San Francisco's State Bird Provisions Menu: Pro Tips

Want to eat at the legendary San Francisco restaurant State Bird Provisions? I don’t blame you! They serve some pretty amazing food in a fun way—it’s definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area!

But after my last visit to this iconic eatery, I realized how overwhelming the State Bird Provisions menu and entire dinner process could be for a first-timer—if you’re fortunate enough to get a reservation, that is.

My first time was way back in 2015! As you can imagine, I’ve learned a lot since then and I want to share my SBP tips with you.

From dinner reservations, to menu strategy and ordering, to where to stay, this article includes everything you need to know to have the ultimate dining experience at State Bird Provisions Restaurant, San Francisco.

Since I’m all about the food, let’s start there.

State Bird Provisions Menu: Overview

Type of Food at State Bird Provisions

California and Japanese cuisine meet up in the ohitashi chard at State Bird Provisions, San Francisco.

Chef proprietors Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski describe SBP as a “thoughtful contemporary American restaurant. . . . State Bird Provisions started as a recipe for serving quail, it has slowly evolved into a restaurant without any programmed elements.”

In a nutshell, anything goes—but quail will be involved! Dishes are inspired by flavors from all over the world, but there are considerable California cuisine and Asian food influences. The menu is constantly changing and being tested, and I’ll give them an A+ for their efforts.  

Is There A Printed Menu at State Bird?

The State Bird Provisions Menu for June 5, 2024

If you’ve heard that State Bird Provisions was menuless, that’s half right. Generally speaking, you will not receive a printed menu for the “provisions” portion of the meal. For the other categories (more below), there is a printed list of items available.

How It Works

The provisions are small plates that servers carry around on trays or wheel about the dining room on dim-sum-style carts.

Servers will stop at your table (usually only once), tell you about the dish, and if you select it, they’ll add it to your tab. You will know the price by the large metal number displayed in the cart or on the tray.

The printed State Bird menu will list three other categories: Pancakes and Toast, Commandables (entrées), and Desserts.

Those items can be ordered from your main server once you decide what you’d like. Depending on the quantity of items you select and your choices, they will arrive at appropriate points during the course of your meal.

Allergies and Dietary Restrictions

If you have allergies or dietary restrictions and need to know which foods you cannot consume, you will receive a printed menu including the provisions. SBP will mark the menu up for you so you will know which items you can safely consume.

A marked up State Bird menu for someone who has lots of food restrictions — A marked-up State Bird menu for someone who has lots of food restrictions

State Bird Provisions Menu: Provisions

Most likely, you will have 12 to 16 provisions to choose from, so the trickiest part of the dinner is selecting your small plates. You are basically creating your own tasting menu.

All of them will look tempting—even if you cannot tell what a particular item is. But you probably will not have the physical capacity to try them all, especially if there are only two of you in your dinner party.

Although, on our most recent dinner at State Bird, I counted nine ordered items in this category for the two of us. Yup, that’s us holding back!

Oysters

While the State Bird Provisions menu is ever-changing, there are some consistencies. Hog Island Oysters are one of the items I’ve seen every time.

Basically, if you like oysters, order them. They are one of the foods San Francisco is known for and they will be fresh and delicious. The last time, they were especially yummy, prepared with kohlrabi kraut and sesame. Start with one or two oysters per person.

Salads

Strawberry and guava salad on a dim sum-style cart at SBP — Strawberry and guava salad on a dim-sum-style cart at SBP

There will probably be a couple of different types of salad. It could be an innovative take on a classic like a wedge or Caesar salad. Or it might be something fun like a fresh Hawaiian heart of palm salad.

There is usually at least one salad that is fruit oriented. An Asian pear or pluot salad one day, a strawberry and guava salad another.

To conserve stomach space, I usually will pass on the salads, unless there is something that I would not make at home or just know I will love. The crispy pork belly salad falls into both categories.

Highlights

Here’s where we load up. We will order these delectable dishes any time they are available:

Smoked trout allium chip n’ dip
I make a pretty mean smoked white fish dip, and I’m still blown away by this smoked trout dip served with house-made chips.

Guinea hen dumplings
I first had guinea hen in Tuscany, but I’ve rarely seen it in the United States, let alone as part of a delightful dumpling. These dumplings have a Japanese inspiration, with shiitake mushrooms, star anise, and lemon grass playing key roles.

