“A closure is someone's livelihood, not a vibe shift. An opening is a bet, not a trend.”
The Great SF Calamari Debate: Where to Find the City's Best Fried Rings
PublishedSan Francisco loves a good food argument.
Oakland's Taste of Temescal Food Crawl Leaves Restaurants With a Bad Taste
PublishedHere's a fun recipe for community betrayal: take a beloved neighborhood food crawl, add opaque finances, and watch…
The $3 Dinner Hack Hiding in Plain Sight at Tokyo Central
PublishedIn an era where a mediocre burrito in the city will run you $16 and groceries feel like a second rent payment, the best…
The Definitive SF Fry Guide (Because You Deserve Better Than In-N-Out)
PublishedLook, we spend a lot of time at The Dissent yelling about budgets and bureaucracy.
A $9.29 Cappuccino Blast at Baskin-Robbins? The Bay Area Tax Strikes Again
PublishedWe need to talk about a $9.29 cappuccino blast.
The $5.50 Sandwich That Proves the Free Market Still Slaps
PublishedIn a city where a mediocre burrito runs you $16 and a sad desk salad costs $19, one SF grocery store is doing something…
Clement Street Scores a Win: Liholiho Co-Owner Bets on the Richmond
PublishedHere's something refreshing: a new business opening in San Francisco that isn't another boba shop or a vacant…
Maria Isabel Is a Love Letter to Mexican Cuisine — And Exactly What SF Dining Needs
PublishedSan Francisco's restaurant scene has a habit of chasing trends — overpriced tasting menus, AI-generated cocktail lists…
Your Girls' Night Mexican Food Guide: Where to Actually Go in SF
PublishedLook, we love a good "where should I eat" question because it gives us an excuse to talk about SF's food scene — which…
The Hamburger Project Goes From Smash to Trash
PublishedWell, that was a short run. Hamburger Project, the smashburger spot at 598 Guerrero in the Mission, has closed its…
The Bay Area's Asian Grocery Game Is About to Level Up
PublishedOne of the genuinely great things about living in the Bay Area — and yes, we do acknowledge those exist — is the sheer…
One Meal in SF: The Hill of Food We Die On
PublishedThere's a question that separates the tourists from the locals faster than a Muni delay separates you from your…
Dollar Margaritas and Disco Tacos: The SoMa Tuesday You Didn't Know You Needed
PublishedIn a city where a single taco can run you $7 and a mid-shelf margarita will set you back $16 before tip, Underdogs in…
The Mission's Cursed Burger Spot Claims Another Victim
PublishedIf you believe in cursed commercial real estate — and honestly, living in San Francisco, you probably should — then…
Pour One Out for Sweet Tomatoes: The Buffet the Bay Area Didn't Deserve
PublishedIf you grew up in the Bay Area in the '90s or 2000s and your parents were even remotely health-conscious — or at least…
The Bagel Wars: Why SF Doesn't Need New York's Approval
PublishedHere we go again. The eternal, completely unresolvable, deeply personal debate has resurfaced: Are San Francisco bagels…
Visitacion Valley Is Finally Getting a Grocery Store — And It's Not Your Typical Chain
PublishedIf you want to understand how uneven San Francisco's prosperity really is, consider this: Visitacion Valley, one of the…
Your $7 Latte Deserves Better: A Local's SF Coffee Guide Worth Bookmarking
PublishedSan Francisco has roughly one coffee shop per twelve residents (okay, we made that up, but it feels true), and…
A Pizza Place on Polk Street Tried to Charge for the Box. Yes, the Box.
PublishedWe need to talk about the nickel-and-dime economy that San Francisco restaurants are building, one mysterious surcharge…
Finally, Someone Combined Coffee and Breakfast Pizza — And It's a Pop-Up
PublishedIn a city where a $7 latte barely raises an eyebrow and every other storefront is either a dispensary or a pop-up…
A Swedish Hot Dog Pop-Up Just Opened a Candy Store, and Yes, This Is Real Capitalism
PublishedIn a city where it takes approximately 47 permits, three environmental impact reviews, and a blood sacrifice to open a…
The Chicken Caesar Wrap: San Francisco's Most Honest Food Trend
PublishedForget the $28 deconstructed grain bowls and the AI-optimized meal kits.
Another One Bites the Dust: Leonore's Deli Shuttered by Landlord Dispute
PublishedLeonore's Deli & Taqueria, the beloved lunch counter tucked inside Opera Plaza at 601 Van Ness, served its last torta…
Someone in SF Needs a Butter Tasting and Honestly, We're Here For It
PublishedThere are moments that remind you San Francisco is still, despite everything, the most unhinged city in America — in…
Pacific Cafe Might Close After 51 Years, and the Outer Richmond Can't Afford to Lose It
PublishedPacific Cafe — the no-frills, no-reservations seafood spot that's been anchoring the Outer Richmond for over half a…
This SF Restaurant Lets You Pay What You Can for Tacos Every Friday — And It Actually Works
PublishedEvery Friday, Tato restaurant in San Francisco runs a "Pay-What-You-Can" taco day — and before you roll your eyes at…
The Definitive Guide to Vegetarian Dim Sum in SF (Because You Shouldn't Have to Settle for Plain Rice)
PublishedLook, San Francisco loves to congratulate itself on being a food city.
You Moved to a City Surrounded by Water — Time to Eat Like It
PublishedWelcome to San Francisco, where the Pacific Ocean is literally right there and yet somehow people still default to…
The Great SF Cake Hunt: Why Getting a Birthday Slice Delivered Shouldn't Require a PhD
PublishedThere's something beautifully simple about wanting to send a friend a birthday cake.
The Post-Giants-Game Dining Problem Nobody Warns You About
PublishedHere's a dirty little secret about San Francisco that visitors discover the hard way: this city rolls up its sidewalks…