Glen Park is a quaint, low-profile residential neighborhood in San Francisco that lies southeast of Twin Peaks and above the Excelsior and the Mission. It’s next to the 101-acre Glen Canyon Park, which has creekside trails, a rope swing, a rec center, and more. The neighborhood has developed a great food scene in the past couple of decades, is super walkable, and is easily accessible by BART. The cheery business corridor, Glen Park Village, has mouth-watering dining from brunch spots to the neighborhood bakery to family-owned Italian joints. While in the neighborhood, be sure to check out Bird & Beckett Books and Records, an indie bookstore with great acoustics that hosts live jazz every weekend. And here’s where to eat and drink before or after that:
The cereal pancakes here was one of the best dishes we ate in 2021, with its mounds of cereal milk-infused whipped cream topping large, fluffy buttermilk pancakes, all accented with crunchy-sweet pieces of Corn Pops and Fruity Pebbles. The brunch spot that took over the old Tyger’s also serves up a Spicy Soyrizo Eggs Benedict, fresh watermelon juice that’s garnished with a rose-shaped watermelon ice cube, and occasional Taiwanese specials, like winter melon tea. Service is friendly, too. How to order: Walk-ins only for dine in. Call 415-294-1710 or order online for pick-up or takeout.
Just to be clear, this is Glen Park Station, the bar that’s been around since 1926, not the BART station across the street. Kick back after work with a pint of local Anchor Steam or a Guinness in the clean, welcoming, tight-knit neighborhood dive with a fireplace inside and a small outdoor patio and smoking area out back. Credit cards are now accepted at this formerly cash-only spot. How to order: Walk in.
Named after the owner’s grandmother, the cute Gialina offers crispy Neapolitan-style pizzas cooked in a 600-degree oven with local, seasonal ingredients like asparagus and Black Mission figs. Its interior feels homey, decorated with old Italian family photos. The restaurant has been regularly featured in the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants list for years. How to order: Walk in, make reservations (recommended), or order online for pick-up.
Go for the Croissant French Toast, as well as crepes and omelets at this ’90s-esque corner coffee shop, decorated with burlap coffee bags on the ceiling, two-person tables, and a few dog-friendly seats outside. The owner himself often plays server, cashier, barista, chef, and busser all at once at this longtime neighborhood favorite. Bring cash or use Venmo. How to order: Walk in or order delivery/pick-up via DoorDash and Grubhub.
For more than 15 years, this indie grocery store has provided organic produce and specialty items. To load up for a hike in Glen Canyon Park, order items from the deli like the Curry Chicken Salad sandwich on brioche, Pecan Chicken Strips, or grab house baked jalapeño-cheddar cornbread and triple chocolate cookies. Bonus: If it’s a holiday, the exterior is fully decorated for maximum whimsy. How to order: Walk in, or order groceries online for curbside pick-up or delivery (for nearby ZIP codes).
This is a place for coffee nerds who want to ogle the tall glass cold brew dripper right behind the counter, or indulge in a Lavender White Mocha. The tea nerds can enjoy a smooth, bold hojicha latte. With an eye on sustainability, Bello uses a zero-emissions electric coffee roaster, and leaves its used coffee grounds in a box that customers can take for backyard composting. How to order: Walk in; coffee beans available for shipping online.
Open for dinner six nights a week, the Italian mom-and-pop restaurant places an emphasis on house-made pastas like pappardelle with braised pork ragu, and gnocchi with black truffle sauce. It bakes its own complimentary bread, too. The back wall, where the bar is, has a brick and hearthstone decor with a Tuscan vibe, lending a warm and rustic feel. How to order: Walk in, make a reservation via OpenTable, or order pick-up via Grubhub.
Initially, Pebble’s seems like your typical bagel-and-sandwiches coffee shop, though it’s updated with acai bowls and mushroomy chaga cappuccinos. However, the cafe’s true powers lie in the Brazilian salgadinhos – stuffed, baked, and fried goods – in the display case on the counter, sourced from the reputable Cafe de Casa. Sink your teeth into a fried cohinxa with shredded chicken and cream cheese, empanadas studded with corn and olives, cheesy pan de queijo, and more, all served with a Brazilian hot sauce. The Portuguese-speaking staff and regulars show that this place is the real deal. How to order: Walk in.
