Saison Restaurant Group
Saison Restaurant Group is a two-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant in San Francisco, part of Saison Hospitality. It serves a seasonal open hearth tasting menu ($398-$538/person) led by Chef Richard Lee, alongside private events, off-site catering, and a wine club.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Saison Restaurant Group does
Saison Restaurant Group operates a single, two-Michelin-star fine-dining restaurant at 178 Townsend Street in San Francisco, sitting under the Saison Hospitality parent company (formed in 2016) that also houses sister concept Angler, Saison Winery, Saison Cellar & Wine Bar, Saison Cellar brokerage, the Wines from the Hearth wine club, and Hearth Catered Events. The flagship is led by Co-Owner and Executive Chef Richard Lee — a CIA graduate and former Eleven Madison Park sous chef under Daniel Humm — and is described as the original fine-dining restaurant in the U.S. to use open hearth cooking, supported by Beverage Director Molly Greene and Pastry Chef Mark Bright. Service runs Tuesday through Saturday, dinner only, from 5:00 PM, with a seasonal open-hearth tasting menu priced at $398-$538 per person and optional wine pairings at $198 (nightly) or $298 (reserve).
The core product is a live-fire, California-terroir-driven tasting menu paired with what is presented as one of the country's largest Old and New World wine lists, which has earned a Wine Spectator Grand Award every year since 2014. Revenue is generated across multiple channels: per-cover in-restaurant dining, a Tuesday-Thursday bar experience, private events of 7-45+ guests configured as Kitchen Table (7-9), The Salon (8-18), and Exclusive Use of the dining room, off-site catering through Hearth Catered Events, subscription revenue from Wines from the Hearth, transactional revenue from the Saison Cellar brokerage, and gift cards via Toasttab. Distribution is largely direct, supplemented by OpenTable for reservations, Triple Seat for private-event inquiries, and a portfolio of high-profile chef and producer collaborations (Château d'Yquem, La Ferme de la Ruchotte, Yannick Alléno, Prateek Sadhu, Ryan Ratino / Jönt, Daniel Humm / Eleven Madison Park, Julien Royer / Odette Singapore) that reinforce brand positioning rather than drive transaction volume.
The customer base comprises affluent individual diners, wine collectors, and corporate or milestone-event hosts in the San Francisco Bay Area and broader luxury travel segment, with pricing power and reservation scarcity supported by the Michelin two-star rating, Relais & Chateaux and Les Grandes Tables du Monde memberships, World's 50 Best and North America's 50 Best placements, Richard Lee's 2025 James Beard Semi-Finalist nod, and the restaurant's #9 ranking on Robb Report's 100 Greatest American Restaurants of the 21st Century. Operationally, the business runs a lean, chef-led model with a one-week annual spring closure for R&D, maintenance, and team rest, no publicly disclosed external funding, and a closed-loop food-recycling partnership with Mill.
Saison Restaurant Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Saison Restaurant Group
- Legal name
- Saison
- Website
- https://saisonsf.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Saison Restaurant Group is a two-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant in San Francisco, part of Saison Hospitality. It serves a seasonal open hearth tasting menu ($398-$538/person) led by Chef Richard Lee, alongside private events, off-site catering, and a wine club.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Saison Restaurant Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fine Dining Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Wineries (312130), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK), Wine Bars (CRANACAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)
Keywords
Where Saison Restaurant Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Saison Restaurant Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Fine Dining Tasting Menu: Seasonal tasting menu dinner service with menu prices ranging from $398 to $538 per person depending on day and time of year
- Private Events & Catering: Private dining events with multiple configurations (Kitchen Table, The Salon, Exclusive Use) accommodating 7-45 guests, plus Hearth Catered Events for off-site occasions
- Wine Program: Extensive wine list with Grand Award-winning selection, wine pairings ($198 Nightly, $298 Reserve), and corkage fees ($100 per 750ml bottle)
- Wine Sales & Membership: Saison Winery products and wine club memberships through Saison Cellar and Wines from the Hearth
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kitchen Table Experience - $398 to $538 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wine Pairing Options |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Corkage Fee |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Cancellation Fee |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Outside Dessert Fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Saison Restaurant Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Saison Restaurant Group operates a two-Michelin-starred open woodfire restaurant in San Francisco led by Executive Chef Richard Lee. The business centers on seasonal tasting menu dinners priced at $398–$538 per person, an award-winning wine program featuring one of the country's largest Old and New World selections with a special emphasis on Burgundy, private dining configurations for 7–45 guests, and a bar experience. The parent group Saison Hospitality also includes Angler restaurant, Saison Winery, Saison Cellar & Wine Bar, Wines from the Hearth wine club, and Hearth Catered Events.
