Though lacking major touristy attractions, large museums, or shopping institutions, Potrero Hill has small neighborhood charms and boasts great views of the city’s skyline. When touristy crowds and the ever-present fog get on your nerve, come up to this sunny side of San Francisco for a tranquil and rewarding stroll.
We will start this quick tour at Anchor Brewing.
Well-known for its Anchor Steam Beer, you can find this brewery’s beers at most bars and restaurants in San Francisco. Though it has a taproom, you will need to have a tour reservation to taste beer there. Tours are held twice daily, and a third “happy hour” hour has recently been added from Friday to Sunday. See link here for tour details.
From Anchor Brewing, one block north and three blocks short block west will take you to this venerable music institution.
A concert venue since 1991, Bottom of the Hill has hosted a number of world-known artists before they became famous. With San Francisco’s current tech gentrification and housing crunch, places like this, sadly, is becoming a dying breed. If you visit Potrero Hill at night, consider checking out an act here.
Climb two block up (or south) to our next destination, 18th Street.
This stretch of 18th Street, between Mississippi Street and Arkansas Street, is arguably the heart of Potrero Hill. Anchored by Farley’s (the red house with sidewalk seating in Google Street View above, a coffee place venerated by locals), dotted by restaurants, and throwing in a bookstore, a home-décor gallery, a wine shop, an old saloon, and even a laundromat, this area represents the quintessential commercial strip of a San Francisco work-a-day neighborhood.
Turn left on Google Street View above and look at the next corner, you will see Plow (on the same side of the street as Farley’s) with its double yellow door. Known for using locally sourced ingredients, this place serves up tasty breakfast and lunch. Don’t be surprised if you have to wait for a table here, even on a weekday.
Got here too late to get into Plow for a meal? Don’t worry. There are other places to savor delicious food. Turn back to Farley’s on Google Street View above and go uphill to the next block, and you will see Chez Maman with red trims and awning (also on the same side of the street as Farley’s). Moved here recently (from just a few doors up where it used to have only a diner bar and a couple tables), this place serves up simple and classic French fare. My recommendation is mussels with fries; if seafood is not your thing, try their burger (I know burgers aren’t exactly French, but their burger is to die for!) You don’t have to eat your burger with fork and knife as they do in France, but Olivier, the head waiter, will insist on you finishing your plate (see the back of their shirts for “finis ton assiette!”).
Hopefully you are ready for a stroll to walk off all that food. Climb up a few blocks to our next stop.
We choose Wisconsin Street (between 19th Street and 20th Street) for our Google Photo Sphere above, but similar panoramic views of downtown San Francisco spread all over Potrero Hill. In our opinion, the best time to see San Francisco from here is at dusk, when setting sun glimmer off high-rises while wisps of fog start rolling in from the west.
GETTING HERE: The best way to get here is by car. If you need to get here by public transportation, take the following SF MUNI buses (try using SF MUNI’s Next Bus website here for live update of bus arrival time):
10 Townsend – From Financial District, board bus at Sansome and Sutter toward “Potrero and 24th Street” direction. Get off at 17th and De Haro and walk one block south on De Haro to Anchor Brewing.
19 Polk – From Civic Center, board bus at Hyde and Grove (next to SF Public Library) toward “Navy Yard” direction. Get off at Rhode Island and Mariposa and walk one block east on Mariposa to Anchor Brewing.
22 Fillmore – From Marina District, board bus at Marina and Fillmore, or from Japan Center at Geary and Fillmore, or from Mission District at 16th and Valencia, toward “Third and 20th Street” direction. Get off at 17th and De Haro and walk one block south on De Haro to Anchor Brewing.