Here's a photo from the film of Humphrey Bogart in his role as Sam Spade with the original statue. Ohio + Tahiti = Kahiki Find of the day: the Redwood Room Behind the kitchen door Before Horn & Hardart: European automats Distinguished dining awards Restaurant as fun house: Shambargers Dressing for dinner Dining on the border: Tijuana Postscript: beefsteak dinners Three hours for lunch Light-fingered diners Mind your manners: restaurant etiquette Celebrity restaurateurs: Pat Boone Diary of an unhappy restaurateur Basic fare: bread Busboys Greek-American restaurants Roadside attractions: Totos Zeppelin 2012, a recap Christmas dinner in a restaurant, again? Whether its your first visit to Fishermans Wharf or your first this week, theres no better bayside dining experience to be found in the infamously tourist-clogged destination than Scomas. San Francisco's Levi's Strauss helped popularize high-waisted, flared jeans for women in the 1970s (this is a Levi's model in 1971), and after years of giving way to low-rise jeans, they're back . With its hard-to-missneon sign and colorful murals on the busy corner of Van Ness and Geary, Tommys Joynthaslong beenconsidered a gathering place for those in all walks of life. Craving carnitas yet? Perhaps no longer world famous, it was undoubtedly remembered by Californians who recalled when Blums of San Francisco was a proud name. Now theyre all gone, except for that diner-less Doggie head mounted on a pole above Sloat Boulevard. The citys newspapers were effusive about Blancos when it opened, gushing over its Louis XIV entrance hall, marble pillars, murals, and chandeliers. Martinez is seated at the far right. ], -- Trash, garbage, and waste Americas literary chef The smrgsbord saga Meals along the way Dinner in Miami, Dec. 25, 1936 An early restaurateurs rise & fall Runaway menu prices Thanks so much! Hey Friend, Before You Go.. Its likely the photos were taken for use in an article by Mabel Croft Deering not published until June 1906 in The Critic, but written before Aprils destruction caused Coppas closure. We didn't include this one in this "classics" slideshow when we first ran it, but quite a few readers reminded us it's one that we couldn't omit. Levy sold his shares in Blums in 1952 and resigned as head, but the number of stores continued to grow under a succession of new owners. The menu changes daily, but stick to the seafood, especially since they never serve frozen fish here. The restaurant originated as Cable Oyster Shop, but was burned in the fire after the 1906 earthquake. Here's an interior shot of the Tadich Grill in the Financial District in 1974. Before long he was running the business solo and had added bakery goods and simple meals to his offerings. Poodle Dog Restaurant, Flood Bldg., Emporium. Another exotic touch employed by quite a few creperies was to use the French circumflex mark in crpes (which I have not done in this blogpost). This North Beach establishment was recently reincarnated into a restaurant, earningpraise from the Chronicle's Michael Bauer. Were taking a tip from a 1987 Chronicle archive that recommends a double hamburger, no onions, no lettuce and a glass of house red, for better or worse. Want another option? Magic Pans were closing all over, and by the time the 20-year old Magic Pan on Bostons Newbury Street folded in 1993, very few, if any, remained. Blancos was also a favorite after-theater spot for men and women who enjoyed a cold bot and hot bird as a light supper of champagne and quail was referred to in those days. Its right off the Powell/Hyde cable cars last stop, making it a tourist destination for many. Since 1998, this FiDi staple has been spinning roasted meats over open flames. Please like & follow for more interesting content. The fate of the restaurant is unknown but it did not achieve fame as he had done in San Francisco [1864 advertisement]. Courtesy of OpenSFHistory.org. It was known worldwide for hippies and radicals. Today the building still stands and is in use as the Great American Music Hall. Or perhaps, instead, we should go for something very unique and zany, with that weird "Only in SF" vibe. Jessica joined the Gate in 2013 after spending more than five years as an editor and reporter covering hyper-local news in Marin County. