The Essential Guide to San Francisco’s Polk Street

Last updated on February 9th, 2024 at 08:57 pm

Looking to experience a new neighborhood in San Francisco? What are you waiting for? Grab the nearest uber, bus, or cable car directly from downtown and keep heading west on California until you reach Polk Street at the bottom of the hill. Polk Street is an eclectic neighborhood that encompasses parts of Nob Hill and Russian Hill. Since Polk is over ~2mi long and runs south all the way from Ghirardelli Square to Civic Center, this blog post will cover the area specifically on Polk between Filbert and Pine. Often, it can be hard to decide how to maximize your time in this area due to the abundance of shops, restaurants, bars, gyms, and more. This post should help guide you to some of the most frequently visited places (by tourists and locals) time and time again.

Keep in mind that this site contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. However, this does not impact my honest reviews and comparisons. I only make recommendations based on personal experience(s), in order to help you make the best decisions while traveling!

Where to drink (coffee)

• Saint Frank Coffee– Founded in 2013 and named after the beautiful city of San Francisco, Saint Frank is the perfect place to start your adventure down Polk Street. This rare coffee shop is committed to partnering only with small scale producers to bring their product to the people. They are dedicated to building relationships with the local community and cultivating authentic connection with each producer they work with. They even offer monthly coffee subscriptions and sampler boxes for you to taste test with. You can never go wrong with either of these as a holiday gift.
  
  Go to order: A Latte w/ House Almond Macademia Milk
  
  

• Cafe Réveille– With a few locations scattered across San Francisco (and 1 in Berkeley), Cafe Réveille can be thought of as the “all day cafe”. At all their locations, you’re guaranteed to find a good mix of friendly people ranging from the techie working remotely, to the group of tourists making a pit stop before crossing The Golden Gate Bridge, to the girls that just finished yoga and are craving an iced coffee for the brutal walk completely uphill. Fitted with modern decor and hanging houseplants, Cafe Réveille’s location is situated perfectly at the corner of Polk and Pacific. You won’t be able to miss their welcome sign out front, outfitted with their signature pink trim. Their food menu consists of healthy superfood options (think smoothies, salads, grain bowls, etc) and traditional American w/ a few Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
  
  Go to order: Oat Milk Latte and Shakshuka 🍳
  
  

• Moka Coffee – Their website refers to themselves as “Nob Hill’s Little Secret” which is a pretty accurate description of Moka Coffee. With the sheer amount of coffee shops on Polk alone, it can be easy to overlook this charming store. They serve typical breakfast pastries, hand-crafted espresso drinks, and have comfortable booth and countertop seating for ~10 people. If you can, try to snag a seat by the window for the fresh air and best people-watching seat in the house.
  
  Go to order: White Moka or Chai Latte
  

• Philz – A San Francisco staple now with over 66 locations across 5 states, Philz Coffee is well known for its specialty crafted drip coffee. In addition to drip coffee, they are best known for their signature drink, The Mint Mojito, which is comprised of iced coffee, muddled mint leaves, cream, and sugar. If this is your first time, their ordering system can be confusing. Make sure to place your drink order first before heading to the cashier to pay. While waiting for your drink, you can always shop around the store. Their 1lb bag of roasted coffee beans make great gifts for any coffee lover in your life.
  
  Go to order: Mint Mojito or Medium Chai Light Light (it means light sugar light cream) 🌱
  

Where to drink (cocktails)

• Amélie – This is my favorite wine bar in the entire city which makes it an absolutely essential stop while visiting Polk Street. In the event you don’t manage to make it to anything else on this list, make sure you find time for a glass of vino at Amélie. They have one of the best happy hours in town daily from 4-6p. $12 for a wine flight and you get to choose from their normal drink menu. Unlike most wine bars in the area that just focus on Napa or Sonoma wines, Amélie has a much more extensive menu with choices of wine from France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, and even South Africa! (along with many more countries). Inside, you’ll find ample seating and a dimly lit area for conversation and small bites of delicious French cheese. You’ll immediately notice the vibrant theme of red throughout the entire establishment. In combination with the newly built outdoor seating (thanks covid), the ambiance is very reminiscent of a cold winter night in Paris.
  

