People asked what I did in San Francisco and the only thing I can definitively say is “Eat.” Yes, I saw Alcatraz and yes, I saw Fisherman’s Wharf, but what really stuck with me was the food. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably think I’ve gained 50 pounds just from the last weekend. I took iPhone photos of every last meal just so I could make all you guys hungry!
The Best Dishes in San Francisco
Egg and Bacon Tartine, Brenda’s French Soul Food
I’ve already told you how much I loved the beignets at Brenda’s French Soul Food, but the rest of my breakfast was also divine. The grits were like those you could find here in the South and the french roll was topped with scrambled eggs, gruyere cheese and a bacon-tomato relish.
And oh yeah, the beignets. My unexpected favorite was the crawfish, with spicy Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, scallions and cheddar.
Burger and Fries, In-N-Out Burger
How could I go to California without going to In-N-Out Burger? I couldn’t. I love this West Coast chain and get it every I can.
Mac and Cheese Egg Rolls, 3-Sum Eats, Off the Grid
Off the Grid is a food truck event that happens every week that the amazing Spencer Spellman told me about. 3-Sum Eats has mac and cheese egg rolls! They sound crazy, but work, especially once you dip them in fondue sauce. Former Top Chef contestant Ryan Scott serves up these delicacies.
Dungeness Crab Bisque with Bread Bowl, Lou’s Fish Shack
I didn’t want to wait in line at the famous Boudin, but I needed my seafood and sourdough fix. Thankfully Lou’s Fish Shack was down the street. The Dungeness crab bisque had nice chunks of crab and a tomato base. I licked the bowl clean.
Arancini and Panna Pizza, Pizzeria Delfina
There are very few places I will wait in line for and Pizzeria Delfina in the Mission District is one of them. We started off with some wine (of course) and arancini before ordering the Panna pizza, complete with tomato sauce, cream (!!!), basil and shaved parmesan.
Chicken Sausage, Poached Eggs, Polenta and Spicy Tomato Sauce, Rose’s Cafe
After ordering a BOWL of hot chocolate, I was ready for something tasty to eat. Thankfully, the lovely Christine Amorose recommended a dish from Rose’s Cafe on Foursquare that I ended up devouring.
Shrimp Cappelini, Alioto’s
On our last night in town, Hannah took Scotti and I to Alioto’s, a tasty Italian spot with a view overlooking Fisherman’s Wharf at sunset. I ordered a glass of champagne and shrimp cappelini, or angel hair pasta with little shrimps in a tomato sauce.
For local experiences in San Francisco’s neighborhoods, check out Urban Adventures tours.
Ha! So funny! As I was reading this post, I was like–I wonder if I’ve been to any of these places. And then I spotted that dish and immediately remembered how incredibly creamy that polenta was–so glad that I bothered to write about it on Foursquare, it was delish!