The Progress — Restaurant in San Francisco

Located near the Fillmore Theater, The Progress blends Northern California's fresh, seasonal approach with Nordic influence. This two-story space features warm wood tones, sleek stone, and lush greenery illuminated by skylights. Whether for brunch or dinner, The Progress attracts a diverse crowd eager to enjoy its vibrant, communal dining experience.

My Dining Experience

I sampled several dishes that showcase its innovative flavors:

Coal Roasted Peas & Half Moon Bay Wasabi: Smoky, charred peas combined with the subtle heat of wasabi, crisp bok choy, and smoked trout roe created an exciting flavor profile.

Burrata & Crispy Scarlet Runner Beans: Creamy burrata paired with crunchy scarlet runner beans, yellow peach, scallion, and jalapeño for a refreshing and spicy contrast.

Local Halibut Crudo: Delicate halibut crudo with lime-pickled rhubarb, peas, and shiso, offering a fresh and vibrant taste.

BBQ Liberty Farms Half Duck: The standout dish was the BBQ Liberty Farms half duck, served with crispy peanut fried rice and smoked chile vinegar. This dish was a visual showstopper as it moved through the dining room.

Wine and Dessert:

The Progress offers an extensive selection of Riesling wines. However, the choices for red and white wines by the glass were limited and didn't pair well with the menu's vibrant flavors.

For dessert, I chose the Shiso Semifreddo with strawberry preserves and burnt meringue. While the meringue was delightful, the semifreddo was too frozen. The Earl Grey Old Fashioned Donuts, recommended by our waiter, might have been a better choice.

Ambiance and Service:

The ambiance at The Progress integrates rustic charm with contemporary elegance. The two-story space, adorned with natural elements and bathed in sunlight, creates a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere.

The service was attentive and knowledgeable, enhancing the dining experience. The staff's insights and recommendations contributed to a memorable evening.

A Glimpse Into The Progress:

Chef Stuart Brioza, the mastermind behind The Progress, has created a dining experience reflecting quality and innovation. Since opening in 2014, The Progress has earned a Michelin star every year. Their other ventures, State Bird Provisions and The Anchovy Bar, further cement their status as leading culinary talents.

The Progress is also recognized as one of San Francisco’s most affordable Michelin-starred restaurants, making it accessible for those seeking a high-quality dining experience.

Conclusion:

The Progress lives up to its reputation. The focus on seasonal and local ingredients shines through in each dish, providing diverse flavors that are both innovative and comforting. The shared plates concept fosters a convivial dining atmosphere.

For a memorable dining experience in San Francisco, The Progress is a must-visit. With exceptional cuisine, inviting atmosphere, and attentive service, it continues to be a beacon of culinary brilliance. Just be mindful of the limited wine choices by the glass and explore their bottled offerings, especially their...

FROM THE CHEF A plate with six different tasters and these two stood out for me:

Fried oyster w/ orange aioli - Thumbs up! Love the twist in using a different citrus. Would definitely get again.

"Malaysian jerky with peanuts" - ....Uh, you mean grilled pork? Honestly, this is the grilled meat from any Vietnamese vermicelli

OUR SIX DISHES There's a menu you get to bubble in (I feel like I'm in school again haha) the six dishes you want for $65/person

Spiced lamb tartare - Delicious! Don't taste that gaminess of lamb. The "mix in" condiments is greaaaat and the black sesame rice crackers were perfect for this mix

Smoked duck - Super strong mushroom taste, just aiiite

"Treasure chest" - Pumpkin rice dumping has a rice ball consistency, not sure if I taste pumpkin Fermented sausage tastes stronger than I anticipated, it's fermented after all Trout quenelles tastes like typical Asian noodle bowl's fish balls Cabbage was very pickled Broth is nice but got acidic as I neared the bottom of the bowl Loved the bowl it came in though!

