Mission / Castro
Predominantly Irish after the 1906 quake, the Mission district became largely Hispanic after WWII. The Hispanic influence is still evident in the numerous taquerias, the mariachi bands that roam from one restaurant to another on Saturday nights, and the vibrant murals honoring Latin American culture. The late 1990s brought a wave of young professionals to the area – today, it’s a mix of trendy restaurants, mercados, and stylish boutiques. This is where hipsters get their skinny jeans and third-wave coffee, and foodies get their thin-crust pizza, artisanal ice cream and braised pork shoulder.
West of the Mission is the Castro district, the center of San Francisco’s gay social life. San Francisco Supervisor and gay activist Harvey Milk had his camera shop on Castro Street – other landmarks of the gay-rights movement include the Twin Peaks Tavern, one of the first openly gay drinking establishments. A beloved icon from a previous era is the venerable Castro Theater, one of the few 1920s movie houses in the country still in operation.
Over the hill to the south of the Castro is Noe Valley, a sunny, residential neighborhood popular with young families. 24th and Church streets are the main commercial thoroughfares.
topSights
Mission Dolores
3321 16th Street
Tel: (415) 621-8203
Open daily 9am-4:30pm May-Oct, 9am-4pm Nov-April. Closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25 and Jan 1.
Founded in 1776, Misión San Francisco de Asís is the oldest intact mission in California as well as the oldest building in San Francisco. The name “Mission Dolores” came from a nearby creek called Arroyo de los Dolores (creek of sorrows). The adjacent basilica was rebuilt in 1918. The Mission cemetery is the only cemetery remaining within the San Francisco city limits.
Mission District Murals
The city’s largest concentration of murals is in the Mission District, where vivid scenes cover the walls of schools, community buildings, grocery stores and garages. 24th Street, Clarion Alley and Balmy Alley are particularly mural-rich. Guided walking tours are available through the Precita Eyes Mural Arts and Visitors Center (Sat & Sun, 11am & 1:30pm) – they also provide maps if you prefer a self-guided tour.
Castro Theater
429 Castro Street
Tel: (415) 621-6120
With a façade like a Mexican cathedral, this historic theater is the Castro’s most prominent landmark. Built in 1922, its 1400-seat interior features Italian, Spanish and Oriental accents, rare scrafitto murals, and a functioning Wurlitzer pipe organ. The theater hosts festivals and special film events year-round.
topRestaurants
Bar Tartine
561 Valencia St. (near 16th Street)
Tel: 415-487-1600
Owned by the people behind Tartine bakery, this restaurant recently expanded, and the new chef has spiced up the menu with Hungarian-inspired specialties.
Beretta
1199 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 695-1199
Inventive cocktails, thin crust pizzette and tasty small plates. Try the eggplant caponatina with burrata and the gelato with olive oil and sea salt.
Commonwealth
2224 Mission Street
Tel: (415) 355-1500
Progressive American food, inspired by local and international influences. $10 from each order of the chef’s tasting menu is donated to local non-profits.
Delfina
3621 18th Street (at Guerrero)
Tel: (415) 552-4055
Opened in 1998, this nationally acclaimed trattoria was one of the leaders in the California-inspired Italian cuisine trend. Bustling and popular, it still maintains a casual neighborhood feel.
Frances (Castro)
3870 17th Street
Tel: (415) 621-3870
Carefully crafted, seasonal dishes, served in casual surroundings. One Michelin star.
Flour + Water
2401 Harrison St. (at 20th St)
Tel: (415) 826-7000
Thin crust pizza, hand-rolled pasta (made fresh daily), seasonal ingredients.
Foreign Cinema
2534 Mission St. (near 21st Street)
Tel: (415) 648-7600
Whether you sit outside on the big covered patio, watching a classic movie being screened on the wall, or inside the brick-walled dining room, this place feels like a vacation. Brunch, lunch, dinner and cocktails are all excellent.
Incanto (Noe Valley)
1550 Church Street (at Duncan)
Tel: (415) 641-4500
Rustic but creative Italian food made with fresh, local ingredients. The menu is fairly offal-centric but offers plenty of other options as well, and the staff is very attentive.
La Ciccia (Noe Valley)
291 30th Sreet (at Church)
Tel: (415) 550-8114
Friendly, family-run restaurant serving inventive Sardinian food.
