A FABULOUS FOOD TOUR OF SAN FRANCISCO

Up there as an important part of the San Francisco skyline is the iconic Ferry Building, which at the turn of the century was the central transport hub for the whole city. From the 1950s onwards, it sat forgotten in the shadow of a double-decker freeway, and it wasn’t until the freeway was toppled by an earthquake in 1989 that the building was restored, but this time with a new purpose. Today, the Ferry Building is the centre for the local artisan food community.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, locals flock in their thousands to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, which is acclaimed for both the quality and diversity of its products – head down on a Saturday morning to see San Francisco’s most famous chefs browsing for ingredients. Spots at the market are very carefully curated by an expert team, as are the Ferry Building’s community of permanent vendors, most of which start their journey with a market stall.

About a mile north along the waterfront, Pier 39 is the tourist hotspot of San Francisco, which might muster an eye roll from the locals, but if you look past the usual tourist suspects (Hard Rock Café we’re looking at you), you can find some real authentic Bay Area staples.

Scoma’s is a local institution that has been serving up classic seafood from ‘pier to plate’ since 1965. The fact they have their own boat means dishes are made from their daily catch, the most famous being the “Lazy Man’s Cioppino” – a mixture of Dungeness crab, scallops, shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and market fish, all brewed up in “Mama” Scoma’s delicious tomato broth. Catch a table by the window to enjoy views over the wharf while you polish off a bottle of white.

San Francisco is heavily regarded as the birthplace of sourdough. Technically speaking probably not true, as ancient recipes date back thousands of years, but sourdough is still engrained within San Francisco’s culture, and the best place to give it a try is Boudin – one of the oldest and most famous bakeries in the city (actually recognised as the ‘oldest continually operating business in San Francisco’). The O-G Boudin is at Fisherman’s Wharf where you can catch the bakers in action and see how sourdough is made (and most importantly, eat it).

The city is famed for being home to one of the biggest and oldest Chinese communities outside of Asia, with the first Chinese immigrants arriving in 1848. Since then, Chinatown has become the beating heart of the city. San Francisco’s original street, Grant Avenue, runs directly through Chinatown and is flanked by the famous Dragon Gate on the corner of Grant and Bush Street.

Chinatown spans over 30 square blocks of San Francisco’s downtown area, with its steep hills and secret alleyways. During the late 1800s, these alleys were notorious for gambling, brothels and opium dens. Sketchy as it may seem, this ill repute turned out to be San Francisco’s meal ticket, with tourists pouring in far and wide to see it for themselves. One such alleyway is now home to another Chinatown institution – the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Want to take charge of your own fortune? Lucky for you, this factory lets you create your own fortune cookies, complete with hand-written personalised messages.

The only way to get the skinny on what’s good in Chinatown is with a San Francisco native, to try some favourite local dishes like Peking duck, potstickers, sesame balls, bao buns and moon cakes. Guiding guests through the city’s hotspots, Local Tales of the City Tours serve up each of these local must-haves with a slice of Chinatown’s rich history.

The newest part of that history is the recent pandemic and its devastating aftermath. Chinatown felt the sting of racist rhetoric around Covid even before any lockdown orders were issued, and fallout from the pandemic is more noticeable here than anywhere, where the once bustling streets feel empty, and historic family businesses which have been thriving for over a hundred years remain closed. Thankfully, new businesses like Chef Ho Chee Boon’s Michelin-starred Empress by Boon are coming through with waves of exciting new ventures in a bid to bring tourists back.

Alongside Chinatown, San Francisco is home to other cool distinct neighbourhoods – the Mission District being the most ‘of the moment’, with its Valencia Street bars on the lips of every hipster in town. Check out Zeitgeist beer garden for one of 64 different taps of craft beer, or for cocktails, head to Casanova Lounge or The Beehive. Every October, the best of the Mission District comes together for the annual 20th Street Block Party. Part music, part food festival, the event celebrates all things local, with emerging young artists taking to the stage and the best local vendors feeding the neighbourhood, all in the name of coming together to raise money for local nonprofits.

Monsieur Benjamin brings the cool cuisine of Paris to the streets of San Francisco. Watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen grilling and sautéing to perfection dishes like duck leg confit and steak frites. Start with onion soup or escargots to really get into the spirit, and don’t ignore the expertly curated wine menu with one of the best Champagne selections around.

A Michelin-starred restaurant in Chinatown famed for its modern Cantonese fare under Chef Ho Chee Boon (of Hakkasan fame). The prix fixe will guide you through the chef’s palate, with dishes like stir-fried quail, wok-tossed wagyu beef and scallop and caviar rolls. Definitely go for the wine pairing with each course and absolutely don’t miss the after dinner cocktails (and their Titanic namesakes).

A North Beach favourite and a cinematic love letter to Italy, celebrating everything Italian, from spritzes to negronis, meatballs to gnocchi. The vibe is moody and romantic, with Dean Martin on the jukebox, and cocktails named after Rat Pack classics.

Arriving at the Beacon Grand is a real ‘Welcome to San Francisco’ moment, enter through the gilded lobby up to your royal blue suite with its marble and gold bathrooms – it’s classic grand hotel, done right. From the hat tip of the doormen to the monogram stamped ice in the cocktails, attention to detail reigns supreme.

Standard rooms are available at £291, based on single or double occupancy

Gritty, edgy and urban describes San Francisco’s newest hotel, The Line. After debuting in LA’s Koreatown and popping up throughout the US since then (and after much anticipation) The Line is now open. Industrial is the vibe, think concrete ceilings and cool street art. Feel at home with trendy British brands like Cowshed and London Grind Coffee.

Standard room are available between £182 and £356 a night, and junior apartments are available from £709

Return fares from London Heathrow to San Francisco start at £577 (Economy), £1,578 (United Premium Plus) and £4,796 (United Polaris business). All fares include taxes and checked baggage. Customers can book United by visiting united.com or calling 0845 607 6760, or their travel agent.

Words By Sam Johnson

https://opulencemag.co.uk/2023/01/08/mood-boosting-foods-that-dont-cost-the-earth/