The 28 Iconic Dishes and Drinks of San Francisco

The Rebel Within at Craftsman and Wolves

Patricia Chang

San Francisco can lay claim to inventing everything from sourdough bread to fortune cookies, so it's no wonder that some of the nation's most iconic culinary history originates within our 49 square miles. For Classics Week 2015, we presented our humble attempt to catalog the 28 best single items, from dishes to snacks to drinks, at some of San Francisco's most classic restaurants and bars (without repeating every spot on our earlier map of 25 restaurants every San Franciscan must try). Disagreement is inevitable, but in our view, SF wouldn't be SF without the items on this list.

1 Anchor Steam Beer at Anchor Brewing Company

There is no greater pleasure in this life than a frosty Anchor Steam. The only steam beer you can buy (it's trademarked, so everyone else has to call theirs a "California common") dates to the 1800s, but was revived by Fritz Maytag in the '60s, making Anchor historic both as an old-school brewery and as one of the first American craft breweries post-Prohibition.

1705 Mariposa St
San Francisco, CA 94107

(415) 863-8350

2 Martini at Aub Zam Zam

Bruno Mooshei, the famously cantankerous bartender at this Haight icon, passed away in 2000, but they're still honoring his memory one martini at a time. With three ounces of gin mixed in a "1000 to 1" ratio with vermouth, it'll get you lit in no time flat, the better to enjoy the Middle Eastern vibe.

1633 Haight St
San Francisco, CA 94117

(415) 861-2545

3 Strawberry Manju at Benkyodo

Family-owned since 1906, this maker of handmade mochi and manju still has it going on. The strawberry manju, with white bean paste and a whole strawberry encased in tender rice dough, is our favorite, but you can't go wrong with anything here.

1747 Buchanan St
San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 922-1244

4 Irish Coffee at Buena Vista Cafe

Sure, it's a tourist obsession, but the Buena Vista does make a damn good Irish coffee. Also, it combines coffee and alcohol and dark wooden bars, three things San Francisco adores.

2765 Hyde St
San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 474-5044 

5 Apple Fritter at Bob's Donut & Pastry Shop

The ultimate old-school donut shop, Bob's provides 24-hour service to the tired, hungry, and occasionally drunk denizens of Polk. All their donuts are great, but the apple fritter, perfectly crisp-soft and laced with plenty of cinnamon and tender apples, is a standout.

1621 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 776-3141 

6 Chowder in a Bread Bowl at Boudin Bakery

Locals may not eat it much, but you can't deny that when the rest of the nation thinks "San Francisco," this is the first food that comes to mind. Sure, clam chowder is an East Coast invention, but sourdough makes it that much better, and you can't argue with warm, hearty soup on a chilly summer day by the water.

Pier 39
Space 5-Q, San Francisco, CA 94133

(415) 421-0185 

7 Espresso at Caffe Trieste

Long before hipster coffee shops popped up in every neighborhood, Caffe Trieste was fueling the Beats with its buzzy wares. Later, Francis Ford Coppola wrote The Godfatherin this very shop, hopped up on the same heady brew. It's certainly an argument for the creative mojo engendered by a cup of Trieste espresso.

609 Vallejo St
San Francisco, CA 94133

(415) 392-6739 

8 The Rebel Within at Craftsman and Wolves

Mad scientist/baker William Werner's masterpiece, the Rebel Within, manages to capture a soft boiled egg within a savory, sausage-studded cake. It's served with a tiny vial of Tabasco salt for added oomph, and takes breakfast to a whole new level. (Check out a detailed explanation of how it's made here.

Patricia Chang

746 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 913-7713 

9 Egg Custard Tarts at Golden Gate Bakery

If you can catch them while they're open (a highly variable proposition), Golden Gate's dan tat are about as good as they get: flaky, creamy, buttery, generally to die for.