Opened as one of the first food businesses in Glen Park Village, the Cheese Boutique has been another great place to gather provisions for a Glen Canyon Park day since 1993. Get a made-to-order sandwich with the shop’s quality imported and domestic cheeses and meats, like French ham and brie on a Sweet French baguette. What’s more is that the owners, originally from Lebanon, also offer goodies from their home region, including a stellar house-made hummus that’s super silky due to the chickpeas hulls they remove by hand. How to order: Walk in.
The idyllic corner bakery with a mint-green stucco and tile decor is known for its handmade mini banana cream tarts, empanadas, housemade sprinkles, breakfast pastries, Friday challah bread, and other seasonal goodies – all made with locally sourced ingredients. Don’t overlook the Thanksgiving pies, like the fruity, vegetarian mincemeat. It also bakes a mean baguette for those on the constant carb hunt, but go in the mornings before they sell out. How to order: Walk in.
Look for the cafe sign that is a giant takeaway coffee cup. A sweet elderly couple runs this place and that’s really why people love it so much, savoring moments like the owners giving customers free treats with their orders. The breakfast bagel, sandwich, and coffee menus are pretty standard, but it’s gems like Cup Cafe that give the neighborhood its character. How to order: Walk in.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat!
Margot Seeto is a Bay Area freelance writer and a contributor for Thrillist.
Dogs are everywhere in SF. You see them brunching at fancy restaurants, riding in backpacks on bicycles, frolicking in the surf of our many beaches, peeking out of expensive handbags, posing for photos atop vistas, and generally living their best lives. In fact, if you feel like you see way more dogs than kids, you’re right-you do. That’s ‘cause there are legitimately more dogs than children in San Francisco. As of a few years ago, that number was around 118,000 minors compared to anywhere between 120,000 and 500,000 dogs (and let’s be real, as of 2020, there are definitely fewer kiddos and way more doggos). So it’s no surprise that SF has lots of great places for pooches of all shapes and sizes (along with their human counterparts) to truly thrive. Here are some of our favorite parks, beaches, bars, restaurants, and boats on which to take our four-legged, three-legged, and sometimes even two-legged fur babies.
Lakeshore If you live in SF and have a canine companion, then Fort Funston is already on your radar but considering this beach with 200-foot high sandy bluffs and all kinds of hiking trails (which range from easy to legit, strenuous-especially if you go all the way down to the water) is probably one of the best dog parks in the entire country, it obviously needs to be included on this list. Even if you don’t feel like breaking a sweat, it’s worth it just to hang on the bluffs and watch the hang gliders soar in the sky. Dogs are allowed off-leash but must be under voice control (and keep in mind you may bump into horses).
Presidio Crissy Field has pretty much everything a dog (or human) could want: a waterfront path with views of pretty much everything that makes SF iconic, grassy areas, beaches with waters that are calm enough for swimming, and picnic areas with charcoal grills. For the most part, dogs are allowed off-leash, as long as they’re under voice control, but just keep an eye out for signs since there are some protected wildlife areas throughout.
Bernal Heights/Mission El Rio should be on everyone’s list of places to hang out just because it’s got a great vibe, invests in social change, local arts, and music, and underserved communities, and allows pets in both the indoor bar and the spacious outdoor garden. Keep in mind, pets shouldn’t attend larger parties where there will be loud music, big crowds, and general chaos, but most dog owners wouldn’t want to put their furry best friend through that kind of mayhem anyway.
Ocean Beach isn’t San Francisco’s most scenic beach (although it does have expansive stretches of sand, crashing waves, and pretty stellar sunsets-it just happens to face extremely stiff competition ‘cause of bluffs and bridges and all of that stuff a lot of other beaches have), but you know what your dog doesn’t care about? Views. You know what your dog does care about? Those expansive stretches of sand and water, which are perfect for frolicking, digging, lounging, and general dog-meets-beach merriment. OB also tends to be the least crowded beach (not just because of the lack of “views” but also because it’s 3.5-miles long), and your pup is free to roam almost all of it off-leash (save for Stairwell 21 to Sloat Blvd) year-round.
