guide to san francisco

• the well-traveled wife's 
guide to san francisco •

my husband and i both grew up loving 
this city, then we got engaged in this city, 
then we moved here to the heart of it. 
safe to say our hearts are in san francisco! 

here is our little guide to some 
favorite eats, treats, & sights..

{eats}

Pizzeria Delfina

best + most authentic pizza you can get in SF. 

simple margherita is the very best,

and the brussel sprouts are a must. 

there are two different locations in the city.

delfina is next door, and also great.

Sear's Fine Food

 

this place may be touristy, but we love the location 
right in union square, the old classic feel, and the 
world famous 18 swedish pancakes on the menu.
this is a fun stop if you're staying in union square.

La Boulange Bakery

a little bit of paris right in SF! my favorite french cafe 
in the city..their soups, salads, and sandwiches 
{croque monsieur} + desserts are fab. there are 
all different locations, but each one feels like
a true french bakery on its own. we love the
hayes valley location, but the pine street
location is the original and you can
attend baker's dinners there.

Mama's

okay..so this place has the LONGEST lines, and many 

people decide not to wait...i have had some terribly long waits, 

but let me tell you one thing...the wait is ALWAYS worth it.

french toast + eggs benedict + monte cristo sandwich 
= happy stomach. but i'm serious, prepare for the wait. 
hours long. or, go in the afternoon around 2 PM and it's empty.

Blue Barn Gourmet

this little place is on one of my favorite streets in the city, chestnut street. 

it is a local area down by the marina with so many good restaurants 

and shops. this is the perfect lunch spot with friends,because they have 

fresh healthy salads and the best sandos {including gourmet grilled 

cheese!} i love building my own salad, and we love all the healthy 

options! they have now expanded to polk street as well.

Farm : Table

hands down my favorite breakfast in the city.

it's a tiny walk-up with a fresh, incredible

menu that changes weekly depending on 

what's in season. you simply cannot go wrong!

Little Star Pizza
 

amazing  deep dish pizza! get the garlic bread, 
the deep dish classic, and the white pie pizza.

Boudin Bakery

best sourdough bread in town..go to the location on fisherman's wharf, 
because there is a little museum upstairs all about san francisco. you get
samples, learn about the city, and get to see the sourdough bread factory. love!
it's one of the only worthwhile things to do down by the touristy wharf!

The Sentinel

inexpensive gourmet sandwiches made right as you order them..
we love trying out the daily special. not fancy, but delicious. 
right in the financial district, so it's good for a quick lunch.

Sweet Maple

a new breakfast discovery in the city..this place is SO great. 

all different types of eggs benedict {my dream} great french 

toast, omelettes, pancakes, and more. try the millionaire's bacon! 
i'm not even a bacon fan and i recommend it.

Dottie's True Blue Cafe

another good breakfast spot! this place is in the tenderloin 

{not the best area}, but that makes it a hidden gem. it is 

such good breakfast and VERY popular, as you'll see 

from the lines. go early! ..and get the specials.

Ike's Place

famous for the "best SF sandwich," this place is worth trying.

the names of the sandwiches are hilarious..i like the SF Giants sandwich!

Thai Cooking with Sunshine

if you want some of the best thai
food + a fun experience, this is your place.
i think it was one of our favorite things
we have done in san francisco! see sunshine's
facebook page and blog for more info.

 

Others worth mentioning:

Taquerias in the Mission
Lemongrass Thai
Liguria Bakery {foccacia bread}
All Good Pizza in Bayview
Frjtz Restaurant {belgian waffles}
Little Italy Restaurants
Lucca Ravioli Company
Flour & Co.
Happy Moose Juice
Restaurant inside Town Hall
Sexy Soup Food Cart
Chez Spencer’s French Food Truck

Lastly for eats, let's talk about The Ferry Building. 

my oh my..if you are a foodie, this is the place for you! it is sort of an indoor market {think: faneuil hall} with all different food stands and restaurants. the farmers market is on tuesday, thursday and saturday outside of the ferry building, which makes it even better. we go and try every single sample..between fresh california fruit, all different flavors of olive oil, sweets, cheeses, and more, it's a treat for the tastebuds. the tacolicious booth is there on thursdays and the tacos are the best. boulette's larder is the BEST, get some breakfast there. stonehouse olive oil has some of my favorite varieties i've ever tasted. steamed caramel milk from the sidekick is a little bit of heaven. miette has a little stand in here and they have my favorite macarons. cowgirl creamery needs to at least be sampled.
make sure to try some sow juice to make up for all of those treats! :)
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{treats}

Miette Bakery

this darling bakery is definitely one of my favorite places in san francisco. 
there are a few locations, but the hayes valley one is the best. the macarons, 
chocolate covered gummy bears, and homemade caramels are my favorites. this place is a treat 
for the eyes and for the tastebuds! *you can buy their cookbook or take classes here as well!*

Twirl & Dip Ice Cream Truck

organic soft serve ice cream, dipped in local dark chocolate and sprinkled 
with sea salt. yes, i'm serious. this is probably one of my favorite treats to get in 
the city. you can usually find the truck in golden gate park! we love this
place so much that we partner with them and featured them here!

