What is the best time to visit San Francisco?
You may be thinking that since San Francisco is in California, any time of year is a great time to visit — not so in this bayside city. Although San Francisco’s climate is mild year-round, the weather does vary seasonally. Winters are cool and rainy, but low temperatures rarely dip below the mid-40s. Summer in this city is a relative term; it’s not unusual to see people wearing knit hats to ward off the chill in overcast June and July. Time your visit between September and November, and you’ll be rewarded with glorious sunny days more typical of the Californian ideal. Bottom line is: No matter what time of year you are visiting, your suitcase better have a couple of sweaters in it.
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5 days agoMaria Hunt answered the question:
What are the best restaurants in San Francisco?
Trying to narrow the best restaurants in San Francisco down to just a few spots is not easy. The entire San Francisco Bay Area is blessed with gorgeous produce, creative food artisans and wonderful wines. Stellar and well-known restaurants that bring all those elements together include Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Manresa in Los Gatos and The French Laundry and Redd in the Yountville. Here are five places to dine now in San Francisco:
1. State Bird Provisions. Chef-owner Stuart Brioza and his wife Nicole Krasinski borrowed the dim sum concept for their unsassuming and friendly Fillmore District restaurant. You’ll be presented with colorful dishes priced at $6 to $20: poached seafood salsa over whipped avocado with crispy tortilla, pillowy pancakes with ever-changing flavors, tangy eggplant and summer tomato salad, fresh Dungeness crab atop farro and the namesake dish: fried quail with tangy sweet-and-sour onions shaved cheese. They've just won the James Beard Award for the nation's Best New Restaurant of 2013. But despite all this, it’s the warmth and spirit of hospitality that keeps guests coming back.
2. Saison. An exquisite evening awaits at Saison, the urbane and intimate restaurant in SoMa. Working in his open kitchen, chef Joshua Skenes crafts distinctive and visually stunning tasting menus from the best ingredients from all over the world. Whether it’s a morsel of sea robin, locally foraged greens you eat with your hands or a dish of caviar with sea urchin, all the dishes are kissed by fire in some way. The experience starts with a pour of Krug Grande Cuvée and might include world-class white wines from the 5,000-bottle cellar or a seasonal cocktail if you prefer. Dining at Saison is dear, but so is the experience.
3. Frances. There’s a quiet and feminine beauty to the décor and Melissa Perello’s cuisine at Frances in the Mission. The greatest discoveries are the small plates like Cherrystone clams baked with kale brusssels sprouts and bacon, Black Venus rice with Dungeness crab or chestnut soup with apples, cipolline onions and hedgehog mushrooms. Plan ahead for reservations or make an adventure of snagging a seat at the bar.
4. Benu. French Laundry alum and James Beard-award winner Corey Lee has created an urbane and artistic temple of gastronomy. While à la carte menus are available on certain days, the full experience includes a progression of signature dishes like monkfish liver terrine, chicken velvet and 1000-year-old quail eggs on custom serving pieces.
5. Cotogna. This is the kind of Italian food that makes you feel like you’re in country. Michael Tusk’s hyper-seasonal, quirky menu bounces from wood-fired pizzas with exquisitely browned and poufy crusts to silky pastas to housemade porchetta with succulent meat and chewy skin. The golden, olive-oil soaked focaccia is one of the low-key delights; you’ll eat every inch. Be sure to try a glass of wine or one of the cocktails with an Italian accent. -
5 days agoMaria Hunt answered the question:
What are the best restaurants in San Francisco?
Trying to narrow the best restaurants in San Francisco down to just a few spots is not easy. The entire San Francisco Bay Area is blessed with gorgeous produce, creative food artisans and wonderful wines. Stellar and well-known restaurants that bring all those elements together include Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Manresa in Los Gatos and The French Laundry and Redd in the Yountville. Here are five places to dine now in San Francisco:
1. State Bird Provisions. Chef-owner Stuart Brioza and his wife Nicole Krasinski borrowed the dim sum concept for their unsassuming and friendly Fillmore District restaurant. You’ll be presented with colorful dishes priced at $6 to $20: poached seafood salsa over whipped avocado with crispy tortilla, pillowy pancakes with ever-changing flavors, tangy eggplant and summer tomato salad, fresh Dungeness crab atop farro and the namesake dish: fried quail with tangy sweet-and-sour onions shaved cheese. They've just won the James Beard Award for the nation's Best New Restaurant of 2013. But despite all this, it’s the warmth and spirit of hospitality that keeps guests coming back.