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. This photo, which was taken around 1910, shows, his grandfather at a Sperry Flour meeting in, the interior of the Old Poodle Dog Cafe, was sent courtesy of John Stutz, President of the Sacramento, The Old Poodle Dog Hotel and Restaurant, at its new location, 824 Eddy Street. With honest help, he claimed, I would have been worth a half a million of dollars., But the Winns western odyssey wasnt over after leaving San Francisco. On Christmas Day, 1894, a fire destroyed the building. He may have briefly tried to make a comeback at his original address, but in 1859 the Fountain Head on Commercial Street and a confectionery run by Eliza Winn were put up for sale. The 38 Essential Restaurants in San Francisco, 19 Fireplaces to Cozy Up to in San Francisco Restaurants and Bars. Pie in the skies revolving restaurants Way out coffeehouses Taste of a decade: 1890s restaurants Sweet treats and teddy bears Its not all glamor, is it Mr. Krinkle? The family still gets Swan Oyster Depots Dungeness crab from two fisherman whose fathers supplied Sal. [Photo shows the altered restaurant building front, much of it bricked in including the large center window above the door which now supports a sign; the building to the left was Blancos Annex hotel. Nice shot. Yamalo Sukiyaki House restaurant in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, California, 1978. . St. Francis Fountain (1918): The most kid-friendly choice on this list, and one of the least pretentious. On the menu expect San Francisco classics including cioppino, local King salmon, and notoriously strong Manhattans. You dont have to decide. 1853 menu, an order of roast beef, veal, or corned beef and cabbage cost 25c, while most vegetables were 12c. She regularly assists with behind-the-scenes breaking news coverage, oversees article packaging, posts to social media and co-manages the SFGATE Instagram and Snapchat accounts. In 1956, in addition to Blums four San Francisco locations (Polk St., Fairmont Hotel, Stonestown, and Union Square), there were stores in Carmel, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Westwood, and San Mateo and three more planned to open soon in Palo Alto, San Rafael, and San Jose. Blancos continued in business until 1933 but not without problems. The Bay Area native, a former Chronicle paperboy, has worked at The Chronicle since 2000. In the end, theres a classic San Francisco restaurant for every mood, ranging from seafood joints, diners, taquerias, clubby wood-paneled rooms, and anything else a lover of old-school dining could want. Click through this slideshow to find out. The city was at the forefront of fashion, music, and the counterculture movement. In the 1970s the restaurant industry and the custom of eating in restaurants grew rapidly. : San Francisco rises as a great restaurant town. Not only is Greens a California classic, its a big and beautiful space, with views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. It opened in 1949 and went through several owners before current owner Joe Betz (pictured here in an unbelievable room of meat at the restaurant) took over in 1985. This inspired the SFGATE staff to determine what establishments we think are worthy of being called "the most San Francisco.". Theres no denying Balboa Cafes place in San Francisco history: in its more than 100 years in business this Cow Hollow restaurant and bar has been the venue for countless first dates, celebrations, and, most recently, rowdy nights out for youthful Marina residents. It changed owners (within the same family) but continues to offer Southeast Asian specialties including mango chicken, Burmese curry beef, and fish chowder. Few San Franciscans would have failed to realize the significance of this infraction, even if they did not recall Blancos scandal of 1912. The 1970s San Francisco was beautiful, flamboyant, and alive. In 1921 its manager was arrested for not keeping a register of transient guests at Blancos Annex, the hotel next door which the restaurant had constructed in 1908 and opened the next year. The atmosphere is ski-cabin-meets-San-Francisco-chic, and youll know the restaurant by the smell of fresh lemon and spiced lamb wafting through the room. Somehow Levy resurrected the business, getting through the Depression, and then sugar rationing during World War II. Ham & eggs by any other name Good eaters: Josephine Hull Name trouble: Aunt Jemimas Reflections on a name: Plantation Dining on a roof Restaurant-ing on wheels Dinner to go Drive-up windows Dining during an epidemic: San Francisco Good eaters: bohemians Dining during an epidemic Fish on Fridays Image gallery: breaded things Lunching in a laboratory Women drinking in restaurants The puzzling St. Paul sandwich New Years Eve at the Latin Quarter Chinese for Christmas Turkeyburgers Themes: bordellos Finds of the day Early bird specials Franchising: Heap Big Beef Bostons automats Coffee and cake saloons Women chefs not wanted Entree from side dish to main dish Anatomy of a restaurateur: Woo Yee Sing Lobster stew at the White Rabbit Restaurants in the family: Doris Day Almost like flying Eye appeal Writing food memoirs Anatomy of a restaurateur: Ruby Foo Soul food restaurants Effects of war on restaurant-ing Behind the scenes at the Splendide Take your Valentine to dinner Lunching at the dime store Square meals Tea rooms for students Christmas dinner in the desert Green Book restaurants Dirty by design Clown themes Basic fare: meat & potatoes Dining with Chiang Yee in Boston Slumming Picturing restaurant food Find of the day: the Double R Coffee House Delicatessing at the Delirama Restaurant design and decoration Dining on a dime Anatomy of a restaurateur: George Rector Catering Dining in a garden Sawdust on the floor Learning to eat (in restaurants) Childrens menus Taste of a decade: the 1830s Check your hat How Americans learned to tip Image gallery: eating in a hat The up-and-down life of a restaurant owner Dressing the female server The Lunch Box, a memoir Crazy for crepes Famous in its day: The Pyramid Dining & wining on New Years Eve High-volume restaurants: Hilltop Steak House Famous in its day: the Public Natatorium Turkey on the menu Getting closer to your food Between courses: secret recipes Find of the day: Aladdin Studio Tiffin Room Americans in Paris: The Chinese Umbrella No smoking! Despite the abundance of eating places in the city, it rose to prominence rapidly due to its respectability, cleanliness, and relatively low prices. The second Cliff House survived the 1906 earthquake only to be swallowed in flames a year later. Also in 1949 a Blums Confectaurant opened in San Franciscos Fairmont Hotel [shown above]. In 1922 Coppa opened yet another restaurant, at 120 Spring Street, offering old-time dinners, possibly so-called because they were paired with illicit wine. Crepes enjoyed a mystique, offering a link to European culture and a break from the meat and potatoes that dominated most restaurant menus in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Restaurant history quiz (In)famous in its day: the Nixons chain The checkered life of a chef Catering to the rich and famous Famous in its day: London Chop House Who invented Caesar salad? The long dining rooms are bedecked in warm woods and leather, with low slung ceilings making it feel like youre deep in the belly of a boat. She built Zunis reputation with her burgers, Caesar salad, bloody Marys, and of course, the famous roast chicken for two with bread salad. Pizza with Duck Sausage wins quick stardom. The story says those famous house cappuccino machines are still never used to actually make beverages with espresso. Editor's note: This is the first installment in an SFGATE series of the "most San Francisco" restaurants. What Dallas looked like in the 1950s Through these Fascinating Historical Photos, What Austin, Texas looked like in the 1970s Through These Fascinating Photos, Rare Historical Photos Of old Mobile, Alabama From Early 20th Century, Stunning Historical Photos Of Old Memphis From 20th Century, What El Paso, Texas, looked like at the Turn of the 20th Century. In 1896, Adolph Sutro, then the Cliff House owner and mayor of SF, built a new Cliff House modeled after a French chateau. Serving alcohol may have been an innovation for Blums at this time, repeated when their New York City location opened in 1965 on East 59th Street [see below]. The gold-lettered double doors swung back open in mid 2021 after two years of pandemic-era closures, meaning SF residents and tourists can once again belly up to the bar for a house cappuccino (no coffee involved) and a plate of pasta with a side of house made focaccia. The parklet is a superb setting for outdoor dining but be sure to step inside to get a peek at the iconic red-and-black floors. 