city guides

Glen Park is a quaint, low-profile residential neighborhood in San Francisco that lies southeast of Twin Peaks and above the Excelsior and the Mission. It’s next to the 101-acre Glen Canyon Park, which has creekside trails, a rope swing, a rec center, and more. The neighborhood has developed a great food scene in the past couple of decades, is super walkable, and is easily accessible by BART. The cheery business corridor, Glen Park Village, has mouth-watering dining from brunch spots to the neighborhood bakery to family-owned Italian joints. While in the neighborhood, be sure to check out Bird & Beckett Books and Records, an indie bookstore with great acoustics that hosts live jazz every weekend. And here’s where to eat and drink before or after that:

The cereal pancakes here was one of the best dishes we ate in 2021, with its mounds of cereal milk-infused whipped cream topping large, fluffy buttermilk pancakes, all accented with crunchy-sweet pieces of Corn Pops and Fruity Pebbles. The brunch spot that took over the old Tyger’s also serves up a Spicy Soyrizo Eggs Benedict, fresh watermelon juice that’s garnished with a rose-shaped watermelon ice cube, and occasional Taiwanese specials, like winter melon tea. Service is friendly, too.
How to order: Walk-ins only for dine in. Call 415-294-1710 or order online for pick-up or takeout.

Just to be clear, this is Glen Park Station, the bar that’s been around since 1926, not the BART station across the street. Kick back after work with a pint of local Anchor Steam or a Guinness in the clean, welcoming, tight-knit neighborhood dive with a fireplace inside and a small outdoor patio and smoking area out back. Credit cards are now accepted at this formerly cash-only spot.
How to order: Walk in.

Named after the owner’s grandmother, the cute Gialina offers crispy Neapolitan-style pizzas cooked in a 600-degree oven with local, seasonal ingredients like asparagus and Black Mission figs. Its interior feels homey, decorated with old Italian family photos. The restaurant has been regularly featured in the San Francisco Chronicle‘s Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants list for years.
How to order: Walk in, make reservations (recommended), or order online for pick-up.

Go for the Croissant French Toast, as well as crepes and omelets at this ’90s-esque corner coffee shop, decorated with burlap coffee bags on the ceiling, two-person tables, and a few…