San Francisco, California (Fisherman's Wharf District)

San Francisco, California (Fisherman’s Wharf District)

City Vibe:

Urban, fun, quirky, liberal, unique, one of a kind gem—are just a few words to describe San Francisco. Tony Bennett sang the infamous song, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” and you will too. As a third generation native San Franciscan, with my family roots in the seafood business, specifically my great grandfather immigrated from Porticello, Sicily and started Cresci Brothers on Historic Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, Stall No. 2, my love for the city distinct flavors and lovely charm will never go out of style. San Francisco is one of the most diverse cities in America. While most cities in the United States were originally settled by people with common values, a common religion, and similar hopes and dreams; San Francisco is an exception. San Francisco was settled by 25,000 people of different religions, ethnicities, hopes & dreams, all with one purpose, to get rich. Settled from people from all over the world, to find gold. In 1848, gold was discovered  in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Population of San Francisco went from 850 people to over 50,000 three years after the find of gold. Almost everyone that came to San Francisco was a risk taker from a foreign country.

Places to Eat:

There are many fine and casual dining experiences at your disposal on historic Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.  If you are looking for a fine tasting and dining experience, look no further than the famous Scoma’s.  Family owned and operated for over fifty years, Scoma’s Restaurant their legacy is the fresh local seafood. Located on Al Scoma Way, on Pier 47, Scoma’s has the best Crab Cakes and Cioppino in the universe! The seafood is so fresh, you can practically taste the ocean. Scoma’s uses only the freshest ingredients including Dungeness Crab, caught daily by the local fisherman. At Scoma’s, they pride themselves on the total dining experience. Some items on the menu include Caesar Salad, Clam Chowder, Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri Sauce, and Parmesan Polenta Alaskan Pollock alla Romano, Combination Crab and Shrimp Louis Salad, Pasta Garibaldi– Loch Duart Salmon, Calico Scallops, and Mussels with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, and a lot more tasty dishes, just to name a few. They also have a wonderful selection of fine wines, delectable desserts and scrumptious appetizers.

Another great restaurant along Fisherman’s Wharf is Castagnola’s. Castagnola's is a world-class destination in the heart of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf right along the water, since 1916. Relax in the casual atmosphere of our dining rooms perched right over the water where you can watch the famous San Francisco boats coming and going. Castagnola’s is one of the oldest establishments at Fisherman’s Wharf and has fine Italian cuisine, chops and locally caught seafood. Downstairs, they have live music nightly, often a piano player plays to tourists as the doors are often open in the bar area of Castagnola’s. If you are looking for a chain restaurant then look no further than Buba Gump’s or The Rain Forest Café. The Rain Forest Café is a great excursion especially for parents with small children. The Rain Forest Café does birthdays and other special occasions and boats a large chocolate lava cake, which can be enjoyed by two or more people.

Chef’s Special Salad Dressing

1 ½ cups chili sauce

¼ cup of celery, finely diced or a ½ teaspoon of celery seed, ground

¼ cup of sour pickles

2 cups of mayonnaise

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of horseradish

Directions: put all ingredients into a bowl. Mix together; until well blended. This salad dressing can be used on a cobb salad, a chef’s salad, a spinach salad, a seafood salad. Makes one quart. 

Chioppino Sauce

½ cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon of chopped garlic

1 Tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 Tablespoon of chopped celery

1 Tablespoon of chopped green pepper

2 cups of tomatoes

1 cup of tomato sauce

2 Tablespoons of salt

1 Tablespoon of paprika

½ cup of sherry wine

3 cups of water

A small fresh basil

Directions: In a skillet, braise onions, garlic, parsley, celery and bell pepper in olive oil until golden brown. In a large pot, add skillet mixture, next add tomatoes and tomato sauce, salt, black pepper, paprike and sherry wine. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Next,  add water, turn down the heat to medium low and slowly cook for one hour. This amount of chioppino sauce serves six people. May add any fresh fish or shellfish to this chioppino sauce. May also make polenta and use the chioppino sauce and add fresh mozzarella cheese. Follow package directions on how to make polenta.

Spaghetti and Crab

¼ cup of olive oil 

½ cup of chopped yellow or white onion

1 teaspoon of chopped garlic

1 teaspoon of chopped parsley

1 teaspoon of chopped celery

1 cup of canned tomatoes

1 cup of tomato sauce

¼ cup of sherry wine

1 teaspoon of black pepper

2 teaspoons of salt

½ teaspoon of paprika

1 ½ cups of water

1 pound of fresh craf

1 pound of spaghetti

Directions: In a skillet, braise onions, celery, garlic and parsley in olive oil until golden brown. In a pot, add tomatoes, tomato suce, water, seasons and the skillet creation. Simmer for one hour over medium heat. Next, add crab meat and wine and simmer for a few minutes mixing with a wooden spoon. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, and drain. Add hot cooked spaghetti noodles to sauce. Mix well. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serves 5 to 6 people. 

