Sweet Nothings
Hayes Valley will woo you with its cutesy boutiques, littering of sidewalk cafes, and specialty stores like Flight 001, a visually striking display of designer travel gear. But perhaps our favorite stop in the new "it" neighborhood is for a perfect macaroon at sweetshop Miette, 449 Octavia St. (at Linden St.; tel. 415/626-6221) -- and maybe a bag of brightly colored, homemade candies to go, you know, since we've already come all this way -- followed by a cup of joe across the way at Blue Bottle Coffee, 315 Linden St., a well-hidden kiosk down a side alley that serves some of the city's best organic, gourmet, brewed-to-order coffee. Second locations for both can be found in the Ferry Building. A third Miette branch is at 2109 Chestnut St. (btw. Steiner and Pierce sts.; tel. 415/359-0628). You'll find two other Blue Bottle locations at 66 Mint St. at Jessie Street (tel. 415/495-3394), which is home to a fancy $25,000 Japanese coffeemaker, and the new rooftop sculpture garden at SFMOMA.
I Scream for Artisanal Ice Cream!
You might not consider ice cream a standard treat in a city used to oft-cold and blustery summers, but on days when the fog burns off and temps rise above nippy, you'll find deservedly long lines at the following top ice cream shops.
- Swensen's (1999 Hyde St., btw. Union St. and Warner Pl.; tel. 415/775-6818; www.swensensicecream.com) opened its doors in 1948 and launched a chain of 300 outlets worldwide. It's old school through and through, with traditional flavors, plus local favorites such as "Turkish coffee and sticky chewy chocolate," and "Swiss orange chip." A single scoop (4 oz.) goes for $2.95, a double $4.75.
- Mitchell's Ice Cream (688 San Jose Ave., btw. 29th and Valley sts.; tel. 415/648-2300; www.mitchellsicecream.com) in Noe Valley dates back to 1953. Each batch of ice cream and sorbet is made in-house daily, and flavors run from the norm to the more exotic like baby coconut, litchi, avocado, and purple yam. A single scoop (4-5 oz.) starts from $2.65, double $4.65.
- Bi-Rite Creamery and Bakeshop (3692 18th St., btw. Dolores and Oakwood sts.; tel. 415/626-5600; www.biritecreamery.com) racks up points for using local organic ingredients whenever possible and for originality of flavors: cardamom, crème fraîche, roasted banana, and salted caramel (it tastes just like roasted marshmallows) -- they have popsicles, too! A single scoop is $3.25; a double goes for $4.75. The location at Dolores Park means lines are long and sluggish, but the taste payoff is worth it.
- Humphry Slocombe (2790 Harrison St., btw. 23rd and 24th sts.; tel. 415/550-6971; www.humphryslocombe.com; pictured) is the perfect end to a walking tour of murals along Balmy Alley and a visit to the Precita Eyes Mural Center in the Mission. The flavors are frankly crazy here -- and surprisingly out-of-this-world delicious: Try Tahitian vanilla, peanut butter curry, foie gras, or green tea with black sesame. Order a combo of the balsamic caramel and the McEvoy olive oil and get the added bonus of shouts of "Ice Cream Salad!" when you do. A single scoop is $3.25, a double $4.50.
Top Chef's Yigit Pura Picks Your Next Dessert
The winner of Top Chef Just Desserts Season 1, Yigit Pura (pronounced "Yeet") started cooking in his hometown of Ankara, Turkey, worked with Daniel Boulud in New York and Las Vegas, and now lives here in San Francisco, where he works as Executive Pastry Chef for Taste Catering (www.tastecatering.com). We posed a question slightly less taxing than a Quickfire Challenge: "Which local bakeries and desserts excite you?"
- Acme Bread: Their breads are by far some of the best I've had in the United States, especially their rustic country loaves -- great crunchy crust with the perfect tender chewy texture inside!
- Bi-Rite Creamery: The Lavender Honey Ice Cream here is so satisfying. It's creamy, without having too much of an egg flavor, and instead, the bright flavors of the European honey shines in a very masculine manner. I love it with their berry compote and gingersnap croutons.
- Boulette's Larder: I love everything in this space. It is all made with such precision and love. I especially love their fresh house-made English muffins, which they have on Saturdays at 10am. If you get up early enough to go to the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, treat yourself to one.
- Kika's Treats (various retailers; http://kikastreats.com): Kika (Cristina Besher) is only sweeter than her desserts. She makes wholesale baked goods here in SF, and you can find her products in most retail stores. I am addicted to her caramelized graham crackers enrobed in milk chocolate. I'm certain she puts sea salt in the base, which makes it so addictive!
- Tartine Bakery: Every once in a blue moon they will make "Bostoc," which in essence is a slice of thick brioche soaked in light orange flower syrup, baked with almond cream and sliced almonds. Tartine takes this and adds kumquat jam, and they bake it super dark. It's heaven. Sweet, bitter, chewy goodness!
