The Mission
As a tour guide, people are always asking me where to eat in San Francisco, and this neighborhood is always TOP on my list of places to go. Valencia Street at about 16th is where all the cool stuff starts. I can't think of a single bad restaurant off the top of my head. It's no wonder I spend most of my free time over here!
Tartine Bakery - 600 Guerrero Street - http://www.tartinebakery.com
* Probably the best bakery in the whole Bay Area. It's a must visit! The line usually only takes 15 minutes at the most. They even serve Four Barrel Coffee. Remember, the bread comes out of the oven at 5pm. My parents used to buy their almond quesants by the bag full when they were in Mill Valley. I usually go for the banana cream pie, lemon tart, or bread pudding. Oh and their mushroom croque monsieurs are wonderful!
Tartine Bread from 4SP Films on Vimeo.
Pizza Delfina - 3621 18th Street - http://www.delfinasf.com
* Next door to Tartine, it's my favorite pizza place in SF. Sooooo good! I like the Panna pizza and I have them add arugula and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms to it. Trust me, it's fricken amazing. That might be my number one meal I get in San Francisco. I can't help it! It's the perfect pizza.
Bi-Rite Creamery - 3692 18th Street - http://biritecreamery.com
* On the same block, some of the best ice cream in San Francisco, for sure. If you want to skip the line, you can go in and buy something out of the cooler. Their ice cream sandwiches and pies are great too. The Afternoon Snack Sunday, made instead with ricanelas (cinnamon with snickerdoodles) ice cream is hands down the best Sunday ever made. Ever!
Mexican Food - Everywhere in the Mission
* Some of the best in the world. You can't go wrong just walking into any place in this neighborhood. Actually since we're talking about 18th street, Taqueria El Buen Sabor is great and its right there on the corner at Valencia Street. I totally love that place, but really, every Mexican place in the mission is great. Continue down one more block to 18th and Mission for sit down fancy vegan Mexican food at Gracias Madre. That place is amazing! If you wanna walk down to 24th and take a left you could head all the way over to La Palma for handmade tortillas on your burrito. If you want a white-guy taco, Tacolicious is pretty darn yummy and they've got a jaw dropping tequila list. If you want gluten free Mexican there's Pica Pica Maize Kitchen. Hahaha, we are so spoiled! I'll do a whole posting just on Mexican food soon. Just don't go to Taco Loco. They're a crappy chain disguised to look like a real Mexican place.
Mission Chinese - 2234 Mission Street - http://www.missionchinesefood.com
* Damn it, why did this place have to live up to all the hype? It really is amazing. It looks like just a little shitty hole-in-the-wall dive, but the place is not about the decor, it's about the hip tattooed chefs in the back. Mission Chinese is really about the meat, but if you're a vegetarian like me, just ask your server and they'll steer you right.
Ike's Place - 3489 16th Street - http://ilikeikesplace.com
* Some of the best sandwiches in San Francisco, with a line to prove it. For those of you who wonder how I can be a vegetarian, I ask you to try the "Sometimes I'm A Vegetarian" or the "Ugly Owl" sandwich. Yum! This is a great spot to pick up the food portion of your picnic before picking out some amazing beer from Cerveceria de MateVeza on your way to Dolores Park. That is a perfect way to spend a sunny day in San Francisco!
Flour + Water - 2401 Harrison Street - http://www.flourandwater.com
* Really good hand-made fresh pasta. This place is perfect for a nice night out. You might want to call for a reservation though
Aslam's Rasoi - 1037 Valencia Street - http://www.aslamsrasoi.com
* There are 3 great Indian food places in a row across the street from Ritual Coffee (another great local coffee roster), and although most people swear by DOSA, I really like this place too.
Big Lantern - 3170 16th Street - http://biglantern.com
* Looking for dim sum at 10pm? Kind of a hard thing to find isn't it. Well, here's a pretty great Chinese food place that also happens to serve dim sum all the way up until they close. If I'm not eating over at Sam Wo in China Town, Big Lantern is my go-to spot.
Atlas Cafe - 3049 20th Street - http://www.atlascafe.net
* My friends and I have been calling this place the "Beet Pizza Place" for years, cuz they sell an amazing vegan pizza with beets on it. Now that I'm a vegetarian it makes more sense that I wanna eat a vegan pizza with beets on it, but back it the day when I was a meat eater I would order the beet pizza cuz the thing was just that good. Speaking of beets, they make a "beet-loaf" sandwich which is 5 stars. Maybe I just love beets.
Boogaloos - 3296 22nd Street - http://www.boogaloossf.com
* How come most of the places I recommend have a crazy line? This one moves pretty fast though. If you're looking for a breakfast place to handle your hangover from the night before, Boogaloos is your spot. If you're gonna fatten up on breakfast food, the home-fries better be great. And these are!
AND... While you're over here, check out 5 & Diamond (510 Valencia Street), Paxton Gate (824 Valencia Street), The Pirate Store (826 Valencia Street), and The Curiosity Shoppe (855 Valencia Street). The bar Amnesia (853 Valencia Street) always has great local bands playing in the evenings, and Dolores Park (Delores Street between 18th and 20th) is my favorite place to hang out during the day when the sun is out!
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