We’re the type of people to squeeze the pulp out of cities. We’ve been in San Francisco for the past 3 years, and we’re still pleasantly surprised by what we can find here. As our way of saying goodbye, we wanted to share what we’ve loved most about this city. Here are the things that we think make San Francisco so special:
Local stores
Bi-Rite: Local grocery store in the Mission that sells high-quality produce and supports local agriculture in the Bay Area. Try their Vegan Hippie sandwich for a delicious mix of sweet potato crisps and avocado, or head across the street to their ice cream shop to get the Dainty Gentleman sundae (lavender ice cream with chocolate, blood orange olive oil, and maldon sea salt).
826 Valencia: Whimsical, pirate-themed store that channels its profits into teaching underserved students how to write.
Reformation: Inspiring example of technology meets retail. Clothes are displayed as individual, gallery-like pieces and you order your size on screen or within the “magic” dressing room.
Rooky Ricardo’s Records: Intimate vinyl record store with listening stations. The owner’s love for the music is contagious.
Green Apple Books: Feels like a neighborhood bookstore, stuffed to the brim with new and used books.
Utsuwa Floral Design: Plant nursery where you can get lost in the wide variety of plants from marimo moss balls to beginner bonsai trees. (Similar: Flora Grubb Gardens).
Peak Design: Sells well-designed camera and travel gear. They also host an open workspace for creatives and lots of inspiring talks.
Paxton Gate: Ethically-sourced taxidermy store that feels like a natural history museum.
Renegade Craft Fair: Twice-yearly craft fair that features local creators. (Similar: West Coast Craft and Urban Air Market – an outdoors version).
Lucca Ravioli Company: Small store that makes you feel like you’re walking into Italy. Sells fresh pastas, variety of olive oils, and cured meats.
Heath Ceramics: Features beautifully crafted, handmade pottery and a factory tour.
Delicious food + drinks
Koja Kitchen: Famous for their garlic-flavored rice buns with juicy meats sandwiched inside. Started as a food truck and has expanded all over the Bay Area.
Humphry Slocombe: Wide variety of ice cream flavors (personal favorite is the secret breakfast, which includes bourbon and cornflake clusters).
Dragon Beaux: Higher-end dim sum. Features the classic dim sum foods but also some creative twists like squid ink dumplings or scallop shiu mai.
Craftsman and Wolves: Bakery on Valencia Street. The Rebel Within (soft cooked egg in cheesy dough) is definitely worth trying!
Burma Love: Burmese restaurant in the Mission. Try their tea leaf salad! (Similar: Burma Superstar).
Shizen: Vegan sushi—but don’t doubt! It’s a delicious, creative experience that makes you wonder whether you even need fish in the first place.
Souvla: Fast-casual Greek and Mediterranean food. Try the lamb salad, greek fries with garlic yogurt dipping sauce, and baklava honey frozen yogurt.
Samovar Tea: Tea lounge, perfect place to think/write/reflect or just catch up with a friend. If you’re hungry as well, try the smoked duck jook.
La Taqueria: Hole in the wall Mexican joint, known for their “el dorado” (extra crispy) style tacos.
San Tung: Their dry-fried chicken wings are incredible. Order them to go if you want to skip the long lines!
Golden Gate Bakery: Egg tarts in Chinatown. Known for their bright pink boxes and large egg tarts!
Kitchen Story: Asian fusion brunch spot in the Castro. Love the belly rancheros.
Pizzeria Delfina: A classic pizza spot in the city. Try their salsiccia or carbonara pizza. (Similar: Del Popolo).
Foreign Cinema: Classic restaurant, featuring a beautiful courtyard and old movies projected on the walls.
Plow: Solid brunch spot. The food is familiar (french toast, scrambled eggs, breakfast sandwich) but it’s extremely well done. Their potatoes are extremely crispy.
Gracias Madre: Plant-based Mexican restaurant, great for vegans!
Dinosaurs: Delicious banh mi in the Castro.
Boba Guys: High quality milk tea. Has long lines, but usually worth the wait.
Aina: Delicious Hawaiian food, perfect for brunch.
Liholiho Yacht Club: Higher-end fusion of Hawaiian, Japanese, and California cuisine.
Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen: Fast casual Latin American spot known for their arepas—but you shuold also try their yucca fries and sweet plantains.
Cafe St Jorge: A homey Portuguese-themed coffee shop in Bernal Heights. We’ve done most of our weekend work and brainstorming sessions here.
Barzotto: High-quality Italian food in a clean, casual setting. Try the radiators with pancetta and the snail shells.
Noe Valley Bakery: Cozy bakery in Noe Valley. Try their Mission fig bread.
Peasant Pies: Hand-held pies that make you feel like you’re eating adult hot pockets.
Roli Roti: Amazing food truck—go for their porchetta sandwiches, a perfect blend of crispy and savory.
Marufuku Ramen: Solid ramen spot in Japantown. (Similar: Mensho Tokyo and Nojo Ramen Tavern).
Local Edition: Underground, newspaper-themed cocktail bar.
The Social Study: Hip coffee house by day, intimate bar by night.
Philz Coffee: Down-to-earth coffee chain in the Bay Area. Everyone recommends the mint mojito, but I personally love their iced yerba mates. (For extra coffee lovers: Blue Bottle)
Indoor fun
The Fillmore: Intimate concert venue filled with history. After every show, guests receive a custom-designed poster.
Alamo Drafthouse: Dine-in movie theater.
Pop-up Magazine: A seasonal variety show that features written and visual storytellers, who translate their pieces into a “live magazine” format for the audience. (Similar: The Moth).
Urban Putt: Immersive mini golfing course—super creative.
Omnivore Books: Culinary-themed bookstore in Noe Valley that also hosts regular talks with cookbook authors.
Mission Cliffs: Rock wall climbing gym in the Mission.
Martuni’s: Piano bar featuring Monday night show-tunes. Attracts amazing talent from across San Francisco.
Mr Tipple’s Recording Studio: Intimate cocktail bar with live jazz.
Game Parlour: Cozy spot to play unlimited board games all night with your friends.
Walt Disney Museum: A fascinating look into Walt Disney’s journey through animation.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art: Perfect way to spend a weekend. Lots of people get memberships and use the cafe as a working space.
Outdoor adventures
Golden Gate Park: Filled with museums, a bison paddock, and even a disc golf course.
Dolores Park: Classic spot to picnic and people watch.
Street art: Walk around the city and check out the street art—most notable are the honey bears by Fnnch and koi fish by Jeremy Novy.
Sutro Baths: Hike the Land’s End trails and check out the ruins of a historic saltwater swimming pool.
Vallejo Steps: A staircase where you can get amazing views of the city (Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Coit Tower). So many plants, it feels like a jungle.
Explore the neighborhoods: Favorites are Hayes Valley, The Haight, Noe Valley, The Mission, Fillmore District, Ocean Beach, Embarcadero.
Andy Goldsworthy art walk: A trail of outdoor art pieces, it’s the perfect excuse to explore the Presidio.
Glen Canyon: A park where you can feel like you’re in complete wilderness.
Buena Vista Park: Beautiful park in the Lower Haight. Really peaceful, great for thinking and reflecting.
Meaningful organizations
CUESA: Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture. They organize weekend farmers markets at the Ferry Building, where a variety of chefs do cooking demonstrations.
Real Food, Real Stories: Hosts live storytelling events from people in the local, sustainable food system.
Friends of the Urban Forest: Plants trees and sidewalk gardens to to create a healthier urban forest in the city. Try out their tree tours!