1 day in San Francisco- food must haves

[burnbrightly]

Eating my way through San Fran this Monday,

I'd like to sample as much as I can in one day with an emphasis on inexpensive food that ral San Fran folks like to eat. Recommendations/specific eateries are appreciated. I have abitmore of a budget for dinner but would like to keep it on the cheap in the daytime. A few ideas:

good burritos
dum sum
seafood/oysters
italian

thanks so much!

-Bill

I am staying in union sq but am willing to travel all over the city.

[malachi]

where i eat:
- Taqueria Cancun (on Mission)
- Saigon Sandwich
- Pakwan
- Bill's
- Panchita's #3

[Ruth Lafler]

Those are pretty good. No one has mentioned Panchita's #3 for a while.

-----
Saigon Sandwich Shop
560 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Taqueria Cancun
2288 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Pakwan
501 Ofarrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102

[lanersg]

Just in case you weren't aware, I've had friends come into town looking for burritos and didn't know they were rather large. I would keep the burrito towards the end of the day so you might feel inclined to get half of it to go... If you eat a burrito (an entire one) mid day, you might not want to keep eating.

[rworange]

Assuming you are doing nothing but eating non-stop ...

Starting in Union Square ....

- Stop by Dottie's True Blue Cafe for a freshly baked scone, muffin or coffee cake.
http://www.chow.com/places/8722

- Walk down to the Blue Bottle Cafe for a cup of the house-roasted beans brewed in a $20,000 coffee machine from Japan
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/498944

- Walk or take the street car down Market street and stop at the Palace Hotel on New Montgomery Walk across the street to the Sentinel for a fabulous sandwich, soup or dessert (take out only). The chai is supposed to be terrific
http://www.chow.com/places/29470

Walk down Mission to Yank Sing in the beautiful Old Post Office building. Order the xlb and an order of sesame balls While not inexpensive, you are only having two dishes there
http://www.chow.com/places/4413

Walk a block over to the Ferry Building
http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/merchant_list.php

Stop by Boccalone Salumeria for whatever is being offered that day. Maybe see if anything on Mijitas's Mexican menu appeals. The meatball soup is supposed to be good. Have some oysters at Hog Island ... and sure ... the clam chowder. As long as you are in the building, check out Acme Bread, Cowgirl Creamery', Boulette's Larder, Out the Door, and Frog Hollow. Maybe stop for a glass of wine at the Wine Merchant.

Maybe stop at Tadich for some sand dabs or cioppino.

Go over to North Beach (cable car, street car, etc) and stop by Liguria Bakery and pick up some foccacia. This is the only thing this place makes. It has not changed a thing since it opened in the early 1900's ... not the shop, not the foccacia, not the family ... ok ... they got a new cash register in the 1990's. A huge sheet will be little more than $2. Ask for it cut into slices.
http://www.chow.com/places/1478

Walk down the street to XOX truffles and get a free truffle with a cup of Graffeo coffee that is roasted across the street.
http://www.chow.com/places/1030

Walk through North Beach to Grant Avenue and Chinatown and have a custard tart and baked bbq pork bun from Golden Gate Bakery
http://www.chow.com/places/1161

Walk back to Market Street and grab a street car to the Mission. It isn't a burrito, but stop by Poc-chuc for some wonderful and reasonable Yucatan food
http://www.chow.com/places/16830

Walk up Mission to 24th and walk up that street
http://www.chow.com/search?search%5Bquery%5D=mexican+mission&search%5Bboardgroup_id%5D=1&search%5Bclass_names%5D=Restaurant&search%5Bquery%5D=&search%5Bboard_id%5D=1&x=12&y=5

Some places to consider along that route: El Farolito, Taqueria San Jose, Taqueria Cancun, El Toyanese ... oh ... I suppose others will chime in with their favs. As long as you are in the Mission, stop over at Tartine for a pastry followed by an ice cream at Bi-Rite creamery.

Take the street car back to your hotel and freshen up for dinner take advantage of happy hour at the wonderful new Orson
http://www.chow.com/places/24225

Walk up the street and finish the day at Coco500 ... just because I like Coco500
http://www.chow.com/places/5161

Waddle back to the hotel and post about what you ate.

[grayelf]

I'm so stealing this itinerary for our next trip!

[Ani]

Thanks so much rworange, that's a great itinerary!! Can't wait to try everything in SF.

[Ruth Lafler]

Great itinerary. I would suggest, though, that you do it in reverse -- since it's Monday you can hit Hog Island at the Ferry Building for their $1 oysters at Happy Hour (5-7). If you're there right at 5 you should miss most of the crowd and also still have time to toddle down to Orson for the rest of Happy Hour (5-7).

[JasmineG]

If you get to the Hog Island Happy Hour right at 5, the crowd is massive and you can often wait for a while to get seated. Show up at at least 4:45, or get there on the late (6:30 or so) side.

[bex109]

The last few times I've gone to Happy Hour at Hog Island, I've gotten there between 4:30 and 4:45, and still had to wait at least 30-45 minutes to get a table for 2-3. And that was before summer tourist season.

I think it's a wonderful spot, and I always take visitors there, but happy hour might not work on a tight itinerary.

[yankeefan]

Two things:

Sourdough bread
Cioppino

(preferably together)

[Pammeh]

If you want a wide selection to "sample" from and don't need a sit-down place, I'd recommend the Ferry Building. Yes, it's super-duper touristy, but you know what? There's a reason for it. If nothing ELSE, you need to hit up Acme Bread there--it's also very affordable (I walked 1 hour and ~2 miles out of my way at 8 AM yesterday for bread.)

mmmm...bread.

[jsteingarten]

well, if you're going to be in the Ferry Building anyway, make sure to stop by Frog Hollow Farms for some fruit and pastry.

[Robert Lauriston]

Where are you coming from? "Must haves" vary depending on what you can get at home. This topic's a good place to start:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/359937

[ML8000]

burritos, take a look at: http://www.burritoeater.com/main.php

If you don't want to travel to the Mission, try Taqueria Cancun at 6th and Market. 6th is a little bit hairy but if you stay on Market you'll be fine.

[jsteingarten]

It's not hairy in the daytime, though. ;)

[ML8000]

Totally agree. :) It's not hairy to me at night, or by other big city standards, but I'm considering travelers.

[Ruth Lafler]

How are you getting around? If you only have one day, then the difficulty in getting to a place, or from place to place, is an important factor.

[jsteingarten]

burritos: my favorite (although you can get them cheaper and larger elsewhere) is La Taqueria at 25th and Mission
dim sum: Koi Palace (in Daly City)
seafood: Ame for the sashimi and the sake marinated black cod
italian: Perbacco