Interior of The Grove by Jessica Gioglio
It probably won’t come as a surprise to the more frequent readers of this blog, but I adore charming little restaurants and boutiques. When traveling, I purposefully seek out places like San Francisco’s Fillmore Street that contain a mix of both. Delightful, yet not overly posh, this street is situated in the city’s beautiful Pacific Heights neighborhood, and is perfect for a lunch and shopping jaunt.
Pear and Gorgonzola Panini from The Grove by Jessica Gioglio
In my travels, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed meals at The Grove and La Boulange Bakery. The Grove is appropriately described on FillmoreShop.com as a, “popular neighborhood haunt,” and after dining there I can see why. Filled with rustic wooden tables, iron light fixtures, a large stone fireplace, one can’t help but feel like they’ve been transported into the mountains of Colorado. Despite the Western vibe, they serve up fresh California inspired cuisine and there’s little something for everyone. During my lunch, I ordered a delicious pear and gorgonzola panini and would definitely return to try one of the many other menu options.
La Boulange on Fillmore Street by vanderwal from Flickr
If French bakery cafes are more your style, I’m also smitten with La Boulange Bakery. A chain with locations throughout the city, the Fillmore location has two levels, plus a few coveted outdoor tables. The menu here contains fresh salads, pastries and sandwiches. During my recent visit, I tried an open faced hummus and veggie sandwich paired with a fresh side salad. Makes sense to eat something light so you can indulge in a pastry as well, right? If your lunchtime mantra is anything like mine, then you’re in luck, because there are plenty of tempting treats here worth trying. Also unique? Homemade jams are made here in-house. I brought home homemade strawberry-rhubarb jam on a recent trip, much to the delight of my roommates.
After a great meal, Fillmore Street also has a few blocks of boutiques to please a variety of shoppers. Personal favorites include the British clothier Jigsaw, for fashion-forward apparel and accessories (I went gaga over their belts during my visit), and the Anthropologie-esque homegoods store Nest. If homegoods are your thing, you’ll also love the perky Jonathan Adler store, which gave me lots of cute gift ideas. Also of note is the Paper Source, which I couldn’t resist popping into to see if they had anything unique that I couldn’t find back home.
All in all, Fillmore Street may not be a tourist’s number one destination when visiting San Francisco, but if you are looking for a relaxing afternoon, this is a great way to spend it. However, if you’re keen to do more exploring, make your way down to Union Street in Cow Hollow, then down to Chestnut Street along the Marina. In the Marina, A16 is a personal favorite for amazing Italian food and wine!