Product overview
Saison Restaurant Group operates as a collection of fine dining establishments and hospitality concepts. The flagship is Saison Restaurant, a two Michelin-starred open woodfire restaurant in San Francisco led by Executive Chef Richard Lee. Under the parent company Saison Hospitality, the portfolio includes Angler (one Michelin star), Smokehouse (BBQ popup), Saison Winery in Santa Cruz, Saison Cellar & Wine Bar with its wine club Wines from the Hearth, and Hearth Catered Events. The core restaurant offers seasonal tasting menus ($398-$538 per person) with optional wine pairings ($198-$298), while also providing private dining for 7-45 guests across multiple configurations. A more accessible Bar Experience is available Tuesday through Thursday.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Saison Restaurant Dining Experience Two Michelin-starred open woodfire restaurant offering seasonal tasting menus (priced $398–$538 per person) with optional wine pairings. Dinners served Tuesday through Saturday beginning at 5:00 PM, emphasizing California terroir and live fire cooking led by Executive Chef Richard Lee.
- Saison Bar Experience Bar menu available Tuesday through Thursday at the Saison restaurant, offering a more accessible fine dining experience alongside the full tasting menu seating.
- Private Dining Events Event hosting with three configurations: Kitchen Table (7–9 guests with direct view of kitchen and hearth), The Salon (10–13 guests), and Exclusive Use (up to 28 seated dinner, 36 with Salon, or 45 cocktail reception). Booked through a dedicated events inquiry system.
- Wine Program & Pairings One of the country's largest selections of Old and New World wines with special emphasis on Burgundy, curated by Beverage Director Molly Greene. Pairing options include Nightly Pairing ($198 per person) and Reserve Pairing ($298 per person); corkage fee of $100 per 750ml bottle.
- Hearth Catered Events Full-service boutique catering bringing the Saison Hospitality culinary experience to off-site destinations for weddings, corporate events, and master class experiences.
- Saison Winery Santa Cruz winery founded by Mark Bright, producing wines featured on the Saison restaurant wine list and available for purchase.
- Wines from the Hearth Wine Club Subscription wine club offered by Saison Cellar, providing members access to rare and curated wines from the Saison Hospitality portfolio.
- Saison Gift Cards
Companies that use Saison Restaurant Group
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Saison Restaurant Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Saison Restaurant Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- Saison HospitalitycoreParent hospitality group founded in 2016 by Saison co-founder Mark Bright alongside Jag Kapoor and Gary Gauba. Comprises two Michelin-starred Saison, Michelin-starred Angler, Saison Winery, Saison Wine Bar & Cellars, Saison Cellar brokerage, Wines from the Hearth wine club, and Hearth Catered Events
- Angler San FranciscocoreMichelin-starred restaurant under the Saison Hospitality umbrella, sharing resources and culinary excellence with Saison
- Saison WinerycoreSanta Cruz winery founded by Mark Bright, providing exclusive wines for Saison restaurant's wine program with full offering from their winery featured
- Hearth Catered EventsminorFull-service boutique catering company bringing Saison Hospitality's culinary pedigree to any destination for weddings, corporate events, and master class experiences
- Saison Cellar & Wine BarminorRare wine brokerage, consulting firm, and wine club (Wines from the Hearth) operated as part of Saison Hospitality group
- Château D'YquemflagshipPrestigious collaboration between Saison and Château D'Yquem, featuring exclusive wine pairing experiences and culinary events
- La Ferme de la RuchotteflagshipCollaboration featuring renowned French farmhouse producer with exclusive dining experiences at Saison
- Jönt / Chef Ryan RatinoflagshipCulinary collaboration with Chef Ryan Ratino and his acclaimed Jönt restaurant, featuring cross-restaurant dining experiences
- Eleven Madison Park / Chef Daniel HummflagshipCollaboration with Chef Daniel Humm's three Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park, where Executive Chef Richard Lee previously served as Sous Chef
- Saison at Odette, SingaporeflagshipInternational collaboration bringing Saison's concept and culinary approach to Odette restaurant in Singapore
- Chef Yannick AllénoflagshipCollaboration with renowned French chef Yannick Alléno featuring exclusive culinary experiences
- Chef Prateek SadhuflagshipCollaboration with Chef Prateek Sadhu featuring cross-cultural culinary experiences and menu collaborations
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Saison Restaurant Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Benu: Three-Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurant in San Francisco led by Chef Corey Lee. Direct peer on price point, format, and San Francisco fine-dining positioning, with a similarly acclaimed beverage program.