Rabbit+pork w/ castelvetranos - The meat reminded me of meat you get from shwarmas, with an added layer of crisp from the fried outer layer. Was quite good. The "castelvetranos" threw me off. It was weird. It tasted tart from the blood orange but savory from being with the rabbit+pork and sweet from the onions? And there's bits of fried potato skin in there? I wasn't sure what was going on but I couldn't eat more than a spoonful.

Five Dot Ranch beef - Tasted grilled, which is good. Dish is good overall but nothing mind blowing or super memorable

Squab - Came in five slices, a wing, and a leg that was flipping us off (see photo). I was quite entertained by the long nails on the bird's foot, haha The "chili paste" that came with this reminds me of the chili ginger sauce often served with hoi nam chicken Also had cabbage leaves and a lemon slice with spices to piece the dish together. The flavors for this dish is great

DESSERT Elderflower floating island, guava sherbet, Arnold Palmer gelee - Yum! Enjoyed this very much. It's refreshing without being overly sweet or creamy. Would definitely get again

Poppyseed cake with rhubarb and mascarpone - Good but not as good as the sherbet, that is all.

COCKTAILS Sunny Jin - Gin mix and it tastes like juice haha but what do you expect from a gin cocktail?

The Mezzanine - Saw mezcal and my eyes widened! But sadly, the drink is not as stiff as I'd like it. The smoky flavor I enjoy so much is masked too well. So sad.

Overall, a good meal and a great experience. There was just the right amount of interaction between waiter, diner, and the food. The food will be prepped but not ready to eat until the waiter pours the broth or mixes the condiments. The diner would piece together the squab, cabbage, lime and chili paste to enjoy in one bite.

It's a great dinner but I'm not in a hurry to be back...

We went to the wrong restaurant.... Hailing from Los Angeles, we took a (careful) trip in November 2020 to San Francisco and happened upon State Bird Provisions. Our menu, at the time, stated, "A State of Progress" and it was a life-changing experience. Especially the Black Garlic BBQ Ribs. We're obvi not into the SF food scene, so I'm not sure what the setup was for State Bird Provisions and The Progress during Covid, but this was truly an incredible experience and left an indelible impression on us. We came back just over two years later, in late December 2022, to experience it all over again. Unfortunately, we went to State Bird Provisions and were sorely disappointed. We would have canceled our reso at The Progress the following night but we missed the "more than 24 hours in advance" cancelation policy and didn't want to be charged $50 each for cancelling. We begrudgingly made the trudge. As we stepped foot into the restaurant, we realized THIS was the restaurant we enjoyed just two years prior. We sat at the window that time, and this time had a seat in the main dining area. We became hopeful that wires crossed and THIS was the restaurant we were wanting a repeat INCREDIBLE dining experience. And that's exactly what we got. Each dish was a smashing success, so much so, after devouring our entrees, we asked if we should have ANOTHER of something else, as all 6 of our dishes exceeded expectations and were unlike anything we had tried before. We enjoyed: 1) charred arrowhead cabbage & crispy tofu (trust us, just like we trusted our server!) 2) coal roasted broccoli 3) dipping lettuce caesar 4) full belly farm masa dumplings 5) steamed local black cod 6) rabbit & ricotta anolini and then a bonus: 7) the barley dusted rossotti ranch veal scallopini -- all of these dishes were sensational, with flavor profiles that were new, refreshing, and not superfluous. Every ingredient was there for a reason, blowing our minds w what could be done w fresh ingredients and a little imagination. All were unique and nothing I could cook at home, which is always reassuring when you're about to drop over $300 on one meal. We also enjoyed four cocktails, all were well balanced, unique, and fun: 1) one punch man (a tad sweet but still great!) 2) the remedy 3) manhattan (are you serious w a "black butter bourbon"!? WOW!) 4) we got the beet. We ended the night w a donut dessert that did not disappoint. I feel bad for leaving a terrible review at State Bird Provisions, but regardless of expectations, the meal was not good and we wholeheartedly regretted the $175 we spent that night. That said, we spent nearly double the following night at The Progress and would do it again in a heartbeat. Go here. You will not be...