Guidebook for San Francisco
Food Scene
Arizmendi Bakery
1331 9th AveSuper convenient. Great pizza!
Convenient, reasonably priced, great for brunch and pasta. On list of San Francisco's top 100 restaurants.
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Barzotto
1270 Valencia StConvenient, reasonably priced, great for brunch and pasta. On list of San Francisco's top 100 restaurants.
Creative, ambitious food. Michelin-starred and on list of SF's top 100.
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Aster
1001 Guerrero StCreative, ambitious food. Michelin-starred and on list of SF's top 100.
Widely lauded but casual restaurant; a couple of years ago it won award for best new restaurant in the country. Reservations are tough but they set some tables aside for walk-ins every night. The line usually starts to form about 30 minutes before opening. (I like this restaurant a lot but I actually think Aster is better, and it's much easier to get a table at Aster.)
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AL's Place
1499 Valencia StreetWidely lauded but casual restaurant; a couple of years ago it won award for best new restaurant in the country. Reservations are tough but they set some tables aside for walk-ins every night. The line usually starts to form about 30 minutes before opening. (I like this restaurant a lot but I actually think Aster is better, and it's much easier to get a table at Aster.)
La Taqueria
2889 Mission StTHE Mission Burrito! No more need be said.
A hole-in-the-wall that makes a great cappuccino. (The other coffee drinks are great too, and the beans are excellent if you need to re-supply for home. Free drink with a bag of beans.)
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Grand Coffee
2663 Mission StA hole-in-the-wall that makes a great cappuccino. (The other coffee drinks are great too, and the beans are excellent if you need to re-supply for home. Free drink with a bag of beans.)
A founder of the "third wave" coffee scene. Still excellent.
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Ritual Coffee Roasters
1026 Valencia StA founder of the "third wave" coffee scene. Still excellent.
Legendary, and worth every penny . . . and minute waiting in line. (Best time to go is on weekdays during the day, or at 4:30 pm when the bread comes out of the oven.)
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Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero StLegendary, and worth every penny . . . and minute waiting in line. (Best time to go is on weekdays during the day, or at 4:30 pm when the bread comes out of the oven.)
It's a coffee shop, a restaurant, a wine bar, a bakery, . . . and everything else. You can buy bypass the long line out the door to buy bread or coffee during the day. The bread is the world's best. Seriously. Pick up bread on stand to the right as you enter, then pay for it at the coffee counter.
In the evenings, the space turns into a sit-down, top-100 restaurant.
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Tartine Manufactory
595 Alabama StIt's a coffee shop, a restaurant, a wine bar, a bakery, . . . and everything else. You can buy bypass the long line out the door to buy bread or coffee during the day. The bread is the world's best. Seriously. Pick up bread on stand to the right as you enter, then pay for it at the coffee counter.
In the evenings, the space turns into a sit-down, top-100 restaurant.
A Cal-Italian classic. Alice Waters goes to Italy. The pizza outpost next door is outstanding too.
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Pizzeria Delfina
3621 18th StA Cal-Italian classic. Alice Waters goes to Italy. The pizza outpost next door is outstanding too.
Great pies in an informal setting. Arguably the best pizza in town.
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PizzaHacker
3299 Mission StGreat pies in an informal setting. Arguably the best pizza in town.
Mission Pie
2901 Mission StBecause you always need pie!
An excellent gastrobub with house-brewed beer. SF top-100 restaurants.
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Old Bus Tavern
3193 Mission StreetAn excellent gastrobub with house-brewed beer. SF top-100 restaurants.
Commonwealth
2224 Mission StIngenious, world-class cuisine without the attitude.
A lovely space with great coffee, perfect for recharging during a stroll across the Inner Mission.
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Sightglass Coffee
270 7th StA lovely space with great coffee, perfect for recharging during a stroll across the Inner Mission.
Tucked away inside this otherwise miserable bar is Ron's Pit Stop, where an old timer serves up AMAZING barbeque for ridiculously small sums of money. Order the food to go. You can call in your order by phone, or via Yelp.
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Clooney's Pub
1401 Valencia StTucked away inside this otherwise miserable bar is Ron's Pit Stop, where an old timer serves up AMAZING barbeque for ridiculously small sums of money. Order the food to go. You can call in your order by phone, or via Yelp.
A classic, updated. The eggs are great every which way.
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Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen
3150 24th StA classic, updated. The eggs are great every which way.
Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission Stbest brunch in the city
A great neighborhood farmer's market. Thursdays 4-8 pm during the spring, summer, and fall.
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Mission Community Market
84 Bartlett StA great neighborhood farmer's market. Thursdays 4-8 pm during the spring, summer, and fall.
The place to go for fresh produce on Saturday mornings.
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Noe Valley Farmers Market
3861 24th StThe place to go for fresh produce on Saturday mornings.
A good place to buy fish nearby, if you're cooking at home.
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Sun Fat Seafood Co
2687 Mission StA good place to buy fish nearby, if you're cooking at home.
Drinks & Nightlife
Almanac Beer Taproom
2704 24th StFor beer fans, it's not to be missed.
A comfortable neighborhood bar, but the food is mediocre.
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The Liberties Bar & Grill
998 Guerrero StA comfortable neighborhood bar, but the food is mediocre.
Parks & Nature
The place to go with your pastries from Tartine, your pizza from Delfina, or your sandwiches from Bi-Rite Market! Incredible views of the city, and oh what a scene. (Great playground for kids, too.)
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Mission Dolores Park
19th StreetThe place to go with your pastries from Tartine, your pizza from Delfina, or your sandwiches from Bi-Rite Market! Incredible views of the city, and oh what a scene. (Great playground for kids, too.)
Arts & Culture
The newly expanded museum and collection is world class.
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Iziko lezobuciko ze-San Francisco zaseMzantsi
151 3rd StThe newly expanded museum and collection is world class.
The building is a marvel, and the lookout tower is not to be missed on sunny days. (You don't have to pay for admission to go up the lookout tower.)
The museum's collection is a idiosyncratic. It's perhaps best known for Polynesian art.
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Iziko lede Young
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden DrThe building is a marvel, and the lookout tower is not to be missed on sunny days. (You don't have to pay for admission to go up the lookout tower.)
The museum's collection is a idiosyncratic. It's perhaps best known for Polynesian art.
Gray Area / Grand Theater
2665 Mission StA Burning Man outpost in the city. Electronic arts.
Balmy Alley
50 Balmy StGround zero for the famous murals of the Mission District.
A family friendly gallery that displays reasonably affordable work by many local artists.
Luna Rienne Gallery
3318 22nd StA family friendly gallery that displays reasonably affordable work by many local artists.
Entertainment & Activities
An aquarium and so much more! Great for kids and adults alike. The De Young Museum across the way is also worth a visit. Both are architectural standouts.
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55 Music Concourse DrAn aquarium and so much more! Great for kids and adults alike. The De Young Museum across the way is also worth a visit. Both are architectural standouts.
Because you've always wanted a beer or a glass of wine served with your movie! (Or a full meal, if you feel the urge.)
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Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
2550 Mission StBecause you've always wanted a beer or a glass of wine served with your movie! (Or a full meal, if you feel the urge.)
Shopping
When you need to find an obscure shark's tooth or bone up on unicorn taxidermy.
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Paxton Gate
824 Valencia StWhen you need to find an obscure shark's tooth or bone up on unicorn taxidermy.
A thoughtful toy store. My kids would play here for hours when they were younger.
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Paxton Gate Curiosities
766 Valencia StA thoughtful toy store. My kids would play here for hours when they were younger.
826 Valencia Pirate Supply Store
826 Valencia StA Dave Eggers outpost.
My favorite neighborhood bookstore. (Though Dog Eared Books on Valencia is also excellent.)
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Alley Cat Books
3036 24th StMy favorite neighborhood bookstore. (Though Dog Eared Books on Valencia is also excellent.)
The world's greatest market for high quality produce, meat, cheese, wine, and prepared foods? On a per-square-foot basis, I don't doubt it.
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Bi-Rite Market
3639 18th StThe world's greatest market for high quality produce, meat, cheese, wine, and prepared foods? On a per-square-foot basis, I don't doubt it.
Getting Around
BART is the most convenient way to get from our home to the airport, downtown, or to the East Bay.
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24th St Mission station
BART is the most convenient way to get from our home to the airport, downtown, or to the East Bay.
The least expensive place to park a car during the week. (The 48 bus runs from the garage to our house.)
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Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center
1001 Potrero AveThe least expensive place to park a car during the week. (The 48 bus runs from the garage to our house.)
Fiore Caffe
3599 24th StThe 48 bus stops on our corner.