14 Buzzy Coffee Cocktails Around San Francisco and the East Bay, A Guide to Election Day Freebies and Specials in the Bay Area. Others have been reincarnated with a nod to the future, but still hold on to a part of San Francisco's fascinating history. While I was at the Library of Congress a few weeks ago I had a chance to look at the hard-to-find book The Coppa Murals, by Warren Unna (1952). Cecilia Chiang, 95, holds the original menu of the Mandarin Restaurant, which she opened in 1961 in San Francisco. Its candy counters in department stores such as I. Magnin, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, and others were not run by Blums. It seems that a new trendy restaurant pops up on almost a daily basis. . ), completed 1974. In Spring 1856, he and his new business partner dissolved their partnership with the partner taking over the business. A few more San Francisco classics, still serving: The Old Clam House (1861); Sams Grill & Seafood Restaurant (1867); Fly Trap (1883); Schroeders (1893); Swan Oyster Depot (1906); Liguria Bakery (1911); Tosca Cafe (1919); Roosevelt Tamale Parlor (1919); Hang Ah Tea Room (1920); Aliotos (1925); Alfreds Steakhouse (1928); Tommasos Italian Restaurant (1935); Original Joes (1937); Reds Java House (1955); El Faro (1961). James Wiseman, leadership genius? In addition to endless varieties of chocolate candies, Blums also specialized in ice cream, including its fresh spinach flavor, ice cream desserts, baked goods such as Koffee Krunch cake, fruit and vegetable salads, Blumburgers, and triple decker sandwiches. The city was at the forefront of fashion, music, and the counterculture movement. Reds Java House is not to be confused with the similar, equally historic Java House, which is also worth a visit. The chandeliers and some of the murals were restored, possibly during the late sixties when the building was occupied by the Charles Restaurant. 1983 The Food Marketing Institute reports that 2/3 of all fish consumed in the U.S. is eaten in restaurants. The Chronicle's Michael Bauer said the best dishes include the bay shrimp Louie, the bay shrimp and avocado salad, Jack LaLannes Favorite Salad or the petrale sole. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1970s Castagnola Seafood Restaurant Menu Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco at the best online prices at eBay! (Before McDonalds) Road trip restaurant-ing Menu vs. bill of fare Odd restaurant buildings: Big Tree Inn The three-martini lunch Restaurant-ing in Metropolis Image gallery: dinner on board The case of the mysterious chili parlor Taste of a decade: 1970s restaurants Picky eaters: Helen and Warren Hot chocolate at Barrs Name trouble: Sambos Eat and get gas The fifteen minutes of Rabelais Image gallery: shacks, huts, and shanties What would a nickel buy? It appears she continued to run the business of making and selling baked goods and confectionery until 1859. Some, including Michael Bauer, say its difficult for the food at the restaurant Sutros to match the view. The Irish Coffee at Buena Vista has been made the same way since 1952. Tea at the Mary Louise Restaurant-ing as a civil right Once trendy: tomato juice cocktails Famous in its day: Thompsons Spa The browning of McDonalds Eating, dining, and snacking at the fair A Valentine with soul (food) Down and out in St. Louis Serving the poor For the record The ups and downs of Frank Flower Famous in its day, now infamous: Coon Chicken Inn Nothing but the best, 19th cen. But if you go to eat, Bauer was especially impressed with the sole during his visit a few years ago. Sliced-to-order pastrami sandwiches and buffalo stew (pictured). Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. Tadich has moved several times since it first opened, but the restaurant spent more than 50 years on Clay Street before it openedin 1967at its current location in the heartof the Financial District at 240 California Street. In July of that year a Sausalito woman hired detectives to shadow her husband who was enjoying a romantic dinner at Blancos in the company of another woman. She was the editor of the Sausalito Marin Scope for nearly four years before running two daily news sites, the San Rafael Patch and San Anselmo-Fairfax Patch. Burrito historians claim that the first-ever Mission-style burrito was assembled in 1961 at El Faro, then a grocery store owned by Febronio Ontiveros. The 10 Restaurants That Changed San Francisco In the Last 5 Years By Jay Barmann Jun 09, 2014 San Francisco has always been a great eating town. In 1956, in addition to Blum's four San Francisco locations (Polk St., Fairmont Hotel, Stonestown, and Union Square), there were stores in Carmel, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Westwood, and San Mateo and three more planned to open soon in Palo Alto, San Rafael, and San Jose. ), crepes soon became a favorite lunch, dinner, and late-night supper for college students, dating couples, shoppers, and anyone seeking something different. Along with crepes, menus typically included a few soups, most likely including French onion soup, a spinach-y salad, and perhaps a carafe of wine. But no burrito-maker