San Francisco is a food lover's mecca. Here we share our 5 favorite casual dining spots. (Photo by Marion Engelke)
There is no shortage of trendy new places to dine in San Francisco. It’s a food-lovers mecca: chefs have one of the world’s best supplies of locally-grown food. Restaurants that aren’t good simply do not survive.
When we lived in San Francisco 10 years ago, we ate out frequently. We had five favorite casual dining spots – places to go again and again rather than cook. All five of them are still going strong today and are on our “must visit list” every time we visit San Francisco.
Here’s our 5 casual dining favorites in San Francisco:
1. Yank Sing Carts piled high with dim sum never stop passing by your table, tempting you to try more dishes. There are more than 100 different items – steamer baskets filled with every kind of dumpling, pork buns, sautéed vegetables, crab claws – are just a few favorites. In and near the Financial District, both locations are high-energy spots perfect for lunch or Sunday brunch. Generally there’s a wait to get a table, but the dim sum is worth the wait.
2. Henry’s Hunan Restaurant Located near Levi’s Plaza at 924 Sansome Street (between Broadway & Vallejo), Hunan was a favorite lunch spot when we both worked in the area. Upon arriving in the city now, it’s usually our first stop: for a “fix” of shrimp chow mien and VJ’s special – chicken with cabbage in black bean sauce. A slide of meat pie comes with lunch specials – if not at lunch, split a whole meat pie. The smoked meat dishes are terrific. Established in 1974, there are now five locations of Henry’s Hunan Restaurant in San Francisco.
Zarzuela features Spanish tapas and friendly waiters at the corner of Hyde and Union Streets.
3. Zarzuela This was our neighborhood restaurant at the corner of Hyde and Union where there is a cable car stop. Zarzuela offers Spanish tapas as good as in Barcelona, with extraordinary waiters like Arturo, Polo and Carlos. There are no reservations, so go early, check with the Andy to get your name on the list. Leave your cell phone # and then go have a glass of wine down the street at Bacchus Wine Bar. Andy will call you when your table is ready. The menu features small dishes of hot and cold tapas, large plates, and paella plus there are daily specials. Some of our favorite dishes: gambas al ajillo (sizzling shrimp with garlic), Padrí³n peppers (most are mild, you never know which one will be hot) chorizo, goat cheese baked in tomato sauce, seafood salad, tortilla Espaí±ola, and whatever special chef Lucas has created that day. All should be enjoyed with the house-made sangria or bottle of Spanish wine. Salute!
4. Swenson’s Ice Cream On the opposite corner of Union & Hyde from Zarzuela is the original Swensen’s Ice Cream store, opened in 1948 by Earle Swensen. Lite Turtle Almond Fudge – nothing about it tastes lite – then there’s sticky chewy chocolate, a black & white shake and pints and quarts to go. If there’s a red star on the back of your receipt, and get $5 free.
5. Sodini’s Green Valley Restaurant A North Beach favorite, with friendly greetings at the bar by Anna or owner Mark. Many nights dinner was two appetizers: crispy calamari with two dipping sauces, and crunchy bruschetta with tomato basil topping, all complimented with a couple of glasses of wine at the bar. For a meal, all of the entrees start with a huge Italian salad with garlicky house dressing. The prawn penne pasta in cream sauce will fill you up and leave you needing to walk a couple of nearby hills.
Walking the steep hills of Jones street will work up your appetite.
What is your favorite casual dining spot in San Francisco? We’d like to check it out on our next visit. Please share in comments.
All photos by Marion & Michael Engelke.
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