“Just Thinking”

I met a guy the other day, and we got to talking. He grew up in Fremont and now lives out in Brentwood. When I mentioned that I was from San Francisco and now, also, live in the East Bay. He asked what it was like growing up in “The City.” and if I go back there often. He shared memories of taking BART into San Francisco as a teenager, just to mess around and explore, and how much fun it was.

He told me how much enjoyed bringing their kids into “The City” when they were young, visiting Pier 39, strolling along Fisherman’s Wharf. But then told me how disappointed he was during their most recent visit. Many of the restaurants were shuttered, storefronts boarded up.

He had heard about the amount car break-ins, so he paid the premium to park in a secure lot. But what was really upsetting was the large groups of dirt bike and ATV riders tearing down Jefferson Street and even riding up onto the sidewalks near Pier 39, it was lawless chaos.

Toward the tail end of the pandemic, before Mom moved to Nevada, I had taken her to a doctor’s appointment near the old Pacific Medical Center. We decided to stop by the Wharf for lunch, but as we drove in, we were stunned. What we found left us shocked, dismayed, and deeply saddened. We ended up sitting at Capurro’s, one of the few places still open, across from the South End Rowing Club. As we ate, we reminisced about all the great times we had in the now-closed restaurants that once lined Jefferson Street.

The list of iconic spots that have closed in recent years reads like a history of San Francisco: Alioto’s Restaurant (1925–2020): A cornerstone of the Wharf for nearly a century and home to many family dinners. Fishermen’s Grotto No. 9 (1935–2023): One of the Wharf’s oldest and the backdrop to one of my first dates with Tracy. Lou’s Fish Shack (1988–2023): A seafood and live music venue, where we spent many nights dancing to listening to bands like Brother Buzz, who played at our wedding. Castagnola’s (1916–2020): The Wharf’s oldest restaurant, famous for introducing the crab cocktail. Tarantino’s (1946–2023): A beloved seafood spot and Pompei’s Grotto (1946–2023): A famous for its cioppino to name a few.

There are a few restaurants that continue to survive by offering a taste of San Francisco’s rich culinary past: Scoma’s Restaurant, A classic pier-to-plate institution with unbeatable views. Franciscan Crab Restaurant, with its iconic windows and Cioppino’s, known for its namesake dish. Many of the traditional crab stands are still open and serving fresh Dungeness crab right along the water, just as they have for generations.

San Francisco has always been a city of change, but it’s also a city of resilience. While some of its most iconic institutions may be gone, the spirit of the Wharf and the stories we carry from it, still endure.

Let me know what you think.

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Happy Birthday Chris

29 Years Old Today