Friday Five
As San Francisco continues to slowly reopen, more activities are becoming available for us to enjoy again, even if they look a little different. Last summer, we wrote about how San Francisco is the city of picnics, with approximately 220 parks in the city alone, not to mention the surrounding Bay Area. For a seven-by-seven-mile peninsula, that’s pretty impressive.
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This year, picnicking safely in a wide-open space may be the summer activity, given that going to bars, dining at a restaurant, traveling, and other activities sound less appealing right now or are simply not available. Luckily, getting some fresh air in San Francisco is still okay. County guidelines allow for picnics in parks (that are open) as long as you stay six feet apart from anyone who isn’t a member of your household.
We’ve rounded up places with plenty of space to safely have a picnic, as well as suggestions for local restaurants to stop by for food on the way. These are just a few of our favorites — if we missed yours, leave them in the comments.
1. Enjoy a sammie and wine from Luke’s Local at Hellman Hollow
Located in Cole Valley on Cole Street and Parnassus Avenue, Luke’s Local is a small but bountiful grocery store known for its locally curated produce and baked goods, as well as its sandwich shop. Up until about a month ago, the beloved sandwich counter was closed, but it’s now available for delivery on the Luke’s Local grocery app, which means you can have this sandwich delivered to you anywhere in the city, but we suggest nearby Hellman Hollow in Golden Gate Park. Luke’s also will deliver your favorite bottle of wine and baked goods to complete the picnic scene. Everything you need for a pandemic picnic.
2. Sip on a Judahlicious smoothie at Ocean Beach
There’s nothing like Ocean Beach on a rare hot summer day, or even a breezy one. You can watch the surfers, feel the sand beneath your feet, and splash around in the water if you’re brave enough. You can even, in the middle of all of this, lay down a towel, have a picnic, and feel somewhat normal. Ocean Beach’s parking lots are closed, so we encourage going only if you can access it by foot, like our friends in the Sunset. On the way, grab a smoothie or vegan sandwich from Judahlicious on Judah Street. (The shop is doing takeout — call 415-665-8423 to order and follow its Instagram for updates.)
3. Get takeout from Dolores Park Café before heading to Dolores Park
You have more than likely seen the social distancing circles installed in Dolores Park, given they’ve become somewhat of an Instagram sensation. These circles seem pretty smart and effective in keeping people safely apart, though there were some issues with crowds in lines for the bathroom at the park over Memorial Day weekend, so be mindful of that. Even in non-pandemic times, we liked grabbing fare from Dolores Park Café. The restaurant is still doing takeout (order online here) and delivery. Luckily, all of our favorite items are available: the egg sandwich, avocado toast, and the special burrito.
4. Grab picnic fare from Precita Park Café, then head to Precita Park
Precita Park is a hidden gem in Bernal Heights, an urban oasis that in normal times is great for people-watching, throwing a Frisbee, and meeting up with friends. If you’re missing some sense of that normalcy, a picnic at Precita Park can likely give some of that to you, especially if you pick up takeout at Precita Park Café beforehand. At this Bernal Heights staple, you can order anything from pizza to a BLT (aka perfect picnic food). There aren’t any social distance circles at Precita, and it’s not massive (definitely still room to space out, though), so just use your common sense and be mindful about staying six feet apart.
5. Pick up pizza and beer to go from Cellarmaker Brewing on the way to Bernal Heights Park
If you’re looking for a more secluded picnic spot with amazing views, Bernal Heights Park is the place. It also requires a little bit of a hike for people who are looking to move their quarantine-fatigued feet. (You can even walk the one-mile loop before setting a blanket down to chill.) You can use your outing as an excuse to pick up beer and pizza to go from Cellarmaker Brewing. You can order in advance here. (Food must be ordered online ahead of time; beer can be ordered at the door, but online ordering is recommended for that, too.) Store hours are somewhat limited; follow Cellarmaker’s Instagram updates.
