The best foodie experiences in San Francisco provide a colourful snapshot of the city’s culinary heritage. Whether you embark on an edible walking tour of the Mission District, sample the city’s seafood stew, or crack open a few fortune cookies in Chinatown, there’s much to satisfy.
Discover the history of the Mission District with Sidewalk Food Tours. The three-hour tour loops in local landmarks such as graffiti-clad Clarion Alley, as well as Mission Dolores, the Catholic church founded before San Fran itself. Learn about the Latin-American enclave through its food and people with pit stops at eateries such as Taqueria Cancun, Venga Empanadas and French bakery Tartine.
Swan Oyster Depot has been a Bay Area bolthole for more than a century and in the Sancimino family since 1946. Join the queues snaking around the block to nab one of just 12 seats stationed at the old-school seafood counter. Do as Anthony Bourdain did in Parts Unknown and order a beer and ‘crab back’ bobbing with butter and guts. Option B: dig into a dozen oysters and Dungeness crab. Slurping down oysters at Dalida is also the done thing.
Tommy’s Joynt is the divey diner where Metallica used to hang. But you don’t need to be a metalhead to enjoy down-home dishes such as corned beef and cabbage. Mel’s Drive-in on 4th and Mission is also a shrine to all things Americana and beloved for its burgers and shakes. And the Castro district is where you will find Orphan Andy’s, a 24-hour diner that is all kitsch and chrome and has been going strong since the 1970s.
You’ll find a full menu of Szechuan-Chinese specialties at Z & Y Restaurant in Chinatown, which is a celebration of SF’s migrant history. Executive chef Lijun Han has cooked for presidents and diplomats and his signatures include xiao long bao, ‘explosive chicken’ and fish with chilli oil. The no-frills restaurant also has an offshoot across the road devoted to Peking duck.
Foodies should factor in a visit to historic Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory in Chinatown to see the after-dinner treat believed to have been invented in San Francisco in the early 1900s. Ghirardelli Chocolate is another go-to: the company incorporated in 1852 is known for its luxurious chocolate bars filled with flavours such as pumpkin spice caramel. Holing up in Bob’s Donuts is also compulsory. As is a visit to The Buena Vista for its indulgent Irish coffee. Look for the shirt donated by Hunter S. Thompson encased in glass behind the bar. Iconic.
Visit the historic Ferry Building in Embarcadero to find artisan makers and producers lining the central thoroughfare. Start your progressive feast with a dozen oysters from Hog Island Oyster Company, followed by El Porteño empanadas and strawberry CheeseQuakes. Stock up on foodie souvenirs at Epicurean Trader.
You can devise an entire itinerary around San Fran’s 28 Michelin starred restaurants. Start your journey at Kiln (pictured) led by chef John Wesley, winner of the guide’s 2024 Young Chef Award. And expect to be seated alongside some of the Bay area’s cashed-up crypto bros at three-starred Atelier Crenn. Head to Hilde and Jesse in the hip North Beach ‘hood for a memorable Michelin-starred brunch. Picture: Jesse Evan Photography.
You’ll be sitting pretty during happy hour at Rise Over Run at The Line Hotel (pictured). The rooftop bar led by Michelin-trained chefs celebrates the grit and glam of the Tenderloin arts district. Take a seat at the bar named after a mathematical formula to enjoy martinis made with precision and snacks such as spice-laden fried chicken. Slink down to Dark Bar on the lobby floor for a nightcap.
A portion of the original mother sourdough French bread that originated at Boudin’s in 1849 is still used for every loaf turned out at this humble Cali bakery. That’s reason enough to consider it the place to sample the city’s signature clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl.
Linguists say the dish named cioppino comes from the northern Italian word ciuppin, which means ‘to make soup from fish’. The perfect foodie weekend in San Francisco will always include a bowl of this memorable fish stew at Sotto Mare (pictured). The cioppino at Fog Harbour Fish House at Pier 39 is also outstanding.
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