Restaurant Naides

This new restaurant is an exciting addition to the Bay Area dining scene, using Filipino ingredients as its foundation while showcasing a distinctly global fine-dining perspective. Patrick’s cooking reflects his experience across French, American, Nordic, and Central European kitchens, and that technical range is immediately apparent. A moon bean thin tart shell, served as part of the amuse-bouche, stood out in particular—the shell was extraordinarily thin and crisp, a level of precision that rivals top fine-dining restaurants around the world. While the ingredients are clearly Filipino, the preparations are not bound by tradition. Even coming from Taiwan, a neighboring country, I discovered many ingredients that were entirely new to me. One highlight was the abalone dish, which will likely become a signature. Featuring cross-sections of water spinach—an everyday vegetable—it presented something familiar in a completely new light. Celine leads the front of house with warmth and confidence and also created the non-alcoholic pairing program. The NA drinks are inventive and well balanced, especially in their use of pepper flavors, avoiding the overly acidic or aggressively vegetal profiles common in many other NA programs. This is a restaurant for diners who appreciate technique and new experiences—equally suited for industry folks and a thoughtful date night.

Naides was a truly unique and remarkable experience. The service was not only impeccable but truly personable and engaging. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming. The food and beverages are truly insane. I expect exceptional service from Michelin level restaurants, and Naides hit every mark for me. The food however went well beyond expectation. Upscale Filipino food is a revelation--so many exotic flavor combinations and ingredients. This wasn't Asian fusion, or the standard fare you get around San Francisco. I've never had food like this, but I absolutely will again. The absolute highlight of my evening was the non-alcoholic pairings. Not only is it rare to find a good NA pairing but the level of thought and care that went into this pairing blows every other pairing I've had out of the water. The progression was superb. It started light and refreshing, matched the food perfectly, and free bolder and more impactful throughout the evening. The most insane pairing was the Sinigang, a savory and sour soup with abalone, paired with tomato water, sage, guava leaf and raspberry vinegar. It was unreal. A bite of the food, a sip of the beverage, each time different elements of the dish and different elements of the drink were brought forward. What started as a savory drink moved to sweet and raspberry forward, then to herbaceous and tart and finally back to savory. The dinner was worth it just for the level of expertise expressed in that singular pairing. Both the soup and pairing were a veritable mic drop. If only to try something new Naides is worth the experience. It pushed my palette to new places. I am so very grateful to have had this experience and greatly look forward to the next time I can experience their hospitality. I could go on for pages about how fantastic this experience was, how revelatory Patty's food is, how gracious Celine is as a hostess and how remarkable her libations are. I strongly encourage anyone even remotely interested to try this singular restaurant.

Naides is unreal. One of the best meals we have had all year and such an exciting addition to SF. We came during opening week and walked out absolutely glowing. I have never had Filipino fine dining before and this made me wonder why it has taken so long for something like this to exist here. It felt personal, warm, thoughtful, and genuinely memorable. The space sets the tone right away. It is cozy, inviting, and you walk straight into a small open kitchen where you can see the whole team working. It feels intimate in the best way, like you are being welcomed into something special. The tasting menu starts with a run of street snacks that immediately hit you with flavor. Bright, crunchy, rich, tangy. Each one landed. Then the kinilaw and bagoong courses carried that momentum. The cured trout was citrusy and delicate with this soft fermented coconut note. The bagoong dish was salty, funky, complex, and somehow still refreshing with the vegetables and crispy duck cracklings. We were already ooo’ing and aaah’ing at this point. But the abalone. Oh my god. Truly one of the best bites of the night. Meaty, savory, a little tangy, sitting in this deep beef broth that tied everything together. It was one of those bites that makes you stop talking for a second. So simple at first glance but so layered. Then came the bread course, which was life changing. A soft roll almost like a Parker House roll with breadcrumbs on top, already perfect on its own. Add the chicken liver mousse, chicken sisig, pickles. Ridiculously good, decadent without being heavy. Easily one of the best bread courses we have ever had. The adobo duck was everything you hope adobo will be. Tender, smoky, a little vinegary, lifted by the horseradish. And somehow the next duck course topped it. A tiny duck meatball that was creamy and rich, and then the leg and thigh bite that tasted almost confit-like and lightly caramelized. I could have eaten an entire plate of that. Dessert was just as strong. The pili nut dish was such a cool experience. They source the nuts directly from the Philippines and you can tell. The flavor kept changing as you chewed, layer after layer. The toasted rice dessert was subtle and calming, with a hint of fig sweetness. Then the final bites were playful and surprising. A tart fruit I had never had before and a rum based gum that wrapped everything up perfectly. The team truly makes the meal. Chef Kevin Santos is so kind and passionate and talked through the origin of dishes in a way that made everything land deeper. The entire staff was so sweet and attentive. Celine’s beverage pairing was incredible. The wines were great but the non alcoholic pairing honestly shocked me. The coconut water based drink that tasted like champagne was wild. They also care so much about reducing waste and reusing ingredients in thoughtful ways which you can taste in the drinks. Naides is special. Creative without being fussy. Comforting but still exciting. Full of new flavors and ideas. We left talking about it for hours and already want to go back. This should be on everyone’s must try list in SF. It is truly something new.