Ohitashi chard
Just because I skip the salads, doesn’t mean I exclude the vegetables on the menu. Au contraire—especially when the veggies are soaked in dashi (a Japanese broth) and topped with sunflower seeds.

Duck liver mousse and almond financiers
This may sound like a traditional French food, but I’ve never had anything quite like it, especially in combination. The duck liver mousse is so silky and smooth and the almond financier is the perfect accompaniment.

Brassicas rău ram and cashew
Does this one need translating? It’s actually much more simple than it sounds. Brassicas are more commonly known as cruciferous vegetables: cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. These come in a rău ram sauce (aka, Vietnamese coriander) and are topped with roasted chopped cashews.

Pork belly salad and pork ribs, two very unique State Bird recipes

Pork of any kind
There is always pork of some kind on the provisions menu at State Bird. Pork pansotti and pork ribs with lilikoi (yellow passion fruit) chili bbq are two of my favorites. I’ve been making bbq ribs often after our St. Louis foodie trip. These are completely different, but just as tender.

Pro tip: I’ll come right out and say it: I recommend skipping the garlic bread with burrata. Don’t get me wrong, I am an Italian cheese lover and burrata is among my favorites. I even ordered a fancy version at one of the top Yountville restaurants recently.

But at State Bird, I want to try as many things as I can. Therefore, if I’m going to eat something very filling, I need it to have a high “wow factor.” And although the garlic bread is quite tasty, I find this to be one of the restaurant’s least impressive dishes.

State Bird Provisions Menu: Printed Version

Below are the sections that everyone receives a printed menu for.

Pancakes & Toast

I don’t recommend skipping the pancakes and toast. These are super creative savories that you will not find anywhere else.

When have you ever had a sourdough-sauerkraut pecorino ricotta pancake? I bet never. And if you don’t think that sounds good, think again! They are so scrumptious.

Pro tip: If you are a dinner party of only two people and are afraid of filling up here, SBP will serve you a half portion of the pancakes—just ask!

Commandables, aka EntrEes

Pork Katsu, one of the delicious large plates at State Bird restaurant

In another restaurant, commandables might be called large plates or à la carte entrées.

Since State Bird Provisions gets its name from the California state bird, the California Valley Quail, it’s not surprising that the signature dish of CA state bird with provisions is always on the menu.

A few of the other frequently appearing menu items include red trout with hazelnut-mandarin-garum vinaigrette, beef tongue pastrami with capers and parmesan, and different versions of fried rice.

Depending on how many provisions and pancakes you’ve ordered, State Bird usually recommends one or two commandables for two people. 

Pro tip: Parties of two should consider trying one or two extra provisions, pancakes, or toasts instead of a commandable. That way you may have room for dessert.

Desserts

Dessert at State Bird Provisions often means "ice cream" sandwich.

As with the rest of the State Bird menu, anything goes! From cheesecake Japonaise to cocoa malva cake to ‘world peace’ peanut milk muscovado sugar. You won’t want to skip dessert.

If you are feeling full, the peanut muscovado milk is a dreamy, sweet, drinkable cream that goes down easy.

Pastry chef Nicole Krasinski is most famous for her “ice cream” sandwiches. She makes at least 14 different wildly creative flavors, like her sweet corn, which is sandwiched between black lime macarons with blueberry compote and white chocolate.

Beverages at State Bird Provisions SF

The SBP wine list offers a nice selection of wines from many of the major producing regions around the world (bottles hover between $80 and $110). With so many of the dishes having Asian influences, sake is also available by the glass and bottle. The canned, bottled, and draft beers all lean heavily toward California brewers.

If you prefer non-alcoholic beverages, try one of the house-made sodas, premium teas, or non-alcoholic beers or rosé.

The beer and wine list at State Bird San Francisco

Why is State Bird Provisions SF so popular?

You don’t get to this level of popularity without consistently serving awesome food. Luckily for SBP, their efforts were recognized almost immediately, and they were smart enough to never lift their foot off the gas since.

Best New Restaurant in America

In 2012, Bon Appètit Magazine recognized State Bird Provisions with the top spot on their Best New Restaurants in America list. Since then, other awards and accolades have kept coming in.

James Beard Awards

In 2013, State Bird received a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. Then, in 2015, the James Beard Award Foundation awarded chefs Stuart Brioza & Nicole Krasinski with the Best Chef West honor.

