THE CASTRO. This hip, stylish restaurant boasts an American menu, colored with Asian and Mediterranean influences. Dinner's savory dishes and wonderful flavor are repeated at 2223's Sunday brunch. Try grilled salmon or tomato napolean salad for a hint of the goodness, and continue with lemon-buttermilk pancakes, eggs with home fries and brioche, southern-fried chicken salad, or a savory bread pudding crafted with goat cheese, roasted mushrooms, and prosciutto.

JAPANTOWN. This quaint Japantown eatery features cozy seating and an extensive menu. Chef Kirk Webber constantly prepares inventive dishes, adding his own flair to old favorites. The tempting results include roasted salmon with portobello mushroom and tomato confit, walnut-crusted chicken with gorgonzola, and Chilean sea bass with tempura Japanese squash. Even desserts are given a creative touch, as butterscotch pudding topped with spun sugar illustrates.

FINANCIAL DISTRICT. As vibrant and eye-catching as the gem for which it's named, this restaurant delivers astounding views from its 52nd-floor perch. Floor-to-ceiling windows afford a sweeping panorama of landmarks like Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge and the Transamerica Pyramid. As you marvel at the sights, you can delight in California cuisine: stuffed rack of lamb, star anise duck breast and Kobe flank steak with grilled white asparagus, for example. A substantial wine list provides apt complements, and a three-course prix fixe menu expands your options, as does Sunday brunch.

UNION SQUARE. A bird's-eye view of the Bay and the city greets diners at this elegant, 46th-floor restaurant. Windows stretch 14 feet high to encompass the sights, and when night falls, the scenery is especially spectacular. Although hard-pressed to compete with the views, the California cuisine holds its own admirably. Steaks and seafood are prominent, along with duck and lamb, and after-dinner dancing is reason to linger into the night. Sunday's champagne brunch buffet also finds much favor with patrons in the know, and it provides a terrific chance to see the skyline by day.

NOE VALLEY. Marked only by the image of a firefly, this neighborhood restaurant features a fabric-draped ceiling and impeccable seasonal cuisine. Local, organic ingredients play a major role in the menu, especially in favorites like shrimp and scallop potstickers and scrumptious fried chicken. Richly creative dishes also include roasted duck breast with chestnut bread pudding, slow braised beef short ribs, and cornmeal-crusted rock cod with bacon-braised cabbage. A three-course, prix fixe option is available for $35 Sunday through Thursday and is a great deal. Wonderfully unpretentious and casual.