San Francisco (and southward) restaurants? A short and sweet list please.
 

I can't seem to get search to work for me or I wouldn't ask but...

My neighbours will be in San Francisco for three days next week and then driving south to Carmel, Monterey, etc., and I said I'd ask the experts for some restaurant suggestions.

Would you mind giving me a few of the best on- and off-the-beaten tourist path places for lunch or dinner. Maybe even breakfast. I'm sure they'd mostly want mid-price places with maybe a couple of special dinner places thrown in.

Sadly, he doesn't eat seafood. What a waste!

Thanks in advance, my lovelies.

First question - are they stopping somewhere between SF and Carmel/Monterey, or do they want suggestions IN just those two places?

Second question - what day of the week will they be in San Francisco (Saturday morning by any chance)?

Check out Jason and Terry's Bay Area Restaurant site:

www.jatbar.com

It's searchable by city, type of location and rating.

Thanks for that site, gb. I'll pass it along and save it for myself too, just in case I get to San Francisco, but I'd also like to give them some fodorite-recommended favs.

sf, I dunno to both questions. Can I have your suggestions anyway? Is there something special that goes on on Saturday mornings?

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/412973 has lots of good ideas for Carmel area.

Deb

Yes, Saturday morning is the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building. Not only is it an incredible market (NY Magazine referred to it as "the grandaddy of them all), but there's lots of places to eat there as well, the Slanted Door (upscale Vietnamese) being a favorite (make advance reservations).

Also in San Francisco, Perbacco for somewhat upscale Italian (but in the financial district -- not much going on around there at night or on weekends), SPQR for more trattoria-style Italian (no reservations), Pizzeria Delfina (either location -- Mission District or the new one at California and Fillmore) for pizza, Yoshi's for jazz and sushi, Coco 500 for "small plates", Contigo for tapas/small plates, La Mar for seafood (on the waterfront), Plouf for mussels (the location on Belden Alley is really enjoyable especially on a nice day). I would consider all of these "mid-price".

While driving south, they could go through [rural] Pescadero, and if they do, eat at Duarte's -- a local institution. If not a meal, at least stop for the ollalieberry pie. Also heading south, in Half Moon Bay, sandwiches at the San Benito deli on the main street, which is good for an hour of walking and browsing.

Thanks so much -- that's exactly the kind of info I'm looking for!

I second sf's recommendations.

Duarte's is great - I generally go for the artichoke soup and the ollalieberry pie. They make a really good calamari appetizer too.

We also like to get sandwiches and snacks at San Benito deli and then take them with us for a picnic on the beach. There are plenty of good beaches south of Half Moon Bay on the way to Santa Cruz - these are beachcombing type beaches rather than sunning and swimming beaches.

Careful, last time I was there, a lot of clothing optional beaches between Half Moon (how appropriate) Bay and Santa Cruz.

I have lived in this area since 1985 and been to many beaches between HMB and SC over the years. I have only seen people sunbathing nude a couple of times. Of course there are beaches where people go nude along that stretch of coastline, but you have to really look for them. There isn't much danger of the average tourist stumbling upon the nekkid people ;)

<< at least stop for the ollalieberry pie. >>

I'll be in the vicinity in September, but how can I order a pie that I don't know how to pronounce?

Wow, this thread went from a discussion of restaurant recommendations to warnings about clothing optional beaches.

If you really want to avoid the possibility of picnicking among naked people, check out this link:

http://www.sfbg.com/nudebeaches/santacruz.php

Generally speaking, the state beaches are safe but if it's a nice day and there's a bunch of cars parked along Hwy 1 near an unnamed beach, be careful.

Phonetically, of course. O-La-lee-berr-ree....which, according to Wikipedia, is a cross between the loganberry and the youngberry, each of which is itself a cross between blackberry and another berry (raspberry and dewberry, respectively).

For oceanfront dining try the Moss Beach Distillery.

http://www.mossbeachdistillery.com/

Thanks, everybody -- they're leaving tomorrow so I printed out this thread and gave it to her.

You're great!