240 California Street; tadichgrill.com, Cliff HouseThis grandiose waterside dining spot has existed in five iterations since it was founded in 1863, with several being destroyed by fire. . 3. . From the beginning and to this day the best way to experience the menu is to let the chef cook for you rather than ordering yourself. The cioppino is highly regarded. The McGarvey brothers renamed the tiny waterfront spot Reds Java House. When he left, Aaron London took his place. Few places in San Francisco have generated as many stories as this North Beach bar. Reds Java House is not to be confused with the similar, equally historic Java House, which is also worth a visit. The space was then converted to a roller rink in the 1940s and finally became a music venue in the 50s, booking some of the biggest acts in black music at the . Few restaurants have been the harbinger of so many trends as Lulu. The Ramp is a bar and restaurant that also feels like a fun social gathering place. It seems that a new trendy restaurant pops up on almost a daily basis. One of my favorites is their Cheung Fun, but you really can't go wrong here. Harlan Crow, the son of Dallas real estate mogul Trammell . The restaurant closed in 1997; Tropp died in 2001. It changed owners (within the same family) but continues to offer Southeast Asian specialties including mango chicken, Burmese curry beef, and fish chowder. About Us Posh nosh. The super-dry gin martinis are legendary, and the rye Manhattan also garners praise. When he opened a branch in Lafayette in 2003, the restaurant also contained an organic produce market. ), 12 Restaurants Perfect for Eating Alone in San Francisco, 14 Buzzy Coffee Cocktails Around San Francisco and the East Bay. And one more high angle view of the Cliff House in 1980. In 2009, Joshua Skenes started Saison as a pop-up several nights a week in a converted Mission barn, offering a seven-course fixed price menu. Now no reason was needed at all. 1980 Sacramento St APT 301, San . The growth of the gay population caused tensions with some of the established ethnic groups in the southern part of the city. After his successful partnership with Nancy Oakes at Boulevard, he continued to create grand spaces for high-profile chefs, including Traci Des Jardins at Jardiniere and Mark Franz at Farallon. a day in vintage san francisco - san francisco 1980 stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images . Dining at his Mission restaurant is like attending a private party. This one-of-a-kind SF eatery was founded in 1947 by Tommy Harris. Harry's Coffee Shop. Also in 2002, Gerard Hirigoyen stepped out of his popular Fringale kitchen to open Piperade, which celebrates his Basque heritage. Look for our selections for these categories in the next few weeks. Editor's note: This is the first installment in an SFGATE series of the "most San Francisco" restaurants. Partner Mark Pastore was an innovator in offering an all-Italian wine list, providing filtered water and adding a service charge to give employees benefits before it was required. Our website, archdigest.com, offers constant original coverage of the interior design and architecture worlds, new shops and products, travel destinations, art and cultural events, celebrity style, and high-end real estate as well as access to print features and images from the AD archives. In the 1980s, an early alternative to New Orlean's Creole inflected Italian cooking. When they opened, owners Larry Hashbarger and Skip Young were quick to say the performers weren't transsexual (although some were) but gender illusionists. Today, Asia SF's website proclaims that it is proud to bring this positive, trans-awareness experience to all guests. The intersection of politics and food has always been a hallmark of San Francisco, and this is just one more example. The original Hamburger Mary's was a funky, friendly dive put together on a shoe-string budget. Since the beginning the restaurants had a long history of women leaders including founding chef Deborah Madison, Annie Somerville, and current executive chef Katie Reicher, who continues the legacy of showcasing seasonal vegetables grown on nearby farms. Psychedelic Fog City. First, there are the true classics. The owners said a. : 'Joes Special' (pictured) or 'Joe's Famous Hamburger Sandwich' with fries. Here the Cliff House is seen with an addition in 1880. Owner Shuai Yang, whose parents opened the restaurant in 2001, says the restaurant set out to serve the kind of Northern Chinese food his parents grew up eating in the Xinjiang province of China. The restaurant, which was founded in 1861, has now fallen into the same hands that own North Beachs Mona Lisa restaurant and theyve smartly left the classic alone, for the most part, keeping all of the familiar favorites on the menu. First founded in Ohio in 1980, the 1950s-style restaurant grew quickly, with about 100 locations at its peak. The original owners, a Danish family, changed the name to Swan after they rebuilt and reopened it six years later. Fish, obviously. Children of the 1980s certainly remember savoring their last spoonful of HoJos ice cream. Order the epic pollo asado burrito and make sure to get it super., 18 Essential Tacos to Try in San Francisco, Where to Find San Franciscos Most Super-Sized Burritos. What are some of San Francisco's truly classic restaurants? For those looking for an authentic San Francisco dining experience, weve rounded up the citys five most historic restaurants. And the house cappuccino, of course. Runner-up: Bar Agricole/Mission Chinese Food. California landslide halts rail service, homes evacuated Kimball's Supper Club in Emeryville, across the San Francisco Bay, was popular for a number of years and hosted several prominent artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, and Eartha Kitt, but this establishment met a lesser fate. He was one of the first established, classically trained chefs who mustered the courage to follow a passion that wasn't French or Italian, and he was instrumental in starting what's become one of the most exciting trends in California cuisine. Oakes closed the restaurant in 1993 when she opened Boulevard, which remains the pinnacle of inventive American cooking. It was known for its burgers, hot dogs, and milkshakes. At Bush and Belden in