AL's Place

A couple weeks back, AL's Place SF suddenly announced they were closing for good. Chef-owner Aaron London expressed to the San Francisco Chronicle that he wanted to focus more on family at this stage in his life. With one Michelin star and seven years of producing arguably one of the best examples of unique and vegetable-focused California cuisine, AL's Place will be missed.

As soon as I saw the news, I tried to look up reservations for their final week, grasping onto what minuscule hope I had. Of course, they were already booked out. But the universe does work in funny ways.

I've been going through some very difficult times this past month, and I was crying in bed one morning when a friend texted me about an extra spot for AL's place that night. This was during their final week of service. This, along with a few other events that day, felt quite serendipitous and got me out of bed.

Dinner that night was incredible - we definitely over ordered for two, but that meant leftover brine-pickled fries the next day. I will miss the freaking delicious food, the wacky ingredient combos, and the quirky names.

It was my second time experiencing Californian food, and it was really great. All dishes were fresh, and provided a spectacular twist on expected tastes (of course in a good way). I especially love the fish, and I will highly recommend, if you are in, or visiting the area.

Got the Family Style tasting menu, a bargain@ $96 "out the door" before drinks and tip . Quite the selection. My favorites were the pickles, the first menu was also good but I don't remember what it was called. Man, the duck- was perfectly cooked. The grits and peas was fantastic. The roasted potatoes were yummy. And the desert brownie was melt in your mouth without being too sweet. Interesting kitchen, loud, fun.

We came here to try the family style tasting menu and had a fantastic time. The servers were attentive and very friendly. I really liked the clever use of fruit - they lent a very unique quality to the dishes. I would never have guessed the Al pastor was made with peaches, or paired grapes with grits, but it works really well. I also appreciated the authenticity of the Szechuan-style chili crisp in the burrata and vegetable dish. The pickled fries had an interesting flavor, but I think the pickled component made the interior less fluffy like a typical French fry. The other ‘snacks’ we had were pretty tasty.

My favorite dishes of the night were the bean broth chawanmushi, grits, duck ‘Al’s pastor style’, and the phenomenal brownie cake. I’m pretty sure we just took turns saying ‘wow’ while eating that cake. The family style was a great value for the variety of dishes we received, and I would definitely come back for a nice occasion.

Michelin star is well deserved. My wife and I did the tasting menu and we were brought out a series of dishes that gave my taste buds an experience that I couldn't have imagined. We sat at the bar and it was a lovely (but also intimidating) experience to watch how such a well oiled machine works. The price was super reasonable and I'd highly recommend Al's to anyone who can go.

So wonderful for a special occasion for anyone, including those with dietary restrictions. There aren't many fancy restaurants in San Francisco that are accommodating to vegans and vegetarians in the amazing way that Al's Place is! We came for an anniversary and were expecting to have to go through every option a la carte and ask to make changes, but our waiter happily told us that the tasting menu can easily become a vegan tasting menu. We didn't have to think about anything, just amazing vegan dish after dish that were thoughtful and included subs (instead of just taking out the cheese, they would add a new sauce etc). If you're looking for a vegan tasting menu in SF, this is it!

a fantastic date spot & one of the more affordable michelin star experiences in the bay! my boyfriend & i came here for our anniversary and ordered the family style prix fixe menu. the service was immaculate - they were accommodating of my allergies, gave us sparkling rosé for our anniversary, and explained each item in detail when it was served. with the family style menu, you get 4 snacks, 3 cool dishes, 2 warm dishes, and a dessert. every item served to us was fantastic - so flavorful, perfectly cooked, and the portion sizes were perfect to share between 2 people.

from the cocktail menu, i can't recommend the birthday feast enough! it's one of the best cocktails i've had in SF.

if you're ordering a la carte, i recommend the cracked cucumber from the snackles, the wild tuna from the cold menu, and you can't go wrong with any of the meat dishes from the hot menu. if you're vegetarian, i recommend the burrata with pickly potato chips - so savory! the grits are the only item i wouldn't order again, but that's a personal preference as i don't love fava beans.

