Explore San Francisco’s Mission District like a local

Dolores Park is more than a park—it’s a rite of passage. Named for nearby Mission Dolores, the property became a park in 1905 and served as a refugee camp for for those uprooted by the 1906 earthquake. You’ll find palm trees, sports fields, off-leash dog play areas and a playground. But the real draw is the expanse of luscious lawn, where up to 10,000 people in various states of undress sunbathe, read, drink, smoke and socialize on warm weekend days. Bring a blanket and a burrito from nearby La Taqueria.

This cafe and tea room serves matcha tea from shade-grown farms in Kyoto, the birthplace of matcha. Try the hot hand-whisked matcha served with small yuzu meringues or go for a refreshing cold version of an Arnold Palmer, the Hojicha Palmer made with Hojicha Mizudashi and yuzu lemonade. You can also order kitchen comfort food like various sandos and curry—and on weekdays only, you can get the Japanese gozen with Miso-marinated baked black cod, soy-marinated salmon sashimi and roe, Agedashi tofu, Chawanmushi (egg custard), pickled daikon radish, along with stir-fried lotus roots, rice and Miso soup: a bargain and a bellyful for $23.

The Pirate Supply Store is full of everything you need for that scurvy-skirting trip across the seas. In actuality, it’s a delightful front: The nonprofit youth writing center, 826 Valencia, was zoned for retail, so literacy-loving buccaneers Dave Eggers and Nínive Calegari opened up the connected pirate supply store. Inside the shop, which feels like you’re in a ship’s hold, you’ll find apothecary jars, Jolly Roger flags, seafaring journals, glass buoys, striped socks, pirate hats and the most clever signs you’ll find anywhere (like the Pirate’s Code: “no forgetting to swab, no earrings shall be larger than the Captain’s and prisoners must be tied to something, no exceptions”).

For a whimsical twist on dinner and a movie, make a reservation at Foreign Cinema. It’s been a Mission standby since 1999 and one of the most stunning restaurants in town, showcasing an expanse of marble, stone and exposed beams under 18-foot ceilings in the interior dining room. Better yet, sit outside under the partially covered, heated courtyard to watch a movie that starts at dusk, projected onto a large screen. The seasonal California-Mediterranean fare is complemented by wines from an impressive 35-page list.

Founded in Sausalito in 1948, this storied tile and ceramics company moved into a cavernous old linen supply and laundry facility in 2012 and has been a hub of design ever since. The working tile factory is also a wonderland that includes a gallery and showroom where shoppers browse the brand’s famously minimalist dinnerware, ceramics (Heath’s signature bud vase is a go-to gift for locals), bags, baskets and candles. Bonus points for the Heath Newsstand, stuffed with glossies, design mags, travel guides and other hard-to-find printed matter. Plus, when you get hungry, the connected Tartine Manufactory is right there to satisfy your morning bun and water-buffalo-milk ice cream fix (and of course uses Heath dinnerware). Take a $15 factory tour with advance registration.

This campy bar and beer garden advertises “Warm beer. Cold women,” so choose accordingly. Founded in 1977, it’s an official historic legacy business known for its Bloody Marys, margaritas and 64 craft beer taps. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 2 to 6pm, and the merch—some of which features a Playboy bunny, but crafted out of a skull—is pretty sweet.

This 1914 building—a former mortuary—is one of the most atmospheric spots to see live music in the city. The original carved doors, dark wood beams and moldings remain, complemented by scarlet walls, wrought-iron sconces, and state-of-the-art acoustics. The dramatic 40-foot arched ceiling may still feel like a church, but the live music makes the place jump in a way that the original congregants wouldn’t know how to. Music runs the gamut from jazz and indie rock to country and bluegrass. Next door, Curio melds Californian and Southern influences, offering bar snacks, meat and seafood amidst Victorian dioramas, vintage lighting and antique clocks. Bonus: If you dine at Curio, you’ll get expedited entry into the Chapel for the show.

First, admire Bi-Rite’s Art Deco façade and glazed tiles, then go inside this 18th Street store which is a Mission institution dating to 1940. Browsing Bi-Rite’s produce section is akin to shopping an exceptional farmer’s market. The fruits, vegetables and flowers come from farms throughout California, as well as Bi-Rite’s own 3-acre farm in Sonoma. That produce is incorporated into all of the market’s preservative-free prepared foods, from salads and sandwiches to soups and crab cakes. The meat is from ranchers using humane animal husbandry practices—Bi-Rite’s butchers break down whole animals in-house—and the regional cheese selection is expertly curated. Across the street, join the snaking line for Bi-Rite Creamery, where ice cream flavors range from a classic salted caramel to a seasonal sweet ume plum or orange cardamom.

The Mission has nurtured a proud history of public art and is particularly known for its murals. Some of the most striking work requires a detour down off-the-beaten-path alleyways. Balmy Alley and Clarion Alley are two of the neighborhood’s best-known—and most densely painted—lanes, showcasing ever-changing, politically-charged murals that reflect the pulse of the surrounding community. Don’t miss the towering, eight-story work splashed across the Women’s Building (3543 18th St at Lapidge St), the joint project of seven female artists.

Learn what goes into bean-to-bar chocolate at Dandelion Chocolate, a fragrant confectionery in the Mission. There, you can sample shards of small-batch dark chocolate and watch the workers roast, grind and temper cacao beans. Take a tour of the factory in back, where you’ll sip and nibble your way through the chocolate-making process or register for a multicourse chocolate tasting. Up front, the cafe serves hot chocolates, single-origin chocolate bars and a full line of cookies and pastries by chef Lisa Vega.

Two Michelin-starred Lazy Bear’s communal, ticketed dinners run around $300. Luckily, , the duo behind the hotspot restaurant, opened True Laurel where you can experience some of that Lazy Bear cool without blowing your budget. Menus are updated daily before opening for brunch, dinner and inspired cocktails.

This place puts a whole new spin on miniature golf, with lavish cocktails served in playful vessels to get you through those tiny apertures found in creative circumstances. There’s also happy hour, date night packages and Monday Mayhem, where you roll dice to determine how much you’ll pay for your putt-putt round.

This fun “shop small, support local” initiative lets you explore the Mission while playing the lottery. With Lotería-inspired game pieces designed by local artists with images of some of the neighborhood’s famous elements, cruise by participating stores and restaurants and get a sticker with your purchase to put on your game board… and win prizes. You’re guaranteed a prize with nine stickers. The game board or tabla is a beautiful keepsake souvenir as well. The Lotería also organizes game nights and other events.

It’s not hard to walk through the Mission and find any number of exciting restaurants, but if you want to just relax and have someone lead the way, you can take a three-hour walking tour led by guides who will stop at five different tasting locations. The $89 for adults, $75 for kids pricing isn’t cheap, but the insights your guide gives will deepen the experience of why the Mission is such a culinary wonderland (plus, if your group goes to Tartine Manufactory, not guaranteed, you get to skip the line!). All food is included—enough to qualify as “lunch”—and the tour is vegetarian-friendly.