Michelin Star

In 2015, State Bird received its first Michelin star, which the restaurant has retained ever since. Collectively, this slew of awards are just the tip of the iceberg.

Rave Reviews

The press and reviews for SBP have been nothing but praise, from the San Francisco Chronicle to The New York Times to YELP!

State Bird Provisions Reservations

The counter and kitchen of the iconic restaurant, State Bird Provisions — The counter and kitchen of the iconic restaurant State Bird Provisions

A reservation at State Bird remains one of the most coveted in San Fran, so let’s talk about how to get one.

When to Make Your Reservation

You can book a reservation for State Bird Provisions up to 30 days in advance on Open Table. That means at midnight when the calendar turns to the magical date 30 days before you want to have dinner, that’s when you should get online and reserve a table.

Go Mid-week

If you miss the midnight opportunity, as I did last time, you may luck out like we did. We were planning our foodie exploration of San Francisco for mid-week. Weekday slots are way easier to get than weekenders, and we nabbed a 5:30 reservation. Early, but worth it!

Last Resorts

If you can’t manage to get a reservation via the standard procedure, you can also reach out to the restaurant by email and plead your case. Sometimes they can work a miracle.

If you really miss the boat, on the day you’d like to dine, get in line before the restaurant opens at 5:30. At 5:30, someone from the restaurant will come out and ask for those without reservations to move to a separate line.

There may or may not be a table or a spot at the counter available that evening: The restaurant staff member will let you know which way your luck is leaning on this particular occasion. You should probably have a back-up plan just in case.

Table or Counter 

Because of the roaming carts and trays, I prefer a table to the counter spots that are available for parties of one or two. However, if you choose the counter, you’ll have a front row seat at the large open kitchen.

Large Party Reservations

For large parties of 6 to 8 people, there is only one table available with a set menu. This is the link for that: State Bird Provision Large Party.

FAQ’s About State Bird Provisions, San Francisco

Still have questions about the State Bird Provisions Restaurant? Hopefully your answer is below. If not, let me know in the comments.

Sign says: State Bird Provisions opens for dinner everyday at 5:30 — State Bird Provisions opens for dinner every day at 5:30 pm.

Is State Bird Open For Lunch?

No. SBP is only open for dinner service starting at 5:30 pm.

How Much Does State Bird Provisions Cost? 

The most current pricing has small plates ranging between $4 and $14 each. Pancakes and toasts cost between $15 and $24. Large plates run between $24 and $48.

What Should I Wear to Dinner at State Bird Provisions?

This is the most casual Michelin star restaurant I’ve ever been to, and the owners do not impose a dress code. Casual attire is welcomed, and it suits the lively atmosphere, moderate noise level, and minimalist décor.

Where is State Bird Provisions, San Francisco?

The restaurant is located in the Fillmore section of the Western Addition district at 1529 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115.

Where Can I Find State Bird Provisions Recipes?

You can buy the book State Bird Provisions: A Cookbook on Amazon here: State Bird Cookbook.

There are also a few recipes scattered online, like this one for Carrot Mochi with Pistachio Dukkah. 

Where should I stay to visit State Bird Restaurant?

We recommend the White Swan Inn!

The State Bird Provisions restaurant can be very affordable if you only order a few items. But if you eat the way my husband and I do, the price can get up into splurge territory. So, on our most recent trip, we chose a more budget-friendly San Francisco B&B to balance out our expenditures rather than a high-priced hotel. It was a brilliant idea!

Our room at the White Swan Inn, a great place to stay when eating at SBP

Here’s what we loved about staying at the White Swan Inn:

Nightly happy hour with free wine and nibbles served by incredibly friendly staff
Daily continental breakfast of pastries, doughnuts, cereals, and yogurts with juice, teas, and coffee
Central Nob Hill location—perfect for San Francisco food tours!
Just 1½ miles to State Bird Provisions restaurant! We could even walk there.
Next door to one of the best pizza places in San Francisco, Del Popolo. 
Our large spacious room with a fun, quirky décor and huge closet
Lots of unexpected extras: a vanity separate from the bathroom, a refrigerator and bar area, a spacious seating area, and a wood burning fireplace in EVERY room!

Check pricing and availability for White Swan Inn.

Wine and nibbles every day at the White Swan Inn — Complimentary wine and nibbles are served every day at the White Swan Inn.