SF | where i like to eat in san francisco

i get asked this quite often, so i’ve finally decided to put together a short list of places that i like to go to in the city. these are some places that i would take friends from out of town.

if you see it on my instagram more than once, you know that i really do like it!

bakeries

b. patisserie


they have THE BEST kouign amann. i prefer their original flavor but they also have seasonal flavors. their chocolate chip cookie is also quite good.

b.patisserie

2821 California St.
San Francisco, CA 94115

 

arsicault bakery


their almond croissant & ham & cheese croissant are a must. but i think everything there is pretty tasty.

arsicault bakery

397 Arguello Blvd.

San Francisco, CA 94118

 

golden gate bakery


i love their super eggy egg tarts with their flakiest crusts. you have to check if they are open because they always seem to be on vacation. sometimes this site is updated to show if they are open or not.

golden gate bakery

1029 Grant Ave.

San Francisco, CA 94133

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noods

marufuku ramen


there is always an hour+ wait for this place because it is one of the better ramen spots in the city. i prefer the chicken paitan over the tonkotsu, but you should see for yourself!

marufuku ramen

1581 Webster St. Ste 235

San Francisco, CA 94115

 

quan ngon vietnamese noodle house


the star of the show is their chicken pho with the wide noodles. their chicken isn’t dry & their broth is very flavorful. sometimes the noodle to soup ratio is off, but if you like noodles, this shouldn’t be an issue.

quan ngon vietnamese noodle house

2511 Noriega St.

San Francisco, CA 94122

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casual dining

swan oyster depot


cash only & i recommend going during off peak hours [around 3-4pm] during the weekday. their crab back, crab cocktail, & oysters are my go-tos.

swan oyster depot

1517 Polk St.

San Francisco, CA 94109

 

house of thai

the tom yum was flavorful and not too sweet. i also recommend getting everything spicy because they do not do things mildly !!!

 

house of thai

901 Larkin St.

San Francisco, CA 94109

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tasting menus

avery

one of my favorite restaurants in SF. @chefrodneywages is very talented & i absolutely loved everything on the menu. my favorite dish is probably the hokkaido snow beef with bbq sauce.  & the caviar bumps are delicious & fun to do!

avery

1552 Fillmore St.

San Francisco, CA 94115

 

wako

my favorite sushi restaurant in SF. my favorite is their “uni taco” because their uni is sweet & the nori is extra crispy. i always get a few extra of those after the omakase is over.

wako

211 Clement St.

San Francisco, CA 94118

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dessert

u :dessert story


not only are their desserts photogenic, but they are actually tasty! i recommend the pandan crêpe cake & the oolong cheese tea. their cheese foam is so creamy, just the way i like it.

u :dessert story

3489 16th St.

San Francisco, CA 94114

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if you ever happen to try them, leave me a comment & let me know your thoughts! also, if you would like to see any other lists, please leave suggestions in a comment.

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SF | museum of ice cream – san francisco edition

this very instagrammable museum of ice cream is sold out.

 

it used to be a bank before it was converted into a very pink & colorful museum dedicated to all things ice cream. this door does not open.

 

during the month of October, salt & straw featured their sea salt caramel flavor with a magic coffee shell. i like their salted caramel flavor and the coffee shell added a little extra something to their regular flavor.

ice cream, DUH! here you will be able to sample a scoop of ice cream, mochi ice cream, cotton candy, unicorn milk soft serve & pop rocks.

i didn’t ride the unicorn like most people. but i did try unicorn milk!

it was quite creamy and not too sweet. it was the perfect bite. the pink is a white chocolate shell.

they have the famous sprinkle pool here but i only went in mid-calf deep with socks on. i just couldn’t get myself to dive in. but if you do, they have a station where you can “dry off” with an air dryer.

 

the swings are the last exhibit. there are three of them but i think i liked the whipped cream “exhibit” the best.

 

the museum of ice cream is a place where adults can be kids again!

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museum of ice cream

1 Grant Ave

San Francisco, CA 94108

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SF | China Live in Chinatown

China Live is a new addition to Chinatown, where you can shop, eat, drink and explore Chinese culture & cuisine.

this is above the entrance that leads to the marketplace.

i got to attend the market restaurant media preview for China Live in Chinatown.

[thanks to tablehopper ‘s Marcia Gagliardi x @kavalanUSA x @anchorspirits x @chinaliveSF]

there are communal benches as well as tables. bar seating is also available. the tables and chairs were crafted in China from reclaimed Chinese Elm.

the ceiling has Chinese characters that represent the flavors of China.

these were some of the seasonal menu items that i had the pleasure of tasting.

shen jian bao, chrysanthemum ten ingredient salad, pressed five-spiced bean curd, winter turnip. the bean curd was probably my favorite from this group. the dish was well-seasoned and the green peppercorn flavor really came through.

the crust of the roast pork char siu baked bun added a nice sweet crunch to the soft baked bun.

one of my favorite dishes was the peking duck with kumquat glaze, in traditional sesame pockets. who doesn’t love the crispy, oily skin of a peking duck wrapped in a crispy sesame pocket? the sweetness from the kumquat glaze complemented the saltiness of the skin. the cucumber & green onions brought freshness to each bite.

we also had cocktails made with Kavalan, a Taiwanese Whisky brand.

this was the ‘laughing gas’: Viognier, fresh lime, pineapple, smoked honey & bitters.

and lastly, the dessert was mango shaved ice, similar to the Taiwanese shaved snow but with an added twist of sesame soft serve underneath the fluffy snow with yogurt-flavored popping boba.

currently, the market restaurant opens @ 5pm

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China Live

644 Broadway

San Francisco, CA 94133

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Onsen SF: R&R in the Tenderloin

This weekend, I had the chance to visit Onsen, which will soon be opening to the public on 11/11.

It is a holistic spa/tea room/restaurant/treatment room all rolled into one.

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A hidden gem in the TL

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This hallway contains 6 treatment rooms for massage/acupuncture.

It leads into the communal bath area.

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Communal bath

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Entrance to the redwood cedar dry sauna [with a view of the communal tub]

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Overhead cold plunge to cool off after the dry sauna

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The steam room

Check out their gallery for more photos.

In the front of the space, there is a restaurant with tea service.

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Fresh plant-driven menu that is heavily Asian-inspired.

Pickled vegetables, kakuni lamb, halibut sashimi, jook.

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Finish the meal off with some tea. They also have cocktails and lemon kombucha.

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Onsen

466 Eddy Street

San Francisco, CA 94109

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