My Favorite Things About San Francisco

I've lived in the Bay Area my whole life, and tried to explore and experience everything San Francisco has to offer. Even if having a profound passion for the city and being knowledgeable about its neighborhoods, culture, and character weren't part of my profession, I would anyway because to know San Francisco is to love San Francisco! Here are some of my favorite things about The City:

  1. So much fun packed into just 7x7 miles! Everything is so close and walkable. There is so much to do, you can never be bored!
  2. Restaurants & Bars - We have so many favorite places to go in so many different areas. From fancy to affordable, from snacks to desserts.  NOM! We love to get our meals on in San Francisco.
    1. The Mission - Foreign Cinema, Arabian Nights
    2. Hayes Valley - Espetus Brazilian Churrascaria, Boulangerie, Souvla
    3. The Marina - Delarossa, Blue Barn
    4. Cow Hollow - Baker Street Bistro
    5. Pacific Heights - DOSA, Jane, Pizzeria Delfina
    6. Polk Gulch - Swan Oyster Depot (A true SF experience. It has been around for ~100 years and owned & operated by the same family.)
    7. NOPA - Green Chile Kitchen, Pappalote Mexican, NOPA, Nopalito, Delessio, Souvla again!
    8. Downtown - Kokkari Greek
    9. Embarcadero - Slanted Door at the Ferry Building, Gott’s
    10. Potrero Hill - Plow for brunch, Sunflower
    11. The Castro - Le Marais Bakery, KASA
    12. Mission Dolores - Tartine Bakery, Delfina, Delfina Pizzeria (again!)
    13. West Portal - Mozzarella Di Bufala Pizzeria
  3. Shopping
    1. Boutiques in Hayes Valley, on Fillmore, Sacramento, Chestnut and throughout SF
    2. More commercial and high-design shopping downtown/Union Square
    3. Specialty stores and showrooms
  4. Diversity - A little bit of everyone, everywhere.
  5. Microclimates from neighborhood to neighborhood due to the topography. There are actually apps for this like Mr. Chilly. A 10-15 degree difference from the beach to downtown is typical. No joke!
  6. Tourist Landmarks - Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz Island, Pier 39, Lombard Street - the list goes on and on!
  7. Art and Theatre galore - Museums like MOMA and De Young, epic shows at The Curran and Golden Gate Theatre, galleries, murals in the Mission and all over the city.
  8. Character - The architecture, the hills, the people - San Francisco has a character all its own.
  9. History - Hello Gold Rush, Harvey Milk, epic earthquakes, and dot com busts and booms!
  10. The fact that it’s on the water: The bridges and the vistas from everywhere are TO DIE FOR (e.g., Twin Peaks, Telegraph Hill).

If you live here and you see some places on the list you haven't visited yet, get out there! If you've never been to San Francisco - what are you waiting for?

 
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