Savory doughnuts unlike any dessert — fried pastries coated in dried porcini powder that is 'basically pulverized umami,' paired with warm melted raclette. The earthiness of the mushroom hits first, followed by the funky nuttiness of the cheese. At once crispy and pillowy, savory and rich, they've earned a devoted following.
Tips from diners
These are dangerously easy to eat multiple of — the combination of umami and cheese is addictive.
Great for sharing if you're ordering family-style and want something different from the main dishes.
Rich Table's most iconic dish — crispy potato chips with a whole fresh sardine threaded through the center, topped with a dollop of cool horseradish crème fraîche. The salty-sweet contrast between the chip, the delicate fish, and the pungent horseradish balance perfectly in each bite. Multiple reviewers describe it as 'salty and semi-sweet with just the right amount of crunch.' It's simultaneously approachable and technically clever.
Tips from diners
Order this as your first course — it's the restaurant's calling card and the presentation is worth experiencing.
Ask for extra chips on the side if you want to keep eating after the sardine is gone.
Rich Table treats pasta as the core of their cooking — every night features a freshly made pasta dish that reflects what arrived at the market that morning. Reviewers consistently call out the creativity and technical skill in these dishes, and the pasta is always hand-rolled in house.
Tips from diners
Ask your server what the pasta special is and order it — it's always worth trying over more standard items.
A collaboration between Roman tradition and San Francisco seafood — creamy sea urchin roe coats delicate pasta in the style of cacio e pepe, with the cheese providing savory depth and pepper adding sharp heat. The urchin's butter-sweet brininess carries the dish, making the simple preparation feel luxurious.
Tips from diners
Ask your server if uni is available that night — it's not always on the menu and availability varies with the season.
Silky, high-fat black cod (sablefish) roasted until the skin crisps slightly, served with whatever vegetables are in season. The dish changes weekly based on market availability, but the technique remains consistent — letting the fish's richness be the hero.
Tips from diners
Call ahead to ask what vegetables are being served with the cod that night — sometimes it's paired with ingredients you'd particularly love.
Rich Table opened in 2011 and has become one of Hayes Valley's defining restaurants. Chefs Evan and Sarah Rich bring over three decades of combined experience from San Francisco and New York's top kitchens, and they translate that pedigree into a dressed-down, ingredient-focused menu. Sardine chips with horseradish crème fraîche and porcini doughnuts with raclette are the signature dishes regulars order every visit. The restaurant ranked #3 on the SF Chronicle's Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area in 2025.
Reservations are essential even for two — the restaurant is tiny and always full, especially weekends.
The bar has limited walk-in seating if you show up without a reservation. You might catch an opening on weeknights.
The Family Style menu at $70 per person gives you the best sense of what the kitchen is doing across multiple dishes.
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