1029 Grant Ave
San Francisco, CA 94133

(415) 781-2627 

10 Caldo Verde at Grubstake

Many a potential hangover has been staved off with a 3 am bowl of this restorative Portuguese elixir, with potatoes, kale, and plenty of zippy linguica sausage. The setting in an adorable converted cable car isn't half bad, either. Fans shouldn't wait to snag a bowl, since the fate of the building rests in the hands of new owners ( with possible development plans ).

1525 Pine St
San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 673-8268 

11 Prime Rib at House of Prime Rib

Sure, it'll cover your sodium intake for the week, but who can resist the juicy, carved-from-the-cart prime rib at HOPR? Accented with a mound of creamed spinach, plenty of au jus, and some Yorkshire pudding on the side, it's a ticket to meat heaven.

1906 Van Ness Ave
San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 885-4605 

12 Carnitas Burrito at La Taqueria

Rather than risk the ire of burrito partisans by including only one of the two biggest hitters, we decided to have them both on this list. First up: La Taq's world-beating carnitas, served with the perfect liquidy ratio of beans and salsa (but no rice) in a warm tortilla. There's a reason this won America's Best Burrito.

2889 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 285-7117 

13 Pan Dulce at La Victoria

A stroll along 24th Street isn't complete without a pan dulcefrom this adorable Mexican bakery, in business since 1951. They've hipped things up in recent years with fancy new-school pastries and De La Paz coffee, but the original treats are the best.

2937 24th St
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 642-7120 

14 Foccacia at Liguria Bakery

It's hard to explain what strange alchemy goes into Liguria's focaccia, but it might be magic. In any case, it certainly compels people to get up early and stand in line for a slice or two before they sell out, and has since 1911. Eat your pizza foccacia warm from the bag, or head down the street to equally historic Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store to enjoy it in an oven-baked meatball sandwich.

1700 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA 94133

(415) 421-3786 

15 Ube Ice Cream at Mitchell's Ice Cream

Mitchell's has been holding it down in Noe since 1953, offering both the standard chocolate, rocky road, and strawberry and some decidedly Filipino-influenced flavors, like avocado, buko (young coconut), and our pick, ube, or purple yam. Because when else are you going to get to eat purple ice cream?

688 San Jose Ave
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 648-2300 

16 Anything on Dutch Crunch at Roxie Food Center

This kickass Mission Terrace corner store is known for their Dutch Crunch bread, with that irresistible crisp exterior and soft interior. Whether you stick with turkey or go for the fully-loaded Roxie special, the deliciousness of Dutch crunch sets the stage.

1901 San Jose Ave
San Francisco, CA 94112

(415) 587-2345 

17 Swedish Pancakes at Sears Fine Food

It says "Home of Little Pancakes" right there on the sign, and Sears has been turning out delicious ones since 1938. You get 18 in an order, complete with warm maple syrup and soft butter. Breakfast nirvana.

439 Powell St
San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 986-1160 

18 Oysters at Swan Oyster Depot

Any seafood at Swan is guaranteed to be fresh and fantastic, whether you're opting for half a cracked Dungeness, a bowl of chowder, or a shrimp salad. But you can't come to a place with "Oyster Depot" right there in the name and not eat oysters, especially the amazing local ones.

1517 Polk St
San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 673-1101 

19 Sticky Chewy Chocolate Ice Cream at Swensen's Ice Cream

OK, so there are two ice creams on this list, but in our defense, ice cream is really good in San Francisco. Swensen's is best known for the sticky chewy chocolate, made with some kind of viscous chocolate syrup that makes the ice cream stretchy in the best possible way, but we certainly won't look askance if you opt for the excellent Swiss orange chip or Turkish coffee instead.

1999 Hyde St
San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 775-6818 

20 Hangtown Fry at Tadich Grill

Tadich is a font of iconic dishes: the cioppino and sand dabs were also strong contenders. But for the sheer San Franciscan hubris of putting bacon and fried oysters into an omelet, we have to give it to the Hangtown Fry.

