NOPA / Richmond
NOPA stands for “North of the Panhandle” (the Panhandle is a strip of grass several blocks long that extends east from Golden Gate Park). Gentrification and greening projects have raised the profile of this area in recent years, with trendy restaurants and shops sprouting up along its main thoroughfare, Divisadero Street.
Farther west, the Richmond district stretches from Arguello Boulevard to the Pacific Ocean. Once covered with sand dunes, this area was known as the “Outside Lands” due to its remoteness. Former mayor and Comstock Lode millionaire Adolph Sutro lured residents here in the late 19th century with his seaside, glass-enclosed Sutro Baths and his elegant eight-story Cliff House, made accessible by steam railroads. It’s been an almost exclusively residential neighborhood ever since, filled with low stucco homes and flats.
Hundreds of Russian immigrants moved to the Richmond after WWI, followed by Japanese and Chinese after WWII. On Clement and Geary Streets, Irish bars and Russian bakeries sit alongside Chinese groceries and Thai restaurants, evidence of the area’s diversity. On the northwestern bluffs, the refurbished Cliff House, Lincoln Park Golf Course and Legion of Honor museum take advantage of the rugged ocean views. Stretching along the Pacific from the Cliff House to Daly City, Ocean Beach attracts surfers, kite fliers and dog owners by day (despite the frequent fog), while after dark, bonfires light up the sand.
topSights and Attractions
Temple Emanu-El
2 Lake Street
Tel: (415) 751-2535
Museum viewing hours Tue-Thu, 1-3pm or by appointment
Built in 1925, this magnificent Jewish temple combines California Mission-style architecture with Byzantine and Romanesque details. The Fine Museum’s Judaica collection contains hundreds of rare artifacts.
Land’s End
The northwestern-most edge of San Francisco features rugged cliffs, archways of cypress trees, and gorgeous views of the Golden Gate Bridge. A safe, moderately easy trail follows the edge of the cliff from the Point Lobos parking lot near Sutro Heights to the Seacliff neighborhood.
Legion of Honor
100 34th Avenue at Clement St
Tel: (415) 750-3600
Open Tue-Sun, 9:30am-5:15pm. Closed Mon, Thanksgiving, Dec 25 and Jan 1. Closes 3:30pm Dec 24 and Dec 31.
Built as a memorial for California soldiers who died in WWI, this lovely Beaux-Arts building offers a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge. Within are eight centuries of European art, including works by Monet, Rembrandt, and Rodin – the Court of Honor is home to the original cast of Rodin’s sculpture The Thinker.
Cliff House
1090 Point Lobos
Tel: (415) 386-3330
Clinging dramatically to the cliffs just north of Ocean Beach, this restaurant has a long and colorful history. The first Cliff House opened in 1863, attracting prominent residents who came to enjoy the views. After it developed a somewhat unsavory reputation in the 1880s, philanthropist Adolph Sutro took it over. The original building burned down in 1894, and was replaced by a palatial new building, which was a great success until it, too, burned down in 1907. A more modest, neoclassical building was erected in 1909. It was closed during Prohibition, but was renovated and reopened in 1937. Popular with both tourists and locals for decades, it underwent another extensive remodel in 2004. Two restaurants now serve meals daily.
Camera Obscura
Located just below the Cliff House, this attraction replicates a design by Leonardo da Vinci. An opening in the roof projects an image of the outside scenery onto a table within. The camera dates from 1946 and is the last remaining structure from the former Playland amusement park.
Lincoln Park Golf Club
34th Avenue and Clement Street
Tel: (415) 221-9911
Founded in 1914, this was San Francisco’s first municipal golf course. The 18-hole course occupies an enviable spot along the ocean’s edge, offering spectacular ocean and Golden Gate Bridge views.
topRestaurants
Burma Superstar
309 Clement (between 4th & 5th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: 415-387-2147
No reservations
People queue up early here for dishes like tea leaf salad and samusa soup. Put your name in and wait down the street at the Plough & Stars.
Chapeau!
126 Clement Street (between 2nd and 3rd Aves)
Tel: (415) 750-9787
With the exclamation point, chapeau! means "Wow!" and that seems to be the general consensus. Classic, flawless, fairly reasonable French food. Excellent, attentive service.
The Cliff House
1090 Point Lobos
Tel: (415) 386-3330
This historic building at the north end of Ocean Beach has two dining rooms and two cocktail lounges, all with ocean views.
Sutro’s
Seasonal menus, panoramic views.
The Bistro
Casual dining – classic San Francisco fare.
Zinc Bar
Terrace Room
Sunday Champagne Brunch Buffet
Dragon River
5045 Geary Blvd (Outer Richmond)
Tel: (415) 387-6698
Nothing fancy, but affordable and the food is great.
Giorgio’s
151 Clement Street (at 3rd St)
Tel: (415) 668-1266
Old-school pizza in a casual, family-friendly environment.
John Campbell’s Irish Bakery
5625 Geary Boulevard (Outer Richmond)
Melt-in-your-mouth scones, pasties, tarts and breads
Little Star
846 Divisadero (NOPA)
Tel: (415) 551-7827
Crave-worthy deep dish pizza, as well as thin crust.
nopa
560 Divisadero Street
Tel: (415) 864-8643
Located in a large, two-story space that was once a bank, this popular restaurant helped put the NOPA neighborhood on the map. Organic wood-fired cuisine, signature cocktails, great service.
Papalote Mexican Grill
1777 Fulton Street
Tel: (415) 776-0106
This taqueria is a tad pricey, but the ingredients are fresh and organic and the salsa is amazing.
Q Restaurant
225 Clement (between 3rd and 4th Aves)
Tel: (415) 752-2298
No reservations.
This laid-back, kid-friendly place with funky décor serves an eclectic menu of comfort food. Extensive wine list too.
topShopping
Green Apple Books
506 Clement Street (at 6th Ave)
Tel: (415) 387-2272
Open Sun-Thu 10am-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 10am-11:30pm (annex closes 15 min earlier)
Founded in 1967, this big, rambling independent bookstore is a San Francisco institution. You could spend hours browsing the shelves, well-stocked with both new and used books.
Park Life
220 Clement Street
Tel: (415) 386-7275
Open Mon-Thu noon-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 11am-7pm
Store and gallery showcasing unique, hard-to-find art and design products from all over the world.