has garnered more praise than La Taqueria, where they have a slight variation from traditional Mission style with the exclusion of rice. Out of the destruction, came one of the city's best outdoor patios, which still exists today. The operator of a booth selling crepes at Illinois county fairs reported that hardly anyone bought them and that some fairgoers referred to them as creeps or craps. Pictured: Ann Getty, left, Jeanette Etheredge, center, and Jo Silver,right, along with other guests, watch a slide show of Armen Bali at a celebration at Tosca. Picture Information. Toddle House Truckstops Champagne and roses Soup and spirits at the bar Back to nature: The Eutropheon The Swinger Early chains: Baltimore Dairy Lunch We burn steaks Girls night out 2013, a recap Holiday greetings from Vesuvio Caf The Shircliffe menu collection Books, etc., for restaurant history enthusiasts Roast beef frenzy B.McD. Roast chicken for two. The cioppino is highly regarded. With country French decor, servers in folk costumes, and names such as Old Brittany French Creperie and Maison des Crepes [pictured at top, Georgetown], diners were imaginatively transported to a delightfully foreign environment quite unlike the brand new shopping malls in which many creperies were located. The Cioppino is supposedly one of the best (ever). Just get a cheeseburger and fries, which were added to the menu in 2001 and were the first significant menu addition in 40 years. Michael . The term refers to an eating place that has table service for dessert orders only as well as for meals, and was likely used only in California. Pictured: Former owner of Red's Java House Tom "Red" McGarvey stands in front of the port side cafe during the latter years of ownership. But good eats will remain. But it was becoming increasingly difficult to operate a high-living restaurant in the style Blancos was accustomed to. This survivor at 2801 24th St. stands out from the others because of the pains the owners have taken to preserve the feel of a neighborhood soda fountain. Many of our other favorite eateries have been lumped into two other pillars -- the "new classics" and the "only in SF" eateries. Winn was a dedicated temperance advocate, always emphasizing the cause in his frequent, wordy newspaper advertisements that often contained sermons on the evils of drink. When you think about San Francisco, you probably envision tech companies filled with optimistic 20-somethings and restaurants with fancy food. He interviewed some of the artists involved and also Felix Piantanida, Coppas early partner who was responsible for preserving the photographs shown in the book. People passing by the Tadich Grill on California St. in San Francisco, Calif. on Tues. October 27, 2015. This iconic San Francisco establishment is 150 years old, although there have been many Cliff Houses through the years. After a short time he had enough money to open a confectionery with a partner. The owners nearly shuttered the business in 2020, citing financial struggles related to the pandemic, but in March 2021 confirmed the restaurant would remain open at least for now. The exception was Crepes Suzette, thin, delicate pancakes with an orange-butter sauce and liqueurs that were often dramatically lit aflame at the diners table. Josephs wife, Elizabeth, who had been the dining room manager and cashier, died in 1938. The most San Francisco restaurants: The true classics, The most 'San Francisco' restaurants: The new classics, These San Francisco restaurants are so 'Only in SF'. Though mostly (and justly) known for its Irish coffees, the Buena Vista Cafe also has a decent breakfast and lunch offering, with views of the Bay. Famous in its day: Feras Why the parsley garnish? The Veggie Scene; SF's Culinary History: Part 10 of 12. Also, Metallica hangs out here. Many credit him with making House of Prime Rib the SF institution it is today, catering to high-profile regulars as well as a healthy mix of locals and tourists. Joseph was often arrested in raids by prohibition agents, and Victor once escaped by running out the back door. Levy brought innovations, switching to machine production of candy in 1949 and, a few years later, introducing a successful 10-cent candy bar for sale in vending machines. CREATIVE. Three Italians originally opened Tosca in November 1919. It's still one of the city's most beautiful and delightful rooms to while away an afternoon. In 1917 a plan to add two stories to the restaurant was abandoned, perhaps because of the looming nationwide ban on the sale of alcohol. There