San Francisco, the City by the Bay, exudes an undeniable charm that is hard to resist. Along with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and Dolores Park, the city is brimming with street art and quirky attractions to enthrall the traveler in you. Nature lovers would be floored by its numerous cloud-covered hills, sun-kissed beaches, panoramic views from Coit Tower and lovely walkways at Telegraph Hill. The enchanting city is a shopaholic’s delight, a haven for wine lovers with its world-class distilleries and art lovers’ paradise. The unique, diverse and delicious San Francisco food also firmly establishes the city as a culinary mecca. Let us take you on a satiating gastronomic journey through this comprehensive San Francisco food guide.
15 Best San Francisco Food
These 15 delicacies of San Francisco will leave you drooling for more as you uncover the city’s culinary secrets on your next trip. Take a look and see what you can’t afford to miss on your food tour!
- Cioppino
- Mission-Style Burrito
- Clam Chowder In A Sourdough Bread Bowl
- Sumo Crunch Sushirrito
- Xiao Long Bao
- Prime Rib
- Secret Breakfast Ice Cream
- Wood-Fired Roast Chicken And Bread Salad
- Oysters On The Half Shelf
- The Rebel Within Cupcake
- Sticky Chewy Chocolate Ice Cream
- Mochi
- Cheesecake
- Enchilada Con Mole
- Empanadas
1. Cioppino
San Francisco’s signature seafood stew is a feast for foodies, oozing with a melange of tongue-tickling flavours. This tomato-based broth brings a slice of the ocean to your bowl with a huge variety of seafood in it. This lip-smacking wholesome San Francisco food is brimming with clams, shrimp, scallops, prawns, mussels, whitefish and Dungeness crabs. It is usually served with a generous side of sourdough or garlic bread that’s just perfect to sop up the rich broth.
Where to find the best ciopinno: Tadich Grill, considered California’s oldest restaurant.
Address: 40 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA
Timings: 11AM-9:30PM. Sunday closed.
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2. Mission-Style Burrito
No list of foods in San Francisco would be complete without mentioning the city’s legendary Mission-style burrito that has ruled best burrito lists worldwide since it was introduced in the 1960s. Also called the carnita asada burrito, this jumbo-sized bundle of yumminess is packed with pinto beans, slow-roasted carnitas, salsa and hot sauce with optional guacamole, cheese, and sour cream. The huge portion size, delicious taste, and reasonable price make it one of the most popular San Francisco food staples.
Where to find the best mission-style burrito: La Taqueria (The wner Miguel Jara serves a rice-free variant)
Address: 2889 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
Timings: 11AM-8:45PM (Wed-Sat); 11AM-7:45PM (Sunday). Mon-Tues closed.
3. Clam Chowder In A Sourdough Bread Bowl
As far as iconic food places in San Francisco go, there’s no place like the Boudin Bakery outlet at Fisherman’s Wharf that serves the city’s best comfort food, clam chowder in a sourdough bowl. Digging into steaming hot chowder on a misty day by the sea is the quickest path to foodie heaven. The sourdough bread-turned-bowl is freshly baked at the baker’s flagship outlet, giving this delicious San Francisco food its special taste.
Where to find the best clam chowder bread bowl: Boudin Bakery Cafe
Address: Baker’s Hall, 160 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94133, United State
Timings: Daily, 8AM-9PM
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4. Sumo Crunch Sushirrito
This ingenious San Francisco food is a delightful cross between sushi and a burrito, giving you the best of Latin and Asian flavors in a bite. The sumo crunch is one of the most popular rolls, stuffed with crab, rice, shrimp tempura, cabbage, ginger guac, sriracha aioli and cucumber that lend their unique flavors to the dish. The red tempura coat gives it a crunchy finish. There are other interesting variants with salmon belly poke, purple potatoes, lotus chips, and yellowfin tuna.
Where to find the best sushirrito: Sushirrito
Address: 226 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA
Timings: 10AM-8PM (Mon-Sat)
5. Xiao Long Bao
Named after the small bamboo steaming baskets, this famous food in San Francisco is a must-try when in the city. Xiao Long Bao are traditional Chinese steamed dumplings prepared and served in bamboo baskets are the go-to soul food for cold winter days. The delicately prepared soup-filled buns bring you the flavors of China in the heart of San Francisco. It is advisable to poke a hole in them and allow these delicious dumplings to cool off a little before you allow the burst of flavors in your mouth.
Where to find the best bao: Yank Sing
Address: 49 Stevenson St, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA
Timings: Daily 11AM-3PM
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6. Prime Rib
There’s nothing like digging into juicy prime rib served in true English tradition from unique stainless steel carts. The delicious prime rib steak comes with creamed spinach, salad, baked potato, French bread, and Yorkshire pudding. These perfect slabs of corn-fed beef are carved to your specification at your table and pair perfectly with a dry martini. So just sit back and savor the flavor of this yummy San Francisco food.
