If you want to watch the actual parade on Sunday in a little bit of style, you should spring for the rooftop party at Bluestem, where you can overlook Market Street and enjoy a few drinks without having to wade through the throngs of people who’ll be lining the sidewalks. A $45 wristband gets you in-and-out access all day as well as two cocktails, and the full brunch and dinner menus will be served throughout the weekend (look out for a great burger and a croque madame with rosemary ham). One of the cocktails being served: The Green Lantern (pisco, basil, cracked black pepper, with a salt & sugar rim), named for DC Comics’ relaunched gay superhero.

During and after Saturday and Sunday’s Civic Center festivities, a locals’ secret cheap-eats spot will come in handy for everyone who hates festival food. Right on Larkin Street near Eddy is this hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese sandwich spot with ridiculously cheap prices and ridiculously good banh mi, complete with fresh vegetables and a light, sweet dressing. The roast pork with pate is a strong choice, but you won’t go wrong with any of the options, and you’re going to walk out of there for less than $5, which in San Francisco counts as basically free.

Near the Civic Center revelry and traditionally the venue for one of Sunday’s big afterparties, Chambers Eat + Drink at the Phoenix Hotel is a good destination for brunch or dinner as well — bearing in mind that Sunday afternoon will be given over to a big, loud party by the pool, over which the restaurant looks. The place is bound to draw a gay and lesbian crowd this weekend, particularly among those staying at the hotel or one of the nearby, down-market motel options, and the food, from the Wagyu Kobe beef burger to the katsu pork chop, is above average for the neighborhood. Added bonuses: the drinks are good too, and Fridays and Saturdays feature a late-night menu served from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., for those who forgot to eat dinner or need to stave off a hangover.

The fanciest food option you’ll find near Civic Center is this new restaurant in the Proper Hotel, which also boasts a very inviting, Kelly Wearstler-designed lobby lounge. In addition to a sophisticated and varied cocktail menu, Villon serves an eclectic array of dishes that includes Japanese items like an okonomiyaki pancake with prawns, a Mexican-style ceviche, a Berkshire pork shoulder served with grits and collard greens, and a roast duck for two served with foie gras and a Jidori egg. If you have friends in town for Pride with expensive taste and you want to treat them to something unusual, look no further.  

This non-sushi Japanese restaurant debuted two summers ago in the Castro, and the food is pretty stellar, if pricey. If you want to have a delicious, filling, communal experience with a few other friends, order the whole chicken in brioche with miso butter in advance. It’s $100, it serves 4 to 5 people, and it’s unique, delicious, well worth it, and you barely need to order anything else. The rest of the menu tends toward lighter dishes, and the bar program here is stellar as well, with an over-the-top Pride Month creation: It’s a rainbow of seven tasting portions of Negroni-esque creations ($25) that are all inventive and well balanced, though only a couple of them really resemble Negronis. They’re very fun, but only a couple of them are made with gin, so if you’re scared of mixing spirits too much, maybe share them with a friend.

If a quick burger is all you’re after, you can satisfy your craving at this local chain, which opened its first location in the Castro just under a decade ago. Modeled loosely on Shake Shack, the menu at Super Duper is pretty simple, with a chicken sandwich option in addition to burgers, burger toppings, beer, wine, and organic milkshakes. The burgers are extra-greasy, and the fries are always fresh and not dissimilar from In-N-Out’s. Note that they serve until 11 p.m. at the Castro location, which can be handy for those marathon party nights.

Some of the tastiest food in the Castro can be found at this upscale taqueria with a terrible name, where regional Mexican fare that’s not often seen in San Francisco can be found, including dishes like cochinita pibil and poc chuc from the Yucatan, and the Oaxacan street food staple, tlayuda, which is basically a Mexican pizza. It’s a counter-service operation with beer, wine, and agave-wine margaritas, and the food is generally more impressive than one would expect, with added touches like pickled onions and excellent refried black beans.

It may not be easy to snag a table at Frances, but given that everyone knows this fact and tends to steer clear, grabbing a counter seat even on a weekend night can be surprisingly easy sometimes. This is, hands down, the best restaurant in the neighborhood, and ten years on it’s held a consistent spot on the favorites lists of many local diners. Executive chef Melissa Perello’s comforting yet exacting take on Cal-Mediterranean food, with frequent nods to classic French technique, make this place an inviting and delicious experience that also feels distinctly San Franciscan. Wine selection and service is also top-notch, and the bill is usually not a whole lot higher than several places in the neighborhood — that need not be mentioned — where the food is not nearly as great.

If all you need is a slice to tide you over, the best pizza in the Castro can be scored at Marcello’s, which is right near the corner of Castro and Market Streets. It’s a chewy, tasty, almost-New York-style slice that crisps up nicely in their oven if your selection of choice isn’t still hot. (Protip: Ask them to leave it in there an extra minute if you like your crust extra crispy.) One special item here: a potato pizza with bacon, scallion, and cheddar.

One of the better dining options in the Castro, though not the cheapest, is this Spanish spot tucked on 18th Street, a hop and a skip from several popular watering holes including The Mix, Moby Dick, and Midnight Sun. The tapas are solid, from the simple pan con tomate to chorizo con tinto (seared chorizo with red wine sauce), and this place does an excellent paella, crispy rice and all. Since making sure to eat is a key to a successful night of partying, here’s one place guaranteed to satisfy where you don’t have to travel far from the bars.

A classy, reliably delicious, not-too-pricey dinner option in the heart of the Castro, Lark has a healthy, Turkish-inspired menu and a consistently interesting selection of wines by the glass from all over the world. It’s a small space with just a few seats at the bar, but you can grab a reservation online if you’re thinking ahead (definitely recommended if you’re planning to eat at prime time). The lemony pan-roasted chicken dish (called kotopoulo) is a favorite, as is the lamb burger, and the salads and prawn dishes are great too.

Another quick and tasty dining option in the Castro is this counter-service Indian place, which serves some excellent chicken tikka masala as well as a rotating array of interesting vegetarian and vegan options. Order either a kati roll, which is rolled up like an indian burrito, or a thali plate that comes with rice, dal, a small salad, and chutneys, along with your choice of two meat or veggie dishes. And this is one of several places to find a good dinner for under $20 in the ‘hood.

If what you want is a boisterous, tourist-friendly Castro dining experience, complete with drag queen hosts and pop-up performances, Hamburger Mary’s should be on your list. No, the food isn’t perfect, but the fried pickles are divine and the burgers will more than satisfy with the right balance of salt and fat. And for the sheer gay-tourist joy of it, you can spring for one of their $20 tall cocktails served in a high-heeled leg glass. This is also where to catch a drag brunch on Saturday or Sunday, with the show starting at noon.

If you’re a seafood lover and you don’t mind waiting for a table, head to Anchor Oyster Bar, preferably before 7 p.m., and get your name on the list. This is easily one of the best bang-for-your-buck spots in the Castro neighborhood, especially if you share stuff and order carefully, and there’s no better place nearby for oysters, Caesar salad, and perfectly cooked fish dishes. It’s not always clear how long the wait will be, but you can chance it and hop across the street to the wine bar at Swirl to kill 30 minutes or so. Just make sure you’re sending an envoy back periodically to see where you stand, or you could lose your spot.