Guidebook for San Francisco

Viola
Guidebook for San Francisco

Essentials

Pricey but excellent seasonal produce, locally sourced seafood and meat, fresh deli, and specialty foods.
651 locals recommend
Bi-Rite Market
3639 18th St
651 locals recommend
Pricey but excellent seasonal produce, locally sourced seafood and meat, fresh deli, and specialty foods.
Local health food store. Limited selection but good for everyday items. All organic produce.
25 locals recommend
Buffalo Whole Food & Grain Co
598 Castro St
25 locals recommend
Local health food store. Limited selection but good for everyday items. All organic produce.
Good local supermarket. Small organic selection.
277 locals recommend
Mollie Stone's Markets
2435 California St
277 locals recommend
Good local supermarket. Small organic selection.
Not the biggest selection, but a good grocery option nonetheless. Lots of local and organic food.
905 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
3950 24th St
905 locals recommend
Not the biggest selection, but a good grocery option nonetheless. Lots of local and organic food.

Everything Else

The best ice cream in the area! Seasonal flavors made with Straus Creamery milk.
476 locals recommend
Bi-Rite Creamery
3692 18th St
476 locals recommend
The best ice cream in the area! Seasonal flavors made with Straus Creamery milk.
Underground transportation to downtown and other parts of the city
76 locals recommend
Castro Station
76 locals recommend
Underground transportation to downtown and other parts of the city

Food Scene

Excellent food but on the pricier side
71 locals recommend
Contigo
71 locals recommend
Excellent food but on the pricier side
Simple seasonal menu food, quiet atmosphere, super nice staff.
120 locals recommend
Firefly
4288 24th Street
120 locals recommend
Simple seasonal menu food, quiet atmosphere, super nice staff.
Best local pizza
598 locals recommend
Pizzeria Delfina
3621 18th St
598 locals recommend
Best local pizza
Excellent bakery & cafe. Pastries, sandwiches, and (best) bread (ever) made on site. Good for breakfast, lunch, or coffee.
768 locals recommend
Tartine Bakery
600 Guerrero St
768 locals recommend
Excellent bakery & cafe. Pastries, sandwiches, and (best) bread (ever) made on site. Good for breakfast, lunch, or coffee.
Good Thai food, they don't deliver but they do take-out. Just call ahead.
31 locals recommend
Thai House Express Restaurant
599 Castro St
31 locals recommend
Good Thai food, they don't deliver but they do take-out. Just call ahead.
They make the best pesto outside of Italy.
49 locals recommend
Farina
3560 18th Street
49 locals recommend
They make the best pesto outside of Italy.
Best place for dim sum in the neighborhood
88 locals recommend
Mama Ji's
4416 18th St
88 locals recommend
Best place for dim sum in the neighborhood
Great Korean food
73 locals recommend
Commissary
59 9th St
73 locals recommend
Great Korean food
Good, fresh, and affordable Indian food either to eat-in or to-go
39 locals recommend
Kasa Indian Eatery
4001 18th St
39 locals recommend
Good, fresh, and affordable Indian food either to eat-in or to-go
Great place to buy locally roasted coffee beans and grounds.
348 locals recommend
Four Barrel Coffee
375 Valencia St
348 locals recommend
Great place to buy locally roasted coffee beans and grounds.
Closest Mexican restaurant
187 locals recommend
The Little Chihuahua
292 Divisadero St
187 locals recommend
Closest Mexican restaurant
Great Mexican place
196 locals recommend
Papalote Mexican Grill
1777 Fulton St
196 locals recommend
Great Mexican place
Excellent South Indian food
110 locals recommend
DOSA on Valencia
995 Valencia St
110 locals recommend
Excellent South Indian food
Never tried it, but I hear great things about their pizza
360 locals recommend
Little Star Pizza
846 Divisadero St
360 locals recommend
Never tried it, but I hear great things about their pizza
Innovative cuisine, lots of house cured and fermented dishes
79 locals recommend
Bar Tartine
561 Valencia Street
79 locals recommend
Innovative cuisine, lots of house cured and fermented dishes
Gluten-free Venezuelan restaurant featuring freshly made arepas
34 locals recommend
Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen
401 Valencia St
34 locals recommend
Gluten-free Venezuelan restaurant featuring freshly made arepas
Fresh oysters
148 locals recommend
Anchor Oyster Bar
579 Castro St
148 locals recommend
Fresh oysters
Excellent Italian-inspired food, on the pricier side
598 locals recommend
Pizzeria Delfina
3621 18th St
598 locals recommend
Excellent Italian-inspired food, on the pricier side
This restaurant is a true gem. Owned and run by a Sardinian couple, they serve absolutely authentic Sardinian food in a very mellow atmosphere.
146 locals recommend
La Ciccia
291 30th St
146 locals recommend
This restaurant is a true gem. Owned and run by a Sardinian couple, they serve absolutely authentic Sardinian food in a very mellow atmosphere.
Coffee, toast, and fresh coconuts. What could be better?
141 locals recommend
Trouble Coffee
4033 Judah St
141 locals recommend
Coffee, toast, and fresh coconuts. What could be better?
Excellent Italian restaurant
162 locals recommend
A16
2355 Chestnut St
162 locals recommend
Excellent Italian restaurant
Burmese food, one of the best
458 locals recommend
Burma Superstar
309 Clement St
458 locals recommend
Burmese food, one of the best
If you are going to eat sushi, this is where you want to go. Not only is their sushi outrageously delicious, they also source all their seafood very carefully, so you can trust the source.
115 locals recommend
ICHI Sushi
3369 Mission St
115 locals recommend
If you are going to eat sushi, this is where you want to go. Not only is their sushi outrageously delicious, they also source all their seafood very carefully, so you can trust the source.
Good coffee and house-baked sourdough bread
281 locals recommend
The Mill
736 Divisadero St
281 locals recommend
Good coffee and house-baked sourdough bread
Sourdough pizza and pastries to go
320 locals recommend
Arizmendi Bakery
1331 9th Ave
320 locals recommend
Sourdough pizza and pastries to go
Excellent bakery, fresh bread, nice atmosphere.
155 locals recommend
Tartine Manufactory
595 Alabama St
155 locals recommend
Excellent bakery, fresh bread, nice atmosphere.

