Patricia Unterman's San Francisco Food Lover's Guide [Paperback]

Patricia Unterman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2, 2004

With more restaurants per square mile than any other city except New York, San Francisco intimidates even the most informed foodies when it comes to choosing the best eats from the Pacific to the Bay. Enter Patricia Unterman, the Bay Area’s intrepid, unapologetically selective, and refreshingly down-to-earth restaurant critic and food doyenne. In her third fully updated and totally revised edition of the SAN FRANCISCO FOOD LOVER’S GUIDE, locals and visitors alike get the buzz on the best places to eat, drink, and cook without leaving the country. With her characteristic passion and exacting standards, Unterman profiles over 600 restaurants, bakeries, bars, butchers, delis, markets, cafés, confectioners, food stands, cheese shops, cookware stores, cookbook sellers, and wine shops across the city’s 14 districts, as well as throughout Berkeley, Marin, and the wine country. Pulling no punches, Unterman shares only the best of her finds, unafraid to look past favorites resting on their laurels or induct newbies no one has heard of. Every profile gives a brief history of the establishment and tells exactly what they have that you shouldn’t live without. With 50 recipes from local chefs, sidebars on can’t-miss events and resources, quick-reference produce and seafood availability charts, and over 25 indexes for finding info fast, the SAN FRANCISCO Food Lover’s Guide is the San Francisco Bay Area gourmand’s manifesto. So for those of you who are always thinking about your next meal—even when you’re in the middle of one—here’s the definitive guide to eating better than ever in the Bay Area.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

*The bible for what is arguably the country’s food mecca.
*Goes beyond the standard food guide with entertaining critiques of the city’s 600-plus restaurants and its recipes, sidebar essays, and lists of the secret facets of the region’s food production.
*Features 45 new reviews, 40 photos, 15 maps, restaurant hours, and new chefs.
*As a restaurateur, journalist, and food critic for over 30 years, Unterman is the Bay Area’s most respected authority on food.
*It would take 11 years, dining out every night, to eat at every restaurant in San Francisco. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

PATRICIA UNTERMAN has been the city’s most respected food critic for three decades, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner. She is also the chef/owner of the storied Hayes Street Grill. Her work appears in national food magazines, such as Gourmet and Food & Wine, and she publishes her own newsletter, "Unterman on Food," six times a year. She lives in San Francisco, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; 3 edition (March 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580084133
• ISBN-13: 978-1580084130
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,841,419 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, mouth watering, and inspiring, September 14, 2003

By 

Benny Choi (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Patricia Unterman's San Francisco Food Lover's Guide (Paperback)

I recently moved within the city limits of San Francisco earlier this year and started soliciting local restaurant recommendations from friends. After trying some places, I soon realized that my tastes and preferences didn't always sync up with my friends, so my collection of restaurant recommendations was not very authoritative. With Patricia Unterman's newly updated 3rd edition of her Food Lover's Guide, I now possess an entire book chock full of authoritative restaurant recommendations. The handful of restaurants I've tried so far based on her book have been fantastic. I even learned where to buy high quality meats and fresh fish in my neighborhood! Only because the author self-admittedly does not fully appreciate craft beers and great BBQ food, the book is just shy of being PERFECT, in my opinion. Get this book and learn about ales and ribs elsewhere.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book by my favorite SF food critic., May 2, 2005

By 

Krys - See all my reviews

This review is from: Patricia Unterman's San Francisco Food Lover's Guide (Paperback)

I've come to trust and rely on Patricia Unterman's recommendations over the years. She is adept at evaluating the entire spectrum of the San Francisco dining scene, from top restaurants to bargain bites.

Her fourth edition book is an excellent SF reference. As a Bay Area resident, I can vouch that her descriptions of the restaurants, markets, and other food shops is on target. There were even a few new finds in the book for me, like the lunch at the SF Art Institute Café.

Not only is there nice background and detailed descriptions of SF restaurants, you will learn about food and drink in the area. I found the artisan sake write up informational. I find sections like the seasonal fish and produce charts very helpful. Both visitors and locals should find this guide useful.

As always, Patricia Unterman captures the flavor of SF.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Buy and Handy Reference, March 23, 2005

By 

"KB" Kamla Srinivasan (SF Bay Area and India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Patricia Unterman's San Francisco Food Lover's Guide (Paperback)

This is a really handy book to have if you plan to visit San Francisco Bay Area for an extended period of time, or visit the area frequently, or live outside the San Francisco city.

This book covers restaurants, cafe, bars and food stores in the San Francisco and the surrounding area like Marin etc. This book is aptly titled and is a great food lover's guide to this part of the world.

Unterman writes in a relaxed and conversational manner and points out what is good about the restaurant, cafe or store. The book is peppered with recipes from various restaurants and cafes in the area.

The book is handy because it provides the URL, location, phone number, timings and how you can pay (cash, credit card, ATM etc).

This is a great book to have to explore the culinary delights of the Bay Area that has some of the best restaurants and cafes in this country. Forwarned is forarmed....armed with the facts of a particular cafe or restuarant you can boldy walk into a restarant and order your food without feeling intimidated.