My two sons brought my husband and me for our wedding anniversary. The atmosphere was spot on. We were welcomed by the beautiful Celine and methodically showed us the kitchen and introduced the handsome staff. We have visited the place all the way back when it was Mozart and then Sons and Daughters and the renovation is both modern, calm and warm. I can only describe the dinner in all superlatives. Totally new concept of dining service from the Filipino perspective. It was not pretentious nor loud; if I have to put a label on it, it will be mindfully elegant and still characteristically friendly and warm. As to how the chefs leaned in and stayed true to the Filipino cuisine influences, I could easily have put on a blindfold and be able to identify the tastes of the dishes I grew up having … ONLY with so many surprising new textures and presentation. Playful but undeniably serious in their delivery of palatable and exciting offerings plate after plate. This dining experience will stay in our memories for many anniversaries to come, and will be sure to visit again long before!

Thank goodness I made a reservation right when they were released. If you look at the calendar now there aren’t any slots open and the month is just starting! This meal was incredible. In addition to that, the wine pairings and the NA pairings were spectacular. Every pairing changed the flavor profile of each dish in the most incredible way. You should definitely get a wine pairing but have the person you are dining with get the NA pairing because you cannot miss out on either menu! All in all, when the duck and bread are that perfect, you cannot go wrong. The tasting menu is well worth it and the service was impeccable. Will definitely be back!

incredible craftsmanship, staff is amazing, unique experience to the sf food scene, cant wait to see where they take this in the future!

Naides easily ranks among my top five meals ever. We dined there with friends just after Christmas, and with a 13-course tasting menu, I fully expected to leave uncomfortably full—as has happened to me before with even a 10-course menu elsewhere. But that wasn’t the case here. I left feeling perfectly and happily satisfied. The portioning is spot on. Every dish felt meticulously handcrafted with love and intention. Courses like the kinilaw-style local rockfish, duck adobo with aged jus, abalone showcased incredible balance and restraint. The progression of the menu takes you on a thoughtful journey, elevated even further by Chef Patrick’s storytelling and host Celine’s warm, anecdotal notes about how each dish came to life. I found myself enjoying those stories just as much as the food itself. While I opted for the wine pairing, I was genuinely impressed by their non-alcoholic beverages—crafted using all-natural fermentations of fruits and vegetables. They were complex, refreshing, and deeply intentional, to the point that I’m almost certain I’ll choose the non-alcoholic pairing on my next visit. The space itself adds to the experience. The team is incredibly warm and welcoming, and the open kitchen set at the center of the dining room allows you to witness the magic as it happens. From the savory depth of dishes like pork belly kare-kare to the refined sweetness of desserts such as calamansi sorbet with coconut cream, everything felt cohesive and thoughtful. Rooted in Filipino cuisine yet elevated through local California ingredients and a wealth of global techniques, Naides delivers a dining experience that is both soulful and sophisticated. It’s the kind of meal that stays with you long after the last course—and one I can’t wait to experience again.

Stepping inside Restaurant Naides feels like entering a private cabin in the Sierras. Celine greets you at the door and introduces Chef Patrick immediately, along with the rest of the team--Tesio, Terry, Jorel, and Kevin. It establishes a hospitality style that feels more like entering a home than a restaurant. The room has a great fireplace and is dimly lit, but still bright enough that you can easily see your food and the people you're with. The seating is actually comfortable with plenty of space, so you aren't squeezed in like at other tasting menu spots. With a team of alumni from Benu, Sons & Daughters, and Restaurant Milka, the fine dining pedigree is obvious, but the service style feels different--it has a distinct warmth that softens that high-end precision. We celebrated my parents' 35th anniversary here, and the timing was serendipitous. My parents married in South Lake Tahoe, and finding out the team actually forages there for many of these ingredients made the meal feel curated specifically for us. The meal kicked off with a trio of snacks that set a high bar. The banana miso, pickled jackfruit, and nashi pear Lumpia brought a great balance of savory and acid to start. Next came the Okoy, which arrived as a delicate, crisp tart shell topped with pickled wild roses. The texture was fantastic, and the calamansi acid cut through the prawn tartare perfectly. Rounding out the openers was the Puto, a pleasant surprise because they kept the texture authentic to the traditional rice cake rather than over-complicating it. The pairing was decadent with pork rillette and lardo, but the wild unripe berries provided the sharp acidity needed to cut the fat. We then transitioned into the seafood courses, starting with the Kinilaw. It featured intricate ribbons of trout cured in vinegar and citrus, served with fermented coconut. This was followed by the stunning Bagoong, a mound of caviar sitting on sliced chayote and duck cracklings in a split cream sauce where the pungency was tamed by oil into a deep savory note. To finish this section, we had the Sinigang. I respected that it didn't lose its identity; even with the dry-aged beef broth and abalone, it still had that signature sour punch of a real sinigang. Moving into the richer side of the menu, the golden, pull-apart Pandesal arrived first, served with a rich chicken sisig and liver. Then came the duck courses. The 14-day aged Adobo duck breast was cooked to a perfect rosy pink with crisp skin, paired with a sharp horseradish quenelle. For the final savory bite, the Tusok Tusok was served--easily my favorite of the night. It was a deconstructed skewer of duck leg and thigh glazed. For the final act, the Pili Nut tart offered a rich bite of praline balanced by wild cherry plum and batak pepper. After that, the Kanin dessert arrived as the most memorable finish. Fermented rice turned into a smooth ice cream sitting on frozen rice pearls that reminded me of giant Dippin' Dots--texturally awesome. It came with a warm, smooth blended amazake on the side that rounded everything out. Finally, we ended with the Calamansi Brulee, a playful finish served literally inside the fruit atop a stack of fresh citrus. It's only their second day, but the operation is already at a Michelin level. As probably the only Filipino fine dining establishment of this caliber in California (and one of just a handful in the country), they are doing something rare and important. You see that attention to detail everywhere, right down to the sustainable menus you receive at the very end, handmade from recycled coffee bean bags. If you value food that tells a story and service that establishes a genuine connection, go now.

