Haight Ashbury is in most San Francisco tourist books as the center of the '60s hippie movement, though today it's another commercial street with boutiques, albeit some more colorful than the norm. I rarely make it over, but there are a few visit worthy spots. Loosely based on a local foodie walking tour of the neighborhood, I put together a food/drink crawl for some friends on a Saturday afternoon.
The total distance is just about a mile, though is a little aggressive on the consumption side. If you had something at each stop, it could be a chocolate bacon-beer-juice-piroshki-ice cream-soda-cocktail-alcoholic fountain soda kind of day ;)
Here’s the itinerary…
2:30 PM
Bacon Bacon - 205 A Frederick Street at Ashbury - Porky food truck turned little storefront. Known for porky fries, pork belly, and breakfast sandwiches. I think I’m getting a bacon grilled cheese and/or dark chocolate covered bacon. They close at 3PM, so first stop.
3:00 PM
Magnolia Pub & Brewery - 1398 Haight at Masonic - beer. I actually don’t know what is good there, but I know beer lovers think it’s great. Gastropub menu.
4:00 PM
Second Act Marketplace and Events - 1727 Haight Street at Shrader - a neighborhood public space with several kinds of food and drink places (open til 6PM)
- Raw - fancy fresh juice place. $6.50 for 16oz, and usually for cleanses, but might be a nice drink mid day
- Anda Piroshki - Russian food. I’m between beef+cheese or mushroom+kale piroshki (~$4)
- Eatwell Farm’s Icebox - organic soft serve and handmade butter cones
The Fizzary - 1782 Haight at Shrader - really cool soda pop and candy store. All sodas $2 for all sorts of crazy stuff (open til 7PM)
5:00 PM
Alembic - 1725 Haight at Cole - phenomenal cocktails and delicious bar food. I love the pickled quail eggs. If we only went here, I’d be perfectly happy :)
6:00 PM
The Ice Cream Bar - 815 Cole St at Frederick - old school diner with food, ice cream, and alcoholic fountain sodas. I’m between the Dublin Honey (guinness, caramelized honey ice cream, chocolate and port) or the Port Egg Nog. Good beer list too.
