Streets of San Francisco: Shopping and dining on Hayes Street

San Francisco is full to the brim with unique and interesting stuff, and in an effort to cast a small net and hone in on a just tiny teeny silver of what makes San Francisco San Francisco, we give you our "Streets of San Francisco" series. We've covered tacos and murals in the Mission District's lower 24th Street, and braved the fog on Clement Street in the Inner Richmond for a taste of dim sum and Burmese food. Now, we take you to the tony side of Hayes Street in Hayes Valley for window shopping and macaroon noshing.

If you think of San Francisco as a pizza, then the slice that is Hayes Valley would definitely have local, garden-grown vegetables, artisanal charcuterie, and rare truffle oil on it. This stretch of Hayes Street, between Laguna and Franklin streets, has experienced something of a renaissance in the last few years. It's become one of the best shopping districts in town, and with the nice boutiques came a slew of great eateries. (Shopping on an empty stomach is no fun!) So ditch the crowds and the chain department stores of downtown and hit the chic boutique scene in this quaint, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.

The French have a great expression for window shopping (and as soon as you visit Hayes Valley you'll understand how appropriate it is to be quoting French right now): leche vitrine or lick the window. The window displays on Hayes Street are truly a feast for the eyes, but be warned, the merchandise inside the stores can be pricey. While I don't necessarily recommend blowing your entire beer budget on cool threads, nothing says "I've been to San Francisco" like a made-in-SF Timbukt2 messenger bag, a vintage treasure from Ver Unica, a handmade accessory from Azil, an insanely colorful textile from Lotus Bleu, or a plant-based scented candle or bath product from Nancy Boy. Some things you just can’t buy anywhere else.

If edible souvenirs are more your flavor (and they're certainly mine) try a colorful macaroon from Chantal Guillon or a chocolate confection from Christopher Elbow. I think Christopher's hot chocolate is the best in the city, so don't leave without trying this amazing beverage. Then there's the impossibly fresh and flavorful Smitten Ice Cream, located in the pods on Octavia Street between Hayes and Linden. Smitten has a special machine that does some magical thing that makes ice cream to order. They add a few raw ingredients (like West Marin's Straus cream and SF's locally made TCHO chocolate) and voila! It's the freshest ice cream you'll ever taste.

For a savory treat, people really love Patxi's deep-dish pizza; if Chicago-style is your thing, then this place is great. I enjoy the hot dogs at Moishe’s Pippic, and the bistro burger at Chez Maman. Even if you're tempted to splurge on the pricier, "Frenchy-er" place across the street, Absinthe, save your pennies because Chez Maman is more authentic and much tastier (but do try a cocktail at Absinthe's swanky bar lounge). Arlequin Cafe has a sweet garden patio, a simple all-day lunch and dinner menu, and some great coffee. There's also a wine store on premise that does occasional tastings. But the real appeal of this cafe is the people watching -- come observe the creatures of this crazy town in their natural habitat, at a cafe, surfing the web ("working"), looking cool, and drinking foamy lattes.

Speaking of drinking, there are some truly great bars on Hayes that run the gamut from Two Sisters European cafe-meets-wine-bar-meets-library, to Marlena’s drag bar, to the dark and sexy Sugar Lounge, to the always-crowded Biergarten. Or for a home-away-from-home style cafe with booze (full disclosure: this place literally is my home away from home) there's the classic Grove at Franklin at Hayes, which also brings us to the end of this slice on Hayes Street.

The Grove has a few locations throughout San Francisco, and they're all styled to be casual and living-room like with wooden benches, communal tables, and lots of natural light. They’re open all day, and they serve fast (not free) wifi and stiff mimosas. What more could a person need in life? Maybe a nice leather journal to write about your amazing San Francisco trip, and you can pick up one in a multitude of colors at Minimal, a gift store on Hayes Street.

This story was written by Allison Doyle, the marketing and communications coordinator for Hostelling International's eight Northern California hostels. Allison is a proud Bay Area native, and when not at work she can be found doing yoga, hiking in lip gloss, trying new restaurants, or writing one of her many blogs.