the Financial District this is another one of the city's oldest restaurants. The pizza and cocktail cultures merged at this Mission restaurant, where, initially, a rotating cadre of the city's best bartenders spent a week behind the bar and where Ruggero Gadaldi crafted thin-crusted pies and Italian comfort food. This North Beach establishment was recently reincarnated into a restaurant, earningpraise from the Chronicle's Michael Bauer. In 2004, the Dallas restaurant's revenue was about $1.5. Many of our other favorite eateries have been lumped into two other pillars -- the "new classics" and the "only in SF" eateries. This restaurant opened quietly and didn't start receiving raves until Chris Cosentino came on board a year later. The menu changes every night and theres only one to choose from. Zuni Cafe began in 1979 as a Southwestern-themed restaurant, but became a Cal-cuisine icon under the leadership of the late Judy Rodgers, who entered its kitchen in 1987. The restaurant closed in 2013 and is now home to Iyasare, where Shotaro Kamio offers his own innovative brand of Japanese food. Not only did this restaurant lay claim to an undiscovered area of San Francisco the neighborhood between the Mission and Potrero Hill, at Mariposa and Hampshire streets but it also was the first trendy restaurant to embrace an industrial decor. He opened his restaurant in the Mission with the idea that meat is a side dish, flipping the tried and true formula. In 1896, Adolph Sutro, then the Cliff House owner and mayor of SF, built a new Cliff House modeled after a French chateau. Iconic Stores You Grew Up With That Are No Longer Around Sal grew up in North Beach, a descendant of Sicilian fisherman. One of our editors used to work for a local company that gave a Guernica gift certificate to all the employees as its Holiday present every year. It had become obsolete; now it is a bustling public marketplace that brings thousands of people to the waterfront. Owner Pascal Rigo (best known for founding the Boulangerie chain) started a trend that was embraced all over the country. Ernie's Restaurant, San Francisco, California - The Hitchcock Zone This Dogpatch spot overlooks the bay, and the patio is where to be to listen to live bands and DJs, or get down on salsa Saturdays. Buena Vista CafAs the story goes, writer Stanton Delaplane tasked the Buena Vista Cafs owner, Jack Koeppler, with re-creating the Irish coffee served at Shannon Airport in Ireland in 1952. In 1955, Red's was bought by brothers Tom and Mike McGarvey. Open since 1949, the House of Prime Rib stretches across five rooms and 148 seats, and serves more than 500 diners a night. High angle view of the Cliff House, a popular restaurant since 1858, San Francisco, California, 1980. Its home to the Tommys margarita and the citys best tequila selection, but this Richmond District favorite also puts out solid Yucatecan fare. The rivalry between North and South declared a truce when Wolfgang Puck opened this impressive see-and-be-seen restaurant on Post Street, where a ground-level stairway led down to the main dining room and the focal point was an original Robert Rauschenberg worth at least $1 million. Products are pristine, prices are reasonable and the restaurant sets standards for Mexican food that other chefs try to emulate. They reopened the kitchen, which had been shuttered since 1953 and created a menu of destination-worthy Italian-American comfort food. Left:Musicians on Union Square, 1973. With its sophisticated wine list and eclectic menu it was a solid hit, but it was shaken by the tech bust in 2001. Roast chicken for two. 10 TV-Famous San Francisco Restaurants and Bars, Where to Eat and Drink in San Franciscos Chinatown. A Guide to Election Day Freebies and Specials in the Bay Area. The Hungry Tiger was a chain of seafood restaurants around Southern California. Like the Gold Rush fortune seekers of the 19th century, restaurateurs have been flocking to San Francisco by the thousands in recent years. By the end of 1992, the last St. Louis Magic Pan closed at Plaza Frontenac. While they offer a short printed menu, most dishes are wheeled around on carts or hawked by waiters from table to table. Pizza with wild nettles and pecorino from Chez Panisse Caf, the progenitor of the California pizza craze. While the food at other Spanish restaurants may surpass it today, the restaurant is still going strong. 1, which opened on Chestnut and Fillmore in 1939, as well as Marin Joes and Little Joes (some had a more direct affiliation than others). Others have been reincarnated with a nod to the future, but still hold on to a part of San Francisco's fascinating history. The Castro became known as a Gay Mecca, and its gay population, particularly men, swelled as significant numbers of gay people moved to San Francisco in the 1970s and 1980s. Not since Greens opened in 1979 has a vegetarian restaurant had more impact on the restaurant scene. He said he doesn't see much crime in Russian Hill, which earned a 3.1 out of 5 rating in the controller's survey. Modern Guide to Valencia Street: Endless Eats, Craft Cocktails + Street While elegant, Aqua was less formal and more fun that other four-star restaurants. The must-order item at the no-frills, yellow-walled restaurant is the tea leaf salad, a textural delight made with fermented tea leaves, fried garlic, dried shrimp, sesame seeds, lemon, green pepper, and roasted peanuts. 18 Restaurants for Juicy Dumplings in San Francisco, If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. We didn't include this one in this "classics" slideshow when we first ran it, but quite a few readers reminded us it's one that we couldn't omit. He did the same in 2008 with Jan Birnbaum at Epic Roasthouse. Here's a photo from the film of Humphrey Bogart in his role as Sam Spade with the original statue. In 1932, Nunzio Alioto Sr.'sAlioto fish stand became a counter, selling crab and shrimp cocktails. He wanted to dine out at a very "San Francisco" restaurant. He said European Paper Wasps are very helpful and are NOT a pest. Owner John Paluska was the longtime manager of the rock band Phish, and he took heed of one of diners' major complaints and brought in Myer Sound to orchestrate the decibel level, making the entire warehouse space feel like one big noise-canceling headphone.