Restaurants

Sometimes you want to drink your gluehwein inside.  Rainy, gray days in Germany can do that to you.  And if you can pair it with some very decadent chocolates?  Even better.

Do you know gluehwein?  It’s a German holiday tradition.  You take a nice, mellow red wine, add in some spices, a little lemon and, if you really want a good kick, a shot or two of Schapps.  Heat – but don’t boil! – to a good belly-warming temperature.  Then serve in a mug.  It’s a fantastic pick-me-up on a cold day or to offer instead of egg nog when you are trimming your tree.

It’s also a staple at the Christmas Markets here in Germany.  But, as I said, sometimes you want a nice cuppa inside.  Once you’ve walked your feet off finding the perfect wreath at the Weihnachtsmarkt or climbed to the top of Schloss Neuschwanstein and back again, nothing sounds better than a good cup of gluehwein.  It will warm you right down to your frozen toes.

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Cafe Madeleine San Francisco - Oh La La!

Haven’t we all had those days when we can’t decide what to eat? We are in an unfamiliar city or an area that we don’t normally spend much of our time, so we stand around and hope that we don’t just grab the first familiar fast food we see.

For anyone who has been in that predicament, you are in luck. Cafe Madeleine is a fabulous cafe and bakery in San Francisco with three locations in the heart of the city.

I’ve used to work across the street from one location, and to be honest, would have weeks where I would get the grilled sandwich for lunch every other day. One of my favorites is the Niman Ranch ham, cheddar cheese, sliced apples and honey mustard on ciabbata bread for $8. It is hot and tasty and oh la la good! Read More »

Sweet Crepes @ Savor San Francisco

One of the most consistent restaurants in my ‘hood is Savor, on 24th Street in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.  Savor is also an apt description of our recent dining experience. We savored every bite!  We stopped in for brunch recently and were cheered to see that the food and service is still outstanding.

As I mentioned before, Chloe’s Cafe around the block on Church Street is a very popular brunch spot, with a line present most weekends. However popular it might be, one of my favorite lunch or brunch destinations is Savor. They offer homemade corn beef hash to start with. Real homemade. Not many places do that anymore and the difference in flavor is immediately noticeable. Read More »

Feel Glamorous Lunch @ Armani Cafe

Do you have a group of friends that you like to meet up with for a little retail therapy?  I am part of this great group of girlfriends who like to meet regularly downtown.  Besides hitting the stores, we also use this time together to try out cafes and restaurants.

This time after we combed the sale racks at Banana Republic, Loehmann’s and H&M we decided to hit the Armani Cafe, just inside the Armani store on Grant Avenue in San Francisco.

We may live for sales but we also need to feel glamorous.  What better way to gaze at the gorgeous Giorgio Armani clothes without feeling the guilt of not buying them, then to grab a bite at his cafe.  We could have gone for the European feel and sat outside on the sidewalk but decided to up the style quotient and get a table overlooking the beautiful displays inside.

A few of us at the table were disappointed that it wasn’t 3:00 pm yet because the cafe has a happy hour with drink specials that include a $6 Cosmo or Martini.  I was excited to see my favorite summer food, a caprese salad (heirloom tomato, basil and fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese!) on the menu for $9 as well as fried calamari for $10. Read More »

Curlys Coffee Chop in North Beach

Say what you will about this place but Curly’s Coffee Shop in North Beach holds a special place in my heart. First of all, I have always loved their classic American breakfasts with a Japanese twist. I used to walk over from Sunday services at Sts. Peter and Paul Church at Washington Square Park, often getting their french toast almost every week.

Secondly, I appreciate any cafe that can stick around this long in San Francisco without going under financially or being closed by the Health Department. And thirdly, I think they also kind of kick *ss for being such a long time North Beach “non-pasta related” merchant in a sea of excellent Italian cafes and restaurants. I mean, I think I have followed them around to at least three different addresses in a two-block radius of Columbus Avenue.

Today was a nice reminder that though I can’t walk here for breakfast anymore, I can still drive over and enjoy classic menu items like the french toast or one of their delicious omelettes!

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Chloe's Cafe - a Noe Valley Destination

There are lots of places to have weekend brunches in San Francisco. You can choose a posh brunch at the luxurious Campton Place Restaurant at Union Square, or instead try a neighborhood hot spot like Chloe’s Cafe in Noe Valley.

Recently I tried Chloe’s Cafe for the first time, to see what all the fuss was about.  I met a friend there mid-week because there always seemed to be lines for their weekend brunches.  Given the persistence of the lines every time I drove by, it was my mistake to think that the food was going to be that great. Everyone I spoke to in the neighborhood, shoot even the lady waiting in line when I arrived raved about the menu and how the wait was worth it!

Maybe it was an off day, or maybe I should have ordered the breakfast items rather than the sandwich – but both my friend and I had a so-so experience. Read More »

I spend quite a lot of time in coffee houses, drinking coffee and utilizing their free wifi because my connection at home is so god-awful slow.  There are a few things I Iook for right away as I cross the threshold. Multiple plug-ins, good coffee and a sense of anonymity that affords me the quiet I need to concentrate.

Darn Sun!

SageBrush Cafe and Art House in Quartz Hill, California is a place I like to while away the afternoon on the internet. The two owners are former high-school teachers that wanted to get out of teaching and move on to greener pastures. Their idea isn’t new, but their take on the “coffee house” is refreshing.

The coffee is great, they use Ghiradelli syrups for their chocolate drinks. They even have their own version of a Shirley temple called the Surely Church, which is really good.

The Sagebrush offers sandwiches and desserts prepared by the fine cooks at The Whole Wheaterey, a local health food store, they have pastries brought fresh in by a local company as well.

