Food | San Francisco, CA

A good food scene is sure to always make us love a city, and San Francisco (and Berkeley!) didn't disappoint. We did some meals in San Francisco and some in Berkeley, where we were staying with friends.

By the way, definitely drive over the bridge to Berkeley if you have the time during your trip - it's a fun area with great restaurants, shops, and just a good vibe.

Here's a look at where we ate:

Swan Oyster Depot

This place is a little seedy and a lot of perfect. Family run, tons of regular customers, and great, fresh seafood, like crabs, oysters, and smoked salmon. You have to wait in a line outside for a spot to open up - I think we only had to wait 10 or so minutes since we made sure to get there a littler earlier than the usual 12pm lunch time.

Om Sha Tea House

I'm so sad to see on Yelp that this restaurant is now closed! This was a great spot in the Mission District where you could get a healthy, delicious meal, or just chill out and have some tea. The ambiance was completely soothing and our server was unbelievably friendly. Sorry you guys won't get to try this one out for yourselves. But, trust me: toast some bread and top it with a mixture of olives and smashed avocado and you'll have yourself a delicious lunch.

Rickhouse

This was a fun spot to grab a throw-back cocktail, and I always love to see bartenders wearing suspenders. We went in right around happy hour when it was still a little quiet (which I prefer) but it seems that this place gets loud and packed later in the evening.

Barbacco

This might have been one of my favorite meals of the trip (the pictures do the food no justice). We had a very lovely dinner here on our last night in town. We shared a few plates, like Brussels sprouts fried in duck fat, duck pate, and a pasta dish, and even had dessert because everything was so good that we couldn't resist. Be sure to make reservations for this place, as we had to wait a bit for a seat at the bar over looking the cook's line.

Harrow

We popped in here on a late afternoon when we wanted a drink and a snack. I loved the casual but simplistic vibe and the mac and cheese was to die for. 

Comal

This night was a fun one - it was our first night in town and we got to catch up with our friends over Mexican food and tequilla cocktails out in the back patio.

And we ate a few other wonderful meals in Berkeley but I honestly cannot remember the restaurant names!

Do you have a favorite San Francisco restaurant?

See all the other San Francisco posts right here. 

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Around Town | San Francisco, CA

 

Here are a lot more pictures from our time wandering around San Francisco. Some things I don't want to forget about the city: the beautiful architecture; how you can hear the cable car cables running underground; the beautiful public parks; how vibrant downtown was during a workday afternoon; and the casual, yet smart vibe about the whole city. And that perfect weather we had, which I know is such a rarity in San Francisco - maybe the city seemed so alive because everyone was out soaking up the sun!

-Amanda

You can find other San Francisco posts here and more California posts here.

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Things to See | San Francisco, CA

There is so much to do in San Francisco, and we tried to see most of the things that the city is known for. Here's a look at what we did:

Lombard Street

The section of Lombard Street between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets is said to be the crookedest, most winding street in the world, with eight sharp turns in a one block stretch. A visit to this street seemed to be a favorite tourist attraction, evident in the number of people walking up and driving down the block. Taras and I agreed that living on this street must be a nightmare! But it was a really cool thing to see. And if walking up the steps that run along the block gets too tiring, no fear, there are kids ready to sell refreshing lemonade.

Golden Gate Bridge

No trip to San Francisco is complete without taking a million photos of the Golden Gate Bridge. We had some very sunny days while we were in town, but I still wish we could have seen the bridge covered in some of that iconic fog. 

North Beach

North Beach is the city's Italian district, where you can find a good espresso and eateries with European-style outdoor seating. It was nice to stroll through the area, but we weren't there during meal time so we can't attest to the Italian food. I will say, though, that NYC's and Boston's Little Italy neighborhoods inspire me a bit more than San Francisco's.

Chinatown

A visit to the city's Chinatown is a must.

Ferry Building Market

The Ferry Building Market is unreal. Tons of restaurants and vendors occupy the space, with offerings like meats, cheese, desserts, breads, produce, and more.

Coit Tower

We trekked up to Coit Tower for some great views of the city. We hung out on the property's grounds, opting not to pay to go up to the observation deck, but the view from the ground-level was still good.

Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39

We spent a few hours over at the waterfront, exploring the Wharf and Pier 39. It was unreal to watch the sea lions in action!

See more San Francisco posts right here.

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