Eating out is an intrinsic part of San Francisco living. For some, it’s an obsession. For others, it’s an art form. We can’t wait to try a new restaurant (when we can get in) or a new type of food, and while we don’t mind spending a fortune (sometimes) in the city’s sleekest dining rooms, we’re also down to gobble cheap grub in places that would alarm most tourists—it’s all part of eating out San Francisco-style. With so many distinct neighborhoods, ethnicities, and cultures, it’s no surprise that San Francisco brims with just about every kind of restaurant and cuisine imaginable. Eritrean? You got it. Afghan? It’s here. Finding gastronomic pleasures in this city is easy. It’s choosing among them that’s tricky.
Eating Fresh
Patronizing and assessing new restaurants is practically a competitive sport in San Francisco. Everyone wants to stumble upon the next big culinary treasure before word hits the streets. Take farmerbrown (Map 7), for example. This destination for “neo” soul food now attracts everyone from hipsters who’ve come for the swanky scene to organic foodies who appreciate the restaurant’s reliance on small, local farms. Alive! (Map 2) features an exclusively raw menu, while Minako (Map 11) offers organic Japanese to patient diners. Joe DiMaggio’s Italian Chophouse (Map 4) in North Beach wows patrons with its hefty steaks, Zuni Café (Map 11) is famous for its roast chicken, while across the Bay Doña Tomas (North Oakland/Emeryville) continues to impress critics and patrons alike with south of the border cuisine. Reservations at NOPA (Map 10) are hard to come by Coi’s (Map 4) 4- and 11-course tasting menus have foodies all a-flutter.
Eating Cheap
Can you really do this here? Most definitely! Chow pizza, noodles, burritos, naan… go ethnic! Hey, it’s what we survive on. For pizza, check out Golden Boy (Map 4) in North Beach, Giorgio’s (Map 21) in the Richmond area, and the venerable Escape From New York Pizza (Map 9) on Haight. There’s cheap Chinese in almost every neighborhood, but we recommend Ton Kiang (Map 20) in Richmond, R&G Lounge (Map 8) near North Beach, and Tai Chi (Map 7) in upscale Russian Hill. Possibly the greatest— if weirdest— Chinese experience in all the land is Sam Wo (Map 8) in Chinatown, which is open til’ the wee hours. Down by the ballpark, Primo Patio (Map 13) is a reliably cheap and awesome Caribbean lunch spot. There is also an endless supply of Thai—try Manora (Map 11) South of Market or Thep Phanom (Map 10) in the Lower Haight. You can also get just about any type of Southeast Asian food in the Richmond area. One of our favorites is Burma Superstar (Map 21) on Clement Street, not far from a handful of Vietnamese Pho cafés.
For tasty Indian on a shoestring budget, hit the popular Naan-N-Curry chain (Maps 8, 25), Shalimar (Map 7), or Udupi Palace (Map 15). The Mission is a gold mine for Mexican and, with so many taquerias, you’ll find fresh tacos and bulging burritos on every block. Papalote (Map 15) and El Farolito (Map 15) are city favorites.
Mediterranean fare is another way to save a buck or two. Stop by Ali Baba’s (Map 10) for a falafel with fries wrapped up inside tasty flatbread or try Truly Mediterranean (Map 11). For poultry fans, Goood Frikin’ Chicken (Map 35) (yes, that’s three O’s) serves up yummy bird and American sides with Middle Eastern flair.
Eating Hip
To see and be seen by San Francisco’s beautiful people while indulging in a truly fabulous meal, we’ve got a few suggestions. Hot new spots include Nopalito on Lower Haight (Map 10) and Dosa on Fillmore (Map 5). If you find yourself in the chi-chi Marina, try Betelnut (Map 2) for swanky Asian small plates or make a beeline for Mamacita (Map 1). Just be prepared to suck down a few cocktails while you wait for tables. In the Mission, The Blue Plate (Map 35), Foreign Cinema (Map 15) and Luna Park (Map 11) are constant favorites, while bold new ice-cream parlor Humphry Slocombe (Map 15) offers startling ice-cream scoops – brown bag it with the bourbon-flavored Secret Breakfast. In the Lower Haight, check out RNM (Map 10) for a steady stream of hungry hipsters. In the financial district, you can mingle with businessmen and locals for chic Northern Italian hotshot Perbacco (Map 8). Across the Bay, the Oakland renaissance continues with Wood Tavern (North Oakland/Emeryville), Flora (Downtown Oakland/Lake Merritt), and Tamarindo (Downtown Oakland/Lake Merritt). For whiskey cocktails as dressy as its diners, line up for Picán (Downtown Oakland/Lake Merritt), or try Luka’s Taproom (Downtown Oakland/Lake Merritt), where the Belgian fries are not to be missed.
