The Mission District: 3 delicious spots

San Francisco’s Mission District is one that should be explored. Named after San Francisco’s oldest building, the Alta California Mission, this section of town is actually sunnier and warmer more regularly than other sections of San Francisco. This is because it’s flat, surrounded by the city’s hills, and situated precisely so that it is insulated from the fog and wind coming from the west.

The Mission is also an epicenter for Latin culture, phenomenal wall art (murals and graffiti), and live music. And so, with this information in hand, I explored the district for a few days last week. I searched a lot, found a lot, and loved a lot, but these 3 delicious spots are now haunting me–even right now, at this very moment. As I sit in front of the computer and type this, I want to taste the things I tasted from the places again. If you visit The Mission, these stand-out places are my personal recommendations.

1. Dynamo Donuts
These guys must be brainstorming ways to make your stomach growl and waistline grow night and day. With donut flavors like Caramel Apple, Cornmeal Cherry, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip, and Monte Cristo (that one’s filled with ham, gruyere, and house-made jam), these donuts blew my mind. And then they melted in my mouth. In that order.
2. Humphry Slocombe
It doesn’t take much persuading to get me to check out a reportedly good ice cream shop, but man, I’m happy some new San Franciscan friends of mine recommended this spot. Among their interesting and sweet-tasting flavors, they have something I don’t see that ofen: beer-flavored ice cream. And, conclusively, it’s good.

3. Haus Coffee
This minimalistic open-aired loft-like coffeeshop was the exact right place for me to spend an entire day working in The Mission. In terms of space, the space here is used in a way that made me want to work, and work I did. But I also drank their coffee. Ritual Coffee was something I’d incidentally tried a couple days prior and when I saw it advertised out front, I chose my coffeeshop accordingly. Not only was it a good blend, but their mini cupcakes were good, too. Deliciousness + fast free wifi = a coffeeshop you should drop into.

There you have it, 3 things I now want but can no longer have. They’re the bane of my post-San Francisco-trip existence, but they’ll be the highlight of your next San Francisco trip.

Photos by Ben Britz