240 California St
San Francisco, CA 94111

(415) 391-1849 

21 Country Bread at Tartine Bakery

There are many things to love about Tartine Bakery, from the croissants to the bread pudding, but nothing is more iconic than baker/owner Chad Robertson's country bread. The tangy, perfect crumb inside is surrounded by perfectly blistered crust, making it the ideal vehicle for butter, jam, sandwiches, or just torn off by the handful and consumed on its own.

Tartine Bakery

600 Guerrero St
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 487-2600 

22 Toast at Trouble Coffee

Trouble's slabs of toasted brioche are slathered with butter, then crusted with cinnamon and sugar for the ultimate coffee accompaniment. It's the OG San Francisco $4 toast, and it's not messing around. The Oakland and Bay View locations are reliable options for this toasty treat, but the Outer Sunset location is the most iconic place to consume it.

A.K. Carroll

4033 Judah St
San Francisco, CA 94122

(415) 682-4732 

23 Carne Asada Super Burrito at Taqueria El Farolito

Farolito, patron saint of the Mission's hungry drunks, is open late at night, which is the best time to eat their gloriously messy, greasy, flavorful, delectable carne asada super burrito (WITH rice, thank you very much). Waiting in line for 30 minutes for one of these is a great immersion into SF's melting pot. The burrito does not discriminate, especially when you are imbibing.

2779 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 824-7877 

24 High Tea at Garden Court

No, it's not setting any new culinary standards, but in terms of ridiculously beautiful rooms that will make you feel insanely fancy, the Garden Court is the one to beat. Come here for a ludicrously expensive high tea, and you'll feel like the Queen as you daintily bite into your finger sandwiches and scones.

2 New Montgomery St
San Francisco, CA 94105 

25 Bloody Mary at The Ramp

All of San Francisco comes here on a sunny day for raw shellfish and spicy bloodies, and you should too. The water, the sun, and the vodka will have you swimming in bliss, especially after a two-week stretch of gray and fog.

855 Terry Francois St
San Francisco, CA 94158

(415) 621-2378 

26 Xiao Long Bao at Yank Sing

We know, we know: Yank Sing is expensive (much more so than Shanghai Dumpling King). But their soup dumplings are off the chain, freshly flavorful and perfectly thin-skinned. Plus, you get the interactive element of trying to consume them without scalding the interior of your mouth, which takes real finesse and some artful nibbling skills.

101 Spear St
San Francisco, CA 94105

(415) 957-9300 

27 Cheesecake at Zanze's

The polar opposite of a dense, New York-style cheesecake, Zanze's cake is light as air, practically souffle-like in its delicacy (you need a taut string to cut it). They're only sold whole, with a dusting of graham-cracker crumbs on top and bottom, and the leftovers taste particularly good when frozen.

2405 Ocean Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132

(415) 334-2264 

28 Roast Chicken with Bread Salad at Zuni Cafe

It's hard to say more about this one than has already been said. The brick-oven-roasted chicken, with its crisp skin, is fantastic, but it's the chunks of crisp bread, arugula, and currants coated in chicken jus that really makes it special. Share it with someone you love, or steal all the salad when someone you hate isn't looking.

1658 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 552-2522 

29 Explosive Chicken at Z & Y Restaurant

A favorite of legendary chef Cecilia Chang, the explosive chicken is a showstopper. Deep fried chunks of chicken are presented atop a terrifying pile of dried chili peppers, indicating that this dish means business. However, the heat isn't overwhelming (just don't eat the peppers, they're for decoration) and the chicken is flavorful. Just reserve a table ahead of time— the secret is out on this one.

Explosive Chicken at Z & Y Restaurant

655 Jackson St
San Francisco, CA 94133

(415) 981-8988

Article and images sourced from http://sf.eater.com/maps/san-francisco-iconic-foods-classic-dishes-best-drinks