by: Paper Pastries

It’s more like my to-eat list. In a week I’ll be off to San Francisco for about 3 days. I’m trying to figure out how many places I can visit in such a small amount of time. I’ve done some research and had a few recommendations on places I should try and I have listed them. If I have forgotten anything, please add to the list.

1. Tartine Bakery : Definitely on top of the list! I have heard nothing but amazing things about this bakery which is known for its delicious fresh bread and beautiful pastries. Bread pudding, morning buns, croissants and a banana cream tart are on the list of items to try.

2. Bi-Rite Creamery: luckily for me this is near Tartine Bakery. Hopefully I’ll have room for ice cream after all the baked goods I plan on consuming. Bi-Rite is a popular ice cream parlor, which is known for its creative flavors using local and organic ingredients. Flavors to try include: salted caramel, roasted banana and honey lavender.

3. Ikes Place: to be honest, I’m kind of scared to attempt to try Ikes because of the usual long line and hour long waits. Hopefully I’ll have luck and not get stuck waiting 2hrs for a sandwich. It’s not just any sandwich though! Ike actually makes your sandwich and it’s all about the “Dirty Sauce”. You must check out the menu, it’s pretty ridiculous! I probably spent an hour going through the menu deciding what I would want to try. Amazing different combinations of sandwiches with awesome names. I’m between trying the SF Giants or the Menage a Trois.

4. Farmerbowns: Fried Chicken, waffles, soul  food, drinks in mason jars, a bar and hip atmosphere.

5. Mamas: The breakfast is suppose to be awesome! Pictures have sold me. Well the french toast has sold me mainly. I’m a sucker for french toast and this is supposedly the place with its elaborate list of gourmet french toast using its various house baked breads. My french toast list includes: Kugelhopf, Chocolate Cinnamon, Cranberry Orange Walnut and Pan Dore. If you are not a french toast person, no worries all the other breakfast items are suppose to be just as good, such as the omelettes and Monte Cristo.

6. The Creme Brulee Cart: Creme Brulee on wheels! Yes, please. Having a freshly blow torched creme brulee on the street of SF, the idea just makes me happy. The only way to find the location is through Twitter of course. Oh yeah and there is different flavors at $4 each. Some of the flavors have been: Vanilla Bean, White Russian, Dark Chocolate Raspberry and Lavender.

7. Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream: I can never have enough ice cream. Humphry Slocombe is my kind of place, featuring extremely unique flavors. They basically do whatever they want and get away with it. I can dig that. Some of their unusual flavors include: Foie Gras, Guinness Gingerbread, Salt & Pepper, Sour Cream , McEvoy Olive Oil and the list goes on. The 3 most popular are the Secret Breakfast, Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee and Balsamic Caramel.

8. Pearl’s Deluxe Burgers: This is one of Benjie’s must eat at places while in SF.  Good priced burgers with an awesome variety of toppings, sweet potato fries and onion rings. They also have speciality Kobe beef burgers.

9. Dynamo Donuts & Coffee: All I have to say is gourmet donuts that cost $2 to $3.50 each. I wish I could afford to try them all. For now I have my eyes on: Lemon Pistachio, Maple Glazed Bacon Apple, Spiced Chocolate and Candied Orange Blossom.

10. The Monk’s Kettle: CRAZY selection of beer! Giant pretzels with cheddar ale sauce- sounds good to me. They offer beer pairings for every food item on the menu, dessert too!