• Macondray – Originally known as Bullitt for veterans of the city, Macondray opened in late 2019 and has become a popular hangout spot with prime real estate on Polk. You can expect to find delicious craft cocktails, New England inspired bar bites, and a DJ every Friday night. The interior houses a beautiful mix of lush hanging plants, floral wallpaper, and mid-century modern high tops and chairs. Do yourself a favor and order the Lobster Roll or Lobster Mac n Cheese (or both)! Can’t stay too long? No problem. They serve all their food and cocktails to go. For all the east coast transplants, this is the place to come have a wicked good time.
  

Where to eat

• Sorella (Italian) – Brand new to Polk Street (Dec’21), but no stranger to restaurant openings – Sorella, the sister restaurant of Michelin-starred Aquarello, has just opened its doors for elevated Italian dining. In the bar, guests will be offered Venetian snacks and small bites, while those seated in the dining room, will get to order from their full menu which includes appetizers, sides, and mains. They also have a fantastic selection of Italian wines and cocktails featuring traditional Amaretto and Amari, curated with the help of Mahattan Zodiac. (Pictures to come in January)!

• The Little Chihuahua (Mexican) – Open daily from 11-9, The Little Chihuahua serves your typical Mexican favorites including burritos, tacos, enchiladas, and more. They also have an entire Vegan menu including specialities like a vegan fried plantain and black bean burrito or a delicious veggie, wild mushroom, and tofu taco. This is a great spot to refuel and continue exploring Polk.
  
• Swan Oyster Depot (Seafood) – This recommendation is an ode to my favorite restauranteur and travel writer – the late and great Anthony Bourdain, who recommends Swan Oyster Depot on an episode of Parts Unknown. Originally written by SFGate, check out this article that discusses the must-have dishes at Swan Oyster Depot and why waiting in line for fresh seafood is absolutely vital for first-time San Francisco visitors.

• Bob’s Donuts – Donut shop open 24/7. Enough Said.

Where to shop

• Russian Hill Bookstore – Open since 1974, Russian Hill Bookstore is one of the last independently used and new bookstores in San Francisco. They have a huge selection of books, greeting cards, gifts, toys, puzzles, and more. They do a great job of carrying products created by local artists all around the Bay Area. There is also a section dedicated to all things San Francisco – where you’ll find books and magazines that cover everything from the history of the city to popular walking trails and top-rated restaurants.

• Picnic SF – A very modern and aesthetically pleasing local boutique, Picnic SF is the perfect place to grab souvenirs for friends and family, pick up a last-minute gift for a coworker, or treat yourself to one of a kind kitchen essentials. Similar to Russian Hill Bookstore, Picnic SF carries an even larger selection of goods produced by local artists. You can even find candles named after every neighborhood in the city. You’re guaranteed to find something unique that other stores won’t carry!
  
• SF Plants – Centrally located on the corner of California and Polk, SF Plans has the largest indoor plants selection in all of San Francisco! Make sure to stop by for a quick escape from Karl the fog (yes our city fog actually has a name, that’s how pronounced it is). The store is spread out across two different rooms, where you’ll be instantly transported to a flourishing green jungle.

• Abi’s Flowers – Owned by the sweetest lady, Abi’s Flowers carries a small, but mighty selection of floral arrangements, indoor tropicals, air plants, succulents, and more. I’m a sucker for a fun, brightly colored potted plant so naturally, I couldn’t resist picking up this cute desk succulent on my way home.

Where to exercise

• BodyRok – Before starting your journey on Polk or maybe after consuming all the amazing food and drink options from above, make sure to book a class at BodyRok for the best 40-minute full body pilates class in the city! Decked out with neon lights, energizing instructors, and over FIVE locations to choose from – BodyRok is the perfect place to sweat it out and stay in shape with their highly effective low-impact resistance based classes. You can easily book a class directly from their website or via ClassPass.

Did you have a chance to stop by any of these places on your last visit to San Francisco? Let me know in the comments below.

Want to explore a different part of the city instead? Check out the guide below for other fun things to do in San Francisco!