Eating Brunch
Saturdays and Sundays are eggfests in the city, and there’s no shortage of restaurants and cafés to choose from. So sleep late, call some friends, and step out for the best first meal of the day. Down home diners like Chow (Map 10) in the Castro, while Dottie’s True Blue Café (Map 7) and the Pork Store Café (Map 11) are jumping almost every day of the week. Weekend warriors are willing to wait at constant favorites like Mama’s (Map 4) on Washington Square in North Beach, Noe Valley’s Chloe’s Café (Map 14), Ella’s (Map 5) in Laurel Heights, and Cole Valley’s Zazie (Map 9). Castro residents rush to Tangerine (Map 10) for omelets with international flare, Brenda’s French Soul Food (Map 7) wows the Tenderloin with beignets, while Outerlands (Map 23) attracts early birds for Dutch Pancakes in the Sunset district. Further afield, Fred’s Coffee Shop (Sausalito) serves good French toast, Mama’s Royal Café (North Oakland/Emeryville) has hipsters out the door on weekends, while Somerset (North Oakland/Emeryville) draws chic crowds to its wisteria crowned patio for mango mimosas.
Eating Old
Even though restaurant turnover continues at an astonishing rate, there are some old San Francisco eateries worth checking out, including 1867 relic Sam’s Grill (Map 8), The Big Four (Map 7) at the Huntington Hotel, the Tadich Grill (Map 8), and Swan Oyster Depot (Map 7). Alfred’s (Map 8) serves up steaks and Sears Fine Foods (Map 7) still plates a mighty good breakfast. Art’s Crab Shack (North Oakland/Emeryville) still kicks it old-school across the Bay.
Eating Meat
As much as we love our locally grown, organic veggies, sometimes nothing will do but a thick slab of rare beef. Van Ness Avenue is home to several, including Harris’ (Map 6) and House of Prime Rib (Map 6), which has been there forever and serves up good martinis and huge portions. Also worth mention on Van Ness is Tommy’s Joynt (Map 6) which dishes up carved turkey and roast beef to locals, tourists and the occasional celebrity (previous diners include Metallica and the late Hunter S. Thompson). Nearby, you’ll find Boboquivari’s (Map 2), a crab and steak joint with carnival-esque décor. If you want to bring it down a notch, hit Izzy’s (Map 1) in the Marina (order the creamed spinach and Izzy’s potatoes). For upscale diners, 5A5 Steak Lounge (Map 8) offers Japanese steaks at blue-chip prices in a Vegas-style setting. For the best BBQ, go to the East Bay, where the venerable Everett & Jones (Berkeley West) leads the pack, and T-Rex (Berkeley West) sends em’ home lickin’ their fingers.
Eating Meatless
Pretty much every San Francisco restaurant offers vegetarian options, but there are some places that cater strictly to the greens-only crowd, from Millennium (Map 7), San Francisco’s high-end organic vegan restaurant (even the wine is organic), to tiny Lucky Creation (Map 7) in Chinatown Vegan chain Herbivore (Map 15) offers soups, salads, and wraps at three locations around the Bay Area, while at vegan Café Gratitude (Map 15) in the Mission, even the menu is life-affirming. How can anyone forget they’re in San Francisco, with the ‘I Am Eternally Youthful’ vanilla shake? Greens (Map 2) is a city favorite for its gentle food and beautiful Bay views, while the veggie burgers at Houston’s (Map 4) are always popular. Fans of Asian cuisine will find many options for meatless fare. Head to Shangri-La (Map 24) in the Sunset, New Ganges (Map 29) in the Upper Haight, and Cha-Ya (Map 11) in the Mission.
Eating Your Wallet
If you can afford it, this is possibly the best (and easiest) way to spend your time in San Francisco. Living in this city is not cheap and neither are some of the most delicious restaurants. The following all cost a fortune, so when you get there the best thing to do is sit back with your glass of Pinot and lap up the indulgence. Gary Danko (Map 3) is the best of the best. You’ll have to call at least a month before to get a reservation, but the experience is well worth the wait. Masa’s (Map 7), Quince (Map 8), Spruce (Map 22), Fleur de Lys (Map 7), Campton Place (Map 7), Boulevard (Map 8), La Folie (Map 3), and Michael Mina (Map 7) are just a handful of the others where you can empty your bank account, fill your belly, and enjoy every minute of it. Happy eating!
Eating Small
While few wallets stretch as far as the fanciest restaurants, most folk can afford an egg custard tart. That’s why we’ve gone small, for specialty dishes like the famous tarts at Golden Gate Bakery (Map 8), or the fried chicken sandwich at Bakesale Betty (North Oakland/Emeryville). Think of these as urban orienteering, as foodies map their way around the city bite by bite: breakfast beignets from Just For You Café (Map 17), tamales from the Tamale Lady at Zeitgeist (Map 11), or banana cream pie at Mission Pie (Map 15). Some people rave about the pollo pibil at Poc Chuc (Map 11). Whatever your tastes, San Francisco has something tasty awaiting you, from the good—crab salad at Swan Oyster Depot (Map 7)—to the bad, cream puffs at Beard Papa (Map 7), to the just plain strange: octopus lolly-pop at Lalola (Map 7). Continue the culinary treasure hunt across the Oakland Bay Bridge with the huge bhatura cholle breads at Vik’s Chaat (Berkeley West) and lemon icebox pie at Lois the Pie Queen (North Oakland/Emeryville).
