The Bay Area is home to many of the country's most respected independent filmmakers, so it's no surprise that this innovative spot is a hit. In the hip, loftlike space not only can you sit down to oysters on the half shell, carpaccio with french fries and horseradish sauce, and roast chicken with vegetables, but you also can watch film classics such as Zhang Yimou's Raise the Red Lantern and Jacques Demy's The Umbrellas of Cherbourg projected on the wall in the large inner courtyard. Fussy filmgoers: call ahead to find out what's playing and arrive early enough to get a good seat.