Things to do in San Francisco, splurging
Long lunches, serious dinners and good cocktails, from North Beach to Hayes Valley and the Mission.
This trip is built around the table: a tasting menu in North Beach, Pim Techamuanvivit's Thai cooking at Nari, Zuni's roast chicken, Flour + Water's pasta and True Laurel's cocktails. The days move through three neighbourhoods, so you see the city between meals.
Day 1: North Beach and Jackson Square
Start with old-school espresso at Caffe Trieste, climb to Coit Tower, lunch at Cotogna, browse City Lights, then dinner at Hilda and Jesse and a last drink at Vesuvio.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:15 AM
Coit Tower
Climb the Filbert Steps past wild parrots, take in the WPA murals inside and 360° bay views from the top.
Map - 12:30 PM
Cotogna
Quince's more relaxed sibling: wood oven pizzas and handmade pasta, with lunch Wednesday to Saturday.
Map - 2:30 PM
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers
Ferlinghetti's 1953 bookshop; climb to the upstairs poetry room and take the chair by the window.
Map - 7:30 PM
Hilda and Jesse
Book the Chef's Adventure tasting menu; dinner runs only Monday, Thursday and Friday, brunch at weekends.
Map - 9:30 PM
Vesuvio Cafe
Kerouac's old haunt across Jack Kerouac Alley from City Lights; take a mezzanine seat over Columbus.
Map
Day 2: Hayes Valley to the Mission
Zuni's roast chicken anchors the afternoon, Nari delivers the destination dinner, and Phonobar is the right room to finish a drink in.
- 9:30 AM
Mercury Cafe
Corner café on Octavia by Page; an espresso and something baked before the walk south to Dolores Park.
Map - 10:30 AM
Mission Dolores Park
Sunniest lawn in the city, with the downtown skyline over the palms; sit high up on the Church Street side.
Map - 12:30 PM
Zuni Café
Lunch runs Friday to Sunday; order the roast chicken for two with bread salad as you sit, it takes an hour.
Map - 2:30 PM
Mission of San Francisco de Asis
Founded in 1776, its 1791 adobe chapel is the city's oldest building; walk on to the Clarion Alley murals.
Map - 7:30 PM
Nari
Pim Techamuanvivit's Thai room in the Hotel Kabuki; go for the curries and the herb heavy salads.
Map - 9:30 PM
Phonobar
Listening bar in Hayes Valley, records on a serious sound system and a short cocktail list.
Map
Day 3: Mission District, full day
Ritual coffee, Twin Peaks while the morning is clear, lunch at Tartine Manufactory, the Balmy Alley murals, then Flour + Water's pasta and cocktails at True Laurel a block away.
- 9:30 AM
Ritual Coffee Roasters
Valencia Street roaster with a long bar; order a pour over and take a seat in the front window.
Map - 10:30 AM
Twin Peaks
The whole city laid out below, down Market Street to the Bay Bridge; go early, before the fog, with a jacket.
Map - 12:30 PM
Tartine Manufactory
Counter lunch in a big, bright bakery hall; get a sandwich on the country bread and a slice of tart.
Map - 2:30 PM
Balmy Alley
Garage doors and fences covered in murals since the 1980s; Precita Eyes on 24th Street runs Saturday tours.
Map - 7:30 PM
Flour + Water
Handmade pasta in a low lit room on Harrison; book ahead and order three pastas to share.
Map - 9:30 PM
True Laurel
Lazy Bear's cocktail bar, a block from Flour + Water; sit at the bar and order off the seasonal list.
Map
Where to stay
The Parsonage
A $$$$ Victorian in Hayes Valley that sits neatly between all three days and matches the splurge tone of every dinner on this itinerary.
The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel
Union Square hotel with the Redwood Room, a 1930s bar panelled in redwood, for a drink before dinner.
Make San Francisco your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Alcatraz Island: weeks ahead
- California Academy of Sciences: a few days ahead
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art: a few days ahead
- Angel Island State Park: a few days ahead
- Exploratorium: a few days ahead
- Oracle Park: a few days ahead
Skip these
- Fisherman's Wharf as a destination beyond ten minutes with the sea lions.
- Driving Lombard Street crooked block instead of looking from the bottom and walking the steps.
- Chinatown on Grant Avenue only, when Stockton Street is the locals shopping street.
- Golden Gate Bridge in summer fog with no backup plan. Check the bridge cams that morning.
The full San Francisco travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around