San Francisco is truly one of the most amazing and unique cities. I lived in Berkeley for two years starting in 2013 and fell in love with the bay area. In 2018 Scott and I lived in SF for the whole month of September and, as it always does, it won Scott’s heart as well. Unfortunately you have to pay the price to live here, hence why we were only there a month. That month was more of a ‘staycation’ and we didn’t do as much work. Mostly enjoyed all the city has to offer! Including of course, trying as much of the amazing food as possible!
Gio Gelati
I’m not exaggerating when I say this is the best ice cream/gelato you will ever have! They have a wide array of flavors (including a wonderful avocado flavor! As well some of out other personal favorites- milk & fig, sour cherry crunch and stracciatella!). It’s just the right amount of sweetness, and so creamy and smooth! I’m not even that crazy about ice cream in general, but I became basically obsessed with Gio Gelati! Scott and I would go here at least once a week, and when family would visit we were sure to bring them here! It’s in the Cow Hollow district which I think is my favorite area of San Francisco, so that was also a plus! You can walk around the area, checking out the cute shops, beautiful home, and amazing views.
La Mar Cebicheria
My husband loves ceviche and when he looked up Peruvian places in SF this one looked promising. It turned out to be wonderful! A very cool and airy ambiance, delicious food, fresh fish, friendly staff and ocean views! How can you go wrong with that??
Fog Harbor Fish House
This one is beside La Mar and also has amazing views. If you get a seat by the window on the second level it is especially breathtaking. They of course has incredible seafood, as well as top notch steak!
Sift Dessert bar
I became addicted to the cupcakes and macarons from Sift! (There is also a SusieCakes here, which I also love but I’m saving them to for my best food in Santa Monica post.) We would order through UberEats and never actually went in the bakery. I literally ordered this every night! Fluffy cake with superb frosting! The macarons are the possibly the best I’ve ever tried! Everything tastes so fresh and amazing! And so many fun flavors! I love bakeries were you can tell everything is made from scratch.
Farallon
The aesthetic of this restaurants is so amazing! It feels like you really are under the sea, in a scene from The Little Mermaid or something haha. The food was perfection! We ordered the desserts here as well and they were exquisite! A fancier, romantic restaurant, so if you’re looking for a place for a special date night-I’d go with this one! In the main dining area you don’t get cell reception, but I actually liked that. Helps you to enjoy the moment and focus on the person(s) you’re dining with.
Top of the Mark
This isn’t considered a restaurant, but more of a bar. However they serve appetizers which can get you as full as an entree can. This is worth going to for the view more than the food, can’t beat a view from the 19th floor of a building that’s already on a hill! The food though was also really good. A great place to stop in and get a drink and an app before heading to the main dinner spot. (Also, this is mentioned in the movie Vertigo, so as someone who is a bit of a cinephile I thought that was pretty cool haha).
Yank Sing Dim Sum
We went here for lunch and it was busy! But worth it. You don’t order food, waitresses come around with a cart of different items and you tell them what you would like off the cart. While in SF I discovered the deliciousness of steamed buns! Steamed pork buns are the best! They also have great dim sum of course! I don’t think of Chinese food as a favorite of mine, but maybe that’s just because I’ve mainly had Americanized Chinese food. This restaurant is authentic and delicious! Another must for those visiting the city-just make sure you make a reservation!
Laurel Court Restaurant and Bar
We came here for brunch a few times (if you want brunch, not just lunch, be sure to get here before noon), including after the marathon! The lunch options are really good, but I’m a sucker for breakfast food! The pancakes were to die for! The Fairmont is such a regal hotel, so it’s just such a beautiful place to enjoy a meal. The Fairmont has the Tonga Room which is a popular dinner spot, however we never made it there.
It’s also across the street from a location shown in Vertigo.
Tacko
Another favorite in the Cow Hollow district. The most casual of all the restaurants I’ve mentioned in this post. A nice taco place with a laid back vibe. As with all restaurants I talk about-food made with high quality ingredients! The portions sizes are also just the right size, and their guacamole is delish!
Scott and I both hope to one day live in San Francisco again and return to all these amazing restaurants. Running in San Francisco was tough, but rewarding, and I love that it this is where I ran my first marathon!
Have you been to SF? What are some of your favorite spots? Who else here is an Alfred Hitchock fan??
Making my mouth water just looking
🙂