San Francisco help please

[Disneyfreak]

I'm spending a little time in San Francisco but I could use a little planning help.

I've got dinners planned at Flour + Water, Michael Mina and Incanto. I'm thinking lunch at Barbacco. I want to visit Alcatraz. I'm thinking about a solo Mission food crawl. Aside from that I'm drawing a blank. What else should I be doing? I won't have a car but am not adverse to public transportation.

Thanks!

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Barbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

[Disneyfreak]

So now that you folks have my head completely turned around on my restaurant choices (LOL!) how about some other choices? I'm now thinking Incanto, walk in to Restaurant Gary Danko and perhaps subbing something else for Flour + Water. Any ideas?

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Gary Danko
800 N Point St, San Francisco, CA 94109

[MeredithR]

NOPA, Spruce, Frances or Locanda.

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Locanda
557 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110

[Civil Bear]

Will you be dining alone for your splurge meal? If so, you might consider dining at the counter overlooking the kitchen at Boulevard. If not, Gary Danko would be my somewhat similar but superior choice over Michael Mina.

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Boulevard Restaurant
1 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105

Gary Danko
800 N Point St, San Francisco, CA 94109

[Disneyfreak]

I will be dining alone. I called Restaurant Gary Danko and they are booked up for the night in question. The reservationist did tell me that they take walk ins at the bar and I can get the full menu. How hard do you think it would be to get a seat at the bar?

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Gary Danko
800 N Point St, San Francisco, CA 94109

[CarrieWas218]

I used to dine at the bar at Danko quite often (in fact, I'm not sure I have ever sat at a table!). If you don't mind eating a little on the early side, it is easy to get a spot at the bar. I just wouldn't try it at 7:30 p.m.

[rubadubgdub]

I finally had dinner at Flour + Water last night, and I was a little disappointed that it was just ok. The pastas are a bit rustic (thickish with noticeable slicks of oil and butter) and the pizza crust was very salty for some reason. It feels like a decent neighborhood restaurant but not a destination one. Are you wanting to go there for a particular reason? Incanto will serve you a much better Cal-Italian meal but they don't have pizza.

[foodpilgrimage]

Yeah Flour + Water, while nice, is just kind of average.

For pizza, I would go with Beretta or Delfina.

[rubadubgdub]

Pizza Delfina is my fave pizza in SFBA. Beretta's crowd is 20-somethings if that matters.

[mariacarmen]

ditto on F+W - just ok food.

ditto on Delfina & Pizzeria Delfina being great - for pizza and everything.

Did not like Beretta's pizza AT ALL. other good things to eat there, but not their pizza. bland and bad texture. In my opinion, of course.

And yes, definitely try lunch at Barbacco (sprouts, squid, lamb sandwich are stand-outs, among others) and definitely do the Tues. or Thurs. Ferry Plaza F.M.

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Delfina Restaurant
3621 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110

[Robert Lauriston]

I enjoyed Flour+Water, but for pasta I'll take Perbacco, Cotogna, Incanto, or La Ciccia, and Cotogna's my current favorite pizza.

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La Ciccia
291 30th Street, San Francisco, CA 94131

Perbacco
230 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111

Cotogna
490 Pacific Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

[foodpilgrimage]

In addition to Bi-Rite and Tartine Bakery in the Mission, you should definitely try brunch at Foreign Cinema and a burrito (at Papalote)

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Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110

[CarrieWas218]

Saturday morning at the Ferry Plaza.

Personally, I have eaten at four different Michael Mina restaurants (two in San Francisco, 1 in Vegas and 1 in Dana Point) and have been extremely underwhelmed each time. I think there are much more interesting establishments in the city; Saison, Coi, Gitane, Atelier Crenn, Canteen, and Aziza just to name a few.

You should add ice cream to your list: Bi-Rite and Humphry Slocombe, and perhaps a trip to Tartine Bakery or Dynamo Doughnuts.

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Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Gitane Restaurant & Bar
6 Claude Lane, San Francisco, CA 94108

Saison
2124 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA 94110

Atelier Crenn
3127 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123

[Disneyfreak]

Is Ferry Plaza only good on weekends? I will be there during the week. I'm going to have to give some thought to replacing Michael Mina. It was going to be my spurge restaurant.

[pamf]

The Ferry Plaza also has smaller markets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The permanent vendors and restaurants inside the building are open every day. You might consider stopping by to pick up breakfast and/or snacks before your trip to Alcatraz. It's a pleasant medium walk to the Alcatraz ferry along the Embarcadero or you can catch a streetcar.

[Robert Lauriston]

The Saturday market at Ferry Plaza is the biggest, but the Thursday market has a lot of prepared-food vendors.