The Mission District

About The Mission District

The Mission is the historic Latino cultural center of San Francisco and the warmest neighborhood in the city. The coastal fog that reaches the western neighborhoods generally breaks up before reaching the Mission; Dolores Park can be roughly 15°F warmer than Ocean Beach on the same afternoon. The Spanish built Mission San Francisco de Asís (Mission Dolores) at 16th and Dolores in 1776; the original adobe walls still stand, making it the oldest intact building in San Francisco. The basilica next door was rebuilt after 1906, but the original mission survived the earthquake.

Most of what defines the Mission today reflects the Mexican and Central American immigration that grew the neighborhood starting in the 1950s and 1960s. 24th Street between Mission and Potrero is a formally designated Latino Cultural District. The panaderías, produce markets, and mural programs (most notably along Balmy Alley) are maintained by community organizations that also led the tenant and small-business protections won during the rapid rent increases of the 2010s.

Mission Street stays working-class and predominantly Spanish-speaking. Valencia Street, one block west, is mostly cocktail bars, restaurants, and boutiques.

How to Walk the Mission

Three north-south streets organize most of the neighborhood.

Mission Street is the working spine. Start at 16th Street BART and walk south. La Taqueria at 2889 Mission won the James Beard America’s Classics Award in 2017 and is associated with the no-rice Mission-style burrito; the dorado preparation (grilled crispy on the flat top) is the house style. El Farolito at 24th and Mission stays open into the early morning (current hours typically run until 1 or 2 AM; check before relying on it). Panaderías, produce markets, and Latino-owned businesses run the full length of the street.

Valencia Street, one block west, is the restaurant spine. Tartine Bakery at 18th and Guerrero sells country bread, morning buns, and other pastries; lines form on weekends. A few blocks east, Flour + Water at 20th and Harrison serves pasta. ABV (3174 16th Street) and Trick Dog (3010 20th Street) are cocktail bars. Zeitgeist at 199 Valencia is a bar with a large outdoor beer garden (picnic tables in a gravel lot at Duboce and Valencia).

24th Street is the cultural spine, running east from Mission to Potrero. Balmy Alley, running south from 24th Street, has been a continuously maintained outdoor mural program since 1984. La Palma Mexicatessen at 2884 24th has been hand-pressing tortillas since 1953. Philz Coffee opened its first location at 3101 24th.

Dolores Park, at 19th and Dolores, is five minutes’ walk from either Mission or Valencia. The sloping lawn has views of downtown. bi-rite ice cream next to the park is excellent!

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