OK, I lived there for 5 years, and here is my non tourist guide that I usually give to people who are going to SF:
The Non Tourist Guide to San Francisco
Here's a quick list of all the non-tourist neighborhoods, restaurants bars etc that I was fond of when I lived in San Francisco.
Noe Valley (Nice neighbourhood where I used to live)
Sandwiched in between the Mission (Mexican district) and the Castro (Gay District) its a real eclectic mix of people, one of the safest neighborhoods in the city, hence more push chairs per person!!
24th St (between Church & Castro).
Get Outbound J-Train underground from Powell Station. get off at 24th st.
Martha’s – THE Best Coffee in San Francisco (Church & 27th) but I am biased as it was my local. There is also another one on 24th Street close to the shops. You should also try their pumpkin bread its delicious. Family run business from Guatemala I believe. Just the smell of their coffee wakes you up when you walk in. If you are at the 24th St shop you could also go a few doors down to the Bagel shop. http://www.marthabros.com/
Farmers Market some Saturdays
Few good clothes shops & book shops.
The church on 29th & Church is where they film the Whoopee Goldberg film "Sister Act" and is opposite my old apartment.
Also check out Dolores park & Church & 18th. Great for just chilling out and great panoramic views over the city. this is the edge of the Castro too so don’t be surprised if you see lots of "butch" men sunbathing in their underwear!!!!
Pomelo restaurant is excellent (Church and 30th)
Sushi Bar over road is best in town. Super trendy – Deep Sushi, DJ's at the weekends. Great Tempura.
Regent Thai on Corner is also great, very cheap and authentic with friendly staff.
Alice’s @ 29th & Sanchez – Hunan (spicy Chinese) is great. Eric’s (sister restaurant) on Church is also good.
Savor on 24th street is casual but good food (try the Bangkok salad)
Mexican few doors down is good too.
Italian restaurant opposite Martha’s on Church street is great food, even better wine, but quite pricey. Tip: sit at the bar and chat to the barman, he has great recommendations for wine etc.
Mission District (Mexican District)
Don’t be put off by its grungy appearance, is quite safe, but keep your wits about you at night, lots of the best restaurants and bars are hidden away here!!
Delfina – Italian $$ Mission District (18th @ Guerrero)
Limon -Peruvian Mission District (Valencia @ 16th)
Destino – Peruvian (Market @ Guerrero)
Cha Cha Cha on Valencia St (in Mission district), Fantastic Tapas, atmosphere and muchas tequilas!!
Next door is also a great restaurant.
Next St over, Valencia St is also good for a bit of alternative shopping, right in the heart of the Mexican district, loads of cool (and
dive) bars & restaurants to explore. You haven’t had a burrito until you have had one in the mission district. My favorite is "Mariachis".
Ethiopian restaurant on Valencia is also great if you don’t mind eating with your hands!!
Castro (Gay district)
Anything goes here, and I mean ANYTHING.
Lots of good restaurants
Luna on Castro
Catch(seafood) upper market
Zao Noodle
Peets Coffee
Mecca (On Market)
Good clothes shops
Fillmore/Pacific heights
Fillmore St in Pacific Heights (Jackson thru' Sutter) This is the Jazz district and there is a Jazz festival every year. If you can catch a concert at "The Fillmore" its not to be missed.
The Grove – on Fillmore st good for lunch and a pint of wheat beer (Hefferwiessen)
Café Kati – Pacific Heights @Sutter & Fillmore – one of our favorites for dinner, book in advance, California/Asian fusion, Dragon Rolls not to be missed. http://www.cafekati.com/
Peets (on Fillmore) – Good coffee (Remember Friends don’t let friends go to Starbucks, you support the smaller coffee shops when in San Francisco). http://www.peets.com/
Noah's bagels various shops around the city. http://www.noahs.com/index2.html
Hayes Valley
Great for shopping (shoes, clothes designer furniture), a few nice restaurants dotted about.
Frjtz is great for lunch, Belgian cafe with a back patio that does crepes, great sandwiches and cones of fries with lots of different types of sauces/dips to try.
Don’t go much further up the street past Frjtz as you will in up in quite a dangerous area!!! :-o
Marina District / Chestnut St
Marina district, where the beautiful people and wanna be rich and famous live (Fillmore thru' Broderick)
The Grove – Pub/Cafe great for lunch and a pint of wheat beer (hefferweisen).
Zao Noodle – Cheap and tasty Noodle bar.
Matrix Bar – Uber trendy.
The Haight district (by Golden gate park)
Worth checking out for some alternative shopping (if you need to pick up a few bongs and a tie die t-shirt).
