San Francisco

Californios

Mexican
Californian
Fine Dining
Tasting Menu
Special Occasion

Val M. Cantú’s Californios originally opened with only 24 seats in the heart of the Mission District, at home in the historically Latino neighborhood. Following the pandemic, it moved to a bigger and bolder space in SoMa. The dining room now boasts soaring ceilings, charcoal gray neutrals, and colorful art, plus a secluded patio in front. The tasting menu has evolved, too. It’s about 10 courses and dives even deeper into seafood, from the iconic banana and house caviar to the latest fish taco. If you’re dressed to impress, consider calling a robot taxi to drop you in the deep end of SoMa.

We’re known for Californian-Mexican cuisine in a tasting menu format. Our food is rooted in tradition and the ingredients here in the Bay Area, which are the best in the world.

A person wearing a shirt sitting indoors near a window

Val M. Cantú

Val M.'s Perfect Order

A table setup featuring dishes utensils sauces and a dish wrapped in leaves with lime wedges on top

Val M. Cantu

Fish Taco

The fish taco only gets better and better. Recently it’s local black cod, in a crisp mezcal and corn batter, on a Monterey-style flour tortilla, dotted with two different salsas.

Rockfish Zarandeado Negro

For a dramatically dark dish, the team rubs down rockfish with a black chile paste, grills it over charcoal, and serves it with black beans, tender lettuces, and herbs.

Strawberry Empanada

This cute empanada highlights strawberries from a beloved Mexican family farm near Salinas, both fresh and jammed, and flecked with good vanilla bean.

Martini

Californios’ take on the dirty Martini combines Mexican gin and mezcal, a splash of smoky Scotch, dots of spicy chile oil, and your choice of jalapeño- or habanero-stuffed olives.