Cheap Eats From Top Chefs

Where Michelin-starred chefs eat — for next to nothing

December 18, 2017 9:00 am EST

It’s easy to figure out where to splurge. (Atelier Crenn!)

What’s harder: Figuring out where to eat on a budget. In San Francisco.

So we asked people who’d know: five of our cities Michelin Star-decorated chefs.

Their answers (“Filet-O-Fish!”) may surprise you.

Chef: Melissa Perello

Her places: Octavia and Frances

Her rec: “Any of the salads from Souvla. They are all consistently great. They’re also healthy, hearty, substantial and quick. Their salads also hold up in the fridge if I don’t feel like eating the whole thing right away. It helps me stave off the carb cravings, like breads.”

Chef: Srijith Gopinathan

His place: Campton Place

His rec: “The fried fish sandwich at Cafe Bunn Mi. Simple, easy to eat, flavor explosion.”

Chef: David Barzelay

His place: Lazy Bear and the upcoming drinks lab True Laurel (opening 12/22 at 753 Alabama, no website yet)

His rec: “I love McDonald’s. I really do. I usually get Chicken McNuggets and fries, and sometimes add a Filet-O-Fish. Everything gets dunked in that delicious McDonald’s barbecue sauce.”

Chef: Aaron London

His place: Al’s Place

His rec: Nopalito is the perfect lunch spot: lots of tasty Mexican food made from great produce. I pretty much always get the totopos and fish tacos.”

Chef: Nicolas Delaroque

His place: Nico (in transition)

His rec: Waffle Mania. “I always get just the standard waffle with powdered sugar.”

Meet your guide

Diane Rommel

Diane Rommel

Diane Rommel has written for The Wall Street Journal, Outside, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Travel + Leisure, Wallpaper and Afar, as well as The Cut, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and McSweeney’s. She once drove from London to Mongolia, via Siberia.
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