This city, in my mind, was the jewel of the trip. When we set off from Baltimore almost a month ago, this is what I was most looking forward to, even though there were many things to see first. And let me tell you, San Francisco did not disappoint! After a day and a half of exploring, walking, biking, and eating, I was dazzled.
We started off by walking briskly to the Ferry Building from our hostel in Tenderloin. (We had dreamed of riding a street car, but the line for that on a sunny Saturday afternoon wrapped around the block). There was a bustling farmers market just outside of it where we sampled chocolate almond toffee and bought two dapple dandy pluots, one for each of us. It had a crispy-creamy texture with honey-sweet flavor.
With the street cars still too full, Justin and I navigated the bus system to make our way up to Fisherman’s Wharf. We had fun admiring the shapes of bread at Boudin Bakery – crabs, teddy bears, and turtles. How do they get the bread to rise into such perfect animal shapes? We got a cheddar jalapeno roll to share. It had a good chew, with pickled jalapenos throughout, and a nice crusty cheddar top.
The very best food we ate in San Francisco was unexpected. Our hungry bellies, and rave reviews, brought us to Pizzeria Delfina. After having trouble deciding on an appetizer, we asked the waiter for his opinion. “The arancini,” he said. “It’s saffron-ricotta cheese balls, breaded and fried.” As soon as I heard the word saffron, I was sold. It was incredible. The outside of the arancini was crisp and well-seasoned, while the inside was gooey indulgence. An order of the pizza napoletana followed – a thin crust topped with savory tomato sauce, anchovies, capers, and oregano. Perfect.
Our stay in San Francisco held many more food delights, but these were the highlights. In between eating, Justin and I enjoyed walking up the steep hills and admiring the architecture, renting bikes and riding across the Golden Bridge and through many neighborhoods, and going back to the Ferry Building (that magical place) so I could get another cup of coffee and buy cocoa nibs at Scharfen-Berger.
I am thrilled to have been able to visit San Francisco, and I can’t wait to go back some day!
