Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [105]
I SCREAM FOR artisanal ice cream!
You might not consider ice cream a standard treat in a city used to oft-cold and blustery summers, but on days when the fog burns off and temps rise above nippy, you’ll find deservedly long lines at the following top ice cream shops.
• Swensen’s (1999 Hyde St., btw. Union St. and Warner Pl.; 415/775-6818; www.swensensicecream.com) opened its doors in 1948 and launched a chain of 300 outlets worldwide. It’s old school through and through, with traditional flavors, plus local favorites such as “Turkish coffee and sticky chewy chocolate,” and “Swiss orange chip.” A single scoop (4 oz.) goes for $2.95, a double $4.75.
• Mitchell’s Ice Cream (688 San Jose Ave., btw. 29th and Valley sts.; 415/648-2300; www.mitchellsicecream.com) in Noe Valley dates back to 1953. Each batch of ice cream and sorbet is made in-house daily, and flavors run from the norm to the more exotic like baby coconut, litchi, avocado, and purple yam. A single scoop (4–5 oz.) starts from $2.65, double $4.65.
• Bi-Rite Creamery and Bakeshop (3692 18th St., btw. Dolores and Oakwood sts.; 415/626-5600; www.biritecreamery.com) racks up points for using local organic ingredients whenever possible and for originality of flavors: cardamom, crème fraîche, roasted banana, and salted caramel (it tastes just like roasted marshmallows)—they have popsicles, too! A single scoop is $3.25; a double goes for $4.75. The location at Dolores Park means lines are long and sluggish, but the taste payoff is worth it.
• Humphry Slocombe (2790 Harrison St., btw. 23rd and 24th sts.; 415/550-6971; www.humphryslocombe.com; pictured) is the perfect end to a walking tour of murals along Balmy Alley and a visit to the Precita Eyes Mural Center in the Mission. The flavors are frankly crazy here—and surprisingly out-of-this-world delicious: Try Tahitian vanilla, peanut butter curry, foie gras, or green tea with black sesame. Order a combo of the balsamic caramel and the McEvoy olive oil and get the added bonus of shouts of “Ice Cream Salad!” when you do. A single scoop is $3.25, a double $4.50.
—David A. Lytle
1058 Valencia St. (btw. 21st and 22nd sts.). 415/643-5000. www.sporksf.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $5–$25. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Thurs 6–10pm; Fri 6–11pm; Sat 5:30–10:30pm; Sun 5:30–9pm; brunch Sun 11am–2pm. Bus: 26. Muni: J.
Inexpensive
Taquerias La Cumbre MEXICAN If San Francisco commissioned a flag honoring its favorite food, we’d probably all be waving a banner of the Golden Gate Bridge bolstering a giant burrito—that’s how much we love the mammoth tortilla-wrapped meals. Taquerias La Cumbre has been around forever and still retains its “Best Burrito” title, each deftly constructed using fresh pork, steak, chicken, or vegetables, plus cheese, beans, rice, salsa, and maybe a dash of guacamole or sour cream. The fact that it’s served in a cafeteria-like brick-lined room with overly shellacked tables featuring a woman with overflowing cleavage makes it taste even better.
515 Valencia St. (btw. 16th and 17th sts.). 415/863-8205. Reservations not accepted. Tacos and burritos $3.50–$6.50; dinner plates $5–$7. No credit cards. Daily 11am–2am. Bus: 14, 22, 33, 49, or 53. BART: Mission.
Ti Couz ★ CREPES At Ti Couz (pronounced Tee Cooz), one of the most architecturally stylish and popular restaurants in the Mission, the headliner is simple: the delicate, paper-thin crepe. More than 30 choices of fillings make for infinite expertly executed combinations. The menu advises you how to enjoy these wraps: Order a light crepe as an appetizer, a heftier one as a main course, and a drippingly sweet one for dessert. Recommended combinations are listed, but you can build your own from the 15 main-course selections (such as smoked salmon, mushrooms, sausage, ham, scallops, and onions) and over 15 dessert options (caramel, fruit, chocolate, Nutella, and more). Soups and