Eating By the Bay
Surrounded by sea on three sides, San Francisco is a wonderful place for waterfront dining. Start out west with a view of the Pacific at Cliff House (Map 18) or swap silverware for sandwiches at nearby Louis’ (Map 18), where the outlook is higher but the prices are lower. Go east for Golden Gate snapshots and vegetarian fare at Green’s (Map 2) or order crab fresh off the boat at Scoma’s (Map 3), one of Fisherman’s Wharf’s better options. The Ferry Building is a foodie mecca—especially with its farmers market on Saturday—try Vietnamese at The Slanted Door (Map 8) or rotisserie sandwiches at Cane Rosso (Map 8). Further down the Embarcadero, in the shadow of the Bay Bridge, kick back with chili cheese fries and burgers at Red’s Java House (Map 8). Past the ballpark to the south, The Ramp (Map 13) offers beer, brunch and burgers a stone’s throw from the ship yards. Elsewhere around the Bay, there are options aplenty, from Fish. in Sausalito to Sam’s Anchor Café in Tiburon, a popular joint where the seafood is secondary to the skyline view across the water.
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Friday, May 13, 2011
Posted By:
Alisha Miranda
Photo:
Alisha Miranda
People's Cafe
This comforting cafe perfectly exemplifies the warmth of the San Francisco people. The space is perfect for a meet up or for just spending an afternoon alone in your thoughts. You'll find locals congregating with friends, skaters stopping in for a quick bite, and literary folks enjoying a salad and writing notes in their Moleskins. This place serves up big plates of comfort Cali food, so be sure to grab a table and get some people watching down--you're in The Haight afterall.
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Friday, April 22, 2011
Posted By:
Andrew Savage
Photo:
Andrew Savage
Taqueria Cancun
The burrito which all burritos aspire to be. The wee-hours are usually the busiest time for this Mission staple, so be prepared to share lines with the late night set. You know the drill, gargantuan burritos wrapped in foil. They take two hands to eat. Comes with complimentary chips and salsa. All ingredients are fresh and used in accordance with one another. In other words, nothing clashes; nothing is superfluous. Fillings include an array of meats (carne asada, lengua, sesos, chorizo) or vegetariano. Wash it all down with cold Horchata.
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Monday, February 07, 2011
Posted By:
Cristian Cartes
Photo:
Cristian Cartes
Zazie
Zazie's may be my new favorite restaurant. It takes a bit for my lazy bum to leave the ever bountiful Mission dining hub, but this is one of the places that's well worth exploration. Cole Valley is the home of this tasty French bistro with an impossibly small kitchen. How they bust out such delicious dishes and at such timely manner is beyond me! First, for the brunch, fluffy, moist, ginger pancakes. The Pierre Noire is a meaty take on eggs Florentine with a light hollandaise sauce and crispy bacon. To accompany, some bubbly. Make them yourself, Elderflower mimosas were a pleasant, fruity discovery. A few weeks later I came back for dinner and had an equally satisfying experience. The nighttime menu also offers a prefix dinner for an affordable price and an array of options for every course. For chocolate lovers the petit pot de creme proves that like this restaurant size does not matter when it comes to flavor.
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Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Posted By:
Maria Brock Schulman
Photo:
Maria Brock Schulman
Pho Clement
Don't feel like cooking? Not a problem. Got 5 bucks? Then head to Pho Clement and within minutes you'll be served up a huge hot bowl of goodness. Clean but far from cute, this is the go-to spot for lazy locals looking to enjoy a quick and cheap meal. Come in your sweatpants, wear your slippers, come straight from kickball in your uniform. There's no pretense here. Just a group of old timers looking to serve you a satisfying meal.
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Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Posted By:
Emilie Russell
Photo:
Emilie Russell
Home Service Market
Home Service Market (known as George's to those in the area) is an unobtrusive, good old-fashioned San Francisco corner store, kinda like a New York bodega. It's the local NOPA go-to spot for things like cat litter, tampons, ice cream, malt liquor, chocolate, or Doritos. I've lived 2 blocks from this place for 5 years, and have always valued its convenience, but I was only recently turned on to their deli when a friend split a George's sandwich with me. Their sandwiches are superb, perfect for a picnic on the Panhandle or a quick, no-hassle dinner. I go ga-ga for the chicken breast (which George grills quite nicely) on a soft roll with everything (toasted of course), and my friend loves the roast beef with horseradish (she always asks George to pick the "right" cheese for her and he hasn't disappointed yet). So if you're in need of sundries or sandwiches, stop by George's--I'm sure he'll have what's right for you, too.
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