More the 25% of visitors say that
dining is the main reason they come
to San Francisco.
San Francisco, CA
PHOTOS: SF CONVENTION AND VISITORS & BUREAU
S
an Francisco is as famous for its
restaurants and food trends as
it is for its Golden Gate Bridge
and cable cars. Among the unique or
regionally typical foods to be sampled
in San Francisco are abalone, Dungeness crab, sand dabs, bay shrimp and
crusty sourdough French bread.
Many local restaurants serve Joe’s
Special. This dish originated in 1932 at
New Joe’s when the chef told a local
bandleader after a late show that there
was nothing left but spinach, onions,
mushrooms, ground beef and eggs.
“Mix ‘em together,” said the bandleader and Joe’s Special has been a local
favorite ever since.
Beyond the Golden Gate, several
Bay Area restaurants shined in the
2010 awards. Nicole Plue of Yountville’s Redd won the Outstanding
Pastry Chef Award. Timothy Hollingsworth of Yountville’s acclaimed
French Laundry won the Rising Star
Chef Award. In Napa, the Shafer Vineyards won for Outstanding Wine and
Spirits.
Bay Area chefs appear regularly
on “Top Chef ”— Michael Chiarello
of Bottega in Yountville, Elizabeth
Falkner of Orson and Citizen Cake in
San Francisco, and Hubert Keller of
Fleur de Lys in San Francisco competed
on “Top Chef Masters.”
Situated between California’s fertile
agricultural regions and the Pacific
Ocean, San Francisco has unlimited
access to the freshest ingredients.
The City is adjacent to America’s finest wine-producing regions, including
Napa, Sonoma, Monterey, Carmel and
the Central Coast.
Visit a neighborhood farmers market. The Ferry Building’s farmers market
is one of the country’s most famous –
offer locally grown produce and fruit,
there is also an inside market where
visits may indulge in gourmet chocolate, sample fresh cheese, or try olive
oil, mushrooms, freshly baked bread
and other edible treats.
SUMMER 2013 | FOOD TRAVELER 55