3 Days in San Francisco + Vegan Food guide

8 minutes ago

4 min read

Golden Gate Bridge, steep rolling streets, cable cars and many, many steps through the city. And of course a lot of good food.

In October we took a month long road trip through California. On our list was the city of San Francisco, a city I have always wanted to visit.

WHERE TO EAT (VE)

SHIZEN

If you love sushi do not skip this restaurant. It's a vegan sushi restaurant in the Mission District Area. It had been recommended by a friend who is a true foodie and used to live in SF. They also have dishes such as Gyozas, Miso-based Soups, Yakisoba, Kaarage and various other dishes on their menu.

RAD RADISH

Think salad bowls such as Kale Caesar Salad, Mapo Tofu, Pastas and Burgers. They also have a great breakfast menu that includes Vegan French Toast and Breakfast Burritos.

WILDSEED

Colourful food and a interesting variety on their menu. Pizzas, Spicy "chicken" sandwiches, Caesar wraps, Spicy Cucumber salad and Apple Galette.

JUDAHLICIOUS

Good for Acai (they have Belgian Style Waffles with Acai), Raw wraps and raw tacos.

THE FERRY BUILDING

Has food vendors, restaurants and farmers markets.

SALT & STRAW

When on holiday... have Ice Cream. They have a few vegan options.

KOOLFI CREAMERY AND CAFE

I have sadly not had the time to try their ice cream, but they have a Indian Dosa Cone option that is vegan and has a delightful fusion of the traditional Dosa flavours. Next time when in SF, I'll give it a go.

BI-RITE CREAMERY

Another ice cream parlour with vegan options.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

This was the biggest item on my list to tick off. Did you know you can walk the Golden Gate Bridge? It takes about 30 minutes to walk one direction and is open from sunrise to sunset. If you are a runner, this is a wonderful way to get your run in. You can also rent a bike and cycle across the bridge. If you are like me, afraid of heights, I recommend you at least drive over the bridge. There are various locations on either sides of the bridge where you can find great views of the bridge.

SEE THE PAINTED LADIES

Also known as "Postcard Row" in Alamo Square. The row of pastel-coloured Victorian Houses is one of SF most recognisable sights. This row of houses has allegedly appeared in more than 70 movie, TV shows and Commercials, including Full House and Miss Doubtfire.

The best view for the Painted Ladies is from the Alamo Square Park.

TAKE A CABLE CAR

These cable cars are iconic to the city and have been running since 1873. There are three routes, with the Powell-Hyde being the most popular one. It gives you iconic views. Tickets can be bought when boarding from the conductor.

LOMBARD STREET

This is the worlds most crooked Street. It is a winding one-way street on Russian Hill and has 8 sharp hairpin turns, with a 27% gradient slope. It was designed this way to make the steep hill safe for cars.

WATCH A 49'ERS GAME

Okay so this might be be in SF itself, but if you love American Football go see a 49's game at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. Also, vegans they sell a vegan hot dog at the stadium... if that's something you want to try.

MOSAIC STAIRWAY (16th Avenue Tiled Steps)

163 steps, each with intricate mosaic artwork. You will also find stunning views of the city and ocean from the top of the stairway.

SEE ALCATRAZ ISLAND

This is a small island in San Francisco Bay. It used to be a prison, but was closed down in 1963. The strong tidal currents and cold water temperatures made escaping nearly impossible. Today It is a tourist attraction and you can take tours on the island. This was used in movies such as The Rock, Catch me if you can and Escape from Alcatraz.

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed in the Marina Bay Area and I would highly recommend finding accommodation there or the Pacific Heights. We were just a couple minutes walk from Chestnut street and Fillmore Street that have many restaurants, bars and cafes.

GOOD TO KNOW

IF YOU ARE COMING BY CAR

Parking can be an issue in SF, probably also depending on the location. If you are their by car I would recommend finding accommodation that has onsite parking. Parking can be expensive and can be difficult to find.

Also, never leave anything visible lying around in your car and make sure the car is parked in a secure area. SF has gone through stages where cars would be broken into for anything that could be sold, even things as small as phone charging cables. Better safe than sorry.

GETTING AROUND

ON FOOT

We loved exploring the city on foot, but it is a big city.

TAKE A WAYMOR OR TAXI

This was also the first time we took a Waymor, which was an incredible experience in itself. I highly recommend taking the Waymor at least once.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Although we didn't use the public transport (except for the cable cars), it is said that their public transport, such as the BART train network and local busses are excellent.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?

I honestly couldn't tell you when the best time is, but I was there at the beginning of October and we had fantastic weather. It wasn't cold and the days where sunny, even though the mornings started with fog. The city, the attractions and the restaurants were not too busy either.

IS SF EXPENSIVE?

In short, yes! We found California in general being expensive. As with almost any city, you can travel on a budget if that's what you are looking to do. The time of the year will also affect the costs. Accommodation was a big cost and eating out 2 - 3 times a day can add up quickly too.