5 days in SF.

[banderson28]

I am traveling to San Francisco at the beginning of June for 5 days with a friend. Two guys from Canada looking for some good eats.
So far this is what I have for dinner and or lunch ideas...any thoughts?

A16- dinner

Anchor and Hope - before or after Giants game?

Wayfare Tavern? (alittle unsure of this one)

Slanted Door - lunch

Perbacco- dinner

Pizzareia Delfina - late Lunch

Zuni Cafe - dinner (roasted chicken?)

Hog Island- oysters/champagne and grilled cheese.

Other thoughts are: Sotto Mare for lunch?
Swan Oyster Bar or Tadich Grill for the old school thing?

Any ideas for good authentic Mexican food?

Thanks for any input.

[TeacherFoodie]

Just wondering if OP reported about the trip?

[sonj818]

I'd add Park Tavern (for dinner or weekend brunch... reserve dinner now,) Aq, and Incanto to your list. If you want to stick with Italian, check out Cotogna or Original Joe's. (OJ is old-school Italian, cotogna is rustic.) La Ciccia has also been getting a lot of press, though I haven't been. I'm also obsessed with the buratta meatball at Tony's Pizza Napoletana...

[banderson28]

OJ seems fun. A few cocktails and snacks maybe.

La Ciccia seems very good, but have only 5 dinners.

For me A16 and Pebacco seem more interesting than Incanto.

Always wanted to check out Tony's Pizza Napoletana too. I have a real weakness for buratta too.

[banderson28]

I think I'm replacing Wayfare with Park Tavern . This place seems fun, food looks exciting.
Good pick, thanks!

[sonj818]

Oh! I also wanted to mention that s ot to mare doesn't charge corkage

[banderson28]

Good to know, thanks!

[Civil Bear]

Swan and Tadich are both old school but quite different. Swan is counter service while Tadich is a full blown restaurant complete with, ahem, "efficient" waiters and great martinis. You cannot go wrong with any grilled fish there. I would definitely trade it in for Wayfare.

[banderson28]

Thanks,
I think Wayfare is off the list. I'm sure it's fine, but it seems as though it could be in any North American city. Tadich and Swan are defintely "old school" SF restaurants.
No reservations at either and Swan is a daytime spot I believe?
What time is wise to try Swan (Mon-Wed)?
Tadich dinner on a Mon 2 people?

[Civil Bear]

Swan always seems to have a line out the door, but it tends to go quicker than you think.
Tadich should be fine on Monday up until 6:30 or so. The wait isn't too bad anyways as the gin & tonics and martinis are spot on!

[banderson28]

Thanks

[Robert Lauriston]

Sometimes Wayfare does some good twists on old-school SF specialties, but I don't see anything like that on the current menu.

[sugartoof]

I think they've already abandoned that old school SF concept.

[sonj818]

Try right when it opens

[hyperbowler]

This looks like a really good itinerary.

You sure do like seafood (Hog Island, Anchor & Hope, Sotto Mare). Oysters are also at Zuni and Wayfare, so consider swapping out Hog Island, and in La Mar Cebicheria for a South American slant on seafood. Note that Sotto Mare is closed on Sundays.

Perbacco, A16, and Pizzeria Delfina (if you don't get pizza at A16) are lots of Italian, but sufficiently different that it wouldn't be overkill.

Mexican/Salvadoran food is cheap, quick, and good places are in proximity around 24th and Mission. I'd recommend hopping between a few places and getting tacos or other small things. Dunstable is right that everyone has their own favorites, mine are La Taqueria, Taqueria San Jose for chorizo or al pastor, La Santaneca for pupusas).

[banderson28]

Good info, Thanks.

I'm thinking of just doing Hog Island....just easier for a visitor especially considering it is in The Ferry Building which I am hitting on a Tues. Maybe have some oysters and then hit Slanted door for a couple of dishes.

I was thinking of Anchor and Hope for a pre/post Giants game pint and some snacks (on a Sunday). Are there better places near AT&T Field?

Sotto Mare was for ciopinno and maybe a seafood pasta (2 of us). I am a big fan of Italian food, I could spend a week in SF just focusing on that alone.....so many good options.

I like the idea of hitting a few different Mexican places too thanks for that idea.

The one reservation for me in question is Wayfare. I am not totally sold on it for some reason and don't really want to waste any bites in SF! Any thoughts or other recommendations?
Boulevard instead???

[hyperbowler]

I don't know that area too well, but Anchor and Hope has a nice beer and seafood selection.

You'll get your fill of fresh pasta at Perbacco and A16. Skip the pasta at Sotto Mare--- I'd been warned against it, and sure enough it was overcooked.

