Updated: September 18, 2017 (added: “list of other places we’ve been”)
THINGS TO DO AND EAT IN SF:
Continue reading below to see our favorite places in and around SF.
Places to eat:
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse – Home of the half-croissant and half-muffin hybrid, cruffins! The flavors change daily, but you can usually find their flavor updates through Instagram or Facebook. I had the chance to try the earl grey donuts and it was soo good! I’ve had an obsession with earl grey for so many years now, so if I see it on the menu, I just have to try it! I recently had it again in Seoul and it was just as delicious as the one in SF. You can also find three other locations in SoCal!
Golden Gate Bakery – The best HK-style egg tarts I’ve ever had in the states! It’s best when it comes out hot and fresh. There’s usually a long line, so go early so you don’t have to wait. We didn’t encounter a line when we last went, but it was in the morning. Luckily they were open during our trip, because they’re notorious for being randomly closed and “away on vacation.” There’s even a website dedicated to whether they’re open or not. I suggest calling first, so you don’t waste your time trying to get there. As much as we love GGB, we wouldn’t wait no more than 20-30 minutes for it, if that.
https://www.facebook.com/isthegoldengatebakeryopentoday
Pineapple King Bakery – We love pineapple buns (bolo baos)! It’s even better with a cold slab of butter sandwiched between it. Warm, sweet and crispy baked outside, with a pillowy soft inside. The best ones we’ve had were in Hong Kong, but this location is our favorite so far in the states.
House of Silvanas Bakeshop – I can’t wait to go back and get some more of these crispy, soft wafer cookies! Located a little outside of SF, I think it’s worth the trip, if you have a car to drive to Daly City. The “original” was already sold out when we got there, so we tried every other flavor that was available. Ube and pandan flavors are a must!
PPQ Dungeness Island – This restaurant was one of the highlights during our last trip to San Francisco. We had a full day of food adventures, so we didn’t get to try many dishes on the menu. We did select one of the most popular choices and we loveddd it! The portions were huge and the flavors left us wanting to come back for more.
House of Prime Rib – If I had to choose between Lawry’s Prime Rib or House of Prime Rib, I’d definitely choose HOPR, hands down. You can find Lawry’s in Beverly Hills, Chicago, Dallas, Vegas, and even in Singapore, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Seoul. House of Prime Rib, however, is only in SF. The style of service and the sides offered with your meal is almost the same as Lawry’s, but the prime rib and everything overall was just so much better here.
Boudin Bakery – If you plan on getting clam chowder while in SF, be sure you get it in a sourdough bread bowl from here. This place is a must and it’s perfect on chilly days.
Benkyodo – One of the softest and freshest hand-made mochi I’ve had. I think the strawberry one that’s filled with white bean is only sold during certain days, but be sure you get it if you can. This shop can be found right in Japantown and it’s been open since 1906!
Cocobang – Our hotel was right around the corner, so we found this place through Yelp. Corn cheese, rolled egg omelet / omurice, army soup and Korean fried chicken? Can’t go wrong with that! Everything we had this day was great! Perfect beer and soju late-night drinking food.
Swan Oyster Depot – One of the smallest restaurants we went to, which only seats twenty or so people. The Sicilian-style sashimi is different than what I’m used to, but I really liked it! The scallops were probably my favorite part of it. This dish is off-the-menu but it’s very popular! It’s not good for big crowds, so a party of 1-2 would probably be ideal.
Other places we’ve been:
Food: YakiniQ (Korean BBQ), Woodhouse Fish Co (lobster & crab rolls), San Tung (dry fried chicken wings), Shanghai Dumpling King (soup dumplings), Delicious Dim Sum, Dragon Beaux Restaurant (dim sum), Pier Market Seafood Restaurant (clam chowder bread bowl)
Desserts: Choux (cream puffs), Belly Good Cafe (Japanese crepes), Ghirardelli Square
Drinks: Boba Guys (strawberry matcha latte)
Things to do:
Point Bonita Lighthouse – If you happen to have a car to drive in SF, definitely take a trip out here. It’s a little out of the way but it’s totally worth it because the views are amazinggg!
Land’s End Trail / Labryinth – We made the biggest mistake by coming here right after we finished eating dim sum. Getting to the labryinth took us longer than it should’ve, but it’s a great place to sit and relax, and just take in all the views of the city.
Muir Woods – This national park is north of SF. When we went, it was the first time it rained after 3 or so years, because of the California drought. It just made the scenery soo much more beautiful! I usually hope for no rain when I travel, but I’m definitely glad it rained the day we went here.
Japanese Tea Garden – This was a great place to kill time at when we were running out of things to do. It was so serene and tranquil. I believe there’s some sort of discount if you go on certain days or times.
Painted Ladies – If you’ve seen Full House, then this should look familiar to you. There’s a park or hill across from here, so you can people watch, relax, or maybe even picnic. Who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky and catch Uncle Jesse!
Other places we’ve been:
Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, Sutra Bath Ruins, Japantown, Golden Gate Bridge (North & South vista points), Golden Gate Bridge Park, Lombard Street, Chinatown, Oakland Bridge, Cupid’s Span (bow & arrow structure), Twin Peaks Summit, Grand View park steps, Dutch windmill, Sausalito
I know there are so many other food options and places to go, but this is only based off of where we’ve been so far.
For more photos or places I haven’t listed, you can find it on IG under the hashtag #sherrytravelssf
https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/sherrytravelssf/
Check back later for more updates on this guide!
