Pizza
Puccini and Pinetti – San Francisco
Puccini and Pinetti – San Francisco
Sure… it is located in a busy section of touristy Union Square. Yes, it is located within a hotel, and yes, it is part of a large restaurant company (The Puccini Group)…but there is something that keeps us coming back week after week to Puccini and Pinetti.
Maybe it’s the fact that they offer a great happy hour every day from 3pm until 6pm with such items as their signature meatballs ($5.00), crab cakes ($7.00), Fritto Misto (Fried calamari & rock shrimp for $6.00) and personal sized artisan pizzas that change seasonally in true California style ($5.00), in addition to a number of other options, all well within a happy budget. The food is hearty and tasty and sure to satisfy.
And let’s not forget about the fabulous drink specials. For a mere $3.00 you can get a glass of red, white or sparkling wine, or a glass of beer, with a healthy selection to choose from. For the wine drinkers, here’s a tip: ask for the bottle for $12.00, which actually gives you a little extra, and you don’t have to wait for your next glass!
As if those weren’t reasons enough to head to P&P (as the locals call it), on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, they extend the Happy Hour ALL-NIGHT! Happy hour goes from 3pm – 10pm, and trust me, this little piece of info has not gone unnoticed by the gay workers and shoppers in the area that have recently been flocking to the establishment. On any given night we have seen a number of the LGBT community enjoying drinks with friends and co-workers at Puccini and Pinetti.
Only side note; make sure that you sit within the ‘bar area’ to take advantage of the happy hour, and be prepared to wait during the 5:00-6:00 time frame as word gets out.
Puccini & Pinetti
Italian Bar & Grill
129 Ellis Street
San Francisco, CA
94102
Lookout – Gay Bar
Lookout – Gay Bar
The Lookout is a very popular gay bar in the Castro, located on the second floor of the building with a long balcony that wraps around the building. They allow smoking outside. This place is usually packed on Friday and Saturday nights, Sunday days when the weather is good as well. It has 2 bars.
During the day they sell food from their restaurant called Thick and Thin Pizza. They sell more than just pizza, the wings are particularly good.
The music is popular gay top 40 and is typically pretty good, they have a decent sound system and usually great DJ’s. This bar is a nice mix of locals and tourists, mostly younger guys but a decent mix overall.
The Lookout has been recently updated and now has more bathrooms, updated food menu and the food is so much better than it used to be. Drink prices are a little higher than on average in the Castro, but commonly the crowd is more attractive and when the bartenders aren’t goofing off, the service is pretty good as well.
Try the mini burgers!
The Lookout is located next door to Cafe Flore and above Squat and Gobble. 3600 16th St, next to Market st and Noe.
Le Saloon Montreal
Le Saloon Montreal
Le Saloon is a popular bistro in Le Village. And the only thing Saloon-like about this place maybe the willdy cheery staff and patrons that come in and out on a daily basis. The menu consists of your traditional fare of pizza, sandwiches, paninis, pasta, burgers and a great selection of salads and other vegetarian items as well. It would not be half as lively without a great selection of wine as well. Inside there’s a DJ playing ambiant tunes to accompany the cheery vibes.
The food is definitely not the main draw of this hotspot though. People, locals and visitors alike, come here for the fun and young ambiance. It’s probably one of the best places to scope out some gay man eye candy with some of the most attractive waiters in Montreal, always ready to serve you with a wide smile on their faces. Le Saloon is super easy to find. Right outside the main entrance, there’s this large, wooden box that acts as extra seating area under a thick canopy. Recently, Le Saloon started serving brunch on the weekend. Surprising that they waited this long, since this place seems made to accomodate for a lively time catching up with friends and gossiping about boys over mimosas.
1333 rue Ste-Catherine Est (514) 522-1333
La Piazzetta Montreal
La Piazzetta Montreal
La Piazzetta serves Neapolitan-style pizza with a creative twist, and it’s very affordable. The clean charming space is located right in the heart of Le Village, so it’s a great place to stock up on some carbs before the heavy drinking at one of the nearby gay watering holes. Not so much a place to have a serious meal, but more for a quick but still substantial, no-fuss bite with friends before a long night out.
And if you’re watching your figure, Le Piazzatta also serves salads and other lighter alternatives to their deliciously saucy pizza. They are also known in the neighborhood for their flavorful soups, a specialty served best during winter time.
There are several locations in Montreal and Quebec, but don’t think this another chain, watered-down take on French cuisine. Of course, the Le Village location happens to be the gay-friendliest of them all, with all the cute waiters to boot.
