Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
Family-Friendly Dining
San F rancisco is a f ood-lover's
city. Even before renowned Bay Area chef
Alice Waters gave birth to California cui-
sine, S an Francisco took adv antage of its
access to fresh seafood, local produce, and
ethnic influences to foster a thriving din-
ing scene. To the north, east, and south are
dozens of small family farms, many
organic, which supply city r estaurants. In
addition, the melting pot of immigrants
has added serious depth to the epicur ean
offerings. Great Mexican food abounds in
the Mission, and you'll find Chinese, Japa-
nese, Vietnamese, and Thai r estaurants
everywhere. Although North Beach has its
share of I talian r estaurants, y ou can also
find S panish, I ndian, and G reek cuisine
very close by.
With so many tantalizing options, it
would be a shame to stick to pizza simply
because y ou hav e the kids in to w—
although S an F rancisco does hav e some
excellent pizzerias, which are listed in this
chapter. E xperiencing the city 's fabulous
food needn 't deplete y our wallet; ethnic
restaurants ar e often inexpensiv e, and
many moderately priced r estaurants ar e
home to capable, aspiring y oung chefs.
Likewise, many of the city 's best chefs,
whose original r estaurants may be fairly
grown-up, also hav e casual eateries wher e
they can sho wcase their talent at mor
the need arise. M y husband and I hav
e
dragged our kids to any number of local
restaurants and found that, b y follo wing
the guidelines I list below (see the “Dining
Out in P eace” bo x), w e've been able to
enjoy many wonderful dinners and, at the
same time, introduce our little ones to new
and interesting foods.
With that spirit of disco very in mind,
I've listed a few dining options in this chap-
ter that ar e not specifically designed for
families but to which kids will certainly feel
welcome. I've also included two restaurants
for a night you may have a babysitter.
Note that I' ve listed sev eral restaurants
outside the main tourist z ones of U nion
Square, F isherman's Wharf, and N orth
Beach. In most cases, the best food at the
best prices is served in places like the Mis-
sion, the Richmond D istrict, or R ussian
Hill—residential neighborhoods wher e
restaurants may hav e a mor e w elcoming
attitude and where local residents are more
likely to bring their kids.
That said, y ou never know when hun-
ger will strike—so r est assur ed I've listed
plenty of options near the top tourist
sights as w ell. F inally, while I' ve tried to
list varied cuisine, sometimes everyone just
needs to take a br eak from the sightseeing
frenzy, sit, and find something on the
menu the kids will like. F or those
moments, I've included plenty of r estau-
rants that ar e tailor-made for a simple,
messy family meal.
A NOTE ABOUT PRICES
The restau-
rants in the reviews that follow are catego-
rized as Very E xpensive, E xpensive,
Moderate, and I nexpensive, based on an
approximation of what a family of four
would spend for nonalcoholic drinks and
e
affordable prices.
Although tr ying S an Francisco's v aried
cuisine may mean y ou'll be taking y oung
kids out of their culinar y comfor t z one,
and that you'll be eating in restaurants not
populated ex clusively b y families, y ou'll
soon disco ver that S an F ranciscans ar e a
friendly bunch and that most chefs will be
happy to accommodate tiny palates should
