If You Are Going to San Francisco
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I’m quite open about my fondness for San Francisco and for what locals refer to as the Bay Area. The region attracts some of the smartest, weirdest, and most passionate people in the nation, and if you love the outdoors as much as I do, it’s a delightful playground.
I confess to getting a rush every time I drive through Silicon Valley and see signs for places like Cupertino, Mountain View, Santa Clara, and Palo Alto. New York might be the nation’s center for finance and culture, but in Northern California they actually create things. At any given time, the guy or gal I’m passing (I drive like a New Yorker) could be a designer at Apple, a programmer at Google, an engineer at Intel, or a senior R&D executive at HP. Or the person who has made an absolute killing selling black mock turtlenecks to Steve Jobs. The folks out here have literally changed the world, and it’s exhilarating just to be among them.
Over the years, I’ve developed some fairly strong opinions on the best places to stay and eat in San Francisco. I always appreciate travel suggestions, so I thought I’d share a few of my own. I’ve limited my recommendations only to places in the financial and Union Square area, but if you have the time, I strongly encourage you to venture out into the city’s wonderful neighborhoods.
Where to Stay
San Francisco is filled with boutique hotels that are usually described on places like TravelAdvisor.com as having “charm” or being “quaint.” I generally avoid these hotels because too often “charm” means small and “quaint” means there is no view. One of the best known in this category is The Prescott, which is owned by the Kimpton Group (heck, they even refer to themselves as a boutique hotel on their website). I once booked a room at The Prescott Hotel, but checked out minutes later. The room was uncomfortably small and overlooked the side of another building. To be fair though, a lot of guests love the place (I will tell you how I know that in a minute).
My favorite hotel, on the corner of Third and Market, is a recently converted Westin. I’ve been staying here for more than a decade, first when it was the ANA Hotel and then The Argent. I like the place because the sizeable rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, afford wonderful unobstructed views, and get flooded with natural light throughout the entire day. Third and Market also is an ideal location because it borders the financial district and Union Square, the Moscone Convention Center, and the Museum of Modern Art. AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team, is an easy 15 minute walk. The Peet’s Coffee, Whole Foods, and the Verizon store I raved about earlier are all nearby.
I never cared much for the staff at this hotel under the previous ownership, but a no-nonsense hotel management firm out of Dallas has taken over the property and is fast making improvements. If you can afford it, or are fortunate to get upgraded as I once did (thank you Starwood Preferred!), I highly recommend the 06 line of rooms on the higher floors, which are end-of-the-hall suites.
Third and Market has quietly become Starwood row, as there also is a St. Regis, a Sheraton, and a W within blocks. I’ve never cared much for the W chain, but the one in San Francisco is quite a happening place, particularly for twenty-somethings. The Four Seasons also is located just off Third and Market.
If you prefer to stay in Union Square, I was quite fond of the Pan Pacific Hotel, but it has since been taken over by the JW Marriott so I can’t vouch for the property.
Places to Eat
A client took me here in June and I couldn’t wait to return to the wonderfully delightful Greek restaurant. I’ve never been to Greece, but I’m told this place is quite authentic. Everything is wonderfully fresh and delicious. And despite being one of San Francisco’s most popular restaurants, the staff is pleasantly down-to-earth and extremely accommodating. The restaurant also has some fabulous wines in the $40-$50 range. Given the quality of the food, Kokkari is quite reasonably priced, at least by New York standards. Take my advice and go when you’re next in town. You’ll thank me later.
For many years, Aqua was my absolute favorite restaurant anywhere. Although it was always pricey, it served some of the most glorious foods I’ve ever tasted in one of the most beautiful dining rooms in the country. But then executive chef and partner Michael Mina left, now operating his namesake restaurant at the Westin St. Francis Hotel (as well as others around the country). Aqua subsequently expanded, opening new locations and introducing a prix fix menu. While the restaurant remains popular with the trendy crowd, the food no longer has the same pizzazz, and given the paltry portions, seems a tad overpriced.
Having said that, I still recommend Aqua for its signature tuna tartare dish, which unquestionably is still the best I’ve tasted anywhere. You can have it classically prepared or with a blend of moroccan spices, lemon confit, and fresh herbs. Fortunately, you can order the dish a la carte. I highly recommend going to Aqua to sample its tuna tartare and a glass of wine (it’s a great place to meet for a drink) and then go somewhere else for dinner.
Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio is another popular local restaurant but, as the travel experts at Fodor’s write, “Gone are the days when Postrio was the destination.” The restaurant is located in the aforementioned Prescott Hotel, its home since opening in 1989. Overall, I’m as underwhelmed by the food served in the main dining room as I am by the hotel that houses it. Its bar food, however, is another story. The place makes its own gourmet lamb, veal, and duck sausages that are served with various sauces and pretzels. The magnificent three sausage dish costs all of $11, making it quite possibly the best gourmet food deal anywhere. Postrio’s sandwiches also are quite good, and I also recommend the mixed greens salad, for its freshness and generous size. Postrio also serves reasonably priced wines by the glass.
I frequently meet Prescott guests at Postrio, all of whom seem to quite like the hotel.
It’s always dangerous to use superlatives, but I’m quite comfortable using one when talking about Dottie’s. This neighborhood joint serves the best – the very best – American breakfast anywhere. Jacob, our creative director, seconds me on this as do, it seems, many others. A few words of caution: The restaurant borders San Francisco’s rather seedy Tenderloin district and a line often begins forming even before the tiny place opens. Trust me, their fresh-baked muffins and the world’s most perfect pancakes are worth the trouble.
I’ll leave it to others to tell you where to shop and which tourist “must sees” are worth the price of admission. I’m just the Lodging and Food & Wine Guy.
8 of 9
- Googling Weak Journalism
- The Irony of the New York Minute
- Out of the City and Into the Woods
- Seeking a Cure for The San Francisco Treat
- Top 10 Ways to Help Hotels Go Greener
- Clearing the San Francisco Air (Part One)
- Clearing the San Francisco Air (Part Two)
- If You Are Going to San Francisco
- A Demonstration We Can Do Without