Welcome to The Chef's Table at Pierre Coste Dining Room
At The Chef's Table at Pierre Coste Dining Room, culinary excellence meets an innovative teaching environment. Nestled within the Statler Wing of San Francisco’s City College, this vibrant New American restaurant showcases the talents of aspiring chefs as they craft an array of delightful salads and sandwiches. Guests can enjoy a warm atmosphere while savoring meticulously prepared dishes, including standout offerings like the Waldorf Chicken sandwich and Little Gem Caesar salad. With impeccable service and an engaging dining experience, this hidden gem celebrates the passion and dedication of culinary students, creating an unparalleled lunch experience perfect for food enthusiasts seeking something unique and affordable.
- Statler Wing, Pierre Coste Dining Room, 50 Frida Kahlo Way, San Francisco, CA 94112 Hotline: (415) 239-3855
Welcome to The Chef's Table at Pierre Coste Dining Room, a culinary haven nestled within the Statler Wing of the Pierre Coste Dining Room in sunny San Francisco. This unique dining experience embraces the spirit of New American cuisine, highlighting fresh, seasonal ingredients in dishes that effortlessly blend classic techniques with contemporary flair. A haven for locals and visitors alike, it serves scrumptious salads and sandwiches in an inviting atmosphere that nods to the educational ethos of the City College of San Francisco.
As you step through the doors, you’ll be greeted with the warm smiles of hospitality students passionate about their craft. Each meal is thoughtfully prepared from scratch, including their exquisite breads and butters, which have earned rave reviews from patrons. The dining setup, adorned with crisp white tablecloths and fresh flowers, offers a charming ambiance ideal for a leisurely lunch or a special gathering.
Let's delve into the menu highlights that have diners coming back for more:
- Starters: Begin your meal with delightful options like the Soup of the Day or the Crispy Cauliflower. The Pickle Plate offers a refreshing crunch that pairs perfectly with any selection.
- Sandwiches: Indulge in a variety of mouthwatering sandwiches, including the Waldorf Chicken and Croque Monsieur. Each sandwich is crafted with care, showcasing bold flavors and fresh ingredients.
- Salads: The Little Gem Caesar and Warm Roasted Veggies capture the essence of California's vibrant produce, turning each bite into a celebration of freshness.
Patrons have praised the pan-seared salmon and decadent desserts, including their famous coffee crème brûlée. The culinary prowess of the students shines through in every dish, making it hard to believe that this is a teaching restaurant. The atmosphere is casual yet refined, ensuring a dining experience that feels special yet accessible.
Though occasional service nuances may arise—often typical in training environments—guests consistently express their appreciation for the genuinely attentive staff. The overall experience is enhanced by the affordable pricing structure, making this a hidden gem for those seeking quality food without breaking the bank.
With hours from Monday to Thursday, 11:15 AM to 1 PM, The Chef's Table encourages reservations via phone at (415) 239-3855. Whether you’re visiting as a local or exploring San Francisco, allow The Chef's Table at Pierre Coste Dining Room to redefine your understanding of dining at a community culinary establishment.
In summary, if you’re searching for a unique dining experience where passion meets skillful execution, this restaurant is a must-visit. Come hungry, and prepare to indulge in creations that showcase not only the promise of future culinary stars but also the taste of something truly delightful.

- delightful lunch for four; bowls of barley mushroom soup, lamb lavash wrap with handcut crispy fries, seared salmon salad, pan-seared salmon on broccoli rabe with green French lentils, peppercorn NY steak and parsnip puree with Brussels sprouts, pear tart, coffee creme brulee with shortbread - and the cookie assortment. Service is excellent - and attentive. The room is chilly with a cold draft from the open door. Hours: Monday ~ Thursday 11:15 am ~ 1 pm Reservations 415-239-3855 www.ccsf.edu/cahs

Great food at reasonable prices. Also helps the local community college hospitality students by giving them a chance to practice their skill sets. What a better place to try some creations from what could be San Francisco next best chef before they get noticed. I'd like to see the Fall and Spring Buffets return as well as the annual Wok on the Wild Side Event.

One the of best places in SF to go for a good and relaxing lunch. Sometime the service is lacking a little bit, but it's all forgiven by the food, value, surroundings and passion of the people here.

The closest parking spots are the ones along Cloud Circle, but they're for staff, police and those that need accessible parking only. If you're not one of those, I'd recommend taking public transportation and walking. I came when a fire drill happened and the staff were quick to give me a heads up that the kitchen would be delayed which didn't even feel like a delay to me! There were 4 types of complimentary bread: Apple walnut, baguette, focaccia, and a sweet bread. My favorite was the baguette and the butter was delicious. The special drink would've been something with mango, but I wasn't able to order it since the person making drinks wasn't there yet due to the drill. You also get two pieces of complimentary breadsticks which I didn't have enough space in my stomach for even though they are skinny because my main entree filled me up. It was a Salisbury steak with snap peas and either pumpkin or sweet potatoes. I should've asked, but either way it was so good. The prices are are hard to beat and I love coming here for lunch. I wish I had time to complete the survey at the end, but I would've only written down positive things about this student-run restaurant.

