, from boisterous family birthdays to languorous Friday lunches, and it’s worthy of celebration in its own right.

While the restaurant itself does not feel antiquated, there’s a generosity of spirit that feels increasingly like a relic of a bygone era. If you and your dining companion go halfsies on a Caesar or a burger or a plate of risotto, it will arrive split. There is something luxurious about getting half a burger ($22, available only at lunch) all to yourself on a regular-sized plate, garnished with pickled zucchini and onions that you do not have to share.

The portion sizes on some of the menu items are also downright retro. When our Caesar ($21) arrived, split by the kitchen,

The seasonal Paella de Mariscos features shrimp, ling cod, Monterey Bay squid, clams and saffron.

A salad of house-cured anchovies with celery, Parmigiano-Reggiano and coquillo olives.