6 days in SF / Napa, 11+ restaurants... am I making good choices?
My wife & I are photographers & being flown in for a shoot in SF & Napa. We're foodies from Oklahoma City by way of NY, and are looking to make the most of this short trip to CA. Money isn't really an issue, but since this happened on such short notice availability is an issue.
Thursday 10/20: Arrive SFO @ 2:00, Dinner - Zuni Cafe
Friday: Breakfast - Buena Vista Cafe, Lunch - Perbacco, Dinner - Foreign Cinema
Saturday: Breakfast - Canteen, Lunch - Pizzeria Delfina, PHOTO SHOOT 2:00-8:00, Dinner - still not confirmed. I am trying to get in with Boulevard to try their lamb T-bone, but that's still up in the air. I also have to check in with our next hotel in Napa by midnight. That means we could either go with a place in SF or Napa, but it would have to be late.
Sunday: Brunch - Brix, PHOTO SHOOT 4:00-8:00, Dinner - Morimoto's (I really want to experience Pacific sushi, and sushi is my favorite food, so I wanted to tie this in).
Monday: Breakfast - Nothing scheduled yet, Lunch - Celadon, Dinner - Bouchon
Tuesday: Nothing scheduled yet, Departure SFO @ 3:55PM
So far these are all the reservations I've been able to confirm. Is it to much? Am I in way over my head with food? I'm also not really leaving much room for some must have SF street fair. What kind of SF street food do I need to add to the list, or what should we remove from the list?
Your help is GREATLY appreciated!
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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Buena Vista Cafe
2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109
Brix
7377 St. Helena Highway, Napa, CA 94558
Pizzeria Delfina
2406 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Bouchon
6534 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599
Morimoto
610 Main Street, Napa, CA
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It's really different from your choice but how about The Dining Room instead of Zuni? On OT they only had a reservation at 9 (which might be late) but if u call and ask for earlier u might get it. Siegel has an amazing way with raw fish (re:your sushi reference) and is one of the few places where I don't think - "why didn't I just go to a Japanese resto". The rest of the menu is exceptional as well and on a whole different level from Zuni. I'd advise not eating on the plane and saving lots of room for an amazing experience at night :)
Again - in the luxe category La Folie would be a great choice.
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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102La Folie
2316 Polk St., San Francisco, CA 94109›2 Replies -
Was just in San Fran. Highly recommend Frances and SPQR. Mama's is fun for breakfast. Foreign Cinema was AWFUL, I would never go there again.
In Sonoma County try K&L Bistro in Sebastopol. Stay away from Girl & the Fig, a really bad formula restaurant. Food was lousy and the servers were terrible.-----
SPQR
1911 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 -
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If you really want a great dining experience then try either Frances or SPQR. Both are fantastic. For breakfast you can't beat Mama's at Washington Square. Good old fashioned, substantial diner fare. Be prepared to get there early and wait. Closed on Mondays.
I would definitely miss Foreign Cinema.-----
Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110SPQR
1911 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115 -
aching
Oct 20, 2010 01:38 PM
I would highly recommend that you have your Tuesday breakfast at Tartine (assuming you'll be back in SF). And I second the recommendation to go to the Ferry Terminal Farmer's Market on Saturday morning - it is a unique and delightful experience.
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Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero St, San Francisco, CA 94110 -
If you want to go to Bouchon--and I personally don't really care for it--they are open pretty late, and you might think about making Bouchon a late night meal Saturday night after you check in at your hotel. It's better to sit at the bar there and order from the raw seafood selection than it is to sit in the cramped and noisy main area, especially if you like raw seafood.
I'd drop Foreign Cinema and shift Perbacco to dinner--it's one of my favorites. Have a sandwich from Sentinel for lunch instead (same chef as Canteen, won't over-fill you the way two serious meals for lunch and dinner might).
Last comment: remember that Zuni Cafe's name includes cafe. Service can be good restaurant quality or it can just be decent cafe quality. Table cloths are covered in paper. Stemware is not great. The food, however, is rustic California at its best, but not everyone likes that.
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Zuni Cafe
1658 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110Bouchon
6534 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599›1 Reply -
JasmineG
Oct 20, 2010 01:17 PM
Your selections so far are pretty good, though I'd have better suggestions than Foreign Cinema for dinner if you talk a little bit about your preferences -- I think that their food is perfectly good, but it wouldn't be one of the few dinners in SF that I'd recommend for someone coming in for just a little while.
I love Canteen for breakfast, but you'll be missing out if you don't go to the Ferry Plaza Farmer's market that morning instead -- lots of great browsing and snacks to pick up, and great things to have for breakfast there. Hmm, or maybe I'd go to an early breakfast at Canteen and then on to the market and skip Pizzeria Delfina for lunch. For dinner that night my preference would be to eat in Napa Valley, just because that's a tiresome drive in the dark after a big dinner; then you could go straight from your photo shoot and check into your hotel, and then have a late dinner. Maybe Ubuntu if they can accommodate you that late, depending on where your hotel is.
For your Monday breakfast, I love the breakfast at the Boon Fly Cafe in Napa.
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Ubuntu Restaurant & Yoga Studio
1140 Main Street, Napa, CA 94558Boon Fly Cafe
4048 Sonoma Highway, Napa, CA 94559Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110Pizzeria Delfina
2406 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115