Little Star
400 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 551-7827
Crave-worthy deep dish pizza, as well as thin crust.
Locanda
557 Valencia St. (near 16th Street)
Tel: (415) 863-6800
Newly opened restaurant from the owners of the popular Delfina. The Roman-inspired menu focuses on pasta as well as Roman-style flatbreads and charcoal-grilled meats. A full bar serves innovative cocktails – "bartender's choice" means they will create a drink on the spot based on your favorite ingredients.
Maverick
3316 17th Street (between Mission & Valencia)
Tel: (415) 863-3061
Innovative American food.
Mission Chinese Food
2234 Mission Street (inside Lung Shang Restaurant)
Tel: 415-863-2800
Lunch, dinner Thu-Tue 11:30am-10:30pm
The ultimate pop-up restaurant. The surroundings aren’t fancy, but the food - unique twists on Chinese specialties – has become legendary.
Papalote
3409 24th St
Tel: (415) 970-8815
A tad pricey, but the ingredients are fresh and organic and the salsa is amazing.
Pizzeria Delfina
3611 18th Street at Guerrero (Mission District)
Tel: (415) 437-6800
Offering Naples-meets-New York-style pizza, this pizzeria opened in 2005 next door to parent restaurant Delfina.
Pauline’s
260 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 552-2050
Serving excellent thin-crust pizza for 25 years. Many of the ingredients are sourced from the restaurant’s own garden.
Tacolicious
741 Valencia St. @ 18th (Mission)
Friendly, hip and slightly upscale, with table service. The menu features an interesting variety of tacos and other Mexican dishes, along with a phenomenal selection of tequilas. Next door is their tequila and tapas bar, Mosto.
Taqueria Cancun
2288 Mission Street (between 18th & 19th)
Tel: (415) 252-9560
A standout in a neighborhood filled with good, inexpensive taquerias.
topCafés, Snacks and Desserts
Arizmendi Bakery - Panaderia and Pizzeria
1268 Valencia Street
Tel: 415-826-9218
Open Mon and Wed-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-7pm. Closed Tue.
Worker owned-and-operated bakery, offering fresh artisan breads and daily pizza specials.
Bi-Rite Creamery
3692 18th Street (at Dolores)
Tel: (415) 626-5600
email: lick@biritecreamery
Open Sun-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-11pm
One of the pioneers of artisan ice cream, this shop still attracts long lines on sunny days. Try the Salted Caramel.
Four Barrel Coffee
375 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 252-0800
Open Mon-Sat 7am-8pm; Sun 8am-8pm
Friendly staff, reasonable prices, cool art, great music, and excellent coffee.
Frijz
590 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 863-8272
Open Mon-Thu 11:30am-10pm, Fri 11:30am-11pm, Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-9pm
It’s a creperie too, but the Belgian-style frites, served with a big selection of unique dipping sauces, are the real reason to go.
Humphrey Slocum
2790 Harrison Street (at 24th St)
Tel: (415) 550-6971
Open daily 12-9pm
Cash only
Gourmet ice cream in imaginative flavors like Guiness Gingerbread and Pink Grapefruit Tarragon. 10-12 flavors a day, rotated frequently.
Philz Coffee
3101 24th Street (at Folsom)
Tel: (415) 641-1024
Open Mon-Fri 6am-10pm, Sat 7am-10pm, Sun 7am-9pm
All of Phil’s 20 coffee varieties are made “one cup at a time.” Not fast, but for serious coffee lovers it’s worth the wait.
Ritual
1026 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 641-1024
Open Mon-Fri 6am-10pm, Sat 7am-10pm, Sun 7am-9pm
This hipster hangout has plenty of attitude, and the wait can be long, but locals swear by the expertly made coffee, topped with a delicate design in the foam.
Stable Café
2128 Folsom Street (at 17th)
Tel: (415) 552-1199
Open Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun Brunch 10am-2pm
Neapolitan-inspired sandwiches and baked goods. Becomes Dcantr Wine Bar in the evenings, serving dishes from Saison (6-11pm).
