Editor’s note: Saw THIS interesting article in SFGate the day after I wrote my post. They mention that almost 300!!! restaurants and bars have opened in san Francisco in the past 2 years – wow:
San Francisco’s Dining “Golden Age” Lifts Retail Real Estate
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The number of new restaurants opening in San Francisco on a monthly basis is overwhelming. On many blocks, the site of a restaurant that has just closed, along with a sign saying ‘coming soon” can be found.
What would you like? Modern dishes with a comfort food spin reflecting fusion of culinary styles? LaFusion just opened in the Financial District (and was told a Mediterranean deli just closed there). Want no-nonsense food without pretense? American Joe’s will be reopening in Washington Square (replacing a steak house with ALOT of pretense:).
fries with 4 tasty sauces from LaFusion
In addition to the countless new restaurant openings, there are plenty of long-standing establishments as well as some chains both big (Olive Garden, Cheesecake, Jack in the Box) and small, like Gordon Biersch. I’ll be the first to admit that the food at GB isn’t 5 star, but they added a veggie burger recently, which I found enjoyable. What I like most is their beer sampler – John Harvard’s Brew House does this as well – which allows me to taste all of their beers without getting drunk:
Beer Sampler aside mobile office at GB
Their Hefewiezen is excellent as is their Golden Export. But I like the full range of flavors including their current seasonal Octoberfest.
The obvious risks to having all of these creative and tasty food options are to one’s wallet and to one’s waist. Thankfully, the San Francisco is quite the walking city. When in the city, I will average 30-50 miles per week walking on top of my regular exercise routine. Couple that with the endless healthy food options, many offered for a very low price, and the risks drop immensely.
If you plan on visiting the city, please find a local who can give you an insider’s take on the food scene. if you only consult the newspapers and magazines, you might end up only finding trendy, lots-of-hype-low-on-quantity food that leaves you broke and hungry. You would never end up in a dirty-looking Chinese restaurant on Clement St that offers excellent food that way or at a great Vietnamese restaurant in the Tenderloin.
And don’t forget the food trucks! An exploding phenomenon that has spread nationwide. There are some unique ones here in SF…Enjoy!