What a hidden gem! My friend made lunch reservations by phone. Seems this might be the only way to do it. It's right on campus so leave extra time to find parking and to to walk to the correct building. We were greeted by a nicely dressed hostess upon entry and then served water by a an equally nicely dressed waiter. Tables were nicely set complete with white table cloth and even a vase with fresh flowers, super cute. I was impressed to learn that everything is made from scratch down to the bread AND the butter! The pork belly Bao was super tasty, pork belly crispy and the Bao pillowy soft. The Thai beef salad was also very good and so was the kalbi noodles but be warned, these two dishes had a kick to it. The spice sneaks up on you and it wasn't not noted on the menu but we noticed all the chopped up chili peppers later. I like spicy so I enjoyed it but was a little surprised by it. For the main course, we had the halibut which was cooked to perfect doneness and flavor. We also had the chicken sandwich with the lightest airiest but buttery bread, totally exceeded my expectation. The variety of breads they offered was so good, I wanted to try them all especially when I learned they were all made from scratch. Finally, they rolled out a dessert cart and we opted to share the flan, a perfect end to a tasty yet reasonably priced lunch. I really did not expect to eat that lunch for lunch, I even had a coffee! The service was excellent .

Clean & neat student restaurant at CCSF. The host was nice & welcoming. I was alone so he seated me by the window where the two-person tables were. It was a bit too cold to be sitting there though, given that it's been raining all day. I could feel the cold air seeping through the window on this chilly December day. There was only one other table that was occupied by a party of about 5-6. All the other tables were empty. When the host came back to serve me water I asked for a cup of coffee as well. He said that he'd let the waiter know. A couple of minutes passed by & the waiter came up to serve me two pieces of bread & olive oil with vinaigrette. When he came back to take my order I let him know that I'd also ordered coffee. He apologized for not having it already made. A few minutes later I got my coffee. I ordered everything on the menu except for the ham & cheese. Each item was brought out in a course meal arrangement order. The presentation was beautiful & everything tasted really good. My favorite dishes were the Savory Pumpkin Custard & the Grilled Beef Top Loin. The grain pilaf in combination with the pumpkin custard was magnificent. The scalloped potatoes that came with the top loin had a crispy layer of cheddar cheese on top that was nicely torched to a perfect crunch texture. The kitchen was pretty loud with a lot of chatting between the students, unrelated to the food. They were all enjoying each other's company though, so it didn't bother me much. The dining area, however, was very quiet. Even the table of 5-6 was super quiet. Seemed like they were all just whispering to one another. Although I had to ask for a refill on the water the experience was pleasantly enjoyable. I would definitely dine here again. Food was worth the price.

We were introduced to this place by my brother, an employee of city college. We were pleasantly surprised by the food. It was simple but very good. My only complaint was the dining room was freezing. Felt kind of like we were un a meat locker. The wait staff was very attentive and friendly.

Chefs table is especially my favorite because it's run by the culinary department at city college the people here are amazing and most of all the atmosphere is down to earth and mellow highly recommend it

Another lunch that couldn't be beat. It's a teaching restaurant, so sometimes the staff or the kitchen is learning, but the teacher is the manager in the front of house and the chef-instructor is the executive chef, so they take the lead and manage the staff who are students. And even given all that, it's a great, inexpensive, fine dining lunch. Ask the server what the special beverages are - they're always delicious. You'll get a special amuse-bouche, and bread service. Also ask if there's a special tableside service, it's almost always a delicious entree choice prepared at your tableside by a student. Breads and desserts are made by the bakery class. There's also often a special sandwich from the meat lab. Go expecting an interesting time. The food's always good and engaging, and bring company that can't be beat!

As a student of CCSF for almost half a decade now, I support and value all the little things this campus has offered me. Granted, I'm not pursuing a career in the culinary field but the students and teachers that tend and operate the whole campus culinary system has been my main source of food throughout my many semesters. Also, you guys have steered me clear off McDonald's too! Off the bat, I just want to say: If you've never had a fine dining experience or never went to a fancy shmancy $$$$ restaurant before, (were all college students here, remember?) then you should consider grabbing some buddies and try this place out. Yes, you'll be pocketing out a few more hard earned bucks for your meal, but the experience itself is of it's own. Now duly note that this will NOT be a Michelin starred service, but actual students still learning the ropes. But because of this, all of these future Iron and Master-chef's in-training are very kind, courteous, and will produce a dining experience out of your daily norm, compared to grabbing a usual bite from the Campus Cafeteria. You'll leave with the sense of how a real fine dining restaurant is suppose to run and set your expectations higher. My hats off to you, current and future culinary students, for more than just bringing the fine dining experience onto a community campus, but for pursuing such a difficult field and becoming the future of food and service as we know it.