What I commonly refer to as “The Bay” is more than just San Francisco but the entire Bay area. The Bay is easy to navigate and you will not find yourself confined to San Francisco, but exploring Oakland, Alameda, Sausalito, Wine Country, etc are all within an hour drive or metro ride. When we are in the area, it is usually to visit friends and below are a few of the places I’ve really enjoyed during my visits to NorCal.
STAY
We have only stayed with friends when in San Francisco, but if I had to book a hotel, I have always thought Hotel Tomo looked like a cool place to stay. I found this hotel on Tablet Hotels and have never been disappointed with my bookings through Tablet.
EAT
Tartine tartinebakery.com
There will be a line… Sorry folks-waiting in line for bread and all is not usually my thing, but it is said that the bread here is some of the best in the country, so the 20 minute wait was not bad. The line moves and although it may appear intimidating when you arrive, no need to fret. You will not spend your entire day waiting for a croissant or a morning bun. The glass walls help pass the time. Your wait goes by fast as you get to watch the back of the house prep all of the bread and pastries for baking.
Hog Island Oyster Co. hogislandoysters.com
The infamous oyster spot located at the Ferry Building. Stop in here to grab oysters and whatever seafood is on your wish list. Skip the line and grab a seat at the bar for the fastest service (you can order from the menu there) First come first serve seating is always better than waiting in line.
Bar Bocce barbocce.com
Pizza + Bocce + Beer A bit of a walk from the ferry dock in Sausalito, but well worth the walk (10 minutes max). Good pizza, good brews with a fire pit and view of the water that make you forget where you are.
Bi-Rite Creamery biritecreamery.com
I scream, You scream we all scream for ice cream! I love ice cream and Bi-RIte was delicious! I went for the Ricanelas, Malted Vanilla with Peanut Brittle and Chocolate, and Brown Sugar with Ginger Caramel swirl. My original intention was to just get 2 flavors, but then our server offered up tastings of flavors that “paired” well with what I selected and saying no to another flavor was just impossible to turn down.
Humphrey Slocombe humphryslocombe.com
Another favorite Ice Cream spot with locations at the Ferry Building and the Castro. Secret Breakfast (Bourbon & Corn Flakes) is a crowd favorite. I love anything with peanut butter and marshmallow so Fluffer Nutter is one of my favorites.
Ike’s Place ilikeikesplace.com
Specialty sandwich shop with several locations in the Bay area. Make sure to check their website for the full menu-the various locations only feature the local/regional favorites on their menu. I went for The 49er (is there any other option when in SF?) and although the flavors were on point, next time I’m definitely going to opt for all sauce on the side. I also went with the San Francisco Sourdough Bread which was delicious. Bread is the number 1 factor to a good sandwich (in my opinion) and the sourdough was not only fresh but crisp on the outside and doughy on the inside.
Boba Guys bobaguys.com
First time having Boba… and I really enjoyed it! I have always been against chewing things that came up through a straw so I have steered clear of boba my entire adult life. Now I’m a converted fan of those little tapioca balls. Thai Tea was my flavor of the week.
Blue Bottle bluebottlecoffee.com
Oakland based Blue Bottle was my first experience with individual drip coffee. Select your coffee and be prepared to wait a few minutes before your brew is served. Nosh on the Belgian waffles while you wait and make sure you don’t offer to share or you’ll regret it. I’ve only been to the Ferry Building location, but the coffee is served up all over the town.
Genki genkicrepes.com
Located in the Richmond District of San Francisco, this place has a special sweet place inside my heart. It essentially is a Japanese mini mart serving up crepes similar to what you will find in the heart of Harajuku, Shibuya, Tokyo. Nutella, Vanilla Ice Cream and Strawberry filling are my go to.
DRINK
Cerveceria de MateVeza cerveceriasf.com
Small batch brewery serving small batch brews on tap and a good selection of bottled beers. They also have empanadas to order which were delicious.
Monk’s Kettle monkskettle.com
If you have been following the blog for some time, it is no surprise that I love/prefer Belgian and Belgian style beers and in the MIssion, this is the place to try out a few new ones. They have a wide range of offerings. Get here early, it gets packed.
Tacolicious tacolicious.com
Our friend Satish took us to this spot and we had just had dinner so only stopped in for drinks before meeting up with a few other friends, but he highly recommended the tacos. Next time we are in the Bay area, this is on the list to check out for the food. The owners also recently opened up CHINO which is also located in the Mission.
St. George Distillery stgeorgespirits.com
Distillery located across the bay in Alameda, CA. I believe you can take a ferry across, but we had a designated driver (Thanks Vu Bang) to show us the ropes. We went for the tasting only and were unable to go on the tour since they were booked over the Holiday weekend. The tasting was really good and something I highly recommend regardless of whether you are able to do the tour. The staff was great about informing us of the different scents/notes we would taste with each spirit in addition to elaborating on the process. Some of my favorites were the Gin and Rum based on how different they were to others I had tasted before.
Faction Brewery factionbrewing.com
Right across the lot from St. George Distillery, this Brewery serves up its brews by the pint or the growler. Stop in before your tour/tasting at St. George.
EXPLORE
Ferry Building ferrybuildingmarketplace.com
A must visit in SF. The range of really good food in this place will never disappoint-home to some of SF’s favorites including Blue Bottle Coffee, Hog Island Oyster Co. Humphrey Slocombe and more. Stop by on the weekends for the Farmer’s Market with a wider range of offerings.
Ferry to Marin County-Sausalito goldengateferry.org
After grabbing a bite to eat at the Ferry Building, hop an actual Ferry over to Sausalito in Marin county. Even if it is overcast in the city, you are likely to find sunshine just across the way. The ride is roughly 20-30 minutes and a windy ride, but you have the option to stay on the outside or interior of the Ferry-I recommend the exterior for the unrestricted views. $10.25 each way.
Mission Dolores/Dolores Park missiondolores.org
So we didn’t actually go inside the Mission, but you can take in the sites from the outside at the Mission Dolores Park which is just adjacent to the Church. The park is currently under construction (May 2014) so I’m excited to see what it looks like after the renovation. Catch views of the Sutro Tower in the distance from the park.
Tomales Bay Oysters tomalesbayoysters.com
Tomales Bay is a cross category EAT/DRINK/EXPLORE. The drive to Tomales Bay will take roughly an hour and fifteen minutes from the city. Once at the Bay, grab a table and setup shop. You can buy a variety of oysters on site. Make sure to pack your oyster shuckers, sides. condiments, wine and beer to spend a day with friends. If headed there on a weekend when the weather is nice, you have the option to reserve a table in advance. Each table has a dedicated grill, so bring whatever you may need for grilling as well.
Golden Gate Bridge goldengatebridge.org
A must see when in San Francisco. The majority of the times I have been, it has been covered in fog and any picture opportunity has been lost. There was one time during a SFNY event when we had an awesome view-clear skies at sunset. Epic! Some people opt to rent and ride bikes over the bridge. If you ride over, you can take a ferry back to the Ferry Building with your bike.
Golden Gate Park golden-gate-park.com
Home to various Museums. Last time we were at the park, we visited the de Young Museum a few years ago for the Balenciaga exhibit. This park is also home to many other attractions. Check out their website for the full list of attractions and events.
Tips:
BART is the best way to get around the city. www.bart.gov We almost exclusively rode Bart during our last visit with the few exceptions of rides from friends and were able to get to/from most locations. BART also services both the Oakland and San Francisco airports, so no need to take a cab into the city.
Next Time:
Bar Tartine
Mr & Mrs Miscellaneous
Tacolicious (Food)
Philz Coffee
One.Checked.Bag 