7 Adams

In SF’s fancy restaurant universe, most tasting menus aren’t worth the money. Too many places serve tiny portions and underwhelming food. This isn’t the case at 7 Adams. For $87 per person, this relaxed fine-dining restaurant is serving five incredible courses you’ll still be reminiscing about 52 weeks later.

It makes sense that this snug Fillmore spot is a winner. It's run by the husband-and-wife duo behind Marlena, the Bernal Heights star that earned national acclaim for its seasonal prix fixe menu before it abruptly closed after only three years. 7 Adams is essentially Marlena 2.0. The approach to the seasonal menu is pretty much the same—with the addition of a standout pasta course, bar seating, and a shinier space that looks like a hotel lobby mashed with a minimalist library from the year 3000. Plump mushroom lamps and lights shaped like sheet ghosts keep the dining room perpetually moody, making it easy to get comfortable for the masterful show ahead. While service is efficient and attentive, you’ll never feel rushed. 

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

The first two starter courses are served individually, and then you have two options for the pasta course, entrée, and dessert. The move is to bring a date (or a group that’s divisible by two) so you can have bites from every sweet, salty, and umami-packed plate. Since the menu changes with the seasons, you’ll want to keep coming back at least quarterly. You might get a wintry butternut squash velouté accentuated with bitter endives and silky wagyu beef fat that’s luxury on a spoon. Or a beautifully seared corvina one week, and the next, a pork collar so tender it collapses with a poke. Whatever seafood or meat dish you wind up with will eliminate any need to stop at a drive-thru on the way home. 

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

The pasta course is a key player in the night’s success. Squash-filled caramelle, celery root ravioli, and tagliatelle are pumped up with elegant finishers—think cheese foam, truffle, or capers fried to salty perfection. Each one is simple but impactful. You’ll want to scrape the entire plate clean and lick every last smear of decadent lamb ragu off your fork.

Even though dinner is $87 (not including drinks), and the price point is more affordable than other upscale tasting menu options, it’s not objectively cheap—you’re likely not coming to 7 Adams on a weeknight whim. Reserve this 90-minute dinner when you have something to raise a glass to. You won’t forget it any time soon.

Food Rundown

The menu at 7 Adams changes depending on the season, but here’s an idea of what you can expect.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Milk Bread With Cultured Butter

You’ll never be the same after one bite of these still-warm rolls, which are served with a cultured butter that smears easily. When the staff asks if you’d like another round, nod "yes."

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Hokkaido Scallops

This starter is kissed with a torch until a barely-there crust forms, and topped with salty sea beans and chunks of cara cara orange. It’s an excellent kick-off to the meal.

Red Kabocha Squash Caramelle

This is one of the best pastas we’ve eaten since the last time low-rise jeans were in. The caramelle pockets full of squash are richness personified, and the juicy chanterelles on top burst with umami.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Ricotta Gnudi

Cheese balls topped with more cheese (in parmesan foam form). Truffle. Crunchy bits of chestnut. This decadent add-on is a party on a plate. If you’re down to hand over the extra $25, they're worth sharing with the table.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Berkshire Pork Collar

You can pull apart this slightly sweet sous vide pork collar with a fork, and close to zero physical effort. The pig ears are crackly and light. No notes.

Seared Corvina

In general, the meat entrées are more exciting than the ones featuring fish. Although this corvina is cooked nicely, it’s not a dish you'll fixate on months from now.

photo credit: Carly Hackbarth

Chocolate & Rye

Whatever the 7 Adams dessert gods conjure up for you won’t be overly sweet, usually involves housemade ice cream, and is typically capped with seasonal fruit, like winter citrus or pink apples. They’re a highlight no matter what’s on the menu. We loved this chocolate cake, which is balanced by subtle cocoa-lavender ice cream and a dollop of fantastic lemon curd that makes your mouth pucker.