Emily Betty - MBA Student/Editorial intern at ChefsFeed - San Francisco, CA
The place I always eat:
Alembic. I take everyone from out of town here, as they have the best cocktails and some of the most creative food in the city, presented in a laid back, dimly lit, bar-centric atmosphere where the bartenders are heavily tattooed and you can expect to hear anything from Otis Redding to Iggy Pop to the Pixies on the on the sound system. Must order items include the jerk-spiced duck hearts with pickled pineapple and thyme-salt, pickled quail eggs, the roasted bone marrow, Eagle Rare whiskey chocolate pudding, and the Vice Grip cocktail or a classic bourbon Old-Fashioned. Or just tell the bartender (ask for Daniel Hyatt, if he’s around) what you like and he or she will fix you something special. They also serve ‘til 1am which is great since late-night dining is hard to find in San Francisco. My only gripe is that it’s located on Haight Street which can be kind of grimy and is full of hippies, burn outs, and tourists… but hey, if you’re reading this, you’re probably a tourist so you might be into checking out that sort of thing.
Where to stay for the night:
Hotel Diva, an affordable boutique hotel that’s centrally located in Union Square with a sleek and modern design. It’s fun and close to public transportation and has a great aesthetic for less than $200 a night. If you’re willing to ball out and throw down a little more cash, Hotel Vitale is a beautiful, eco-friendly hotel located right by the water and close to the Ferry Building (though avoid the restaurant bar at happy hour on a Friday, it becomes a meat market for after-work weekend warrior douchebags). Another option is the Phoenix… it’s in the sketchy and unglamorous Tenderloin neighborhood, but it has a fun kitschy vibe (it’s a remodeled motor lodge) and is where a lot of bands and DJs usually stay while stopping through town on tour. Added bonus, it has a pool!
The one place I take everyone:
The Ferry Building’s Saturday farmers market. The Ferry Building is on the Embarcadero by the bay and has some of SF’s best food destinations/products all in one place. Saturday mornings are the best time to go because they also have a farmers market, which brings even more fantastic food stands and pop-ups, and allows you to explore and fully appreciate the amazing array of California fresh produce and artisanal products we have available here in the bay area. If you really wanna get fancy, make a reservation for a late lunch at the Slanted Door and spend time beforehand walking around and checking everything out. Warning though, it will be pretty packed/busy on Saturday mornings… if crowds are too much for you, there’s also a smaller, scaled down farmers market on Thursdays at lunch time.
Best local product you should try:
Humphry Slocombe ice cream. They have the most awesome, outrageous flavors (they rotate seasonally) and everything is made in small batches so the quality is unsurpassable. Try their most popular flavor, Secret Breakfast… that’s bourbon ice cream with cornflakes. I also recommend the Salt ‘n’ Peppa (literally salt and pepper flavored), the Blue Bottle Vietnamese coffee, Peanut Butter Curry, and Smoked Chocolate and Sea Salt, but they’re all good.
The 2nd best kept secret:
The glass elevators at the Westin St. Francis Hotel! Go to this classic hotel in Union Square and take a ride to the 32nd floor in their famous glass elevators… the views are breath-taking, and unlike anywhere else in the city! Added bonus - it’s free! But if you don’t mind spending some money, I also recommend stopping in for a cocktail at Clock Bar (located in the lobby) on your way out; they have one of the most interesting cocktail menus in the city.
