These Are the Seven Best French Fries in S.F.

Greasy. Salty. Rough-cut. Thin-cut. Cheesy. These are they.

October 12, 2016 9:00 am

There is nothing, and we mean nothing, like the perfect French fry. 

We spent the last eight weeks tracking down our top picks. Greasy, salty, rough-cut, thin-cut, slathered in cheese and bacon. 

(Please imagine us doing a juice cleanse from now until Christmas.) 

This is the fruit of our research. 

You may agree with our final picks. You may not. But we guarantee there’s something here for everyone. 

OUR TOP PICK: 4505 BBQ
A contentious choice. Maybe the line’s wrapped around the block; maybe your sausage — so f-ing delicous when it’s, you know, hot — arrives at your table lukewarm, as it did on our last Saturday lunch outing. But the fries, man, the fries, served in a chimichurri sauce with a garlic aioli. You gotta eat ’em quick, before the sog factor sets in — but until then, this is the Platonic ideal of the French fry. 

HOGS & ROCKS
Fact: The whole reason we reached out to Hogs & Rocks chef Pierre Tumlin for his Meal Plan is because we’re obsessed with his Kennebec fries — half spicy, half egg yolk-glazed. (You can opt for one or the other — we prefer the latter.) 

AL’S PLACE
We’ve been fans of Aaron London’s now Michelin-starred Valencia Street joint since it opened in 2015 — and devotees of his pickled French fries (the one that sent Bon App into paroxysms of delight) just as long. 

MIKKELLER BAR
Just a normal French fry, is how we like to think of these, though fans will note that they’re double-fried in rice bran oil, delicious inside that slightly crispy exterior, and served alongside a tasty malt vinegar mayo. 

NOPA
They’re terrific paired with the wood-grilled hamburger, but we prefer them on their own, served with whichever dipping sauce is currently on the menu — for the moment, it’s a red pepper feta dip. 

PARK TAVERN
The luxury option. The ($14) fries are served with shaved black truffles, plus the option to dip into a soft-boiled egg dusted with caviar. Why not? 

NAMU GAJI
And here, the extravagant option: The gamja fries at this family-run Korean/Californian come with “kewpie, teriyaki, gochujang, kimchee relish, bulgoki beef.” The fries aren’t even exactly the focus — they’re sort of the foundation for everything else. It’s a dream; it’s a meal. 

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