1101 rue Ste-Catherine Est (514) 526-2244
Capri
Another great Italian restaurant in the Castro is Capri, they are located on Market St. between Noe and dirty Sanchez. I have eaten here at least a dozen times and have loved every dish I have ever had. The staff is great and their is at least one waiter who likes to give me crap, I love it! This is a must do if you love Italian food, I think it is the best in the Castro. They are near Cafe Flore and the Lookout with convenient paid parking down at Sullivan’s or behind just off Noe st.
On busy nights I would suggest calling to get a table, they can get a bit busy.
2272 Market St, 415-552-3000
Marcello’s Castro
Marcello’s is a great little Pizza joint that sells Pizza by the slice or Pie. I have always gotten a great peice of pizza when I go there. They are located near 440 Castro for after drink food and across from the Castro Theater so you can eat while you wait for your show.
420 Castro St, 415-863-3900
View Larger Map
Nizarios Castro
Nizarios Castro
Another great late night Pizza by the slice is at Nizario’s on 18th street, across from the Mix and near the Midnight Sun. Their slices are arguably some of the best in San Francisco. My personal favorite is the Castro Special. This is a small place with very limited seating, but after being at the bar for a few hours, this is a great way to recharge or pass some time before you attempt to drive home.
They are located at 4077 18th st and you can reach them at 415-487-0777
View Larger Map
The Sausage Factory
The Sausage Factory
In the mood for some great Italian? The Sausage Factory is a great Italian option in the heart of the Castro. They have a big selection of Pasta dishes, Risotto’s, Meat, Shell Fish and a few vegetarian options as well as Pizza. They also deliver. Check out their menu. They are only open till 11pm, so make sure to order early.
The staff is friendly and they have a fairly large amount of tables available as well as a large room in the back for a big group. At least a few dozen can fit in the back room.
They do not have a bar but they have a nice selection of wine and beer, their house Pinot Noir is a great option and is very reasonably priced, I think in the mid $20′s for a bottle.
The portions are quite large so bring a big appetite. If you plan on going out after, you may want to consider skipping the garlic bread. Every time I have it, everyone notices it and keeps their distance.
They are located at 517 Castro st, near 18th.
Escape From New York Pizza Castro
Escape From New York Pizza Castro
The name pretty much speaks for itself, this is a great Pizza Parlor with pizza by the slice available till pretty late. The staff is very friendly and the Pizza is very good! My only beef with them is their delivery drivers are very agressive and have nearly hit my car several times.
They also deliver, they are located at 508 Castro.
The Castro
The Castro
The Castro is well noted as the Gay hot spot of the world. The Castro is filled with some good shopping, great food and bars and clubs. I do not suggest trying to stay in the Castro as hotel choices are limited, there are some bed and breakfast options. The best hotels are in Union Square and its a 10 minute cab ride to the Castro or about 15 minutes via the MUNI, specifically the underground rail system in San Francisco.
Gay Friendly Hotels:
When planning on staying in San Francisco and your destination is the Castro plan on staying in Union Square or SOMA “South of Market Area” The Castro only has one hotel. My Favorite hotels in San Francisco are:
St. Regis - Ultra luxurious hotel in SOMA.
Within the Castro Beck’s motor lodge is your only choice.
GAY GYMS
Gold’s Gym – It’s a very popular gay gym, very cruizy. It has underground parking.
24 Hour Fitness – Small very busy, not very cruisy if that is what you want.
The Gym SF Castro - Small gym, haven’t tried them yet, but would love to hear from anyone who uses them.
There is only one paid parking garage in the Castro and it’s pretty well hidden, entry is on Noe St. just north of Market. Be aware this garage closes at Midnight. If you are looking for this place on any map program the address is on Market St. so it may be confusing to find.
Meters are STRICTLY enforced! The Castro is the single most enforced part of the city, there are more meter maids than any other part of the city. Watch your meter carefully and READ the signs very carefully. Some of the commercial spots are only for commercial vehicles until 4pm and may or may not be commercial on Saturday. Meters are free on Sunday, even commercial spots. Commercial spots are Yellow. Watch carefully for red meters, these are 30 minute meters. If you have a disabled placard, do NOT park in commercial spots when they are commercial, you will get a ticket. In California commercial plates are identified by having a single letter in them. For example 1×12345 is commercial, 1xyz1234 is not. These meter’s can be very expensive and most of the people I know have far less than $10 in quarters in their pocket, they sell cards that you can use for the meters around the city at a convenience store called Rossi’s Deli.
Look for temporary signs posted on the meters for events or construction, they will enforce these strictly. Look for chalk on your tires, if you keep feeding your meter past the allocated time you may get a ticket. The easy way to check is for a chalk mark on your tires that are street facing. Be aware that parking fines have increased by about 100% in 2010. I just looked at the SF MTA web site today and meter violations can be up to $100 and are very difficult to fight. Be very careful, fighting these tickets are very difficult. They have metal detectors at the MTA office with bullet proof glass, so just fill in the blanks about your chances of getting out of a ticket.
