Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
How Sweet They Are
$
Few tourists know it's here, tucked behind Jack's Cannery in a dormant
courtyard of Del Monte Square. Yet the closet-like
Norman's Ice Cream &
Freezes
555
9
(2801 Leavenworth St.;
%
415/346-3046; cash only)
serves some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted. Let the hordes stuff
themselves indiscriminately with Ben & Jerry's and Cold Stone Creamery,
both doing big business among the touristy shops of Beach Street. Here,
lines are usually shamefully short, but my memories of fine dessert (oh,
my goodness, the creamy caramel praline . . .) are long. The ice cream is
made by Mitchell's, a local favorite since the 1950s, which runs a shop
that's too far away for most tourists to visit (688 San Jose Ave., at 29th,
in Noe Valley), so this is the place you should try it. And stay away from
Häagen-Dazs, because you can get that at home.
$ Victoria Pastry Co
.
5
(1362 Stockton St., at Vallejo;
%
415/781-
2015; www.victoriapastry.com; Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 7am-9pm, Sun
8am-6pm; MC, V)
makes one of the best cannoli ($3.80) I've ever had—
the ricotta is cool, the shells crisp, and they're filled throughout, not just
at the ends. If you don't see any in the case, ask, because they'll often
prepare one fresh for you. Pair it with a coffee for just $1.25, sit in the
window, and watch the northern fringe of Chinatown go by. They've been
making them since 1914. Don't stop with the sweets, though, because
downstairs, there's an enormous antique brick oven where all sorts of other
baked goods are prepared.
in the Mission. The cuisine is hopped-up, well-made comfort food (country-fried
trout, roast pork loin, burgers), priced higher than a diner ($12-$19) but not
back-breaking. The wide-open room is configured to please both romantic date-
goers (the sexy booths in the back) and blithe people-watchers (the tables in the
front). Save room for the bananas Foster.
HAIGHT
With a few notable exceptions, the primary scene in the Haight is lunchy or
pubby, with a concentration of fast-draw counter-service choices. That makes the
area a good choice for combining with a casual day spent in nearby Golden Gate
Park.
$-$$
Simple breakfast food all day in a simple atmosphere; that's the winning
formula for the diner-like
Squat & Gobble
(3600 16th St., at Market;
%
415/
552
-
2125; www.squatandgobble.com; AE, MC, V; daily 8am-10pm),
which charges
between $7 and $9 for most dishes, including both sweet and savory crepes,
omelets, soups, salads, pasta, and stuffed sandwiches. Friends of mine come here
just for the crab-cake Florentine ($8). S&G, with its beat-up, no-frills dining
