Last minute trip to San Francisco for First Timer - Approve my Itinerary Please

[lisabnyc]

Have a few hours to kill tomorrow for lunch before heading to Walnut Creek for work. Is there anything worth eating out there? If not, I will have suitcase in tow but happy to roll it somewhere conveniently located near Bart system before heading that way.

Otherwise, back to San Francisco on Friday night and ready to EAT.
Was thinking Gioia PIzzeria for dinner Friday.
Bourbon & Branch for drinks

Saturday:
Ferry Market in the morning
snack at Swan
then heading to Mission Chinese for dinner

Sunday:
either lunch or early dinner at Slanted Door. Which do you prefer?

still want to try to find really good Vietnamese bun or Chinese dumplings.. will be staying in SoMa near Union Square East but willing to travel if deemed safe for a solo female.

Thanks in advance for any advice and happy to reciprocate if you find yourself in the Charleston, SC area.

[Cheesychicken]

Try sung thing on Irving. Great dumplings.
Bi rite for ice cream
Close by is tarting for the croissant.

[lisabnyc]

thanks to everyone for the advice - will report back once i've made progress.

[MagicMarkR]

I Haven't heard how Gioia is in SF, but if it is anything like the one in Berkeley, then yes, yes, yes! Have your snacks at the Ferry Market: you really do not want to waste your first (short) stay in SF standing in line on a non-picturesque street for snacks, or even a meal at Swan.

A completely different option to mission Chinese might be to have a meal at the bar at Limon in the Mission. It's Peruvian, and pretty lively.
http://www.limonsf.com/limonsf/valencia/

I'd do early dinner at Slanted Door, if that is where you are planning to go. If you do lunch, you will be tempted to skip it and fill up again at the Ferry Market (as you probably know, SD is in the Ferry Bldg.) Or you could go the opposite direction from your hotel to Lers Ros (a Chowhound favorite), and while there get a glimpse of the non-picturesque street you would be treated to were you to wait in line at Swan.

[mariacarmen]

Your snack at Swan may only happen if you get over there pretty early - any time after 11-ish and you could be in a 2 hour line. i'm a fan of Swan, but you should definitely not miss the Ferry Bldg Farmer's Market if you have to pick between the two.

OR, you could do your Ferry outing Thursday - there's a somewhat limited market and prepared foods offering on Thursdays there, and then save your Sat. early lunch for Swan.

If you're looking for a replacement for Mission Chinese, try Z&Y Garden in Chinatown. straightforward szechuan, not fusion-y or a "riff" on Chinese like MC, but great. Otherwise, I'd say just hop on Bart and head to the Mission District anyway, and walk up and down until you find something you like. Tons of choices there.

[Dustin_E]

the OP could always hit the ferry building at 8am, then head over the swan's around 10 or 10:30 to get in line at swan's... or hit swan's early, then go to the ferry building before the farmer's market closes at 2.

+1 for z&y as a substitute for mission chinese.

[Melanie Wong]

If the target at Swan Oyster Depot is oysters, well, I would stay put at the Ferry Building and catch Hog Island's booth outside for oysters on the half shell. Forecast is for sun on Saturday, should be a great day at the market.

[Melanie Wong]

Sorry to tell you this but better you know now, Mission Chinese will be closed for summer vacation until June 14.
http://www.missionmission.org/2012/05/28/mission-chinese-food-is-about-to-go-on-summer-vacation-so-eat-up-while-you-still-can/

A great Mexican ice cream and paleteria, Guanatos, has opened a branch in Walnut Creek.
704 Bancroft Rd. Ste C
Walnut Creek, Ca. 94598
Ph: [phone]
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7159...