2. Saison. An exquisite evening awaits at Saison, the urbane and intimate restaurant in SoMa. Working in his open kitchen, chef Joshua Skenes crafts distinctive and visually stunning tasting menus from the best ingredients from all over the world. Whether it’s a morsel of sea robin, locally foraged greens you eat with your hands or a dish of caviar with sea urchin, all the dishes are kissed by fire in some way. The experience starts with a pour of Krug Grande Cuvée and might include world-class white wines from the 5,000-bottle cellar or a seasonal cocktail if you prefer. Dining at Saison is dear, but so is the experience.
3. Frances. There’s a quiet and feminine beauty to the décor and Melissa Perello’s cuisine at Frances in the Mission. The greatest discoveries are the small plates like Cherrystone clams baked with kale brusssels sprouts and bacon, Black Venus rice with Dungeness crab or chestnut soup with apples, cipolline onions and hedgehog mushrooms. Plan ahead for reservations or make an adventure of snagging a seat at the bar.
4. Benu. French Laundry alum and James Beard-award winner Corey Lee has created an urbane and artistic temple of gastronomy. While à la carte menus are available on certain days, the full experience includes a progression of signature dishes like monkfish liver terrine, chicken velvet and 1000-year-old quail eggs on custom serving pieces.
5. Cotogna. This is the kind of Italian food that makes you feel like you’re in country. Michael Tusk’s hyper-seasonal, quirky menu bounces from wood-fired pizzas with exquisitely browned and poufy crusts to silky pastas to housemade porchetta with succulent meat and chewy skin. The golden, olive-oil soaked focaccia is one of the low-key delights; you’ll eat every inch. Be sure to try a glass of wine or one of the cocktails with an Italian accent. -
5 days agoMaria Hunt answered the question:
What are the best restaurants in San Francisco?
Trying to narrow the best restaurants in San Francisco down to just a few spots is not easy. The entire San Francisco Bay Area is blessed with gorgeous produce, creative food artisans and wonderful wines. Stellar and well-known restaurants that bring all those elements together include Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Manresa in Los Gatos and The French Laundry and Redd in the Yountville. Here are five places to dine now in San Francisco:
1. State Bird Provisions. Chef-owner Stuart Brioza and his wife Nicole Krasinski borrowed the dim sum concept for their unsassuming and friendly Fillmore District restaurant. You’ll be presented with colorful dishes priced at $6 to $20: poached seafood salsa over whipped avocado with crispy tortilla, pillowy pancakes with ever-changing flavors, tangy eggplant and summer tomato salad, fresh Dungeness crab atop farro and the namesake dish: fried quail with tangy sweet-and-sour onions shaved cheese. They've just won the James Beard Award for the nation's Best New Restaurant of 2013. But despite all this, it’s the warmth and spirit of hospitality that keeps guests coming back.
2. Saison. An exquisite evening awaits at Saison, the urbane and intimate restaurant in SoMa. Working in his open kitchen, chef Joshua Skenes crafts distinctive and visually stunning tasting menus from the best ingredients from all over the world. Whether it’s a morsel of sea robin, locally foraged greens you eat with your hands or a dish of caviar with sea urchin, all the dishes are kissed by fire in some way. The experience starts with a pour of Krug Grande Cuvée and might include world-class white wines from the 5,000-bottle cellar or a seasonal cocktail if you prefer. Dining at Saison is dear, but so is the experience.
