VISITING SAN FRANCISCO: WHERE TO EAT

one of my favorite things about this city is its food (if that wasn't already obvious by the weight i've gained since living here). when friends and family come to visit, we try to hit up as many of the these places as possible.

nopa: you get more bang for your buck if you eat here for brunch, which is only served on the weekends. and the brunch is amazing. we love the house made sausage, custard french toast, and grilled bread. actually, everything is amazing. dinner is a little pricier, but worth it as well. they have an amazing burger (served at both brunch and dinner. it's that amazing.)

sushi zone: this is probably our favorite restaurant in the city. actually in the world. i would eat here everyday if i could. you need to get there before it opens to avoid the wait for one of its 16 seats(we're talking hours). we usually show up 20-30 minutes before they open and get right in. you have to order the baked bass. HAVE to. 

ike's place: best sandwiches.(and i say this as an east coast deli lover.) it's not your basic sandwich either. even their names are awesome. order online or use their app to avoid waiting in their long line. sandwiches are big enough to split and they can wrap each half individually if you ask them. we order the menage a trois with avocado and mozzarella sticks. 

bi-rite creamery: best ice cream in the city. they actually have two locations now but the one in the mission has regular ice cream and soft serve. they are famous for their salted caramel. their best kept secret is their soft serve. equally as delicious but only comes in two flavors and without the around-the-block wait. on fridays they have balsamic strawberry and creme fraiche. get it in a twist. trust me. it's amazing.

arinell pizza: this is a complete hole in the wall and you might question why i sent you there. but this is the best slice of cheese pizza in the city. maybe the best slice of cheese pizza ever. cash only.

acme bread company: i know the sourdough bread is the thing to eat in san fran. whatever you do, do not go to boudin. i know it's easy and touristy but it will be a disappointment. i'd recommend avoiding fisherman's wharf altogether. instead hit up acme in the ferry building. they don't accept credit cards so bring some cash. the ferry building also has a lot of other great places to check out as well as an epic farmer's market on saturday.

the mill: i'm not a coffee drinker but i hear this place has great coffee (it's the sister store to four barrel coffee). and they serve toast. sounds like a sweet combo to me. not to mention the place is beautiful. if you're a hot chocolate drinker like me, hit up blue bottle coffee (they're also supposed to have fab coffee).

deflina/ pizzeria delfina: great italian. my favorite spaghetti in the entire world is from delfina. it's pricey but totally worth it. pizzeria delfina is the cheaper younger sister.  its fab pizza. my bro in law says its the best pizza he's had since italy. order the panna pie or cherry tomato pie (seasonal), meatballs, and fresh-stretched mozzarella (david's favorite). sadly, you can't get the spaghetti at the pizzeria.

taqueria cancun: great mexican food. it is a total hole in the wall. if you want a cleaner option go with papalote. they have some amazing unqiue salsas there.

a few notes: i'm not the only person that loves the food in this city, which means lots of lines. waiting to eat is something that we've gotten used to here, but it took a while. so our visitors always have a hard time with the idea. if you can, get reservations.

san francisco also has an additional tax at restaurants that you will see on your bill. it basically helps the restaurant provide health care for its employees. we saw this woman from new jersey freak out over it a couple years ago. it was kind of ridiculous.