I do not know this for sure, but I have been told that a private contracted company takes care of the parking tickets. Once a ticket has been issued, there is no way for them to cancel it, don’t fight with them or you can wind up in jail. No kidding, if they feel threatened they can get you thrown behind bars! Many of these meter maids are very short tempered and do not put up with anything. It is in your best interest not to push them. You can attempt to fight a parking ticket, in my experience this is nearly an impossible thing to win. It’s worse than fighting a speeding ticket, but do what ever you want.
Be aware that the Castro Theater has 4 or 5 spots in front that at any time, at their discretion can become no parking, loading only zones. They will put out signs, again don’t try it, its really not worth it.
FYI, additional metered parking is available behind the Castro Theater, Naia, Sliders are right in front. Access to this lot is to the right of Naia. There is a second lot just off 18th st. behind Walgreen’s between Magnet, the STD testing facility.
The meters are expensive, $.25 will not get you but a few minutes at some locations. You can purchase a parking card in advance from the MTA website, the Montgomery MUNI station sells them during regular business hours.
You can buy parking cards at both Rossi’s Deli, they are at 426 Castro St near the Diesel store at Market and Castro St. The other place I have bought the cards at is the Chevron, also at the corner of Market and Castro. They
only have the $20 cards.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
If you are looking for alternatives to get to the Castro, you are in luck. San Francisco has a great public transportation system, so you have plenty of options. During street fairs such as Gay Pride and the Castro Street Fair it may be easy to get a cab in, but getting one out is a mess. Forget about parking, you will have a very hard time finding parking. Many of the streets are temporarily shut down or are setup for no parking.
There is an above street cable car called the F line, these street trains go from Fisherman’s Wharf to the Castro. Typically this service ends around 11 or midnight. You can catch this service from Union Square, where most of the major shopping and large hotels are located. This is the slowest possible way to travel in San Francisco, other than walking. These cars are antiques and are very slow!
If you are coming from Union Square, the fastest way to the Castro is via the Muni train service which is located underground. To alleviate confusion, from Union Square you can enter at the Montgomery Station, Powell Street, or Civic Center. These stations are the closest to Union Square, Powell Street is the most central to Union Square. There is also a cable car stop and BART stop at Powell.
At the platform there are two directions, In Bound and Outbound. In Bound trains are heading towards the Embarcadero or heading West toward the bay. Outbound is heading East or towards the Castro for this example. Do not use the J, which heads to the Church St, it get’s close but is not the best choice. The N line heads to the Sunset district which goes all the way to the beach. It’s not even close to where you want to be, it does stop at the Church station, so you can walk from there. Both the J and N lines go out and above ground.
The Outbound lines that will take you to the Castro station are K, L and M. During weekday rush hour, there is an S or Castro Express line that skips many stops and is very quick. Don’t wait for it, at times between trains can be lengthy and I have waited for the S at Powell st to find it so full that no one could get on.
Do not lean on the door’s, I have heard stories of the doors suddenly flying open while these trains are moving at full speed. I am sure it will not be fun if you fly out. Do not attempt to ride the train without a valid pass, do not throw your pass out after you go through the gate. These trains have police that check tickets. They will give you a fairly nasty fine. I also would not touch anything on the train, some people who ride the trains are very un-hygienic!
Some evenings they shut the trains down early and switch to street buses, they will have the same letters as the trains. During the weeken
ds there are buses that run all night long down Market st. They don’t run that often, but its an alternative if you do not have cab money.
NIGHTLIFE AND GAY BARS:
The Castro has a nice long list of gay bars, you may think there would be more to choose from, however there is a strict limit on liquor licenses within the Castro so it’s nearly impossible to open more.
The Blackbird is a newer bar to the Castro, they tend to have a younger mixed crowd. It’s a bit of a walk from Market and Castro, but worth the effort. It’s the closest bar we have that’s lounge like and has a pool table.
Blush – A personal favorite is a very laid back, sophisticated wine bar, located in the heart of the Castro, near 18th and Castro St.
22-23 is both a bar and restaurant, so you can have brunch and get trashed all in one sitting. Good food!
The Cafe is a large bar and gay dance club located in the center of the Castro, lot’s of events each night.
Twin Peaks is a good sized bar for the Castro, it caters to an older crowd. Is also known as the Glass Coffin, so you can read between the lines.
440 Castro is a decently sized bar that tends to cater towards the leather crowd, they also have a few nights that are for younger guys and a very popular beer bust.
