First of all, let’s be clear right up front that Mijoté is not a secret. The restaurant opened in April 2022 in the former spot of the dearly missed Sasaki in the Mission and in five short months has become an instant superstar in the Bay Area food scene, written up everywhere and beloved by all. It’s truly hard to exaggerate how quickly Mijoté has become the first place that I think of when I’m dreaming of a place to go the next weekend, the place against which I weigh other possible plans—sure, sounds good, but is it Mijoté?

Nothing is, of course. I first visited towards the tail end of opening week, was hooked from the first bite and sip, and have been back more than a few times since. It’s addictive. One day this summer, I was eating lunch with a friend who was visiting the Bay Area for a couple of days. It was early afternoon, eating at a table on the sidewalk in Berkeley, and I was evangelizing about Mijoté. “It’s the talk of the town,” I said, and not one moment later two complete strangers walked past us on the sidewalk, talking about a new French bistro that they’d heard was the place to try. I rest my case.

My friend scored a last minute reservation at 5pm—too soon after lunch, but what can you do?—and texted me later that evening: “Best. Meal. Ever.” Yeah, it’s that kind of place.

The instant success Kosuke Tada and Grace Mitchell Tada have conjured here isn’t really instant. It’s the product of years of preparation, most recently via the Bistro Kosuke pop-up that by the time of Mijoté’s opening had more than a few people in wild anticipation. I guess now we get to the style: Mijoté is a French bistro, with a stunning natural wine list, and an atmosphere of warmth and joy. The menu is chef’s choice and set daily, with the only decisions required (i) whether to add on a supplementary course or two when they’re offered (obviously yes) and (ii) what to drink (you can’t go wrong, but agonizing over the choice is half the fun).

The cooking is so stunningly good that I am shocked anew at every dish on every visit. The sauces are so intensely perfect that they’ll make your mind go blank for a second as your taste shushes everything else down. The portions are so generous that you’ll leave feeling like you may never be hungry again. The seemingly simple descriptions on the day’s menu card give way to remarkable creativity and flavor combinations that take each ingredient to new heights. Everyone is lovely and everything is perfect.

I love to go out to eat, of course, but what I really love is going out to eat again. Rather than rushing to try every new place, I much prefer to endlessly revisit my favorites, and try a new place every once in a while. I doubt anyone who feels the same way could get through more than fifteen minutes at Mijoté before it became a mainstay of their food rotation. It’s a happy place. I already can’t imagine doing without it.

Mijoté 2400 Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 9411

Website

Try: the menu is set, but the wine list is yours to explore