Hayes Valley - San Francisco, CA Area Guide

Hayes Valley remained mostly unoccupied until the mid-19th century, but the area took off during the 1849 California Gold Rush when many people came to search for gold and use the land for produce farming. The large Victorian residences were then built, as well as many smaller residences, to house the builders constructing the Victorian mansions, which explains the interesting architecture and designs of the townhomes that still exist today. The historic landmark called the Civic Center, which sits right outside of the neighborhood, has museums for any kind of art or history lover, including the Maritime Museum, the Performing Arts Library and Museum, Fine Art Museum of San Francisco and many others. Hayes Valley also hosts some annual events, including the “Urban Air Market,” which hosts independent fashion designers twice every year, and the Rose Street Block Party and Art Auction that takes place every October.

Hayes Valley has several popular restaurants with a large variety of different ethnic cuisines. Zuni Cafe has one of the most popular restaurants in the area, serving all kinds of wood-fired eats along with fine wines. Their famous roast chicken comes with a fresh salad with scallions, dried currants and pine nuts, and the chicken has an unmatched flavor and texture because of the preparation in their old-style brick oven. Another popular Hayes Valley restaurant, Il Borgo serves authentic Italian Cuisine in an atmosphere that makes you feel like you stepped right into a diner in Italy. Il Borgo specializes in their hand-made pasta, and the head chef hails straight from Milano. Regulars swear by their most famous dish, the lobster ravioli, which has a fresh aurora sauce base along with hand-made ravioli pasta stuffed with fresh bay-caught lobster. For the breakfast food fans, The Crepe House has authentic crepes, all served with rosemary potatoes and mixed greens. Crepes there can be chosen from 15 different options, their most popular being the New Orleans style with Swiss cheese, chicken breast, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and their own made-from-scratch salsa. For a night out and some drinks, Absinthe Brasserie and Bar has the perfect atmosphere as well as a full menu of Italian food. The bar always stays open late along with the kitchen, and they feature over 1,000 fine wines to choose from. For some live music and entertainment, Rickshaw Stop has a great bar and event setting, featuring live music and concerts from many popular and local indie rock bands.

For getting around in the neighborhood or to the city, many people choose to walk or bike due to the amount of stores and shops close by, and the paved sidewalks and bike lanes on most of the roads. Several buses from the San Francisco Municipal Railway also serve the area, and a taxi can always be called from multiple taxi services that operate nearby; Uber and Lyft both give rides throughout the metropolitan and suburban San Francisco area through use of their phone applications. Parking can be very difficult to find, but Grove Street provides metered parking for those eating or shopping, and the Performing Arts Garage also has pay-by-the-hour parking. I-80 also conveniently runs less than a mile from the neighborhood, which makes the short commute to downtown or to any major city nearby very simple.

For recreational fun, Haye’s Valley Playground, Alamo Square Park and Patricia’s Green Park all sit within close range of the neighborhood. Alamo Square Park lies just outside of the neighborhood and has hilltop views of the city as well as tennis courts, playgrounds and many walking trails. The park also allows dogs, and they can run freely in the dog play area on the western side of the park, but they must be kept on a leash on the eastern side. Patricia’s Green Park sits within the neighborhood and has a reputation for being an art park where many go to eat lunch. There, they have beautiful green landscaping along with many picnic benches and art exhibits that rotate every six months.

The median one-bedroom rent in the neighborhood sits at $1,227, slightly below the San Francisco average of $1,361. The close proximity to San Francisco results in slightly inflated gas prices in the area; they sit around 18 percent higher than the national average. Other items also will cost slightly more than other places in the state and country, such as the average beer cost from the local pub, which will usually run you between $5 and $7 depending on the type of brew.

Hayes Valley has many places to shop, with the main shopping district on Hayes Street housing several of the area's high-end fashion stores. Popular shops there include Azalea, Zeni, and the Thread Lounge. Azalea has several high-end brands of jeans, shoes, and accessories, and even offers shopping parties for the avid shopper. The Thread Lounge offers fashionable women's clothing from well-known brands as well, including James Jeans, Tori Burch, and many others. Zeni also offers upscale clothing but has a spot just for men with high-end sunglasses, watches, clothing, and shoes. A wide variety of grocery options exist within the neighborhood area, including many gourmet and organic food stores. Nick's Supermarket hails as one of the most frequented grocery destinations in the neighborhood and has been serving the area for years with a large home-made food selection as well as an impressive variety of wine and liquor. Many gourmet options also sit within the neighborhood, including Nabila's Natural, and Gourmet and More. Both shops specialize in their organic meat and produce, and Gourmet and More also serves as the best place to buy cheese, with their vast selection of fine and rare cheeses. The non-profit Heart of the City Farmers' Market also sits nearby on Market Street, offering fresh California fruits and vegetables.