Tartine
600 Guerrero Street (at 18th)
Tel: (415) 487-2600
Open Mon 8am-7pm, Tue-Wed 7:30am-7pm, Thu-Fri 7:30am-8pm, Sat 8am-8pm, Sun 9am-8pm
Almost any time of day, you can expect a line of people waiting for this café’s organic baked goods and desserts. Come just after 5pm Wed-Sat for fresh-baked bread.
Mitchell’s
688 San Jose Ave
Tel: (415) 648-2300
Open daily 11am-11pm
Long before the artisan ice cream trend, this shop was dishing out a huge variety of traditional and exotic flavors.
topShopping
The Mission’s main shopping drag is Valencia Street, though you’ll find a scattering of unique shops on the side streets as well. (24th Street, lined with taquerias, coffee shops, murals and Mexican delis as well as the occasional trendy boutique, is especially fun to stroll down.) Clothing tends towards urban, casual, hip and locally designed.
Aldea Home
890 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 865-9807
Open daily 11am-7pm
Rare and artisan home furnishings, displayed in “rooms” that recreate home spaces.
Aldea Niños
1017 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 874-9520
Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
A design-minded kid’s store offering cool, eco-friendly clothing, gear and furnishings.
Belljar
3187 16th Street
Tel: (415) 626-1749
Eclectic shop selling gorgeous, slightly goth home décor and apparel.
The Curiosity Shoppe
855 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 671-5384
Open Tue-Sat noon-7pm, Sun noon-6pm. Closed Mon.
Interesting and beautiful kits, crafts and home décor. Will be closing permanently on Feb 17, 2013.
Dema
1038 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 206-0500
Open Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat noon-7pm, Sun noon-6pm
This fun shop by local designer Dema Grim specializes in modern interpretations of vintage classics.
Density
593 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 552-2220
Small, hip boutique offering a good selection of men’s and women’s city wear, including RVCA and Upper Playground.
Hideo Wakamatsu
563 Valencia St (moving to a new location Feb 2011)
Tel: (415) 255-3029
This eponymous shop sells contemporary, beautifully designed Japanese luggage.
The Mission Statement
3458-A 18th Street
Tel: (415) 255-7457
Open Wed-Mon noon-7pm. Closed Tue.
Fashion co-op featuring seven local designers.
Monument
573 Valencia
Tel: (415) 861-9800
Quality vintage furniture with a glamorous, mid-century slant.
Paxton Gate
824 Valencia
Tel: (415) 824-1872
Open daily 11am-7pm
Treasures and oddities inspired by nature and science, from fossils to terrariums to taxidermied animals.
Paxton Gate’s Curiosities for Kids
766 Valencia
Tel: (415) 252-9990
Open daily 11am-7pm
Offering creative, science-inspired toys and interactive projects, this fascinating kid’s shop is a treasure trove like no other.
Self Edge
714 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 558-0658
The ultimate store for denim connoisseurs, carrying artisanal denim from around the world, including authentic Japanese selvedge jeans.
Shoe Biz
877 Valencia Street (Mission District)
Tel: (415) 550-8655
Open Mon-Sat noon-7pm, Sun noon-6pm
3810 24th Street (Noe Valley)
Tel: (415) 821-2528
Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm
Unique, alternative footwear, from high-end dressy styles to trendy sneakers.
Skunkfunk
302 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 829-3298
Spanish clothing line offering colorful, practical, eco-friendly fashions.
Speesees
1415 Valencia Street
Tel: (415) 552-5808
Organic baby clothes, toys and accessories, as well as T-shirts, pillows and housewares for grownups.
Taylor Stitch
383 Valencia Street
Open Tue-Sun 11am-7pm
Tel: (415) 322-8773
Men's outfitter offering modern but traditionally crafted, timeless styles.
Unionmade
493 Sanchez (at 18th)
Tel: (415) 861-3373
Open Mon-Fri noon-7pm, Sat 11am-7pm, Sun noon-6pm
Hand-picked, high-quality men’s clothing and dry goods.
Wonderland SF
2929 24th Street
Tel: (415) 641-4600
This new gallery/boutique showcases handcrafted clothing, jewelry, bags and artwork from local artists and designers.
Zoë Bikini
3368 18th Street
Tel: (415) 621-4551
Open Mar 15-Sep 15 Mon-Sat noon-7pm; Sep 16-Mar 14 Tue-Sat noon-7pm
Locally designed, mix-and-match swimwear in a wide range of styles. Custom tailoring available.