Frances

Frances is the new restaurant venture by chef/owner Melissa Perello. Frances dishes out modern California cuisine in a relaxed neighborhood setting.

As the executive chef at Charles Nob Hill, Perello garnered great critical acclaim for her California-inspired French cuisine. Her accolades include the San Francisco Chronicle’s Rising Star Chef honor in 2002, one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2004, and three James Beard Rising Star Chef nominations in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Perello cites her time working alongside mentor Ron Siegel at Charles Nob Hill as a defining experience. “Ron taught me how to create relationships with purveyors and make ingredients shine,” she says. Inspired by weekly Saturday morning trips to the farmer’s market helped establish longstanding relationships with local purveyors, which inform her seasonal American menu that showcases artisanal products from Northern California’s exceptional farmers.

Since opening Frances, the restaurant has received much critical acclaim, earning a James Beard “Best New Restaurant” nomination in 2010, Michelin star, was named an Esquire magazine “Best New Restaurant” by John Mariani, was one of Bon Appétit magazine’s “Ten Best New Restaurants in America” in 2010, and received a 3.5-star food rating from the San Francisco Chronicle.