Lower Haight The bartenders at this famous beer bar are notoriously surly (know you order, have your cash ready, etc.), but how surly can anyone in a bar that allows dogs really be? (We don’t recommend you try to find out, but you get the gist.) If you love beer, you’ll love Toronado because it has over 40 beers on tap, including many that are popular but elusive. There’s also a good jukebox, outdoor seating, and not only can you bring your dog (indoors and out), you can also bring hot dogs (as in sausages) from Berliner Berliner right next door-or whatever food strikes your fancy! Toronado can get really crowded on weekend nights, so if you’re planning on heading there on a Friday or Saturday and want to be inside, you’re better off leaving any furry friends at home.
Golden Gate Park/Ocean Beach When the sun is shining, Park Chalet’s back lawn is the perfect place to kick back, drink a beer, and eat some fish tacos. It’s also a popular place to bring dogs since the lawn area is spacious and has a super laid-back vibe. (Good to know: It is also a very popular place to bring children, so if your dog is not down with toddlers, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them.) There are tables on the lawn, but if one isn’t available, you’re also welcome to put down a picnic blanket or just find a spot on the grass. Go on the weekend in the summer, and there’s a good chance you’ll also be able to enjoy some live music.
Mission A soccer field, tennis courts, a basketball court, expansive green lawns, a children’s playground, amazing people watching, and not one but two off-leash dog play areas… Needless to say, there’s a reason Dolores Park is one of SF’s most popular green spaces, especially on a sunny Saturday or Sunday. The off-leash play areas are on the slope of the south side and the flatter (usually less crowded) part of the north side by the soccer field. Keep in mind, none of it is fenced in, and Dolores Park is surrounded by pretty traffic-heavy streets, so you’ll want to either keep your dog close or make sure that your voice control commands are dialed in.
Cole Valley You can always bring your well-behaved dog to sit outside with you at this popular French-inspired bistro that draws long lines for brunch, but if you bring Fifi or Fido to dinner on the back patio on Monday night, you’ll also score $10 off a bottle of wine for you and endless treats for them.
Sea Cliff Okay, if your dog is really into views (or you’re really into photos of your dog with great views in the background), then head to Lands End, which allows dogs to be off-leash year-round. The winding trail along the rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean is a little narrow in parts and extremely steep in others, so you’ll want to make sure your pup is friendly or super good with voice control, but it’s one of the most beautiful urban hikes you’ll find in town with lots of cool stops along the way, including turn-of-the-century gun emplacements, views of shipwrecks, and the ruins of Sutro Baths. There’s also a “hidden” beach (Mile Rock) where you can both sink your feet/paws into the sand and Pacific Ocean, assuming you’re both okay with a bit of a steep hike.
What dog isn’t going to love roaming over 1,000 acres of pastoral meadows, winding paths, and wooded groves? Golden Gate Park is a total no-brainer when it comes to human and dog enjoyment as there are seemingly endless areas to explore. Technically, your dog needs to be on-leash except when in designated off-leash areas, but if you’re chilling out on a picnic blanket, the chances that you get called out for letting your pup do a little sniffing of nearby spots is pretty much zilch. If you prefer to follow the rules, the four off-leash areas in the park are an all-sand dog training area in the northwest corner of the park, and play areas in the northeast corner of the park off Stanyan Street, the southeast corner near Kezar Stadium, and the southwest quadrant.
The San Francisco Bay Okay, you know how whenever you’re on a boat, you suddenly feel like you’re living your best life, or at least a pretty good life? Don’t you think your dog deserves to know what it’s like to feel his ears flap and/or tail wag in the wind while soaring across the Bay? Good news: The Blue & Gold Fleet, which runs sightseeing cruises and a ferry service to Sausalito, agrees. You just need to keep your dog on a leash at all times.
Bernal Heights Spend a lazy day drinking hazy IPAs at this brewery and taproom known for its innovative beers and use of local ingredients. The SF location is also known for a pretty sweet game selection, including Killer Queen, shuffleboard, ping pong, table soccer, pinball, and more. Oh, and kids and dogs are allowed, although the rules for kids seem to be a little stricter. Check the schedule to see what food truck is popping up in the parking lot that day.
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Daisy Barringer doesn’t have kids, but she does have a very loveable, very enormous, and very slobbery Saint Bernard named Monkey, who can often be found strolling around Cole Valley, down Haight Street, or in Golden Gate Park. (That is when he’s not rolling around in the snow in Tahoe). Follow her on Instagram for pics of her magnificent floofer-nutter.
By Daisy barringer and leila najafi