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Anthony Parks, Emilio & Miguel Salehi (Equal Parts Media)

13 Knockout Places to Eat and Drink the Next Time You’re in Mission Bay

From pizza and beer to oysters and bubbles

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Few neighborhoods in San Francisco get as much buzz as Mission Bay, the once-industrial area that now plays host to UCSF and Uber. Thanks to robust restaurant and bar offerings from Chase Center and Thrive City, plus plenty of small businesses in the area, it’s now a part of the city where one could spend a whole day eating and drinking. South Beach and Oracle Park don’t quite count, as far as locals are concerned. But whether it be cafes and food trucks or Ethiopian restaurants and pizza parlors, Mission Bay has something for everyone.

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New Belgium Brewing Taproom and Restaurant

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New Belgium, the Colorado-based brewery best known for its Fat Tire amber ale, has set up shop in the former home of Little Creatures. There are more than 20 beers on tap, including a lineup of the brewery’s bestselling Belgian-style beers, along with a food menu created by founding Noosh chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz.

Dining room at New Belgium Patricia Chang

Mission Bay Wine & Cheese

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Beers and hard alcohol may be more top of mind in Mission Bay, especially with two big sports stadiums nearby. But this wine bar will most likely satisfy the oenophiles of your group. It’s part bottle shop, so expect a very nice bar selection of wines to drink when you stop by, as well as an opportunity to bring home a bottle of wine, sake, or spirits from the retail side. Pair your wine with a nice charcuterie plate or a sandwich, but if you’re feeling a little bougie, caviar is on hand as well.

CAVAÑA

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Epic views, thrilling cocktails, and spicy South American cuisine make this new rooftop bar a must-try for anyone in the Mission Bay area. From the north side of the bar you can peer directly down into the Oracle Park outfield, but not even the stellar views can distract from the menu of Latin-inspired cocktails, which come from a duo of experienced bar industry pros. Food isn’t the focus but you could do a lot worse than Cavana’s flaky Brazillian pastels and tarts, citrus-kissed aguachiles.

Jasmine Dolla (Vivio Visuals)

ATWater Tavern

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A big concrete block close to the stadium, ATWater Tavern scores points for a sunny deck, bay views, and happy hour deals. It’s a step up from basic bar food, with lots of seafood on the menu.

Oyster at ATWater ATWater Tavern

House of Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen

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This family-run business is one of the few Ethiopian restaurants in San Francisco proper, first opened in the Tenderloin, and now with a second location in Mission Bay. Expect spongy flatbread, thick stews, and lamb tibs tossed with berbere and chiles.

Lamb tibs at Tadu Tadu Ethiopian

Casey's Pizza

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Casey Crynes drove one of the city’s most groundbreaking pizza trucks before he finally set up shop in 2017. The menu is a mix of East Coast and Neopolitan styles, with classic margherita and pepperoni pies on deck, as well as those topped with kale, bacon, and hot peppers.

Exterior of Casey’s Pizza Patricia Chang

Cafe Réveille

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This sleek mini-chain serves single-origin coffees in its plant-filled, pink-painted cafes. Just a few blocks from Spark Social in one direction and Oracle Park in the other, fans come to Reveille for smoothies, acai bowls, and, naturally, coffee.

An acai bowl. Cafe Reveille

Bellota

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The Absinthe group beat the crowd into the neighborhood and moved into this industrial space in 2016, transforming it into a cavernous Spanish restaurant with a horseshoe bar and patterned tiles, serving paella and tapas.

Bar at Bellota Patricia Chang

Spark Social SF

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For a variety of affordable eats, hit this food truck park from the folks behind SoMa StrEat Food Park. In the past, the rotation of trucks has included Al Pastor Papi, which spins pork and pineapple tacos, and Torraku Ramen, with bowls full of thick tonkatsu and chewy noodles, but check the schedule for an updated list of vendors. Fire pits and seats in a double-decker bus are available by reservation.

Outdoor seating at Spark Social SF Frazier Phillips

Dumpling Time Thrive City

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The Omakase Restaurant Group dominates the neighboring Design District, with Omakase for sushi and Niku for wagyu steak. But most popular by far is Dumpling Time, which now has a location immediately outside of Chase Center in the so-called Thrive City. Dumpling Time is known for handcrafted dumplings in bright colors and modern flavors, especially slurp-worthy XLB.

Mission Rock Resort

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Another double-decker waterfront restaurant with seats right next to the breezy bay, Mission Rock Resort has always been an outdoor dining favorite, equipped with rain protection and heaters. It has a classic seafood menu, including oysters, clam chowder, and fried fish, but with a good list of bubbles, too.

Oysters at Mission Rock Resort Mission Rock Resort

The Ramp

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A San Francisco classic, the Ramp is somewhere between a dive bar and a seafood shack, housed in a former bait shop. It’s got salty character, classic seafood, and bloody marys at brunch. Sometimes it’s sleepy and sometimes it’s a scene, depending on who’s playing and what the weather’s like.

