Valencia St, SOMA

I've been told that the Mission is one of the sketchier neighborhoods in San Francisco, if you are off of the main drag, and I am still not sure if I believe this fully or not. The nightlife definitely abounds and offers a far better scene than nearby North Beach, although I can see why one may not desire to live here long-term. However, Valencia Street seems to offer a great combination of nightlife and action that makes it feel safer, perhaps because it draws in a later-night crowd.

The Phoenix is a great Irish pub that offers a decent tap and a divey, but fun atmosphere. Be wary that the kitchen closes at 10, so get your orders in early or run to one of the nearby restaurants and get take out (which they allow you to do - very cool!) Ali Baba's is an excellent Middle Eastern/Falafel hole-in-the-wall at the 19th Street Junction, and goes great with the many beers on tap.

As a side note, I've walked alone after midnight on this street and not felt like I was in any form of danger. I much prefer this neighborhood to go out in to North Beach, although I am not one for mainstream hip-hop clubs.

Valencia Street is one of my very favorite streets in San Francisco. It's where I would choose to live if I ever had to leave The Fillmore. For one thing, Valencia is one of the main streets in The Mission, one of San Francisco's most affordable neighborhoods. Even more importantly (to me) is that it's one of San Francisco's warmest and sunniest neighborhoods. When the rest of the city is fogged in, Valencia Street is one of your best bets for sunshine.

It's easy to get there, too. Several bus lines will take you there, and the #26 runs up and down Valencia. Additionally, the BART stops at Mission and 16th and Mission and 24th Streets are just a block off from Valencia.

Valencia is one of those streets that has seen a lot of gentrification in recent years. Lauded restaurants like The Slanted Door helped bring about this transformation in the primarily Hispanic neighborhood, and then became so trendy themselves that they left the neighborhood altogether. However, there are more than enough dining establishments to satisfy whatever you're craving--especially if you're craving Mexican food!

Shopping on Valencia is a joy. Off the top of my head, I can think of four excellent independent bookstores on Valencia, but there are about 20 in the immediate visicinty. It's book shopper heaven! Borderlands Books between 19th and 20th is one of my favorite browsing spots in the city. I can't wait until they open their new cafe. Aside from bookstores, there are any number of clothing, furniture, music, and other shops. What they have in common is that they're all fairly funky. Window displays are more like art, and aren't to be missed.

And speaking of art, there are galleries on Valencia as well. City Arts is my favorite. You can actually afford some of the art there, and the snootiness factor is zero. A few of the storefronts on Valencia defy easy description. For instance, there's the "pirate supply store" at 826 Valencia. This is actually the home of an educational organization founded by novelist Dave Eggers. It's a great boon to the Mission neighborhood and the rest of San Francisco. Nearby is Paxton Gate. It's sort of a cross beween a taxidermy shop, an art gallery, a museum, and a boutique. They've recently added a new store for kids. Strange kids.

To know Valencia Street, in all its quirky charm, is to fall in love with it!

Valencia Street
Valencia St. stretches for a span of almost 2.5 miles and is located between Mission St. and Guerrero St. The main public bus line that runs on the street is the number 26. Valencia is adjacent to Bart (public underground train), Mission Street and the Civic Center (the local capital). Valencia isn’t as busy and congested with traffic as Mission St., but it is filled with a variety of exotic restaurants from Italian to Middle Eastern and cute clothing boutiques. Valencia St. is walking distance to more unique boutiques, churches, schools and Dolores Park (one of the most beautiful parks in San Francisco). Valencia St. has more apartments than houses and they are big enough to accommodate couples, senior citizens and small families of ideally four. It is a lively street to walk dogs and socialize, especially during the weekdays. It is less busy during the weekends. The cost of living on Valencia St. is reasonable and is not as cheap as Mission St. but not as expensive as other popular streets in San Francisco. It is a moderately safe environment on Valencia St.