3. Frances. There’s a quiet and feminine beauty to the décor and Melissa Perello’s cuisine at Frances in the Mission. The greatest discoveries are the small plates like Cherrystone clams baked with kale brusssels sprouts and bacon, Black Venus rice with Dungeness crab or chestnut soup with apples, cipolline onions and hedgehog mushrooms. Plan ahead for reservations or make an adventure of snagging a seat at the bar.
4. Benu. French Laundry alum and James Beard-award winner Corey Lee has created an urbane and artistic temple of gastronomy. While à la carte menus are available on certain days, the full experience includes a progression of signature dishes like monkfish liver terrine, chicken velvet and 1000-year-old quail eggs on custom serving pieces.
5. Cotogna. This is the kind of Italian food that makes you feel like you’re in country. Michael Tusk’s hyper-seasonal, quirky menu bounces from wood-fired pizzas with exquisitely browned and poufy crusts to silky pastas to housemade porchetta with succulent meat and chewy skin. The golden, olive-oil soaked focaccia is one of the low-key delights; you’ll eat every inch. Be sure to try a glass of wine or one of the cocktails with an Italian accent. -
On May 13Maria Hunt answered the question:
What are the best vegetarian restaurants in San Francisco?
It’s possible for vegetarians to find a satisfying meal virtually anywhere in the city. But San Francisco also has a history of restaurants like chef Annie Somerville’s Greens that specialize in plant-based cuisine. Millennium in the Union Square area is regarded as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the country. It offers an expansive dining room, polished service and creative cuisine and cocktails. Gather in Berkeley is one of the leading examples of the flexitarian style of restaurants that serves everything from vegan to cuisine with naturally raised meats and seafood. Source in SoMa offers what they call a multidimensional dining experience with seasonal vegetarian and vegan fare like truffle bruschetta and brick-oven pizza to dosas and Peking quack. And while Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant Fleur de Lys is not a vegetarian destination, chef Hubert Keller was one of the first noted chefs to create sophisticated vegetarian dishes on par with the rest of his French-inspired menu. The creations on his seasonally changing vegetable feast still inspire. -
On April 26Marianne Wong answered the question:
What is public transportation like in San Francisco?
San Francisco has great public transportation and navigating it can be challenging for visitors that aren't use to traveling around in this fashion. There are five different modes of public transport; two underground subways, cable cars, electric and diesel busses, trollies and ferries. San Francisco is small enough that taxis which are relatively cheap and less time consuming easy option to take one way or both ways to major sights. The easiest solution is to dial 311 to get a live person to help figure out which bus or transit to take you to where you want to go. -
On April 26Marianne Wong answered the question:
What are the best neighborhoods in San Francisco?
I like a neighborhood that tells a story about its former inhabitants and the history and culture they left behind that lives on and continues to thrive. One of the most vibrant neighborhoods in San Francisco, the Mission and Castro Districts merge, mingle and melds together like a good Almadovar movie. To know a neighborhood, you have to walk it, so start at 14th Street and Valencia, get cranked up with a cup of local joe at any of the good coffee houses on this street. Walk up Valencia to Clarion Alley, see the fantastical murals painted on the walls of the houses that backs up into this alley. The mural art form is a strong one in San Francisco, where you'll find it popping up in unexpected places adding color and character to neighborhood streets. Continue on Valencia to 18th Street and turn right to Dolores Park, named after Mission Dolores. The city's namesake, Mision San Francisco de Asisi, founded by the Spanish in 1776 is the oldest building in San Francisco. Continue on 18th Street to Castro Street, turn left or right to enjoy this colorful community of Gay life. This walk and the neighborhood speaks of the immigrants and outcasts from society, and how they made a home here, an oasis to live, love and build a future. Their struggles and successes has enriched the culture to this city. -
On April 26Marianne Wong answered the question:
What are the best neighborhoods in San Francisco?