Is fine dining fatigue a thing?   Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the craft and technical skill that goes into a well-orchestrated fine dining experience to celebrate a special occasion.   BUT....   I've been less enthusiastic about it because of the exorbitant cost, the repetitive dishes, supplemental fees for the more appealing items, and the long, drawn-out meal. After 2 hours, I'm falling asleep with drool dribbling down the corners of my mouth.   BUT, there are always exceptions like Restaurant Naides, a fine dining Filipino resto from two Michelin star resto alums.   While there's no shortage of tweezified food in the city, there's only several fine dining Filipino restos in the e-n-t-i-r-e country. Restaurant Naides is the only one in CA with a dedicated Filipino tasting menu.   A unicorn.   So, I thought it would be a perfect place to bring my bonus mom for her birthday.   Restaurant Naides' tasting menu of 13 courses are a modern interpretation of Filipino cuisine (no a la carte). It's $185 pp w/ 20% service charge (no add'l gratuity) and $5 order fee. You have to pre-pay on tock (rezzies can be cancelled up to 2 days prior).     T A S T I N G  M E N U ($185 PP) Amuse Bouche/Street Snacks: (1) Lumpia w/ banana miso, pickled jackfruit, nashi pear (2) Okoy w/ mung bean, prawn tartare, pickled wild roses (3) Puto w/ pork rillette, lardo, wild unripe berries Great palate teasers with an ode to Filipino finger foods. The savory steamed rice cake (puto) with meltingly buttery lardo was hella bomb. // (4) Kinilaw w/ cured trout, fermented coconut, pine Filipino ceviche with the acid balanced by the creamy coconut. (5) Bagoong w/ chayote, duck cracklings, moringa leaf Wildly creative, this was the standout course, full of contrasting flavors and textures yet balanced. Luxe touch with caviar and pleasant funk from the fermented shrimp paste (bagoong). (6) Sinigang w/ abalone, dry-aged beef broth, yam leaf emulsion The fanciest and prettiest tamarind soup you'll have with legit sour flavor. (7) Pandesal w/ brioche, chicken sisig & liver, atchara Fluffy soft brioche paired with three dips. Top it with all three for a rich, savoriness and tangy punch. (8) Adobo w/ 14-day aged duck, soy jus, horseradish Perfectly cooked, tender duck with a crispy skin. Balanced soy vinegar flavor to let the duck shine. (9) Tusok-Tusok w/ duck leg & thigh, grilled pineapple, sabayon Inspired by a Filipino street food, a stick was provided to build your own skewer. The duck had a wonderful smoky essence. (10) Pilinut w/ praline, wild cherry plum, batak pepper Rich, buttery tart akin to macadamia nuts and pine nuts. I'll take a dozen. (11) Kanin w/ fermented & toasted rice, carob, quince jam A Filipino meal is not complete unless there's rice! The rice ice cream was creamy smooth and the warm fermented rice drink hit the spot in this wintry weather. (12) Calamansi Brûlée So cute! (13) Tanduay [Filipino Rum] Gum Coconut rum jelly. S E R V I C E For opening night, service was polished and seamless with meticulous attention to details (i.e. white cotton gloves to avoid smudges on silverware). Awesome hospitality from Celine, Chef Patrick, Jorel (Captain), and the two sous chefs. It felt like dining at an extension of their home. A handwritten birthday note was provided along with sparkling gamay for a celebratory toast.   A M B I A N C E Intimate with 7 tables and 80s music. Request to sit at the center booth to watch the chefs work their magic.   P A R K I N G There's a parking garage on the same block and Marriot Hotel Valet (524 Powell) around the corner.   Overall, this meal is the top 3 most remarkable meal I had this year. Being part pinay, I was incredibly impressed with their blending of classic sour, salty, sweet flavors with global influences, innovative techniques, and artistic presentations. Love that they did not play it safe like other modern Filipino restos I've tried. You're not going to find anything like Restaurant Naides. Rooting that they'll be awarded with a Michelin star!