As one of the most quintessential and iconic cities in America, San Francisco is also one of its most picturesque. Check out our local recommendations below-- many of the places we have loved over the years, plus new arrivals that have already earned evergreen status.
Shout out to our friends at GOOP for bulk of content.
SEE + DO
SF BOTANICAL GARDEN | 1199 9TH AVE
"When you visit the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, it's also worth a stop at San Francisco's Botanical Gardens. They have a beautiful area featuring native California plants, but you can also find a significant Magnolia collection, an Andean cloud forest, and (to satisfy your inner landscape designer) a crazy-good succulent garden." -GOOP
COASTAL TRAIL PRESIDIO PARK | BAKER BEACH
“The California Coastal trail is actually one giant mega-trail connecting Mexico to Oregon. For this segment in the Presidio (the park and former army base that make up a protected area around the Southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge), you'll walk a 2-3 mile stretch from Baker Beach to the Golden Gate Bridge along the rocky coastline. With views of the bay throughout, it's a gorgeous way to approach the bridge. The Presidio offers a lot of other side trails, too, if you're hoping to string together a longer morning run.” –GOOP
DE YOUNG MUSEUM | 50 HAGIWARA TEA GARDEN DR
“Much like the Met in New York or LACMA in Los Angeles, the de Young Museum is San Francisco's encyclopedic public cultural offering—with a significant collection of Asian Art and celebrated holdings in sculpture, painting, and works on paper. After suffering significant damage during the Loma Prieta earthquake, the museum closed for five years starting in 2000 for a complete rebuild. The new Herzog & de Meuron-designed building and corresponding landscaping have made it into one of the most significant architectural destinations in the country. Even if you don't have time to stroll through the exhibitions, it's worth a trip to walk through their gorgeous grounds in Golden Gate Park.” –GOOP
FERRY BUILDING | ONE FERRY BUILDING
“This gorgeous building right on the Embarcadero houses some of San Francisco’s most notable food merchants including Hog Island Oyster Company, Cowgirl Creamery’s Artisan Cheese Shop, and Blue Bottle Coffee. It’s the ideal place to bum around on a rainy day and the outdoor farmers market (they set up on Tue, Thu, & Sat) is not to be missed.” –GOOP Lots to do, see, and eat here! Also a great spot to start your day before venturing out to Sausalito for more exploring.
museum of modern art | 151 third st | 415-357-4000
The SF MoMA and the SF Film Society have joined forces to launch Modern Cinema, a new cinematheque-style film series kicking off October 7th at SFMOMA’s gorgeous, newly renovated Phillis Wattis Theater. On Sun 10/9 at 7:15p, the 1975 french film Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, will be shown. Visit site for tickets and more information!
precita eyes mural tours | 2981 24th st | 415-285-2287
“The Precita Eyes Muralists tours in San Francisco are a really fantastic way to see the city via local outdoor art. There are numerous worthy murals to be seen all around S.F. and the tour guides here know them all in and out.” –GOOP
EAT
ATELIER CRENN | 3127 FILLMORE ST | 415-440-0460
“Chef Dominique Crenn is equal parts poet and chef, as evidenced by the creative titles of her tasting menu, which includes dishes like ‘the sea’ or ‘walk in the forest’. She’s also known for inventive presentation—expect lots of props, like dishes with glass panels, or mossy branches, to adorn your meal.” -GOOP
DEL POPOLO | 855 BUSH ST | 415-589-7940
“Before adding a brick-and-mortar location last year, the guys at Del Popolo were slinging pies out of their now-famous mobile pizzeria. Why famous? Other than the killer Neapolitan-style pizzas, which range from classic Margherita to a honey-spiked potato pie, it’s the ingenious use of a converted shipping container fastened onto a Freightliner truck in place of a standard food truck that got people talking. And lucky for us all, even with the free-standing restaurant (they tacked on some antipasti dishes and a pretty badass wine list to the restaurant menu), they’re still serving pies on the go all over the city out of the mobile pizzeria that started it all.” –GOOP Our friends Allie & Matt introduced us to this neighborhood gem, and we cannot get enough!