I like a neighborhood that tells a story about its former inhabitants and the history and culture they left behind that lives on and continues to thrive. One of the most vibrant neighborhoods in San Francisco, the Mission and Castro Districts merge, mingle and melds together like a good Almadovar movie. To know a neighborhood, you have to walk it, so start at 14th Street and Valencia and get cranked up with a cup of local joe at any of the good coffee houses on this street. Walk up Valencia to Clarion Alley and see the fantastical murals painted on the walls of the houses that backs up into this alley. The mural artform is a strong one in San Francisco, where you'll find it popping up in unexpected places adding color and character to neighborhood streets. Continue on Valencia to 18th Street and turn right to Dolores Park, named after Mission Dolores. Mision San Francisco de Asisi, was founded by the Spanish in 1776 and is the oldest building in San Francisco, and what this city is named after. Continue on 18th Street to Castro and turn left or right to enjoy this colorful community of Gay life. This walk and the neighborhood speaks of the immigrants from other countries and outcasts from society, and how they made a home here, an oasis to live, love and build a future. Their struggles and successes has given character and enriched the culture to this city. -
On April 26Marianne Wong answered the question:
What are the best neighborhoods in San Francisco?
I like a neighborhood that tells a story about its former inhabitants and the history and culture they left behind that lives on and continues to thrive. One of the most vibrant neighborhoods in San Francisco, the Mission and Castro Districts merge, mingle and melds together like a good Almadovar movies. To know a neighborhood, you have to walk it, so start at 14th Street and Valencia and get cranked up with a cup of local joe at any of the good coffee houses on this street. Walk up Valencia to Clarion Alley and see the fantastical murals painted on the walls of the houses that backs up into this alley. The mural artform is a strong one in San Francisco, where you'll find it popping up in unexpected places adding color and character to neighborhood streets. Continue on Valencia to 18th Street and turn right to Dolores Park, named after Mission Dolores. Mision San Francisco de Asisi, was founded by the Spanish in 1776 and is the oldest building in San Francisco, and what this city is named after. Continue on 18th Street to Castro and turn left or right to enjoy this colorful community of Gay life. This walk and the neighborhood speaks of the immigrants from other countries and outcasts from society, and how they made a home here, an oasis to live, love and build a future. Their struggles and successes has given character and enriched the culture to this city. -
On April 26Marianne Wong answered the question:
What are the best neighborhoods in San Francisco?
I like a neighborhood that tells a story about its former inhabitants and the history and culture they left behind that lives on and continues to thrive. One of the most vibrant neighborhoods in San Francisco, the Mission and Castro Districts merges, mingles and melds together like a good Almadovar movies. To know a neighborhood, you have to walk it, so start at 14th Street and Valencia and get cranked up with a cup of local joe at any of the good coffee houses on this street. Walk up Valencia to Clarion Alley and see the fantastical murals painted on the walls of the houses that backs up into this alley. The mural artform is a strong one in San Francisco, where you'll find it popping up in unexpected places adding color and character to neighborhood streets. Continue on Valencia to 18th Street and turn right to Dolores Park, named after Mission Dolores. Mision San Francisco de Asisi, was founded by the Spanish in 1776 and is the oldest building in San Francisco, and what this city is named after. Continue on 18th Street to Castro and turn left or right to enjoy this colorful community of Gay life. This walk and the neighborhood speaks of the immigrants from other countries and outcasts from society, and how they made a home here, an oasis to live, love and build a future. Their struggles and successes has given character and enriched the culture to this city. -
On April 26Marianne Wong answered the question:
What are quirky local customs in San Francisco?
Native San Franciscans asks for tap water at restaurants for two reasons. One, the tap water in San Francisco is sourced from the Hetchy Hetchy Resevoir from Yosemite Valley, an extremely prestine area of the National Park, the only resevoir situated in a National Park. Second, bottle water causes landfill.
Years ago the leaders of San Francisco set out a mandate to recycle sixty percent of its waste, and to date, this has been achieved. This was accomplished by banning styrofoam, plastic bags and container, along with an intensive educational outreach. You will see three refuse containers; green for compost, blue for non-food related recyclables and black for landfill. Recently, the limited use of paper bags has begun. Shop owners charge ten cents to customers who request a paper bag, to discourage the use of a bag and to remind the public to bring their own tote bags. The trend is to carry lightweight colapsable totes, many stores carrying these for sale and many companies advertise on giveaway totes to encourage environmental consciousness. Take out containers and utensils are made of compostable corn based by-product.
