Honeymoon in San Francisco: The Beer

We decided to go to San Francisco for our honeymoon because we've been trying to plan a trip out there for about four years. We also went for the food. And the beer.

Z is a major craft beer fan, and he knows a lot about the stuff. I am the lucky woman who gets to sample a crap ton of beers alongside him. We had a list of beer bars and breweries that we wanted to hit while in SF, and, boy, did we hit them all...and then some.

Here are some of my favorite beer bars and breweries that we went to. Cheers!

Monk's Kettle, Mission District: I talked about Monk's Kettle's food yesterday, but their beer list was also spectacular. I ordered a Death & Taxes by Moonlight Brewing Company, and it was fabulous.

The Willows, SoMa: Z and I stumbled upon this spot accidentally, but we were so glad we did. The owner is from Boston, so they had a good amount of East Coast beers on tap...that are hard to find on tap on the East Coast (like Smashed Pumpkin by Shipyard). I went for The Illinois by Goose Island, one of my favorite breweries. 

Us at The Willows!

City Beer Store, SoMa: We ended up going here twice. This is a fantastic spot to enjoy some great beer on tap, and they even have bottles for sale. The food here is scarce, but they do let you come in with food if you really want to eat something. The second time we went there I had a Habanero Sculpin by Ballast Point Brewing Co., and it was wonderfully spicy without being too fiery.

Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, CA: This place is the only reason we went to Santa Rosa. Russian River is the holy grail in Z's eyes, and now I know why. Having their beer fresh and on tap was an incredible experience for my mouth (although, not so much for my liver), and their food is quite good, too. My favorite beers of the evening were Supplication and Temptation.

Lagunitas, Petaluma, CA: Lagunitas is also the only reason we went to Petaluma. We did one of their brewery tours, and it was one of the best ones I've been on - it was informative, entertaining, and we could be on it with beer in hand. After the tour, we drank and ate in their large patio area, and ended up sitting with a couple from Massachusetts. Small world! I loved their bourbon barrel-aged Cappuccino Stout. It's strong, but worth savoring every sip.

Other honorable mentions: Church Key, Toronado, Marin Brewing Company.

Are you a beer drinker? If so, what's your favorite kind of beer?

Honeymoon in San Francisco: The Food

Six days in San Francisco left me full. And very, very happy.

Z and I went into our honeymoon with a list of restaurants and beer bars (more on that tomorrow) that we wanted to try. [Side note: Thank you for all your recommendations!]. We hit just about every place we wanted to, and every meal - with the exception of one (at Greens) - was a delicious success. It was difficult to narrow them down, but here are some of my favorite places that we visited on this trip:

Breakfast:

Holey Bagel, Noe Valley: We stayed in Noe Valley, and one morning, when Z ventured out to find us breakfast, he came back with Holey Bagels. I had an egg, cheese, tomato, and avocado sandwich on a sundried tomato bagel (he had the same on a jalapeno bagel), and every bite was flavorful and satisfying. 

Martha & Bros. Coffee, Noe Valley: Martha & Bros. has several cafe locations throughout San Francisco, but we were lucky enough to have one right up the street from our rental (on 24th Street). They have a ton of coffee concoctions, pastries, and more, but we always went for the iced coffee or iced mocha. Both were delightfully strong and delicious each time. 

Omelette Express, Santa Rosa, CA: We paid a visit to Russian River Brewing Company (more on that later), and the next morning, an employee at our hotel recommended Omelette Express. It was just a few short steps from our hotel, so we decided to check it out. This is a casual spot with a great staff, good food, huge portions, and very affordable prices.   

Lunch and/or Dinner:

Monk's Kettle, Mission District: We came here for the beer, but were pleasantly surprised by the food. I highly recommend trying the Grilled Flatbread ($13), which, when we visited, was slathered with asparagus pesto and piled high with cantaloupe, lightly dressed arugula, and goat cheese.

Gracias Madre, Mission District: The wait for this 100 percent vegan Mexican restaurant might be long (we waited a good hour), but every single minute is worth it. I'd go for the Coconut Ceviche ($10.50) and/or the tacos (any of them).

Coconut Ceviche.

The Slanted Door, Embarcadero: Z's parents graciously gave us a gift certificate to this highly acclaimed restaurant, and it was honestly one of the best meals we had on our trip. I had the Vegetarian Spring Rolls ($11) and Green Papaya salad ($12) to start, followed by the Dirty Girl Farm Spicy Haricots Vert ($11). For dessert, we had the incredible Doughnuts ($9), which came with an addictive butterscotch dipping sauce. Their cocktails are also fantastic, and the atmosphere is upscale without being pretentious. Oh, and be sure to make reservations - this place books up fast.

boon eat + drink, Guerneville, CA: One day, on our way to the Napa region, we stopped to check out the Russian River. When we got hungry for lunch, Yelp recommended boon - and thank gosh it did. Boon sources most of their ingredients right from Sonoma County, and they had a small yet all-local wine list that we were excited to dig into. For lunch, I enjoyed an incredibly fresh kale and peach salad (I don't have the price, but it was around $8 or $9), and the waiter even gave us a free order of Truffle Fries ($8) because we had to wait a few extra minutes for a table. 

Hawker Fare, Oakland, CA: We flew in and out of Oakland (much cheaper), and the night before our red eye home, we met up with some friends at Hawker Fare. Our waiter at boon actually recommended it, and we definitely had one memorable meal there. The Blistered Green Beans ($7) were a big hit with our table thanks to the curry paste they were tossed in (we got them vegetarian, but they're usually served with pork bacon). For my entree, I had the Gang Dang Tofu ($9.50) which is tofu and pumpkin simmered in a spicy coconut milk red curry with bamboo and herbs. Let's just say this meal was the perfect grand finale for our eating adventures in SF!

Tomorrow, I'll give you the lowdown on the beer we washed all of this food down with. San Francisco has some damn good beer bars and breweries!