Moshi Moshi

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A much-slept-on Japanese restaurant on the city’s east side, Moshi Moshi is a must-try for anyone spending the day in Mission Bay. This 36-year-old business continues to be owner Mitsuru “Mits” Akashi’s platform for crispy chicken katsu, scintillating donburi, and plenty of whiskies.

New Belgium Brewing Taproom and Restaurant

New Belgium, the Colorado-based brewery best known for its Fat Tire amber ale, has set up shop in the former home of Little Creatures. There are more than 20 beers on tap, including a lineup of the brewery’s bestselling Belgian-style beers, along with a food menu created by founding Noosh chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz.

Dining room at New Belgium Patricia Chang

Mission Bay Wine & Cheese

Beers and hard alcohol may be more top of mind in Mission Bay, especially with two big sports stadiums nearby. But this wine bar will most likely satisfy the oenophiles of your group. It’s part bottle shop, so expect a very nice bar selection of wines to drink when you stop by, as well as an opportunity to bring home a bottle of wine, sake, or spirits from the retail side. Pair your wine with a nice charcuterie plate or a sandwich, but if you’re feeling a little bougie, caviar is on hand as well.

CAVAÑA

Epic views, thrilling cocktails, and spicy South American cuisine make this new rooftop bar a must-try for anyone in the Mission Bay area. From the north side of the bar you can peer directly down into the Oracle Park outfield, but not even the stellar views can distract from the menu of Latin-inspired cocktails, which come from a duo of experienced bar industry pros. Food isn’t the focus but you could do a lot worse than Cavana’s flaky Brazillian pastels and tarts, citrus-kissed aguachiles.

Jasmine Dolla (Vivio Visuals)

ATWater Tavern

A big concrete block close to the stadium, ATWater Tavern scores points for a sunny deck, bay views, and happy hour deals. It’s a step up from basic bar food, with lots of seafood on the menu.

Oyster at ATWater ATWater Tavern

House of Tadu Ethiopian Kitchen

This family-run business is one of the few Ethiopian restaurants in San Francisco proper, first opened in the Tenderloin, and now with a second location in Mission Bay. Expect spongy flatbread, thick stews, and lamb tibs tossed with berbere and chiles.

Lamb tibs at Tadu Tadu Ethiopian

Casey's Pizza

Casey Crynes drove one of the city’s most groundbreaking pizza trucks before he finally set up shop in 2017. The menu is a mix of East Coast and Neopolitan styles, with classic margherita and pepperoni pies on deck, as well as those topped with kale, bacon, and hot peppers.

Exterior of Casey’s Pizza Patricia Chang

Cafe Réveille

This sleek mini-chain serves single-origin coffees in its plant-filled, pink-painted cafes. Just a few blocks from Spark Social in one direction and Oracle Park in the other, fans come to Reveille for smoothies, acai bowls, and, naturally, coffee.

An acai bowl. Cafe Reveille

Bellota

The Absinthe group beat the crowd into the neighborhood and moved into this industrial space in 2016, transforming it into a cavernous Spanish restaurant with a horseshoe bar and patterned tiles, serving paella and tapas.

Bar at Bellota Patricia Chang

Spark Social SF

For a variety of affordable eats, hit this food truck park from the folks behind SoMa StrEat Food Park. In the past, the rotation of trucks has included Al Pastor Papi, which spins pork and pineapple tacos, and Torraku Ramen, with bowls full of thick tonkatsu and chewy noodles, but check the schedule for an updated list of vendors. Fire pits and seats in a double-decker bus are available by reservation.

Outdoor seating at Spark Social SF Frazier Phillips

Dumpling Time Thrive City

The Omakase Restaurant Group dominates the neighboring Design District, with Omakase for sushi and Niku for wagyu steak. But most popular by far is Dumpling Time, which now has a location immediately outside of Chase Center in the so-called Thrive City. Dumpling Time is known for handcrafted dumplings in bright colors and modern flavors, especially slurp-worthy XLB.

Mission Rock Resort

Another double-decker waterfront restaurant with seats right next to the breezy bay, Mission Rock Resort has always been an outdoor dining favorite, equipped with rain protection and heaters. It has a classic seafood menu, including oysters, clam chowder, and fried fish, but with a good list of bubbles, too.

Oysters at Mission Rock Resort Mission Rock Resort

The Ramp

A San Francisco classic, the Ramp is somewhere between a dive bar and a seafood shack, housed in a former bait shop. It’s got salty character, classic seafood, and bloody marys at brunch. Sometimes it’s sleepy and sometimes it’s a scene, depending on who’s playing and what the weather’s like.

Moshi Moshi

A much-slept-on Japanese restaurant on the city’s east side, Moshi Moshi is a must-try for anyone spending the day in Mission Bay. This 36-year-old business continues to be owner Mitsuru “Mits” Akashi’s platform for crispy chicken katsu, scintillating donburi, and plenty of whiskies.

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