San Francisco’s long-loved Fog City Diner recently got a major remodel and a slight rebranding as Fog City. More impressively, though, is the transformation that the menu has undergone. Chef Bruce Hill has changed the focus from the “upscale diner” fare the restaurant was long known for, to mostly small plates of ethereal, primarily vegetable-driven flavors. While there are certainly entrée-sized meat and seafood dishes, the highlights on my visits have been the cauliflower nuggets ($8), the deceptively simple deviled eggs ($8), and the supremely satisfying butter lettuce salad in avocado dressing ($12).

The new decor – airy and open to the sights, sounds and scents of the embarcadero – matches the breeziness of the flavors on the plates. The new open kitchen layout and central bar lend the whole of the restaurant an upbeat energy that makes the dining experience fun and memorable.

Fog City
1300 Battery St. (at the Embarcadero), San Francisco
(415) 982-2000