Leo’s Oyster Bar | 568 Sacramento St | 415-872-9982
Photogenic as it is delicious, we can assure you that this is NOT a restaurant to be missed.
Park Tavern | 1652 Stockton St | 415-989-7300
“The ‘park’ in Park Tavern is a reference to Washington Square Park, which sits directly in front of the history-steeped space that originally housed a wood and coal yard. Dinner at this Jennifer Puccio-run spot is a grand affair with a fish and meat-centric menu to match. In addition to just-caught roasted halibut and outstanding roasted chicken, you’ll also find the ‘Marlowe’ burger—a carryover from their sister restaurant, Marlowe.” –GOOP PS, Grab a drink at The Devil’s Acre beforehand!
THE SLANTED DOOR | 1 FERRY BUILDING | 415-861-8032
“The first thing you notice about this San Francisco standby are the views. Ever since The Slanted Door moved into the Ferry Building from its original Valencia street location, the bay has become a welcome addition to the minimalist interior. But one thing hasn’t changed: this is still the place for Vietnamese. The emphasis is on fresh and organic ingredients.” –GOOP FYI—Grab a drink at Hard Water Bar just outside pre-meal!
YANK SING DIM SUM | 49 STEVENSON ST | 415-541-4949
“This is the best place to go for authentic Dim Sum as the offering is vast, including every dumpling choice you can imagine. The dining room doubles in capacity on the weekends in order to accommodate the crowds while the menu decreases in size, meaning weekdays are definitely the best time for a meal.” –GOOP Bride’s favorite comfort food spot on cold or rare rainy days. Open Friday 11a-3p, and Saturday & Sunday 10a-4p.
DRINK
THE DEVIL'S ACRE | 256 COLUMBUS AVE | 415-766-4363
Throwback tavern & basement bar for apothecary-themed cocktails. Great spot to make a pre-dinner reservation before popping over to Park Tavern nearby. For more deets, check out this awesome article!
THE DORIAN | 2001 CHESTNUT ST | 415-814-2671
Classic American fare, whiskey & craft cocktails in a posh setting with Victorian flair. “The Dorian is an ode to a bygone era, a modern day parlor for the bohemians, libertines, and freethinkers among us. A place to savor classic American fare, fine whiskey and craft martinis amid a turn-of-the-century victorian manor. It’s the kind of place where Oscar Wilde might’ve dropped in for a drink or Jerry Thomas would have tended the bar. The Dorian is the quintessential destination to enjoy good times for good time’s sake.” –The Dorian (Psssst!—super sweet Boomerang-esque booth on site!)
HARD WATER BAR | PIER 3 THE EMBARCADERO | 415-392-3021
Waterfront restaurant & American whiskey bar specializing in New Orleans-inspired cuisine. Enjoy a cocktail here before you have dinner next-door at The Slanted Door!
THE INTERVAL | 2 MARINA BLVD | 415-561-6582
“Part bar, part café, and part museum, but has one of the most extensive cocktail menus you’ll find, including drinks from around the world and some of the earliest cocktails ever poured. While you sip, explore the space, which dates to the 1930s, when it was a forge and machine shop, and be sure to check out prototypes of Long Now’s 10,000 year clock and The Chime Generator, a mechanical computer that generates a unique bell sequence every day for 10,000 years.” -ThrillistSF
MARIANNE'S | 360 JESSIE ST | 415-321-6000
“Behind a bookcase in The Cavalier is Marianne’s, a secret bar named after the former Mick Jagger paramour. The once-private lounge (to get in, you had to punch a members-only code into a keypad and wait for someone to let you in) changed its policy in 2016, making it open to the public. Along with a more flexible door policy, Marianne’s 2.0 traded its 19th century English parlor vibe for an edgier, 70’s rock & roll one.” -ThrillistSF
PALM HOUSE | 2032 UNION ST | 415-400-4355
Come for the potent punch bowls and Caribbean’s good-time vibes.