were, cable cars, neon lights lined up the buildings that glow at night, theaters on every block, and the food was served on the streets, crabs, and lobsters were also served on the streets. The original Tenderloin restaurant was destroyed by a fire in 2007 but, four years later, the Duggan family moved the business to North Beach (pictured). Five still-operating restaurants with deep roots: Tadich Grill (1849): When the Tadich Grill at 240 California St. moved from its first location, the original bar came along for the ride. A friend visiting San Francisco from Seattle recently had a request that initially sounded simple. Anything with crab, oysters on the half shell, Boston clam chowder, smoked salmon, smoked trout, or fresh seafood to take home. It was common to see a naked hippy playing the guitar or a naked man and woman making love while bands played music. No young-thing to the Mission burrito scene, La Taq has been run by Miguel Jara and his family since 1973. Cecilia Chiang, 95, is a celebrated Chinese American. 25 Iconic Dishes and Drinks of San Francisco. Pictured: A view of Seal Rock from Sutro's at the Cliff House. The candy bars as well as a second brand of lower-priced boxed candy sold in Rexall drugstores under the name Candy Artists. Borrowing money from a shipmate upon arrival, he began making candy and peddling it in the streets. You can read about several of the awards she earned in these roles on her LinkedIn page. In 1948 the Colony in New York City served Crepes Colony with a seafood filling. Making an appeal to men was also new for Blums, which had customarily located in shopping areas where women abounded. 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Jeannette Etheredge took over Tosca Cafe in 1980 and kept her pledge of keeping the bar just the way she found it until 2014, when it was sold toKen Friedman and April Bloomfield of New York in a deal brokered by actor Sean Penn, who used to be a regular at the cafe. Outcasts and the socially marginalized were attracted by a greater tolerance and acceptance of diverse cultures in the city. At a time when America was seen as the world leader in modern ways of living including industrially efficient food production Europe was imagined as a romantically quaint Old World where traditional ways were preserved and many things were still handmade. San Franciscans nearly lost this more-a-century-old institution during the pandemic, but now the Old Clam House is back and serving boatloads of fresh seafood on Bayshore Drive. The second floor of John's Grill has a Falcon shrine, complete with a knock-off of the statue used in the "Maltese Falcon" film noir classic. (There was a Mannings at Fifth and Market streets in the 1950s and 1960s, a block from The Chronicle building.) Bartenders line the bar with glasses and concoct the drink in batches. Blums candy continued to be produced for years despite the brand being acquired by a Kansas City MO company in 1983. Ernie's was a restaurant in San Francisco, California. And a florist in Napa CA was still selling boxes of Blums candy for Easter in 1991. Wed love to see a return of Fosters and Clintons Cafeteria as well. The Fountain Head was not fancy. Taste of a decade: 1930s restaurants Anatomy of a restaurateur: H. M. 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But things soon turned sour again. Fires were frequent occurrences in San Francisco and he was burned out at both of his initial locations in less than a year. Zuni Cafe began in 1979 as a Southwestern-themed restaurant, but became a Cal-cuisine icon under the leadership of the late Judy Rodgers, who entered its kitchen in 1987. The Polk street store also had a confectaurant, as its combination soda fountain + candy counter + bakeshop + restaurant was known. Naturally it classed itself as a French restaurant, French cuisine being synonymous with the good life and the only kind that could command a high price then. Swingin at Maxwells Plum Happy holidays, eat well Department store restaurants: Marshall Fields Anatomy of a restaurateur: Don Dickerman Taste of a decade: 1860s restaurants The saga of Alices restaurants The brotherhood of the beefsteak dungeon Famous in its day: Maillards Lets do brunch or not? The city had only 500 people in 1847, jumping to 410K in 1906 thanks to the ol' Gold Rush. By the late 1980s it had all but disappeared. Perched above a cliff to the north of Ocean Beach and reinvented frequently, this restaurant is the lone survivor of the once-great trifecta of Sutro Baths, Cliff House and Playland-at-the-Beach.