Bi-Rite Creamery

safe to say that the hour long line outside this place is worth it

when you get your first taste...homemade flavors like roasted banana,

salted caramel, honey lavendar, ricaneles, toasted coconut...the list 
could go on but my mouth is already watering. go on a warm afternoon 
and sit in dolores park after while you eat it! yum.
*if the line is long, walk across the street and down to bi-rite
market to get a pint and take in the cutest grocery store ever!

Golden Gate Bakery

i would never have noticed this place on my own in chinatown, but i am 
so glad i was tipped off about it. it is just a little bakery right on bustling grant 
avenue in the heart of chinatown, but it has the greatest treats 
on earth..the homemade egg tarts. GO GET THEM!

Smitten Ice Cream

homemade ice cream...literally they make it right there as you order! 
salted caramel and dark choc are to die for, and the best 
part is knowing exactly what goes into them!

Beard Papa

an entire shop full of freshly made, giant cream puffs. 

life doesn't get much better. get the cocoa cream puff 

filled with vanilla cream. die and go to heaven!!

Bob's Donut Shop

i am not even a donut fan and i love this place. our friends first took us here 
for a late night donut run {open 24 hrs} and these things are GOOD. 
made fresh from scratch, and all amazing. even the basic glazed is great!

Chile Pies & Ice Cream

the cutest old fashioned pie shop..the best part? the PIE SHAKES...
a slice of any pie blended with milk and any kind of ice cream. 
it may sounds weird, but everyone loves them!

see our feature on them here.

Tartine Bakery

this is a little bakery with yummy food, and even better treats. 
the coconut cream tart is a winner, and so is the BREAD PUDDING!
for breakfast, the morning bun is the best.

The Loving Cup

i love this place with homemade rice pudding 
and ice cream..so cozy and yummy!

Fiona's Sweet Shop

darling little candy shop worth stopping into!

Schulzie's Bread Pudding

fun shop on hayes with all different flavors
of bread pudding, with sauces and toppings.

Fortune Cookie Factory

this is this little hidden fortune cookie factory. fun fact: fortune cookies 

were actually invented in SF, not china! this place is a fun way to see how they 
are made, and you can sample a few. you can also write your own fortunes and order 
some to be made with them inside! it is on ross alley, right off of jackson street.

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{sights}

Twin Peaks Summit

favorite view of the city. you can drive right up to it, park, 
and take in the view. it can be windy, but it's spectacular.

Dolores Park

we love this park right in the mission district. 
go up high on the hill so you can get a good view of the city, 
and bring a picnic {or some bi-rite ice cream!}

Palace of Fine Arts

just off the marina, this is the best place to go stroll around, relax, 
or read a book. the palace is beautiful, and the pond with swans is the 
perfect touch. we jog here a lot and stroll through it. i think it has
become one of my favorite spots in all of sf.

Golden Gate Bridge

obviously the best landmark in the city. we got engaged right beneath it on a boat, 
so i am partial to it! there are so many ways to see the bridge: you can park in a lot 
in the city side and walk across it for free, you can rent bikes and ride across it, {continuing 
on the route to sausalito,} or you can drive across it and park on the other side to take pictures 
at incredible vista point. make sure to stop in the visitors center, because there are 
actually some pretty fun things to do/learn about in there. it never gets old to me!

Lyon Street Steps

best stair workout you can get in a fun area of the city. watch out for all 
the stair runners and fitness gurus getting their workout in!
 
Union Square

this is the best shopping area you can find. i love being in union square 
and having the big-city feel. every good store is within a few blocks, and dinner at 
cheesecake factory on top of macy's overlooking the square is one of
our favorites. there is always something going on in union square!

Fisherman's Wharf

the most touristy area, but worth it. go park by the maritime museum, 
then stroll along and see the seals with a clam chowder bread bowl in your hand. 
ignore all the cheesy tourist shops, but do stop in lola toy shop..too cute.

Ghirardelli Square

ghiradelli square is somewhere we stop by frequently...{this may or may not 
have to do with the fact that they give unlimited samples...} haha but we love this 
darling area, the shops, and getting some hot chocolate and 
salted caramel at the best chocolate place in the city! 