Grab a bowl of clam chowder. If you are in the mood for a walk away crab cocktail, a seafood sandwich, or want to grab a bowl of clam chowder, look no further than one of the crab stands or stalls as they are referred to along Fisherman’s Wharf. Alioto’s Restaurant has either a casual atmosphere or a more refined sit down dinner appeal.

Places to Stay

San Francisco is and always will be about opulence. From the early beginnings of distinct ethnic groups coming to San Francisco to seek their fortune during the Gold Rush, many individuals did strike it rich. Instead of going back to their native country of origin, they remained in San Francisco and built landmarks, including exclusive hotels.

The Hotel Argonaut, a Kimpton Hotel, is right in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf district in San Francisco.

If you need help to plan out your itinerary for a trip to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, a conseirge is at your disposal at The Hotel Argonaut. Other great places to stay at Fisherman’s Wharf include, Best Western Tuscan Inn, Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf, and Courtyard San Francisco, Fisherman’s Wharf.

Transportation

Transportation is plentiful in San Francisco, especially at The Fisherman Wharf’s District. You can pick up the cable car at two locations at Fisherman’s Wharf. You can use your feet and walk to many popular destinations along Fisherman’s Wharf. You can take a helicopter ride, take a boat ride on The Blue & Gold Fleet or The Red & White Fleet. In the mood for a bike ride, there are a plethora of bike rental locations including hiring a driver, you sit in the back and enjoy the ride along Jefferson Street.

Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals allows you to be in the driver seat. Pick up your bike from Pier 41 and go on an excursion for however short or long a duration. Ride your bike from Fisherman’s Wharf across the Golden Gate Bridge and take the ferry back to Fisherman’s Wharf. Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals’ goal is to make the bike ride the best part of your trip to San Francisco. There is an easy and new National Park Bike Path which is from Fisherman’s Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge. You can cross the bridge and coast downhill to Sausalito and catch a ferry back to Pier 39 to return your bike rental.  The Duck Tours is also a wonderful means of transportation, the trolley, or even a cable car on wheels.

A little more about the cable cars. San Francisco is one of few places in the world where people can ride on a national historic landmark. Refurbished and equipped with new tracks, cables, turntables and cable propulsion machinery, San Francisco’s famed cable cars operate much as they did on August 2, 1873 when Andrew S. Hallidie guided the first car down the Clay Street grade. Two of the three cable car lines stop in Fisherman’s Wharf. Catch the Powell-Mason line at Taylor St. and Bay St., or the Powell-Hyde line at Hyde St. and Beach St. 

Things To Do

Check out the Sea Lions at Pier 39. Most of the year, you can find hundreds of these local sea mammals gathered on the docks beside PIER 39, cavorting, eating and basking in the sun. Their numbers vary depending on time of year, but their distinct barks can always be heard from blocks away. There is another way to view the Sea Lions and that is at  the Aquarium By The Bay. Located right at Pier 39, The Aquarium By The Bay is fun for the entire family. Explore the best of the bay by getting to learn about the sea life that makes San Francisco Bay their home.

Island

Take a tour of the famous Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory and sample some chocolate.

During the day, street performers are here to tirelessly entertain you: magicians, mimes, musicians, jugglers, clowns and fire-eaters take pride in their efforts to make you feel welcome at Fisherman's Wharf. You can find them performing by Boudin Bakery, Ghiradelli Square, Pier 39, or at The Embarcadero.

The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in The Embarcadero. There is plenty of shopping to do including a large Sur La Table cookery store and a quaint Book Passage Bookstore located right at the Ferry Building. The Farmers Market at The Embarcadero has free cooking demonstrations every Saturday and individual vendors sell mainly fresh vegetables and fruit at the weekly Farmers Market.

If you want a real slice of San Francisco and Fisherman’s Wharf history, a visit to Boudin’s is in order. A visit to Boudin at the Wharf serves up a "one of a kind" San Francisco experience. Watch our bakers prepare the dough with our Gold Rush heritage recipes. Explore the interactive exhibits in our museum. Shop for distinctive gifts at our marketplace. Then relax and enjoy lunch or dinner in our cafe or upstairs in our full-service restauran Bistro Boudin where you can see views of the waterfront and historic Alcatraz. Every meal celebrates the best of San Francisco's regional delicacies. Come join us for a taste of authentic San Francisco, then and now. 

The Mechanical Museum is located at Pier 45 at the end of Taylor Street. The Mechanical Museum was featured in the movie, The Princess Diaries. It boasts the largest private collection of mechanical coin operated machines.  

About San Francisco, California

With 43 hills, one of the world's great bridges and a population of more than 800,000 freethinkers, inventors and people who beat to their own drummer, San Francisco is one of the USA's most compelling cities. Fisherman’s Wharf, one of the world’s most popular destination spots, it has something for everyone.