The Sagebrush has art for sale on the walls by a local artist and plays great background music throughout the day. It’s nice to look up at the art and gather my thoughts for a post. I keep hinting at my husband that I want one. I’d buy it myself, we’re supposed to be saving money and I would feel bad for spending it.

Sagebrush Cafe

Open  6am-10 pm
50th Street West
Quartz Hill Ca

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Crave is clean and cozy

Near the Broadway tunnel on Polk Street is a stretch of lower Russian Hill that provides a steady stream of great San Francisco restaurants, shops and other local businesses.

You can find on one end a super fancy restaurant like Yabbies Coastal Kitchen and on the other, a casual place like the always delicious Little Thai.

On the corner of Polk and Filbert is a wonderful new addition to the area called Crave. This cafe is run by a very hardworking family – during my visit I saw what looked like a father with his little daughter bring more eggs into the kitchen while the mother busily cleaned tables and chatted with customers. Very cute and cozy, especially given the unsettled weather that day.

We were in the neighborhood recently when my stomach started loudly growling. Walking into this corner spot (formerly a bank then a tea shop) we discovered quite a nice menu and atmosphere – though we did have someone sitting at the next table who clearly did not get the memo about not talking loudly on a cell phone in cafes.

They offer lots of savory choices for any time of the day. I plan to go again and try the raved about mac and cheese. This is a perfect spot to bring kids too. We had breakfast burritos and they were a little on the “thin” side. However the chorizo was not too fatty or spicy which my stomach appreciated after I ate it all. They did not steam the tortillas which was my only complaint. I will definitely eat at Crave again when we are back in the ‘hood.

If you like coffee definitely try their French press coffee from Ritual Roasters – a local favorite – you will love it.

2164 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 440-FOOD (3663)

www.eatatcrave.com (website coming soon)

Enjoy a glass of Chianti or a cappuccino

Mario’s is the type of hip local spot that gets consistently listed in the regional guides placed in San Francisco hotel rooms. However the difference is that compared to most of the other places also listed — this North Beach cafe is worth any effort it might take to get there.

Washington Square Park is one of my favorite spots in North Beach to spend some time on a sunny day, soaking up all the scenic and interesting aspects of urban life. Depending on the day and time, you’ll see groups doing Tai Chi, a small art show, dogs chasing Frisbees or old men in natty suits and hats sitting on the green benches chatting away in Italian.

Whichever side of the park you find yourself there will be something amazing to cause you to slow down. On one end you have the historic Sts. Peter and Paul Church where Joe DiMaggio famously “married” Marilyn Monroe (they actually got married at City Hall because of her previous divorce kept her out of this Catholic church but they still had the famous photos taken on the church steps). Nearby is the equally notable Liguria Bakery, makers of the best focaccia bread in the city and the suppliers for Mario’s sandwiches.

Across the way on the western end is the recently reopened institution known as “the Washbag” or Washington Square Bar and Grill and on the southern end you will find the one and only Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store and Cafe.  Known locally as “Mario’s” this wonderful classic corner cafe with its green awning has been around just as long as the Washbag with both being made infamous in the 1980’s “Tales of the City“ series written by Armistead Maupin and its 1993 television miniseries.

Tuna and Meatball Foccacia Sandwiches

Walk inside Mario’s and you will see the same bar stool and cafe tables along the windows that I’ve been sitting in for years (you’ll have to leave a comment if you want me to tell you how many years).

Illustrating how clever they are, Mario’s oven is near the front door facing busy Columbus Avenue. The incredible smells from the toasting focaccia bread sandwiches wafts lightly out the constantly being opened door – and leads visitors in by the nose, or maybe for some by the stomach.

Besides having the best food around, Mario’s also has an amazing cappuccino con Vov and other espresso drinks made with extra creamy milk. Stop in anytime and you won’t be disappointed. They somehow manage to keep hiring the best staff over the years, my focaccia is always toasted so perfectly to withstand the amount of filling they put into the sandwich – like my favorites, the open face tuna, the meatball and breaded eggplant!

Mario’s remains one of the coolest spots in North Beach to stop in for a glass of red wine or espresso or to stay for a great meal while you dig the urban scene.

566 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 362-0536

Photo credit to sfcphotography

Cafe Claude on Claude Lane

Cafe Claude is one of those places where you feel as if you have been on a plane and just disembarked into a new world when you eat there. Your first clue at this particular cafe is the alley way entrance, and outdoor tables under the canopy.

Years ago, Cafe Claude was a cool spot for grabbing a glass of wine or Kir Royal and a corner booth to smoke and chat the night away with other Francophiles. A lot has changed in these many years but one thing hasn’t – you can still find great food, good wine and lots of wait staff who really are French at Cafe Claude.

This remains one of my favorite spots for lunch downtown, especially when I am craving a hot ham and cheese, known in the French world as a Croque Monsieur - oh la la. For about $11.00 they will serve this yummy comfort food with a very nice green salad or french fries. I get it or one of the specials – see the chalk board – almost every time I go for lunch.

When you go, this is a popular destination at lunch time for many downtown workers so arrive early if you don’t have reservations. With the heat lamps they have outside now, you can choose to eat al fresco or enjoy one of the intimate tables or booths indoors. And consider a Mousse au Chocolat for dessert – this dark chocolate confection is out of this world and is the perfect companion for a coffee at the end of your meal.

Practice your French at Cafe Claude

And if Jazz is your thing, check out their weekend evening performances. They have a regular calendar of acts that play music (lots of trios) in the tiny space between the front window and the bar!

7 Claude Lane
(between Bush St & Sutter St)
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 392-3505