Painted Ladies

picturesque san francisco spot..you can sit up on the hill in the park and 
look at the houses all in a row with the city behind. the actual house from "full house" 
is a few blocks away, but it doesn't look quite the same anymore. 
when we pass it, we always blast the theme song as we drive by.

Coit Tower

a classic part of san francisco's skyline..coit tower is always worth seeing! 
we love the walk up to it, and you can go inside and up to the top if you want. 
since it's centrally located, you have great views of the golden gate bridge, 
the bay bridge, downtown, and all around the city.

Lombard Street

named the "most crooked street in the world," it's always fun to 
take a drive down the curves of this pretty street..or walk down it! 
my favorite part is the fresh hydrangeas all over.
Chinatown

chinatown in san francisco is the best! it's a completely different feel, 
but it's fun to walk around, get rice candy, boba smoothies, shop, and especially 
get custard egg tarts at golden gate bakery {see "eats" section}

Cable Car Museum

fun little spot off the beaten path. this is a free museum where you can 
learn all about how cable cars work, and it's actually pretty interesting! 
before we went, i had always wondered how exactly they worked, so it 
was fun to go through the little museum and see. obviously you have to 
take a cable car ride after! this is chase's favorite museum in the city.

Golden Gate Park

pretty, giant park with so much to discover. you can rent rowboats on 
stow lake {named after one of my relatives} in the summer..go on runs or bike rides, 
visit the carousel, japanese garden, or california academy of sciences {fun museum}. 
we love this pretty place, and it feels like you leave the busy city whenever you go here.

Crissy Field

the field by the water with a pathway all the way down to the 
golden gate bridge..it is perfect for walks, kite flying, and 
stopping in the warming huts to get hot cocoa!

Sausalito

we LOVE this little town across the bridge from SF more than we can say. 
whether you bike there, take the ferry or drive, you have to go. it is like a 
little calm artsy european town across from the city, and it's so fun 
to walk around and go in all the little shops.

The Bike Hut

we love renting bikes from the bike hut
because a) it is a great cause b) michael is the greatest
guy, and c) it's at the end of the embarcadero so you
can ride all the way down along the water, out to
the bridge, across it, and back. perfect! see our
fun times doing this here and here.

museums:

-san francisco museum of modern art

-cable car museum it's little, but we love it! and, it's free!

-san francisco art institute 

-de young museum {love this one, go up the tower for free just to see the view if you don't have time for the full museum!

-california academy of sciences

-exploratorium love the new location on the embarcadero, fun with kids.

-walt disney museum

-national martime museum    

other fun things:

• sourdough class- a fun san francisco experience at la victoria bakery in the mission..sign up in advance! {taught by sour flour}
• gigi + rose boutique- darling little shop right down at the bottom of ghiradelli. so worth stopping into.
• go see grace cathedral on nob hill, and walk the labyrinth to relax.
• lola of north beach- this place has my favorite cards and gifts ever in SF. it's a block away from mama's, so when we're waiting in the long line we usually switch off wandering into this shop.
• you can go see the famous haight-ashbury district from the hippie days
• britex fabrics- famous fabric store off union square. some people come to SF just to get fabric here, so it's for sure worth going into. there are four floors, all full of amazing fabrics. my sister-in-law is an amazing seamstress and makes clothes, so she loves this store in the city!
• go downtown to see the iconic transamerica building
• ribbonerie- to go along with the fabrics, this is the best ribbon store ever. love love love.
• scrap- if you are a crafter, definitely check out this place!
• fleet week- if you're in SF during october, don't miss this.
• ____________________________________________________________________________

a quick note on transportation..

one of the best options to see a lot is the san francisco city pass. 
it's worth it if you are coming for anything around 4 days or more. it's $54 for an adult 
which sounds like a lot, but it buys you UNLIMITED cable car rides, a cruise around the bay 
or a boatride to alcatraz, and entry to most major museums in the city, it's a great deal!!

if you just want to do the cable car ride, definitely don't wait in the long line at powell & market, 
instead, walk one block up by H&M and get on right there to skip the line! it's $5 
per time, but $11 for a day pass {which counts for MUNI too!}

hopefully this guide helps anyone visiting
or living in san francisco!

any questions, ask away! 
we will update this as 
we discover more about the city..
you can also see our entire bay area bucket list here!

ps..see all san francisco posts & adventures

here.

“san francisco has always been a dreamer's city; 
a far-flung city perched on the edge of the sea 
where far-fetched fantasies have a way of 
catching hold and hatching into reality."

xo

c&e