The Best of San Francisco, According to a Local

Take a fresh look at San Francisco with these insider recommendations from Nancy K. DuBois, chief concierge at Cavallo Point and a member of Les Clefs d’Or [international concierge network].

The restaurant that best shows off San Francisco is…

Quince in the historic Jackson Square neighbourhood. It has three Michelin stars and the chef, Michael Tusk, only uses local, seasonal ingredients to create these incredible Californian dishes. I’m a big fan.

And the restaurant that’s a real hotspot for locals is…

Nomica in the Upper Market neighbourhood. It does excellent Japanese with a bit of a twist. I love the chicken in brioche with miso butter.

When my friends are in town, I take them for a drink at…

Farley Bar at Cavallo Point. It has the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco skyline. The cocktails and wine list are exceptional and the food is tasty but the best part is the cosy setting. I love it.

And for breakfast I recommend…

Brenda’s French Soul Food on Polk Street in the city. They serve the classics – beignets, shrimp and grits, say, and French toast with butter pecan sauce – but they do them really well.

For the best coffee, make your way to…

The Ferry Building. There’s a great food hall there and I always go to Blue Bottle Coffee for my caffeine hit.

If you’re after a market experience, don’t miss…

The farmers’ market at the Ferry Building on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Local farmers and artisans have stalls there and there’s a variety of food. You can’t really come to San Francisco and not go there.

For designer shopping, visit…

Fillmore Street. It has a lot of small boutiques with high-end labels, including Elizabeth Charles, Marc Jacobs and James Perse. There are options for every age and some great restaurants and bars to visit.

For vintage shopping, head to…

The famous Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood. It has this great variety of vintage clothing stores, such as Relic Vintage and Wasteland.

You can find the perfect memento at…

The Exploratorium’s gift shop on Pier 15. It has lots of fun, unique things for all ages.

If it’s raining, spend the day at…

California Academy of Sciences. There’s a four-storey rainforest exhibit, a great planetarium and a fantastic café.