By Helene Wenzel and Abby Zimberg–
We are Francophiles, lovers of (almost) all things French! We were overjoyed to watch the Opening of the 2024 Olympics held in Paris. For us, it was an opportunity to visit Paris and enjoy all things French: its culture, history, art, literature—and its gorgeous gardens. We wished we were there, but not during the Games.
While we cannot visit as often as we’d like and we have no desire whatsoever to live there, it is easy to fill our lives as much as we wish with all things French. French influence and culture made its way to San Francisco with the Gold Rush—prospectors came for the gold and got rich providing the tools to mine the gold. By the 1870s, San Francisco had more people of French descent than any other ethnic group except Germans.
One of San Francisco’s many names (Baghdad by the Bay, Fog City, The City by the Bay) is “The Paris of the West.” In this brief review, you will see why.
In San Francisco, the French settled in a few neighborhoods, the most well-known, we believe, being Belden Place, sometimes called The French Quarter. Belden Lane is a block-long alley in the financial district, and is the hub of the city’s small French community and French cuisine, culture, and “ambiance.” Cafés include Plouf, Café Bastille, Café de la Presse, and Le Central.
If you go to any of these restaurants on Bastille Day, July 14, you will be immersed in all things French from the baguettes and escargot to the unsurpassed pastry.
There is also a party at the French Consulate and activities at the Design Center. This year, we were on Cape Cod for Bastille Day and went to a French restaurant, “Bleu” in Mashpee, where we enjoyed fine French food and champagne in a room filled with blue, white, and red balloons, little French flags at the tables, and streamers; and a chanteuse belting out French classics in French. You were almost there!
If you are simply lusting after a “taste of Paris,” there are fine restaurants with French cuisine and ambiance in San Francisco, literally all over the place. A few that we have sampled:
Cole Valley – Zazie;
The Castro – the new Catch, a French Bistro;
Noe Valley – Le Marais, Vive La Tarte;
Market Street – Zuni;
Hayes Valley – Absinthe;
Divisadero – La Sarassine;
Fillmore – Chouquet’s, Florio;
And more we have not experienced.
For buying fine French foods, San Francisco does not disappoint. While there are many others, one cheese store is our favorite: Cheese Plus on Polk Street. It has French cheeses, wines, and, in season, black and white truffles (if you have extra dollars you don’t need).
For wine we like K and L Wine Merchants, Amélie, and the Arlequin Wine Bar and Restaurant.
And Then There’s Everything Else French
The Alliance Française, founded in 1889, is the umbrella organization for all things French. With a weekly/monthly calendar, the Alliance will open the doors to cultural events, language classes, French films, musical events, holiday events, and more.
The French American Cultural Society (FAC) is also a very good resource for French culture in San Francisco.
Merci SF is an online magazine (https://mercisf.com/).
And if you have children you want to introduce to France, the French language, and all things French: The French American School and the Lycée Française await you.
There is so much more to explore than what we have presented. Start at A with Alliance and go from there. You will not be disappointed.
Helene Wenzel was a Professor of French Literature and Language at San Francisco State and Yale University. She earned a PhD in French at UC Berkeley. Abby Zimberg was a French major at Lawrence University. Together they have visited France and enjoyed all thing French for over 35 years.
From Paris to the Castro
Published on August 8, 2024
Recent Comments