Mission, a neighborhood where everything is possible
Half an hour's walk from each other, these two neighborhoods represent the two fashion zones in the 'city of the Bay'. With a privileged central location, the elegant and modern Hayes Valley It is the ideal place to have a gin and tonic, try some exotic food dishes and delve into a speakeasy.
For its part, Mission , the Latin quarter of San Francisco welcomes us with its characteristic colonial style , where some interesting locals coexist to have a drink, listen live music, dance and buy some original souvenirs.
FROM AFTERWORK TO DRINKS TO DINNER IN THE HAYES VALLEY
When you read the name of the famous cocktail, you probably thought: "The ** gin and tonic fever ** has reached San Francisco!". Well yes, and part of the blame Ginger , a Hayes Valley bar named after the old nickname of the city of Barcelona . But we won't recommend his tapas or his paella...
In this bright space full of windows and vegetation, the essentials are the 50 gins from the menu, which you can combine to your liking with the tonics and spices you prefer. And if you feel homesick, you can opt for a vermouth (there are up to 13 varieties), a fino (they have 13 references) or some sheerry cocktails, among other drinks Made in Spain _(399 Grove St.)_.
A few minutes from Barcino is located Patxi's Pizza , or your encounter with Chicago pizza, also called deep dish . It is a kind of pizza in the form of a quiche and it is very good, with apologies to the Neapolitans. Among its most demanded varieties, we highlight the Special (with garlic and fennel sausage, mushrooms, green peppers and onions) ; the Spinach Pesto (with fresh spinach, pesto and tomato sauce) or the vegan (with whole wheat dough, spinach, garlic, red onion and vegan cheese) (511 Hayes St.) .
The authentic 'deep dish'
If you are more into traditional Italian food, your place is By hand , a restaurant that in just over a year has become an it place in San Francisco.
As its name suggests, it specializes in homemade pasta made daily, with touches of California cuisine. They use only fresh and seasonal products, and their menu includes classic recipes, such as bucatini all'amatriciana , and more original dishes, such as le mafaldine with braised lamb shoulder, kale, currants and pecorino. They do not accept reservations and most importantly: their prices are quite close to what we are accustomed in Europe (450 Hayes Street).
In Suppenküche we change registration and immerse ourselves in the calm and relaxed atmosphere of an authentic german tavern . Its food, simple and honest, as well as overwhelming It is ideal to warm up on cold days.
Among the hits on the menu, we find braised beef marinated in red wine and cranberries, served with red cabbage and Spätzle (typical German pasta); the meatloaf with bacon and egg, served with onion sauce and mashed potatoes, or sautéed trout in lemon and butter sauce with potato and spinach broth. To pair, it is mandatory to order a beer _(525 Laguna St.)_.
Fresh pasta at A Mano
We end this little walk through the exotic restaurants of Hayes Valley in Souvla , a Greek restaurant that has two other locations, one in NoPa and another in Mission . Their specialty is souvlaki: grilled meats (chicken, pork or lamb) and vegetables wrapped in pita bread. To adapt to the new times, they also serve a vegetarian version.
French fries and Greek yogurt, seasoned with different syrups, honey or nuts, are other highlights _(517 Hayes St.) _.
But we can't leave the neighborhood without first having a drink in Smuggler's Cove , a bar that has several awards; among them, that of being one of the 50 best bars in the world .
Your essentials? Rum cocktails and Tiki Cocktails . In fact, inside it recreates an atmosphere Polynesia with some nautical touches. However, its exterior is the most discreet ; It barely has a sign. To access, you have to pass the 'control' of their doorman. It is essential to carry documentation and fall into grace! (650 Gough St.).
FUN NIGHTS AND COOL SHOPPING AT MISSION
Let's take the second in Evil Eye , an old jazz club converted into a cocktail bar with a vintage air that has been made with the title of best bar of 2017 in San Francisco, and which is located in Mission.
There, and against current design trends in the American city, Piper , one of the two owners, has chosen to recreate a bohemian style.
Tiki Cocktails are the thing at Smuggler's Cove
Thus, among sofas, tables and chairs of different textures, shapes and colors, we come across a pool table and two classic pinball machines.
The glasses are also served in vintage glassware, and are provided by Matt , the other owner, who proposes updated classics , such as the Old Fashioned (whiskey, sugar, orange and aromatic bitters) , and original creations, such as Devil's in the details (bourbon, coffee, passion fruit syrup, lemon and ginger) (2937 Mission St.) .
We continue to hit signature cocktails in Curium , a place with less than a year of life where the bartender Darren Crawford create unique combinations, such as the suggestive Unicorn : vodka, pisco, strawberry, Szechuan sauce, lemon, Benedictine liqueur, bitters and egg whites.
Distributed in different spaces, Curio welcomes us with installations of clocks, victorian dioramas and neon signs electric, creating an eclectic and mystical atmosphere.
The icing on the cake is put by his spectacular patio , ideal for a drink on a sunny day (775 Valencia St.) .
Signature cocktails at Curio
To continue the party, you can head to the adjacent The Chapel , also recently opened. It is a chapel dating from 1914 -of the old building the vaulted ceiling of more than 12 meters has been maintained-, which was once used as Mortuary.
It now hosts performances by live music almost every day of the week. The concerts, which range from rock shows to folk or jazz performances, usually attract all kinds of audiences _(777 Valencia St.) _.
Another club to watch out for in Mission is Bissap Baobab , a Senegalese restaurant that hosts events of all kinds, from independent film screenings and exhibitions to poetry readings and dance shows, through concerts and DJ sessions.
The atmosphere is the most cosmopolitan and it has a happy hour from Tuesday to Sunday, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Now, if you go with the idea of dancing until 6:00 in the morning, we are sorry to stop the party... In San Francisco, most of the clubs close between 1:30 and 2:00 in the morning, a time in which also stop serving alcohol (3376 19th St.).
We said goodbye to Mission and San Francisco in a store of souvenirs , but not in any one. In an increasingly globalized world, where we see the same thing anywhere in the world, Serendipity Bet on objects made by local artists and from the United States.
It has an extensive collection of cards with which you will be able to say and congratulate everything, as well as very originals . T-shirts, socks, baby bodies, cloth bags, jewellery, squares, cushions, cups... All with a different touch and very cool _(803 Valencia Street at 19th) _.