Dinosaurs

The Mission/Castro border is home to tons of great food, and recently I tried out a Vietnamese banh mi place that gets high marks for taste and value. Dinosaurs, as this restaurant is called, has a fun theme of dinosaurs (what else?) going on in its little shop. Despite the non sequitur decor, this place had …

Craftsman & Wolves

The Mission district is home to tons of food spots frequented by a younger urban crowd. From Ike’s to Bi-Rite to Dr. Teeth, this neighborhood is a popular one for a reason, and I recently got to cross off another place off my list – Craftsman & Wolves. With an interesting name, interesting (rustic urban?) …

Shanghai House

Since moving into the city about half a year ago, I’ve explored my fair share of Chinese restaurants, including a bunch in the Chinatown area (there are hidden gems there, you just have to look!) and in the more neighborhood-like Richmond and Sunset districts. However, I haven’t had the chance to try out a specific …

Ryoko’s

There are plenty of sushi places in the city. But if you’re not looking to settle for tourist-trap mediocre fish or drop $100+ for super-high quality fish, there’s a desirable solution. That solution is Ryoko’s – by far one of the best sushi places I’ve tried within the $25 price range. It’s located in the Tenderloin …

Taqueria Vallarta

Quick history lesson, folks. That giant Chipotle burrito originated in the Mission District of San Francisco in the 60s when local taquerias started loading up tons of ingredients in large tortillas. Naturally, I gravitate to this area whenever I’m craving good Mexican food. Taqueria Vallarta isn’t as well known as, say El Faro/Farolito, but it’s …

Bi-Rite Creamery

One of the most-mentioned names for ice cream shops in San Francisco is Bi-Rite Creamery, located in a bustling street corner in the Mission District. I’ll put this out there right away. I’ll be mentioning another Bay Area small batch, hand-crafted ice cream shop throughout this post. That’s right, the dearly-beloved Ici in Berkeley is the …

Pizza Orgasmica

Yes, there are pizza parlors in San Francisco called Pizza Orgasmica. Yes, these are located in the heart of the Financial District and Downtown SF, where all the major financial institutions and corporations are located. Yes, the pizza there is amazing. Welcome to the City by the Bay, folks! The pizza parlor itself was pretty …

Adam’s Grub Truck

It was a beautiful day next to Golden Gate Bridge – I was at a company picnic, and the Friday couldn’t have felt better. That’s when Adam’s Grub Truck stepped in and blew my definition of a good day out of the water. There were two food trucks at the event, and since I was …

Hog Island Oyster Co

I’m not a huge fan of seafood, so when I rave about a seafood place, it’s a good sign there were extraordinary dishes involved. Hog Island Oyster Co is one of these places. It was a beautiful Friday evening, and my roommates and I walked to the Ferry Building to grab one more dinner before …

Specialty’s Cafe & Bakery

Specialty’s holds a special place in my heart. The story goes back one year when I interned in San Francisco last summer. One of the fellow interns invited me on a mid-afternoon mini-excursion with a group of co-workers to a quaint little cafe across the street, right at the underground entrance of the Montgomery BART …