Top Beer Gardens To Enjoy a Brew In San Francisco
"The Yard" Illustration: Steelblue via San Francisco Chronicle)
Beer gardens are fun, yet everyone knows that San Francisco and summer have a weird relationship. San Francisco and beer gardens have a great relationship, especially when tasty food is featured. Just remember a warm jacket for after the sun goes down.
Very soon, San Francisco will be getting more beer gardens with community spaces around the burgeoning food truck culture. The SoMa StrEat Food Park has plans for a second space in Mission Bay to open in late summer or early fall of 2015. Complete with nearly a dozen permanent food trucks, plus a beer and sangria garden on 4th Street, the new space will supplement a pop-up outdoor space called The Yard at Mission Rock.
100 Terry A. Francois Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94158
www.theyardsf.com
San Francisco's newest beer garden is a pop-up space of repurposed shipping containers in Parking Lot A at 3rd Street beside AT&T Park. This garden is open seven days a week and hours are extended on game days. Favorites such as Señor Sisig and Proposition Chicken, Seoul Taipei, Bacon Bacon food trucks, Humphry Slocombe ice cream, Peet's Coffee and Anchor Steam have partnered from the start since the space opened in March 2015. Unexpected benefits include big screens for watching the game and free yoga classes.
424 Octavia St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 252-9289
www.biergartensf.com
When the sun is out, come here early to beat the crowds. Order from the converted shipping containers and grab a seat at a communal table at this little slice of Munich in Hayes Valley where all the seats are outdoors. Sunny Sundays are especially brilliant, when opening time is 1 p.m. Get an authentic German-style pretzel accompanied by horseradish and mustard, pork belly sliders, pickled deviled eggs, bratwurst or a burger to go with your choice of "trinken."
(credit: zeitgeist.com)
Zeitgeist
199 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 255-7505
www.zeitgeistsf.com
Zeitgeist it is a big outdoor space open until 2 a.m. seven days a week. Be aware that it will get crowded and it's cash only. Consider their more than 40 beers on tap, well-garnished Bloody Mary's, a full kitchen, barbecue grill and a pool table.
SOMA StreatFood Park (credit: CBS Local)
SoMa StrEat Food Park
428 11th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
(925) 408-1655
www.somastreatfoodpark.com
Right under the freeway on-ramp find food trucks, live music, giant TV screens, plenty of seating, cheerful yellow sun umbrellas and a dedicated beer truck by the beer garden. Food truck options have been steadily growing and now they feature everything from rotisserie chicken, spare ribs, Firetrail pizza and a vegan food and beer. This beer garden is kid-friendly and pet-friendly also. The place offers covered seating and high chairs.
Off The Grid: Vallejo Street & Front Street (credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Off the Grid: Fort Mason Center
2 Marina Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 339-5888
www.offthegridsf.com
Great food trucks, live music, Magnolia Brewery beer, a full bar, dollar arcade games, a parking lot and sunsets highlight California's largest weekly street food market. This venue can also fall under the beer garden heading. From late April through late October, and only on Friday nights, the one thing you cannot count on is a warm evening. Bring a warm jacket, cash and your own folding chairs.
