Sorrel

Sorrel, on Sacramento Street in Pacific Heights, has set a high bar for seasonal Cal-Italian cuisine since opening its permanent doors in 2018. Chef and owner Alex Hong, a CIA graduate who trained at Jean-Georges in New York City, Quince, and Frasca Food and Wine before launching Sorrel as a pop-up in 2012, has built a restaurant known for its technical skill, warm hospitality, and a menu that celebrates the Bay Area’s remarkable agricultural variety. The restaurant earned its Michelin star in 2019 and has held it since.

Sustainability at Sorrel lives in the daily details, not just the mission statement. A rooftop garden above the kitchen supplies fresh herbs, edible flowers, and specialty vegetables, meaning some ingredients travel only a few feet from soil to plate. During the challenges of 2020, the team prioritized social sustainability too, adapting operations to protect staff livelihoods and maintain jobs through one of the hardest periods the industry has faced.

The team believes responsibility for the local food system belongs to everyone in the kitchen, not just the chef. Farmers and purveyors are celebrated alongside the food.

Sorrel is a study in what consistent, grounded excellence looks like over time. Chef Hong built something personal and focused, then kept it that way through a decade of challenges. With Arquet and Parachute Bakery now opening at the Ferry Building, the Sorrel team is expanding its footprint while staying rooted in the sourcing values that earned it a Michelin star in the first place. It’s a model worth watching.