Welcome to San Francisco: Let’s Eat

By Oscar Davis

Welcome to San Francisco! The city of adventure, sights, and culinary delights. If you are visiting San Francisco, grab the chance to taste their iconic foods.

From San Francisco airport you already have the options to choose from top-tier restaurants with world class chefs preparing your food. Vegetarians can visit Amy’s Drive Thru which is close to Gate B6. You can also grab a quick snack of xiao long bao at Koi Palace Express near gate F11.

Coffee lovers can grab their coffee at the Equator Coffee near D Gate, around Napa Farms Market. San Francisco airport is already a hub of different kinds of restaurants and bars, but if you want to go out of the city we’ve listed some of the places you can visit.

Take your San Francisco airport car rental to some of the famous places and discover the city’s culinary gift. 

Fisherman’s Wharf’s Dungeness Crab 

Depending on which route you take, you will have to spend at least an hour going to Fisherman’s Wharf from San Francisco airport. This place is a haven for seafood lovers. This is a must-try if you are visiting San Francisco. It’s fresh, meaty, and full of flavor. This sure will make your palate happy.

The city is just in the Bay Area, so you won’t run out of delicious seafood for the whole year. The crab season usually starts around November and will last until the winter season. Make sure to plan your trip well so you can watch how vibrant the ports are during crab season. There are plenty of seafood restaurants you can choose from in the Fisherman’s Wharf area.

You can eat at Blue Mermaid, Crab House, The Godmother Fish & Chips, or at the Pier Market Seafood Restaurant. There are also Italian, American, and Asian restaurants around the area. 

Mission-Style Burrito 

This burrito takes you back to the 1960’s when it was first introduced. To satisfy your craving and fill in that huge appetite of yours, order the ‘super-sized’ mission-style burrito at El Farolito. This is just a 30-minute drive going to Mission Street. Once you get to taste the delicious mess of meat, beans, and rice mixed perfectly and wrapped into a burrito, you’ll forget that you’re tired from driving.

Locals and tourists would line up for their share of burritos because it’s affordable, filling, and hit the spot for some Mexican cravings. Some of the locations where you can drive around to order are La Palma Mexicatessen, El Toro Taqueria, Pancho Villa Taqueria, Papalote Mexican Grill, La Taqueria, and El Metate. You can also order some chicharrones and quesadillas on the side. 

Clam Chowder and Sourdough Bread Bowl 

This is another iconic hearty meal that will keep your heart warm and put a smile on your face. Yes, it’s that good! Take your rented car to Boudin Bakery Cafe located at Baker’s Hall, 160 Jefferson Street. Take your rental car for a 15-mile drive from San Francisco airport going to this spot. In about 40 minutes you’ll get to savor their sourdough bread which is freshly baked each day.

The bread serves as the bowl for the clam chowder giving it its unique taste. This gives its fresh and unique taste, the best comfort food that you can have after long hours of traveling. You can enjoy a hot bowl at the Fisherman’s Wharf while listening to the gentle waves and the ferries come and go. It’s available from 8 in the morning up until 9 in the evening. 

Scream for Ice Cream

San Francisco is the home to the best ice cream shops in the world. It’s an absolute delight for those with sweet tooths and who want to do some ice cream hopping while in the city. Whatever flavor you want, there’s an ice cream shop that will satisfy your sweet appetite.

Drive your Hertz Rental Car at the Humphry Slocombe, Harrison Street and order that Secret Breakfast flavor. Within 30 minutes of driving, you get to taste their famous mix of bourbon with cornflakes. For matcha lovers, take a trip to the Matcha Cafe Maiko and order a boba sundae with soft-serve vanilla or a hint of matcha completed with their home-made syrup.

Lush Gelato is the go-to place in the North Beach area for some creamy, authentic gelatos. Try out the fresh mint or their classic chocolate flavor while you shop around the area. Double Rainbow Ice Cream Shop is another iconic place to visit. There are plenty of classic flavors to choose from such as strawberry, matcha, peanut butter, and jelly. 

Dim Sum Delights 

Dim Sum is another culinary gem that San Francisco is proud of. If you are looking for some satisfying and authentic dim sum delights, you can take your car to the Rincon Center and head for the Yank Sing. From San Francisco airport, you’ll have to drive for about 30-40 minutes going to this place. After that 14-mile drive you can now enjoy authentic Chinese mealsThis restaurant is also perfect for vegetarians.

Dim Sum Club is another restaurant you can try out. Their patrons loved how delicious and affordable their menu is. You can also try out their wonton soup especially when visiting during the cold months. Golden Gate Chinese restaurant has been in the dim sum business for more than three decades already. This is where you can taste traditional dim sum perfected through the years. 

Interacting with the Locals

San Francisco airport offers every kind of food to satisfy one’s craving. If you are tight on schedule and only have an hour or two to spare, you can just walk around the airport and choose which restaurant to eat at. But if you have more time to spend, rent a car and drive around the city.

You will learn more about San Francisco’s culture by interacting with the locals and tasting some of their iconic and local foods. This city offers a unique culinary experience to anyone visiting the place since it has been a home to many diverse cultures. The food in this city is a showcase of worldwide cuisines and gastronomic delights. 

These are just five of the foods that you must try out when visiting, there are plenty more. With a rented car, you have more time to drive around and to personally experience these foods and feel the ambiance.

Oscar Davis is a freelance writer from Leeds, UK.