SFGuide
Where To Eat & Drink In Dogpatch
photo credit: Melissa Zink
The Dogpatch is a mix of old industrial buildings, new green spaces, warehouses, and art galleries. This waterfront neighborhood is also mostly flat, which certainly makes it easier to get to the many great bars and restaurants in the area. In this guide, you’ll find a lasagneria, a pizza place with Detroit-style pies, one our favorite Indian spots in the city, and more.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Melissa Zink
Head to the Dogpatch and you’ll spot plenty of white boxes making their way down Third Street or hanging out with a pint at Dogpatch Saloon. All roads lead to Long Bridge Pizza. The casual spot does sourdough pies right. They have a nice snap—never too chewy or hard. And you can taste the tang of the sourdough, separate from the high quality toppings. Like any great neighborhood spot, this is a place to post up in one of the three dining rooms and gab about how today was the best or worst day ever. A game will probably be on one of the many large TVs. Order from the counter and let the beer and pizza come to you.
photo credit: Carly Hackbarth
This spot pulls from the make-your-own-rules playbook by remixing western Indian food with new ingredients. Which is why you’ll find blue cheese in the fluffy parathas and garlicky pea shoots and raita are heaped atop tender Impossible kebabs. And mint-infused tamarind water for the crispy pani puri contains actual gin. A meal at this small-plate dining spot is a great way to eat your way through the regions of Gujarat: a vegetarian mix of fire-roasted eggplant that taste like it was forged in the flames of Mount Doom, housemade maska paneer, and the other dishes inspired by the chef’s family.
photo credit: Daily Driver
Daily Driver’s huge, two-story flagship location on Third St. is one of our favorite places to go for a coffee date, or to get work done. They also happen to churn out some of the best bagels in San Francisco. Dress up the gorgeously-crackly wood-fired bagels with spreads and lox, or get into a bagel sandwich—we like the classic bacon, egg, and housemade butterkäse cheese. If you want to enjoy your breakfast with waterfront views, head to their Ferry Building outpost.
photo credit: Susie Lacocque
The Sea Star serves drinks in long, dark room with dim lighting—in other words, it’s a cocktail bar disguised as a dive. They make some of the most creative cocktails in the area, including a few on draft. Get into the interestingly named Bullet Train from Amsterdam and the Rumspringa with rum, cardamaro, chocolate walnut bitters, and honey. This spot is also big enough for your entire group to fit in without taking over the place, and there’s a pool table in the back for when watching sports on the TVs just isn’t enough.
We go to this family-run lasagneria for lunch and choose from the seven lasagnas on the menu: eggplant, mushroom, verdura, butternut squash, abruzzo with housemade sausage, bianca, and bolognese, and each one is layered with ultra-thin pasta, creamy béchamel, and tomato sauce. Unless you get a whole sheet that serves six, the lasagnas are made for one and are roughly the size of a small novel. There are also several ways to experience Marcella’s lasagna—outside on their sidewalk patio, or for takeout (you can also ask for it cold and warm it up at home for later).
photo credit: Susie Lacocque
If you’re still recovering from a stressful 5pm commute home on Muni, head to Dogpatch Saloon. Part relaxed neighborhood drinking spot, part gathering place for dogs, this bar has everything you need for a chill evening with good cocktails and beers—including noise levels that can sometimes rival an early morning visit to the de Young.
photo credit: Remy Galvan-Hale
Piccino is practically built for relaxed catch-ups with friends. There’s walk-up bar seating if you want to keep things extra casual, thin-crust pizzas great for sharing, and plenty of wine and cocktails. The airy dining room or covered parklet at this Cal-Ital restaurant is a reliable place to bust out your best small talk skills over milk-braised pork ragu and mushroom pizzas. At night, the menu is a bit longer and the atmosphere is still laidback, but know that Piccino is really at its best during the day.
photo credit: Ungrafted
A light-filled warehouse-like space, an impressive wine list (plus bottles you can take home), and small plates to share make Ungrafted a prime candidate for your next weeknight get-together when a bottle of two buck chuck won’t cut it. We love their za’atar pull-apart bread with labne, and the everything-spiced fries—and if you’re on the hungrier side, they also have bigger entrées, like pork belly "carbonara" or a fried chicken sandwich.
Gilberth’s is a Latin fusion restaurant on Third St. with a dark dining room that’s low-key enough for a midweek date or quiet birthday dinner. No matter what, make sure someone you’re with gets the puerco pibil—the slow-braised pork spiced with anato is tender and perfect. This spot also has starters like chicken flautas, plus salads, steak sandwiches, and a taco bar.
If your hobby includes “waiting in line for pastries,” you'll love Neighbor Bakehouse. The raspberry hazelnut twice-baked croissant (our personal favorite) at this walk-up bakery is fantastic, and if you pair it with pretty much anything else here, you won't be disappointed. From savory stuff like kimchi toast to sweet things like German coffee cake, it’s hard to go wrong.
photo credit: Third Rail
We appreciate a bar that knows how to keep things interesting. At Third Rail, they're serving cocktails alongside homemade jerky. There are plenty of flavors to choose from, but we like the red eye jerky with coffee and the candy version with brown sugar. They also do shot, beer, and jerky combos for $10, because, of course. Aside from the tasty cured meats, the cocktails alone make coming to Third Rail worth it.