I like Wayfare, especially their marrow, but, yeah, it's not as "California" as your other picks. Does the menu look like the kinds of stuff you can get in higher end Alberta? Aziza (Cal-Moroccan) is a board favorite and would add a nice element of diversity to your itinerary if you don't mind heading out to the Richmond district.

[banderson28]

Yeah kinda my thoughts about Wayfare.....and yes I can find similar style things around here. Just seems too safe I guess is how I would put it. I have read a lot of good things about Aziza and it would add some diversity to our trip. Just want food that truly represents SF/California style food.

Thanks for the input about Sotto Mare. You're right, Perbacco and A16 should take care of my pasta fix.

[TeacherFoodie]

I am a big fan of Aziza. It was my favourite restaurant from my trip there in March. Someone recommended to me to go to Ocean Beach and watch the sunset and then go for dinner at Aziza - we did exactly that. Food was incredible at Aziza.

[banderson28]

I think I may check out Aziza.
Thanks

[grayelf]

We had some perfectly done grilled petrale sole at Sotto Mare a couple of weeks ago on our latest visit to SF that I am still thinking about. The sand dabs were a hair overcooked. Seems like a good place to split a plate of petrale and/or some cioppino.

Re Perbacco, I'm wondering if the OP mightn't prefer Barbacco next door. The ambiance is much livelier if the two guys are younger...

And finally re Mexican, we did a tour of Fruitvale a few years ago that was excellent and didn't feel concerned at all. It was just the two of us on a Monday afternoon, however, not in the evening. YMMV.

[banderson28]

Thanks. I was actually considering Barbacco as well, just a little unsure of the communal seating. I don't mind it at large tables, but don't want to share a 6 top with three others.
I have heard that Perbacco is fairly loud as well, which I like.

[Robert Lauriston]

Barbacco has some two-tops.

[banderson28]

Which do you prefer?

[Robert Lauriston]

Generally, Perbacco for a serious traditional three- to six-course meal, Barbacco for casual, but Barbacco was closed for a private event a couple of weeks ago so we went to Perbacco instead and it works just as well for casual dining.

[banderson28]

Looking to do multi course dinner so I'll stick with Perbacco.

Thanks

[sfbing]

Anchor and Hope is kind of far from the park for a pre/post game pint. Usually, I head over to 21st amendment. Or tres agaves if you're in the mood for tequila and fries fried in lard. Or the public house which is as close as you can get.

In the dogpatch (which is probably farther than anchor and hope, really), there is serpentine, piccino, hard knox, and mr. and mrs. miscellaneous, who serve an Anchor Steam ice cream with peanuts.

Momo's is very popular but I always feel vaguely ripped off there.

[banderson28]

I'll look into these place.
Thanks

[sugartoof]

I don't think Delfina is worthy of a lunch spot on a visitors packed calendar right now. If you want Pizza, I think Ragazza is a superior pick.

[banderson28]

Will check it out
thanks

[Lord Griffin]

totally disagree. pizzeria delfina in the mission is one of the best lunches in the city, especially sitting outside and people watching on a sunny day. pizza and other food is at least as good as Ragazza, although having been to both many times i think delfina is superior... but for a lunch spot, its pizzeria delfina hands down.

[TeacherFoodie]

We tried their mushroom pizza (one of the specials) and it was delicious. You could share something at Delfina Pizzeria and then grab yourself some good Mexican. You may want to consider some ice cream while in the mission as well. And if you can get to Knead Patisserie before 3 pm you can try the life-altering (according to me) pomme d'amour. Someone suggested it to me before our trip to SF and it was sooooooo delicious!

[banderson28]

Sounds good to me. Thanks for the input.

[sugartoof]

As has been pointed out, Ragazza isn't a lunch spot.

I found a recent lunch at Delfina to be dull, and cardboard like with lunch service notably poor. It's great for people watching, and a walk to the park, but the pizza itself doesn't resemble what they served when they opened the shop and gained a reputation. Gone is the chew, and the light char. The sauce was dried out, and no longer has much depth, which the rest of the pizza is soggy, until you get to the crust, which is more cracker like than before. I used to count it as the best in the city, but no longer. Maybe the California St. location is the better of the two now.

[Robert Lauriston]

Ragazza doesn't open until 5.

[dunstable]

Authentic Mexican food -- go to Fruitvale! But I wouldn't recommend that for a tourist (not really a safe area), so my choice is La Taqueria. "Best Mexican in SF" is one of those topics that can be debated endlessly, so I guess you're better served searching for another thread about it.

Going to both Hog Island and Swan Oyster seems a bit redundant to me, unless you're coming from a part of Canada with no seafood.

[banderson28]

Thanks for the Mexican pick.

Was thinking of Swan Oyster Bar more for the local vibe.....not looking for the tourist style places. Bang for the buck Hog Island or Swan?
And yes I am from the land locked area of Canada (Alberta) so a shellfish binge is not a bad thing for a few days.