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Sons & Daughters

San Francisco

Quintessentially Californian New Nordic cuisine

A new generation: Sons & Daughters has undergone something of a transformation in recent years. Opened as a monument to New American gastronomy in 2010, it gained a Michelin star under Teague Moriarty in 2012 – and 12 years later, with British chef Harrison Cheney at the helm, it secured its second. Now a temple of New Nordic cooking, this fine-dining destination is proof that the Scandi ideals of hyper-seasonal ingredients, preservation techniques and minimalist aesthetics can stand out in a place as sun-soaked and abundant as San Francisco.

From the UK to the Bay: Cheney worked at a number of venerable culinary institutions before taking up the mantle at Sons & Daughters: he had stints at The Ledbury and The Square in London, gained experience at San Francisco's Quince and served as head chef at New-Nordic bastion Gastrologik in Stockholm before making his grand West Coast return.

Californian bounty, north European lens: Sons & Daughters' multi-course tasting menu places fresh, locally sourced seasonal produce front and centre, backed by an ingenious cast of pickles, ferments and cured and smoked ingredients. Previous creations have included the likes of cured California trout with chilled fish bone broth and herbed oil, rutabaga noodles dressed with pork fat and a buttery sabayon, and applewood-roasted quail with crisp skin and a fermented blueberry glaze.

A change of scene: Sons & Daughters doesn't just taste different these days; it looks a lot different, too. The restaurant moved from its original Nob Hill location to a larger Mission District space in 2025, and it's all the better for it. Warm, wood-panelled and welcoming, a little like a Scandinavian cabin, the modern dining area wraps around a stage-like open kitchen so you can watch the chefs at work.

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