There are also some cool shops (Stussy etc).
There is also another Cha cha cha on Haight St too (jugs of Sangria a must after the long walk).
Downtown/Financial District
We didn’t really spend much time downtown, but you may like the "cheesecake factory" at the top of Macy’s for the sheer American-ness of the portion sizes, food is OK, but a good view over union square.
Sony Metreon (Huge Cinema & cafes) – 4th & Mission. Lots of options. Sushi, Pizza, Noodles, burritos etc. Tip: Get some food from the downstairs food court, but get it to go. Head over to the lift and get it to the top floor, there is a roof terrace overlooking yerba Buena gardens, fine spot for lunch, but watch out for the seagulls!!
Belden Lane -Plouf: FRENCH great fish and mussels.
Specialties bakery – Great sandwiches to go, and freshly baked cookies to Die for (try the oatmeal wheat germ or the choccy chip).
Polk St
(Pacific Heights/Russian hill), Another good place for food and shops is but stay away from the Market st end unless you are looking for a lady (or lady boy) of the night ;-).
Peets Coffee.
Spoon.
Olive. (dodgy end but great pizzas)
Russian Hill
Za's Pizza
Coit Tower
Tonic
Nob Hill
Top of the Mark @ the Mark Hopkins Hotel on 4th Street (at top of hill) – great panoramic views of the city but probably just stay for one cos the drinks will be $$$$.
Marriott – just off Market – Top floor there's a bar with great views.
Tenderloin/Civic Centre
The Tenderloin/Civic Centre is essentially the theatre district of San Francisco. Ovoid getting a hotel here at all costs. While there are theatres, it is also home to all of the drug addicts/homeless people in San Francisco. Dangerous at night and stinks.!!
There a re a few nice places dotted around in this area. But really not worth it.
Tender nob / Noberloin. (Yes they are real districts – only really know to locals)
This is the transitional Zone between the Tenderloin and Nob Hill.
Few nice restaurants nice bars and seedy bars dotted about.
Red Room
A trip to the redwood rooms (the bar at the CLIFT hotel) would also be an experience, full of SF's rich and wanna be famous, but be prepared to hand over and arm, leg and first born for a round of drinks, but hey with they exchange rate, everything is half price
Foleys (Irish Pub)
Ruby Skye – Club
North Beach:
Tourist also go to North beach as it is known as the Italian district, I wouldn’t bother, we never had a decent Italian meal there, strictly for the tourists, but there are a few good Irish bars and Italian coffee houses there.
Stinking Rose – garlic flavored everything – garlic ice cream anyone?
Fisherman’s wharf:
At all costs avoid Fisherman’s Wharf, OK its not that bad, but one you have been there once you probably wont go back. Get your cruises to Alcatraz here and you get to see the famous Pier 39 and the stinky sea lions (yes they really do stink). There is a bar there with over 100 beers on draught, cant remember what it is called, but I recommend trying the beer "El Torro Poppy Jasper". Fantastic stuff. Also if you are a seafood fan try the Clam Chowder.
Embarcadero
Slanted Door – Vietnamese Restaurant at the Ferry Terminal Lunch or Dinner ( you will likely need a reservation for dinner). Quite expensive but worth it.
Gordon Biersch Microbrewery : http://www.gordonbiersch.com_ Embarcadero @ Harrison (great views of the Bay) Not bad food, specialty is the garlic fries.
SOMA
Crossroads – Embarcadero @ Delancy (might be an option if your heading to CAL-TRAIN to San Jose). The N-Judah will take you there (stop before the ballpark is crossroads – Harrison St (I think.)
Thai Basil – SOMA (Folsom @ 7th)
Maya (classy Mexican & great margaritas)
Parks/Walks
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Bridge – some restrictions, check opening time.
Palace of Fine Arts – Marina
Crissy Fields – Marina
Yerba Buena Gardens (downtown 4th & Mission behind Sony Metreon).
Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) at end of gardens on 3rd. Great museum shop.
Ocean Beach (End of Golden Gate Park) – get the Outbound N Train underground from Powell to the end of the line.
Useful websites:
http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com_ Good web site for the city.
http://www.sfmuni.com/cms/mms/home/home50.htm_ Bus/Muni routes – you can get a pass for the week.
http://www.bikeroute.com/BlazingSaddle.htm_ –
Bike rental – Suggest cycle across the GG Bridge down to Salsaulito/Tiberon then get the ferry back (serve cold beers and G&Ts) OR cycle thru' Golden Gate Park to Ocean Beach.
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