Category: Things to do with kids in San Francisco

Chinatown is full of restaurants but it’s hard to tell from the outside which are the best. House of Nanking has earned its reputation by consistently making the most innovative and freshest Chinese food in town. The secret to ordering at House of Nanking is to let the chef decide what you will eat. He has the supernatural ability to size up the tastes of his customers and to prepare the perfect dish. This is a tough leap of faith, we admit, and we concede it’s difficult to persuade your children to agree to it, but fortune favors the bold. Put your culinary fate in the chef’s hands, and you won’t regret it

Contact no: (415) 421-1429

Location: 919 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

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One of Chinatown’s oldest restaurants, Hang Ah is a delicious dim sum eatery and a piece of authentic San Francisco. The prices are extremely reasonable and the portions are large. You and your children should save room for their homemade ice cream or mango pudding. Be sure to print out directions because this gem can be hard to locate.

Contact no: (415) 982-5686

Location: 1 Pagoda Place, San Francisco, CA 94108

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Located on the bustling Embarcadero along San Francisco’s historic waterfront, Gordon Biersch offers one of the most dramatic views of the San Francisco Bay Bridge, especially while enjoying a Märzen from the patio! Gordon Biersch is near the Fisherman’s Wharf district and Market Street, so it’s a convenient place for a bite. Gordon Biersch is famous for its pungent, powerful garlic fries, which might be a bit too strong for kids, but there’s plenty else for finicky palates. The Giants’ stadium is just up the block, so before and after baseball games, the place becomes a madhouse.

Contact no: (415) 243-8246

Location: 2 Harrison Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

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More than 50 years ago, this whole block was a chocolate factory, making premium-grade Ghirardelli chocolate. Nowadays, the cocoa is refined across the bay in San Leandro, but the magic is still here (as well as some of the old equipment if you want a tour). The ice cream sundaes here are legendary, ideal for parents, children, and anyone else with a pulse.

Contact no: (415) 775-5500

Location: 900 North Point Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

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The Cheesecake Factory has an incredible location downtown, on the roof of Macy’s in Union Square. It’s a chain restaurant with an almost too-vast menu, including pad thai, fish tacos, miso salmon, pasta Bolognese, appetizers, and sandwiches. The chain has one thing on its menu that makes everything else irrelevant, and that’s cheesecake. And its high-quality namesake dessert is available in dozens of flavors, including Dutch Apple Caramel Streusel and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough.

Contact no: (415) 391-4444

Location:  251 Geary Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

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Wander around old North Beach as long as you want, but make sure you eventually end up at a sidewalk table at Cafe Trieste. Once an arty beatnik hangout, Trieste is run by the city’s (and maybe the world’s) only family of opera-singing restaurateurs. The Giottas perform popular Italian songs and arias on Saturday afternoons. Get a double latte (and a hot cocoa for the children), then relax and listen to “Santa Lucia.”

Contact no: (415) 982-2605

Location: 609 Vallejo Street, San Francisco, CA 94133

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This tiny restaurant, known for its creative food, is a favorite of locals, food critics, and tourists. It’s one of the few restaurants in the nation that specializes in Burmese cuisine, which is best described as a flavorful mix of Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese cuisines. Do not come here for dinner, however. It’s a small restaurant that is extremely popular and doesn’t take reservations. Come here for lunch, when there will be no wait at all. The signature dishes are the unforgettable superstar noodles and the rich Samusa soup. Kids will love the sweet coconut rice but, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.

Contact no: (415) 387-2147

Location: 309 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94118

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To call specialty grocer Bi-Rite a grocery store is technically appropriate, but doesn’t capture how special it is. All the food is top-notch, gourmet stuff; organic and local when the store can get it. The staff gives out samples also: oranges, pears, persimmons, apples and all kinds of cheeses. Prices aren’t low, but the quality makes up for it. This is the perfect place to buy groceries for a picnic with your children in sunny Dolores Park, just a few blocks away.

Contact no: (415) 241-9760

Location: 3639 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110

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Don’t want to prepare the food for a picnic in Golden Gate Park? The view of the sea at this beachside eatery is incredible, especially if your children don’t live near an ocean. Food is family friendly, with fish & chips and beer. Beach Chalet is a better alternative to the more crowded, overpriced Cliff House across the street. This place is especially good for brunch, but not on weekends, as it can get crowded.

Contact no: (415) 386-8439

Location: 1000 Great Highway, San Francisco, CA 94121

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