a san francisco anniversary {eat + drink guide}

Four! 4! IV! It's been four years since I packed up my little Honda Civic full of garbage bags (the only space-friendly way to move a wardrobe if you ask me) and moved to San Francisco. As cliche as it sounds, it's seriously gone by in the blink of an eye. I still remember frantically searching for my first apartment, being blown away by how much said apartment would cost, miserably attempting my first parallel park on one hell of a steep hill and despite it all, generally being amazed by just how awesome this city is. 

If you recall, I shared a few of my favorite shopping haunts in this post last year. Since I often get emails from a few of you asking for restaurant and bar recommendations, I figured this little milestone anniversary of mine would be the perfect opportunity to keep my San Francisco Treat series going...

So without further adieu...

eat:

State Bird -- It's tricky to get reservations here, but it's well worth the wait! Go hungry -- dim sum style and it's hard to pass on the plates that go by. We went for my birthday and I was still stuffed the following day.

Rich Table -- Two words for you. Porcini doughnuts.

Skool -- I recently discovered this gem, thanks to a coworker's tip. Really fresh seafood -- scoot over there now before the reservation list is months out!

A16 -- I love the ambiance of this place almost as much as I love the food. I live for their burrata. 

Jane -- Just right up the street from us, I can always rely on Jane. Coffee. Pastries. A hearty salad. A great place to set up shop and work on the weekend.

Domo -- One of the first restaurants I stumbled upon when I first moved to San Francisco. It's a tiny little sushi place but the line out the door moves fast, so don't worry.

Pizzeria Delfina -- It gets a lot of hype. And it lives up to it. 

SPQR -- Also right around the corner from us, SPQR knows how to serve a mean truffle plate.

Foreign Cinema -- Dinner and a movie? At the same time? Count me in. 

drink:

Trick Dog -- My friend Natalie recently introduced me to this bar. I love places that have a kitschy drink menu so of course I loved their astrology chart drink lineup.

Absinthe -- My old apartment was just down the street from Absinthe and I used to love stopping by on Fridays after a long work week for one of their Manhattans and a cheese platter. It's also usually filled with the post-Opera/Symphony crowd so it has a great "old San Francisco" feel.

Chambers -- Set up in an old, restored mod-hotel, Chambers is great for happy hour drinks and get togethers with girlfriends. If you catch them on an unusually warm day, stop by and enjoy their pool-side patio.

Top of the Mark -- While this is actually a restaurant, I think I've always gone here for just drinks and dancing. There's a 90% chance you'll be the among the youngest patrons there, but those types of places, personally, tend to be my favorite. And since it's on the top of the Mark Hopkins hotel, the views are unbeatable. 

The Tonga Room -- Perfect for large groups and for even rowdier nights. Beware the punch bowl!