Where to find the best prime rib: House of Prime Rib
Address: 1906 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA
Timings: 5:30-10PM (Mon-Thurs), 5-10PM (Fri), 4-10PM (Sat-Sun)
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7. Secret Breakfast Ice Cream
All San Francisco food tours are sure to make a stop by this popular ice-cream place known for its unique flavors and creative names. Humphry Slocombe’s most interesting offering is a heady mix of bourbon and crunchy cornflakes that’s sure to leave you drooling for more. This frozen universe serving delicious treats since 2008 also offers flavors like Peanut Butter Fudge Ripple, Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee, Oolong and many more.
Where to find secret breakfast ice-cream: Humphry Slocombe
Address: 2790a Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
Timings: 1-11PM (Mon-Thurs), 12PM-12AM (Fri-Sat), 12-11PM (Sun)
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8. Wood-Fired Roast Chicken And Bread Salad
Those who frequent the city never miss a chance to dig into this lip-smacking San Francisco food roasted to perfection in a wood-fired oven. The savory, currant-studded salad served with the smoky roast chicken is just perfect to satiate your taste buds and make it the sought-after comfort food in the city. This fantastic San Francisco food place also makes for a great romantic date, where you can relish the roast chicken for two with some wine.
Where to find the best-roasted chicken: Zuni Cafe
Address: 1658 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
Timings: 11:30AM-11PM (Tues-Thurs), 11:30AM-12AM (Fri-Sat), 11AM-11PM (Sun)
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9. Oysters On The Half Shelf
When in the Bay area, one local food in San Francisco you absolutely must not miss out on is the fresh and succulent seafood variety offered by numerous stalls and restaurants. The fresh, clean and reasonably priced oysters at the popular Swan Oyster Depot are a must-try, with their interesting accompaniments like horseradish, cocktail sauce, red onions, and green chili. This iconic no-frills shop also serves awesome Dungeness crabs and a generous seafood platter. Prepare to patiently wait for your turn to devour these delicacies.
Where to find the best oysters: Swan Oyster Depot
Address: 1517 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA
Timings: 10:30AM-5:30PM (Mon-Sat)
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10. The Rebel Within Cupcake
When in SFO, expect nothing less than extraordinary when it comes to food or anything else. One San Francisco food that takes ingenuity to the next level is the hybrid savory muffin, aptly called The Rebel Within! A soft-boiled egg tucked inside a cheesy muffin served with Tabasco sauce, makes for an interesting breakfast option.
Where to find the best cupcake: Craftsman & Wolves
Address: 746 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
Timings: Daily, 7AM-5PM (opens at 8AM on Sat-Sun)
11. Sticky Chewy Chocolate Ice Cream
There is no doubt in the fact that San Francisco is turning into one of the top ice cream destinations. This has encouraged some ice cream parlors to revamp their ice cream like Swensen’s Ice Cream parlor has come up with a sticky chewy chocolate ice cream which is a must-try. The delight to stretch it like kids and the mouthwatering treat it gives leaves you wanting for more.
Where to find the best sticky chewy chocolate ice cream: Swensen’s Ice Cream
Address: 1999 Hyde Street, Russian Hill, San Francisco, California, 94109, USA
Timings: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
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12. Mochi
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Although originated in Japan, mochi is a Japanese rice cake which is made by pounding and molding the rice into the desired shape. You can savor different flavors of mochi ice cream like mango, strawberry, chocolate, green tea, red bean and many more. Mochi can be found in Japantown in San Francisco where you will find Benkyodo. It is a family-owned establishment that prepares fresh mochi daily and is worth trying.
Where to find the best mochi: Benkyodo
Address: 1747 Buchanan St, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA
Timings: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Mon – Sat)
13. Cheesecake
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How can you not try cheesecake if you are in San Francisco? If you compare San Francisco’s cheesecake with the New York one’s then the former cheesecake is lighter and more like a souffle. Lay back and enjoy this unique version of cheesecake in San Francisco.
Where to find the best cheesecake: Zanze’s Cheesecake
Address: 2405 Ocean Avenue, Ingleside Terraces, San Francisco, California, 94127, USA
Timings: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Wed – Fri)
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Sat)
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14. Enchilada Con Mole
Enchilada Con Mole is a Mexican dish in which enchiladas are dipped in an even-layered mole sauce. You will find a variety of this dish as it can be made with different toppings of your own choice. If you are looking for some San Francisco vegan food, then you must head to Gracias Madre which is a vegan Mexican restaurant.
Where to find the best enchilada con mole: Gracias Madre
Address: 8905 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
Timings: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
15. Empanadas
Looking for some San Francisco vegetarian food then, try out empanadas at La Sonrisa. It offers plenty of options in empanadas which are filled with vegetables, spinach, artichoke, beef or chicken. If you are in this city then you must try out this crispy, lip-smacking dish and satiate your hunger.
Where to find the best empanadas: La Sonrisa Food Truck
Address: N/A
Timings: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
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As far as the city’s food scene goes, this is just the tip of the iceberg. With the amazing San Francisco food markets and famed San Francisco food festivals, there’s no end to the culinary delights offered by the city. So, make sure you don’t miss out this gastronomical affair in the city on your next trip to the USA with TravelTriangle by customizing your holiday itinerary!
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