- The French Laundry: Three-Michelin-starred Thomas Keller tasting-menu restaurant in Yountville, California. Comparable as a California terroir-driven, internationally recognized tasting-menu icon and benchmark for the segment in which Saison competes.
- Quince: Three-Michelin-starred contemporary fine dining restaurant in San Francisco with a prix-fixe/tasting format and an acclaimed wine program. Comparable as a San Francisco trophy tasting-menu peer competing for the same affluent diner and private-event clientele.
- Lazy Bear: Two-Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurant in San Francisco. Comparable on city, format, star tier, and price band; competes with Saison for the same SF fine-dining reservation pool.
- Single Thread: Two-Michelin-starred farm-driven tasting-menu restaurant with an inn in Healdsburg, California. Comparable as a California-terroir, multi-course tasting-menu peer with a strong beverage program and overnight/destination draw.
- Eleven Madison Park: Three-Michelin-starred Daniel Humm tasting-menu restaurant in New York City where Executive Chef Richard Lee trained as Sous Chef. Comparable as a top-tier, multi-Michelin-star tasting-menu flagship and direct culinary lineage reference for Saison.
- Atelier Crenn: Two-Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurant in San Francisco led by Chef Dominique Crenn. Most direct comparable: same city, same star tier, same multi-course tasting menu price band, and overlapping culinary prestige audience as Saison.
- Angler: Michelin-starred seafood-focused restaurant in San Francisco operating under the same Saison Hospitality parent as the anchor. Most direct internal comparable - shared ownership, shared culinary leadership (Chef Richard Lee), and shared operations.
Emerging players
- Frasca Food and Wine: One-Michelin-starred tasting-menu restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, with a Master Sommelier-led wine program. Comparable on the combination of regional tasting-menu cuisine and an award-winning wine list, though smaller in scale than Saison.
- The Restaurant at Meadowood: Former three-Michelin-starred fine-dining destination in Napa Valley that has gone through post-fire reinvention. Comparable as a Napa/California terroir tasting-menu peer with overlapping wine-country audience and destination-dining economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Saison Restaurant Group social profiles
Digital presenceSaison Restaurant Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Saison Restaurant Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Saison Restaurant Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Saison Restaurant Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Saison Restaurant Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Saison Restaurant Group
What does Saison Restaurant Group do?
Saison Restaurant Group operates a two-Michelin-starred open woodfire restaurant in San Francisco led by Executive Chef Richard Lee. The business centers on seasonal tasting menu dinners priced at $398–$538 per person, an award-winning wine program featuring one of the country's largest Old and New World selections with a special emphasis on Burgundy, private dining configurations for 7–45 guests, and a bar experience. The parent group Saison Hospitality also includes Angler restaurant, Saison Winery, Saison Cellar & Wine Bar, Wines from the Hearth wine club, and Hearth Catered Events.
Is Saison Restaurant Group a public or private company?
Saison Restaurant Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Saison Restaurant Group founded?
Saison Restaurant Group was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Saison Restaurant Group based?
Saison Restaurant Group is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Saison Restaurant Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Fine Dining Tasting Menu is the primary driver. The others are private Events & Catering, wine Program and wine Sales & Membership.
Who are Saison Restaurant Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Benu, The French Laundry, Quince, Lazy Bear, Single Thread, Eleven Madison Park, Atelier Crenn and Angler. Emerging players are Frasca Food and Wine and The Restaurant at Meadowood.
Does Saison Restaurant Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Saison Restaurant Group.
What industry is Saison Restaurant Group in?
Saison Restaurant Group's product category is Fine Dining Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAG, Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAK, Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.