One of the most amazing meals I've ever had!
Not just because of the food, although the food is delicious, but each plate is prepared with such care & detail. You almost don't want to eat because the presentation is so beautiful.
The atmosphere there is lively & fun. You can tell everyone enjoys their job.
We ordered their signature salad, a smoked trout dish with trout skin chicharrón, a mushroom dish I can't even describe it was so unique & delicious, a pasta dish. All delicious! We ate at the chefs counter & kept receiving 'gifts from the chef', aka extra delicious food!
We ordered 4 dishes + 2 cocktails and our bill was only $100. Not bad!

I've already told all of my friends to go. I can't wait to go back!

Truly a fantastic dining experience. The price point was about $100 per person with a couple drinks each. Service was attentive, personable, and friendly; there was clear knowledge of the menu from the staff.
Group highlights were the artichoke dip, baby octopus pear curry, burrata, French fries, and the lemon cake desert.

What can I say? This restaurant was amazing, definitely earned it's Michelin star. I came with two friends, and we all opted for the Family Style (tasting course) and were happy with everything that arrived. Service was great, staff were helpful with any questions, and food was outstanding!

Best food I've had so far in San Francisco. Al's Place has a Michelin star, and definitely deserves it. Their specialty is vegetable dishes, and I'm not normally a vegetable lover, but I especially loved their vegetable dishes too. We opted for the omnivorous family style to try more dishes, which is good value if you're willing to pay a little more and forgo your control over the food you get. We ended up loving it possibly even more because several of our favorites were dishes we wouldn't have ordered. You really can't go wrong with anything you order here, the flavors will be perfectly balanced in whatever you choose. At Al's Place, your vegetables will be fresh out of the ground, each bite perfectly balanced, and even though it's not even their calling card, your meat bursting with flavor.

A lovely dinner experience. The atmosphere is casual yet the experience is elegant. Service is prompt, discreet and friendly. Our dinner was a la carte and we were treated to a sensory feast brought on by the freshness of the ingredients, the creative pairings and the beautiful presentation. A perfect experience made all the better by my beautiful daughter treating me to a birthday dinner.

Our dinner is a la carte. The food here is delicious and well presented. I can taste the freshness from the seasonal ingredients. The environment is a little bit noisy but it’s reasonable considering the affordable price.

Delicious food. Relaxed environment, which was a refreshing change from most Michelin restaurants. Watching the team work in synchronisation from the chefs counter was a highlight - a great example of the dance of teamwork and collaboration to create such delicious dishes. The brisket was a surprise we weren’t expecting but it was incredible! Look forward to returning!

Had a fabulous meal. Did the family style. Got loads of food, all vegan. The stars of the meal were the white bean stew, the spiced almonds, the salad, the pickled fries, the sorbet and pudding. Yes, I realize that's the most of the meal :p

There are not enough stars - accommodating of dietary restrictions without compromising one bit of quality. Incredible flavor combinations and really beautifully intentional plates. Impeccable service as well, which really stands out against other dining in San Francisco. Cannot recommend enough.

Excellent menu with super interesting vegetarian dishes. Kind service in a hipster like ambient. A bit noisy and tables are quite near but we loved it. The curry black cod is extraordinary, the sauce was delicious. Also the 35 aged Ribeye is a must.

It was my first Californian cuisine experience and I was positively surprised. We were pescatarian and vegetarian, there were lots of food choices. I specifically enjoyed the Yucca pasta with Radicchio, it was divine as well the burrata! It's a must visit

Really delicious and innovative food made with fresh ingredients. There is an emphasis on vegetables, but not overly so, we had a perfectly balanced meal. The French fries were a huge surprise - so delicious. The best dish is the sunchoke curry - don't miss it.

One of the best meals we have ever had, and deserving of their star. Eclectic menu that features truly composed dishes full of flavor. Hard to explain how surprising and pleasing the dishes were. Perfectly paced, staff was attentive and friendly.

Highlights were the Chawanmushi, grits, and sunchoke curry.

Bonus points for the playlist of earworms you forgot you loved.