“Meet in ten minutes for dinner?”

”sure, where do you want to go?”

“Oh I never leave the hotel here”

“actually I’m pretty tired I think I’ll just go to bed”

 

For a group that should be more worldly than average, we sure do have our share of people who can’t handle anything other than what they are used to.

 

My parents never had pizza in their life. Nor have they had Italian, Mexican, nor Chinese. Guess I have come a long way.

 

New here, so I don't know where the SFO hotel is. I do have some recommendations for Italian restaurants though!

Pazzia is worth a visit.

La Ciccia is Sardinian. Don't worry - no casu martzu!

Roli Roti is a food truck that moves around, but it can be found at the Ferry Building some days and their porchetta sandwich is on par with anything you will find in Italy. In fact, I recall theirs being better than what I found in Ariccia - the birthplace of porchetta. That may be blasphemy to say, but give it a try.

E Tutto Qua on Columbus was phenomenal, but they went away during Covid.

Bonus suggestion: Hog Island Oyster Co at the Ferry Building for the best clam chowder on earth. It shouldn't even be called clam chowder - its not the thick white soup that comes to mind when we hear that dish. Its a very, very tasty white wine broth. Order lots of their bread for dipping!

Now I am hungry!

 

This place is literally around the back alley (near church walk) behind the Marriott Marques hotel… always packed and the food is solid.

delarosasf.com/about-us-downtown

 

If you're unfamiliar, the Eater website is used often by food-types and is pretty consistently accurate in their restaurant recommendations around the US and the world. Check out recently updated articles like https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-itali...-san-francisco Have fun.

 

Agree. Just give yourself about a 10 block radius from “Le Marriott” before things start to appear semi-normal. And remember to check your soles for you-know-what before you set foot back in the room.

Never lived in the ‘burbs myself, but I’ve spent loooooots of time in all the “usual suspect” western locales—including living in a few—and SF continues to be the worst. Not sure anyone could honestly dispute that. It’s the only place I’ve seen a guy without legs crawling around begging directly on a filthy street curb. No wheelchair. Rough way to earn a living.

 

DEN is like the JV squad compared to the human waste land that is San Fran.

 

From Market St. walk north up Kearny through China Town to North Beach.

Betty Lou's Seafood & Grill or The Stinking Rose (Italian with LOTS of garlic) both on Columbus.

Both excellent. Was at Betty Lou's last week. I witnessed no encampments on the walk.

 

Stinkin Rose is awesome if you like garlic. Original Joes has been mentioned but is a great spot and had a great burger IMO. Tony’s if you can get in is a pizza institution. There’s another Chicago style spot a few blocks away but the name escapes me. Cool old school bar vibe and good pizza.