Tucked between Alamo Square Park and City Hall, Hayes Valley is home to some of the city’s most exciting boutiques, restaurants, and bars. Located just minutes from your home at NEMA, this neighborhood is home to one of the coolest streets in the world with abundant opportunities to shop, dine and enjoy something sweet.
Head Down Hayes. Explore Hayes Street with wonderful little spots like the popular Greek restaurant Souvla, wine bar/store Arlequin Wine Merchant, innovative ice cream shop Salt & Straw, jewelry store Métier, French restaurant Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, ramen shop Nojo Ramen Tavern, and Hazie’s with their famous beignets.
Pass by the Painted Ladies. If you continue west along Hayes Street you’ll eventually hit Alamo Square Park and the Painted Ladies. This row of seven Queen Anne Victorian-style homes is one of the most recognizable sites in SF and has been featured in movies such as Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and television shows like Full House (1987-1995). Its a great place to snap a few pics or spread out a picnic blanket. Then cut down a block to Fell Street to find the green strip known as the Panhandle, which will drop you right into Golden Gate Park.
Skate your Day Away. Church of 8 Wheels is the ultimate hidden gem, hosting San Francisco’s most avid skaters within a 120-year-old abandoned church. You can zoom around the rink before a backdrop of stained-glass windows with disco music and neon lights.
Picnic in the Park. Patricia’s Green features Burning Man–inspired temporary sculpture installations, picnic tables, and a playground. At the eastern end is the PROXY project, a car-parking lot that's become a people lot with the inspired addition of shipping containers to serve as eating, drinking, and shopping venues. in Hayes Valley converted parking into a beer garden, cafe, culture, & retail space. Ritual Coffee has been keeping Hayes Valley caffeinated for over a decade and is renowned for its velvety cappuccinos, nuanced single-origin coffees, and seasonal coffee creations. Their unique shop occupies a converted shipping container directly across from Patricia’s Green, a popular Hayes Valley park.
Find your New Favorite Piece. The first thing you’ll notice about Maker & Moss is the grandiose space—the wood-paneled ceilings are tall and rounded, and there are huge skylights that fill it with natural light. Owner Matt Bissinger, an SF native, stocks the space with everything from mid-century furniture to ceramics, candles, vintage maps and wall-hangings, and other objects that make excellent gifts.
Explore The Epicurean. For all things artisanal and curated, Epicurean Trader is a mercantile shop that is brimming with the most exclusive liquors, cheeses, and other boutique and locally-sourced goods. This is the place to pick out a small batch treat as a souvenir or parting gift, and make sure to try their coffee and deli goods to enjoy out on their patio too.
Please your Palate. Whether you’re looking for light bites, a delicious dinner, or a sweet treat shop, the restaurants in the Hayes Valley neighborhood will not disappoint. Biergarten is a lovely beer garden with a nice selection of snacks and excellent list of beers. Rich Table is one restaurants in the of the entire city with but classics like porcini donuts or sardine chips. Petit Crenn is a sophisticated French bistro offering a chef's tasting menu, wine pairings & à la carte options. Smuggler's Cove is the tiki bar-lover's wonderland with delicious rum drinks. If you like your sushi with an extra dose of fun, Zenpo Sushi has iPad ordering and a bullet train-sushi delivery system. Dumpling Home makes some of the best dumplings in the city—like shengjianbao with crispy, golden-brown bottoms, and xiao long bao with translucent skin and flavorful soup. Nightbird is an elegant, boutique restaurant that offers a whimsical prix-fixe dining experience. Those with a sweet tooth love Miette, the dainty little sugar shop that is as pretty as it sounds.
We’ve barely touched the awesomeness of Hayes Valley. Start exploring and pop over often for new and upcoming additions in the neighborhood.
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