Near the top of most San Francisco home buyers’ wish lists is proximity to restaurants. After all, our city is one of the top food cities in the world, so who wouldn’t want easy access to fine eats?
I’ve put together a list of my top five neighborhoods that offer standout and diverse restaurant choices. Here you go (not listed in any particular order):
1. Hayes Valley. Home to high-profile restaurants such as Rich Table, Petit Crenn, Jardiniere, Monsieur Benjamin, Absinthe, and Zuni, Hayes Valley continues to supply locals with great food. There are also excellent mid-range restaurants and cafes like La Boulangerie, Stacks, Suppenkuche, Chez Maman, Lers Ros Thai, and Little Gem.
2. The Mission. There’s no disputing the Mission’s prominent standing in the San Francisco food world. The lineup is awesome, and includes mainstays like Delfina, Flour and Water, Limon, along with “newer” hotspots such as Al’s Place, Tartine Manufactory, Locanda, The Morries and Central Kitchen. Also consider the more casual eateries that include Burma Love, Pauline’s Pizza, Pizzeria Delfina, Atlas Cafe, Mission Beach Café, and Pi Bar. And if take-out is your thing, the tons of taquerias or standbys like Old Jerusalem and Good Frikkin’ Chicken will keep you going.
3. South of Market. The blocks are longer and restaurants more spread out. But there’s a heavy concentration of excellent restaurants in SoMa that include Salt House, Yank Sing, Benu, Marlowe, Bellota, and The Perennial—not to mention the SoMa StrEat Food Park.
4. Potrero Hill/Dogpatch. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Potrero and Dogpatch have the best neighborhood-level restaurants around. This area has really developed over the past decade. Alongside the more established Dogpatch places like Piccino and Serpentine are Smokestack at Magnolia Brewing, Just For You Cafe, Moshi Moshi. Over in Potrero, Chez Maman, Goat Hill Pizza, Plow, Sunflower Vietnamese and Umi round out some excellent options.
5. NoPa. This hot neighborhood boasts NOPA, Bistro Central Parc, Ragazza and Nopalito alongside newcomers Barvale, Brenda’s Meat and Three. There are also lots of cafes, bars and yes, a Bi-Rite that sells a lot of freshly prepared foods.