Bar on Church formally known as Bar on Castro, but after loosing its lease moved. The new place is really nice, the crowd is a mix but on the younger side in general. Just steps away from Gayway, or Safeway.
Trigger is a bar for the gay yuppie crowd, drinks are typically twice as much as anywhere else. I used to like it myself, but they have let it fall apart in my opinion. I even paid for their black card the first year, will never do that again.
Martuni’s is a gay piano bar, located on the out skirts of the Castro. They have very strong drinks and different events most nights, it’s a nice spot.
The Mix is another average sized gay bar with a nice outside deck off the back, they have some fun events and a pool table. It attracts a wide range of age groups, but I have met some very nice guys here before.
Moby Dick’s is a fun small bar with a pool table and a nice big fish tank in the back ground. A popular spot for the gay sports teams to meet after a game.
Harvey’s is a popular iconic restaurant and gay bar located in the heart of the castro right off 18th and Castro, a must see for visitors.
The Edge is a bear’s bar, I have never been here but it’s usually crowded.
Toad Hall is a popular gay bar with a large outside patio, a mixed crowd with lots of youngsters to choose from. I call it Toad Vomit, but that’s my view.
Badlands is the most popular gay bar in the Castro, very young crowd with LCD screens all over. This is the main tourist trap to visit, very reasonable drink prices and a happy hour geared to kill people with alcohol poisoning.
The Mint, technically is outside the Castro but it is close to Martuni’s so worth a mention. This is your Karaoke spot of choice.
SHOPPING
Best in Show – A boutique dog toy store for your loved one, a well run store.
HOMELESS:
San Francisco is the homeless capital of North America. Tourists are the prime targets. I know you will feel sorry for them and they will tell you all sorts of crazy stories about their problems. If you give them money they will keep asking, once one see’s you give to one, the others will chase you down. As cold as this sounds, don’t make eye contact and just say no thank you and keep walking. If you give them a cigarette it opens you up for them to ask for money. The city provides them money, food and housing. They also have dozens of options for education, help getting a job and medical aid. They either have mental issues or choose the route of driving hard working people crazy.
RESTAURANTS:
The Castro has a great selection of restaurants to choose, all pretty easy to walk to. On the higher end you have Catch, a seafood restaurant which is really good, It’s located on Market St. Just at Castro. As well as Eureka, which is located on 18th, 3/4 of a block heading towards Delores Park from Castro St. One of the best new additions is Starbelly, at the corner 16th and Market. Both Catch and Eureka you can make reservations on Open Table. Starbelly, unless you have a really big group is first come first serve, expect a wait.
French
Bisou – This by far is my favorite French restaurant in San Francisco, hands down! Must try!
American – Gay Drunk Food
Harvey’s – This is a must try, for American fair the food is well done, they have a great bar and very friendly staff.
Home Restaurant – This is a great brunch spot, make sure to get a reservation and try their home made breads.
Cafe Flore – An indoor outdoor cafe, with a full bar and restaurant, nice on sunny days.
Orphan Andy’s – Classic American dinner affair, open 24 hours, they also have a very large low cal and carb section for the conscience drunks.
Chinese
Brandy Ho’s – One of my personal favorites as well, it’s Hunan style so can be spicy.
Nirvana – This is more of Asian Fusion – Noodles, very good worth trying. Great cocktails!
Sushi
Osaka Sushi Good food, great location, usually some pretty good fish options.
Indian
Kasa – Kasa is a great small unique Indian Restaurant, I have eaten here dozens of times and always loved it.
Mexican – Latin
Mediterranean
Cafe Mystique – A newer choice in the Castro and a nice change from the typical choices.
La Mediterranee – Haven’t tried it, but this is an option.
Italian – Pizza
Nizarios – Pizza sold by the slice and always good.
The Sausage Factory – One of my favorite Italian restaurants in San Francisco, a must try.
Escape From New York Pizza – A good place for a slice or if you need delivery.
Marcello’s Castro – Pizza by the slice..
Seafood
Anchor Oyster Bar – A great option for the Oyster Lover!
Catch – Fine dining, but one of my favorite spots.
Southern – Soul Food
Criolla Kitchen- A new addition to the Castro, this is a great restaurant with an excellent menu. Criolla Kitchen has taken over Bagdad Cafe.
Thai Food
Vietnamese
Zadin – A great Vietnamese restaurant, with a Gluten free menu as well.
Deserts – Coffee Shops
Castro Tarts A great small coffee shop, its a little hard to find so you may want to hunt this one out.
Hot Cookie – A small bakery that makes a few cookies that look awfully similar to the human reproductive system, but tasty, none the less.
The Cove Cafe – A small coffee shop with deserts.