|
|
DOS & DON'TS
RELATED ARTICLES
FROM THIS ISSUE
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
AWAKE, FULL, AND DRUNK
AWAKE The West Coast takes coffee a little more seriously than other places (no Dunkin’ Donuts out here). So when you come to town, so should you. HAYES VALLEY Blue Bottle - Blue Bottle pledges that the beans you’re getting have been roasted within 48 hours of your purchase, and you can taste it. The flavor is off the hook and you can feel it working as your jaw starts to grind away after your third sip. They have a café in Mint Plaza and a little kiosk in an alley in Hayes Valley. It’s pretentious as can be, but the flavor and the buzz make it tolerable. 315 Linden St. or 66 Mint St. THE MISSION Four Barrel - Four Barrel is an in-house-roasting, no-Wi-Fi-having coffee house managed and operated by people who know more about coffee than you know about anything. 375 Valencia St. Phil’z - There’s lots of blends and flavoring in the coffee here. If you’re fiending for something sweet like chocolate or hazelnut, this spot’s for you. 3101 24th St. SoMa Cento - Cento dispenses Blue Bottle beans with a single twist. They have an awesome drink there, aptly called a cento, which is 100 ml of espresso and milk. It hits the spot. There’s a loading dock to enjoy your coffee on, and the weather is usually pretty sunny in this area. 360 Ritch St.
FULL Eat before you drink, right? Well, here’s a list of spots to get your grub on that should keep enough fajoles in your pocket to get drunk after. If you have a shit-ton of money, there is amazing dining to be had, but you probably don’t, so stick to this list. If you’re broke, you’ll eat a ridiculous amount of tacos and burritos. BERNAL HEIGHTS Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack - This place is cheap, comfy, and has a great staff, and stiff drinks are served most nights by a bartender with a nice rack. Emmy’s specialty is, you guessed it, spaghetti and meatballs! Along with an impressive list of reasonably priced cocktails, you can order a 40 with your meal. But proceed with caution, because this may result in your food and your 40 later being barfed onto the filthy Upper Mission streets. The spaghetti and balls is the move here, but if you feel like splurging, they’ve got a nice array of entrees and appetizers to get you through the night. 18 Virginia Ave. THE CASTRO Ike’s Place - Call ahead. It’s the best advice one can give you for this newly minted San Francisco lunch institution. Vegetarian or carnivore, there’s a sandwich for you. The staff is friendly and the selection is way better than most other boring delicatessens. The wait can be long so make sure that if you’re staying, you have at least half an hour on your hands. 3506 16th St. Sparky’s - Sparky’s is a late-night dining spot, even though they’re open 24/7. Drunken people from Lower Haight, the Mission, and the Castro converge here for greasy burgers and vegan scrambles. The line outside can look daunting, but the wait is just long enough to roll and smoke a joint to work up that appetite. 242 Church St. HAYES VALLEY Sushi Zone - The wait blows, but the fish is super-fresh. They have only one sushi chef, so just because you sit down, don’t think your rolls are coming out promptly. The spicy hamachi is a journey. 1815 Market St. THE MISSION Arinell - Due to an influx of neurotic, bagel-loving East Coast Jews and snooty know-it-all Bergen County girls complaining about their pizza crusts in SF, somebody finally got the picture. Arinell’s sells the closest slice you’re going to get to your precious New York pizza. The guys who work here are very mellow and have a penchant for Thin Lizzy and the Fucking Champs. 509 Valencia St.
Blue Plate - Blue Plate always maintains a level of quality that is comforting. It’s just a notch above cheap, but worth every bite. Try the sardines and then the meatloaf. You’ll die happy. 3218 Mission St. El Zocalo - Despite the Latin-derived name, El Zocalo is not Mexican. It’s El Salvadoran. What’s the difference, you ask? Instead of tacos, burritos, and enchiladas they serve pupusas, which are super-thick and delicious corn and flour breads filled with everything from rice and chicken to beans and cheese to spinach and flowers. And the best part is, they’re open very late. In fact, we only recommend eating pupusas when extremely intoxicated. That’s the only way we’ve ever eaten them. 3230 Mission St. La Taqueria - Also called “whiteboy tacos” due to the higher price tag, but you can see where your money is going. Every morning, the owner of this joint comes in and inspects the avocados. Getting two carnitas tacos with everything and a Tecate should do you just right. 2889 Mission St. Pakwan - The novelty of allowing brown-bag beer and wine into Indian restaurants has faded, but the locale of this Mission jewel is undeniable. Be wary of Fernet shots afterward, as they may result in a quick trip home for a change and a bath. 3182 16th St. Puerto Alegre - Alegre is a sit-down restaurant, the line’s a bit daunting most of the time, and reservations need to be made in advance. The food is great, and the pitchers of margaritas are cheap and kick-ass. It’s definitely a good place to start the night before a heavy night of boozing. If you can’t make a reservation, then put your name on the list and get a beer at any of the million bars within spitting distance. 546 Valencia St. St. Francis Fountain - This San Francisco landmark is a weekend destination for all SF’s hungover dirtbags. Staffed by equally dirtbaggy waiters, this place has solid diner fare at an affordable price. The interior is essentially the same as it was on its opening in 1918. Instead of a guy in a paper hat making you a vanilla Coke, though, you’ll find a tatted-up redhead with a firm backside. Good times. 2801 24th St. Taqueria Cancun - This is more a burrito place than anything. You can get really good veggie burritos that are grilled in pork fat on a griddle. The service is super-quick, too, so don’t feel discouraged by a long line. They’re also open till 3 AM, which makes for great drunk eating. The spot’s a little dingy, but the decor is inviting nonetheless. 2288 Mission St. RICHMOND DISTRICT Bill’s Place - The search for the perfect burger can be a difficult one in San Francisco, but if you have the time to trek out there, Bill’s Place is official. Boasting a plethora of burgers to excite your palate, Bill’s also has awesome milkshakes, and unlike a lot of places, they leave you the stainless-steel mixer so you can refill that shit. 2315 Clement St. SUNSET San Tung - San Tung is the home of the world-famous spicy-dry fried chicken wings. The line is a bitch but fully worth the wait. One order comes with enough wings to feed three people, easy. If meat isn’t your thing, no worries. The whole menu is delicious. 1031 Irving St. WESTERN ADDITION Eddie’s Cafe - If you’re one of those people whose only cure for a nasty hangover is grease and shitty coffee, then look no further. Eddie’s Korean staff is friendly, the line is never that long, the food is always cheap, and your postmeal shit will be divine. 800 Divisadero St.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- VICE@VICELAND.COM
- PRIVACY STATEMENT
- TERMS OF USE
- © 2000-2009, VICE MAGAZINE
Development: Solid Sender