While San Francisco is a dynamic world class city, the restaurants tend to close early, generally by 10pm. So plan your days and nights accordingly. Most restaurants are filled up by 7pm so if you wish to dine at an exclusive restaurant, you're likely to snag a table later in the evening.
Because San Francisco has experienced two major earthquakes, the Emergency Management Team tests a city-wide alarm at 12 noon every Tuesday. For visitors, this alarm emits from the Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street at the Bay. -
On April 26Marianne Wong answered the question:
What are the best chocolate shops in San Francisco?
With the food obsessed populous of this town, is it any surprise that San Francisco has many tempting options for delicious local chocolates? From Ghiradelli to local artisans, such as Recchiuti's at the Ferry Building and XOX Truffles in North Beach, chocolate is well respresented here. There are many fine choices but I want to celebrate a favorite amongst locals, See's Candies. This confectionary has served Californians since 1921 and continues to be the choice for many in the Bay Area. From Valentine's Day to the Holidays, See's Candies is a long standing tradition. For those raised here, Christmas and Hanukkah (yes, it's kosher) means a pound box of mixed chocolates or nuts and chews sitting on the coffee table to nibble throughout the holiday season. The free standing stores are simply a delight, visit this venerable Grande Dame of chocolate confectionaries that is truly a San Francisco treat. -
On April 22Kimberley Lovato answered the question:
What are the five best things to do with kids in San Francisco?
San Francisco is a favorite destination for families for good reason---there's tons to do! Let them run, play, discover and squeal in the playground that is San Francisco. It's hard to pick just five---so I tried to sneaka little extra into each category. Have fun!
1. Golden Gate Park is a 1,00 acre sanctuary in the center of the city and stretches to the Pacific Ocean. and once in the park, the options are endless. Rent a paddle boat on Stow Lake; enjoy the myriad playgrounds and a carrousel; stop into the Japanese Tea Garden. The California Academy of Sciences will intrigue kids of all ages, as will The Koret Children’s Quarter, with its carrousel and playground.
2. TheMusée Mecanique is one museum kids won't wine about going to, and adults can relive their 80s arcade glory days. THe warehouse behind Fisherman's Wharf consists of one of the world’s largest privately owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines, as well as some recent generation favorites too, like Atari and Air Hockey.
3. Take a ride on one of the city's iconic cable cars. The kids, and you, will enjoy the views as you ride up and down the city's famous hills, clang clang clanging all the way. Take the Powell-Hyde Line, which connects the Financial District to Aquatic Park, where you can watch brave swimmers do laps in the cove, and check out some historic ship. A short stroll from here are two yummy stops: Ghiradelli Square and Fisherman's Wharf.
4. What kid wouldn't love a trip to "The Rock?" Alcatraz Island, the former federal penitentiary is accessd by gorgeous boat ride and a tour includes an eerie walk through the ghostly cell block, with tales of notorious inmates like Machine Gun Kelly and the Birdman whispering in your ear.
5. The newly renovated and relocated Exploratorium is bigger and better than ever. A 45-year-old favorie, the hands on museum now on Pier 15 invites kids and adults to touch, explore and learn in a brand new, modern facility that jets out into the bay. Read more about the new museum here.
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On April 22Kimberley Lovato answered the question:
What are the most unusual dining experiences in San Francisco?
For an unusaul experience, head to Forbes Island. Don't get excited Gilligan, this isn't a sandy, palm-fringed island in the middle of the bay, but rather a manmade floating island located onPier 41. But you have to hop on a boat from Pier 39 to access the restaurant, and there are some palm trees to give it that island vibe. There's also a 40-foot lighthouse, which you can climb up for stellar views of the bay and San Francisco. Or, try Opaque. Don't worry about what you wear because you'll be blindfolded in this multi-sensory, dining in the dark experience. Each prix fixe menu consists of an appetizer, entree, and dessert, and you have a choice among the courses. The excitement of the unknown is free.