Entertainment & Activities

Outdoor playground and indoor play space
11 locals recommend
Koret Health and Recreation Center
Turk Boulevard
11 locals recommend
Outdoor playground and indoor play space
Brand new, state-of-the-art playground.
107 locals recommend
Helen Diller Playground
107 locals recommend
Brand new, state-of-the-art playground.
Playground is small but very close to the house. Good for babies.
17 locals recommend
Douglass Playground
26th Street
17 locals recommend
Playground is small but very close to the house. Good for babies.
Sweet little natural history museum with live animals (lots of rescued/rehabilitation birds), an observation bee hive, and an old electric train set (trains open on weekends only). Free entrance.
59 locals recommend
Randall Museum
199 Museum Way
59 locals recommend
Sweet little natural history museum with live animals (lots of rescued/rehabilitation birds), an observation bee hive, and an old electric train set (trains open on weekends only). Free entrance.
This tiny park has one of the best concrete slides in the city. Delightful for kids and adults alike.
25 locals recommend
Seward Mini Park
70 Corwin St
25 locals recommend
This tiny park has one of the best concrete slides in the city. Delightful for kids and adults alike.

Sightseeing

Great hike or bike destination. Sweeping views of downtown, SF bay, and east bay.
727 locals recommend
Twin Peaks
727 locals recommend
Great hike or bike destination. Sweeping views of downtown, SF bay, and east bay.
Good place to go for a walk from the house
48 locals recommend
Kite Hill Open Space
48 locals recommend
Good place to go for a walk from the house

Shopping

Good California wine selection; staffed by the nicest people in the world.
10 locals recommend
Castro Village Wine Co
4121 19th St
10 locals recommend
Good California wine selection; staffed by the nicest people in the world.
Hardware store and gift shop. They carry almost everything, from kitchen and household supplies to stationery to nuts and bolts. Two stores side by side.
69 locals recommend
Cliff's Variety
479 Castro St
69 locals recommend
Hardware store and gift shop. They carry almost everything, from kitchen and household supplies to stationery to nuts and bolts. Two stores side by side.

Arts & Culture

Historic theater showing old and new movies. Live organ music opens each show.
332 locals recommend
Castro Theatre
429 Castro St
332 locals recommend
Historic theater showing old and new movies. Live organ music opens each show.