THE majority of Australians flying to the US make landfall in Los Angeles. But leading airlines competing on the trans-Pacific route have ramped up the number of flights to San Francisco. United Airlines now flies daily from Sydney and three times a week from Melbourne. Qantas resumed flights to the Foggy City in October this year and United added three flights a week from Brisbane.
San Francisco has certainly geared up for an increase in arrivals from Australia and elsewhere. The third stage of its new US$2.4 billion Harvey Milk Terminal 1 opened last year and the final extension will be completed in early 2024. Packed with shops and Bay Area restaurants, the new facility is a breath of fresh air compared to frenetic LA, which is the third busiest airport in the world.
San Francisco is also relatively compact, encompassing its famed 7x 7 square mile core. You might return from a trip feeling much fitter as well after hiking the city’s hilly streets and the exercise also helps to work up more of an appetite for San Francisco’s top-class dining and bar scenes.
Even if you have left your heart in San Francisco before, it’s always a treat to re-visit the major sights – the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, the Botanical Gardens, Nob Hill, Alamo Square for the iconic Edwardian and Victorian houses, Alcatraz and the Embarcadero, which snakes along the city’s eastern shoreline and houses the Ferry Building, a farmer’s market and a swathe of waterfront restaurants.
Every foodie knows that San Francisco is overweeningly proud of its culinary reputation – from Michelin-starred temples to some of the best Asian holes-in-the-wall you will find anywhere. But Frisco’s bars, breweries and cocktail hangouts are also a major cut above.
Mister Jiu’s, the Michelin-starred Chinatown favourite, runs the Moongate Lounge upstairs. Oozing lavish mid-century elegance, the high-back velvet banquettes are illuminated with lotus-shaped brass lamps. The cocktail menu takes its cue from the Chinese agrarian calendar and rotates through the year. The seasonal and signature drinks veer from the Titan, a mix of Scotch whisky, Barolo chinato and toasted brown rice powder, to Start of Spring with vodka and fresh peas.
Fort Point Beer is rated as one of San Francisco’s best breweries. Located on the Embarcadero side of the Ferry Building, there’s plenty of outdoor tables to take in the panoramic views. The hot dogs with all the fixings here are as much of a drawcard as the beers – from the KSA (a Kolsch-style ale), through American IPA and nitrogen-charged summer porter.
I love Nob Hill and have stayed in the iconic Huntington Hotel several times, which re-opened at the beginning of October. On the lower part of the high-class enclave, you’ll find Members Only & Finders Keepers. A 2-in-1 drinking den that opened earlier this year, everyone receives a warm welcome in spite of the exclusive name. Harking back to the golden era of supper clubs, you can order parmesan truffle fries or pork belly bao to accompany drinks such as Larkin Breeze- a mix of gin, cachaca, rhubarb, vanilla and fennel, or Don’t Post This- a blend of brandy, baiju, citrus and smoked cherry.
The heritage Comstock Saloon in Chinatown nods towards San Francisco’s early days as a rough-edged town on the edge of the goldfields. The 100-year-old mahogany bar and ceramic blue and white tiled floor look straight out of a movie set. But drinks like Pisco Punch, not rotgut whiskey, are the preferred tipples these days.
Whitechapel in the Tenderloin district boasts one of the largest gin selections in the world. The decor echoes Victorian gin palaces and a London Tube station. The menu has British-Indian and Dutch-Indonesian colonial overtones, but they also serve a mean fish and chips with mashed minted peas.
San Francisco boasts five Michelin two-star restaurants – Lazy Bear, Saison, Californios, Acquerello and Birdsong. But you shouldn’t miss Sam Wo in Chinatown, which bills itself as the first Chinese restaurant in the US. Fisherman’s Wharf is a major tourist attraction but many of its waterfront restaurants are exceptionally good for local delicacies such as cioppino, the Italian American version of bouillabaisse, and clam chowder served in sourdough bread “bowls”. Another culinary institution is the House of Prime Rib. Founded in 1949, it’s a landmark destination for local and visiting meat lovers for its 21-day aged prime rib.
Newer on the scene is Osito, a live fire newbie with two nightly sittings and a long communal table. Empress by Boon opened in June by Michelin-starred chef, Ho Chee Boon, and offers contemporary Chinese cuisine. The prix fixe menu is a steal at US$98.
Californios is a must for aficionados of Mexican food, but if you don’t want to pay Michelin-starred prices, El Buen Comer specialises in authentic Chilango cooking from slow-cooked stews such as tinga, pulled chicken in tomato, onion and chipotle sauce.
Seafood is centre stage in many San Francisco eateries from the Swan Oyster Depot on Nob Hill to Waterbar on the Embarcadero. If you are feeling hungry and flush, the Shellfish Indulgence Platter here is bulging with blue crab, lobster, tiger prawns, oysters and ceviche. Angler San Francisco, the brainchild of Joshua Skenes of Michelin–starred Saison fame, has a raw bar, specials centered on Monterey abalone and scorpion fish roasted over a live fire. The wine list and chic, lodge-style decor complete an experience that takes a lot of beating.