YAY AREA GUIDE: SOMA
We are kicking off our Yay Area Guide series with the SoMA neighborhood of San Francisco.
SoMA stands for South of Market, with Market Street being one of the cities major arteries.
It is a broad and diverse area, spanning the Embarcadero to 11th Street. With an attitude that is as complex as it’s coordinates, SoMA blends the boom of tech money with the culture of “old SF”. The name has it’s roots going back to the Gold Rush, where it was known to be on the “wrong side” of Market Street, but was affordable enough for arriving immigrants. Today you see this nuanced—but still very apparent—divide as you walk the streets. However, SoMA is still patched with warehouses, art spaces, and abandoned lots amongst the skyscrapers and upscale residences.
Despite all of building and development that SoMA has seen over the past decade+, one can still find some amazing San Francisco main-stays. The Flower Market being essentially an institute (for now…), and even a cat boarding company that has been around for 15 years.
Read below for our take on SoMA.
Things to Do:
SoMA houses some of the best art and culture the city has to offer.
SFMoMA cannot be missed, and luckily the Contemporary Jewish Museum and Yerba Buena are its neighbors.
If a live show is more your jam, there’s always Slim’s and The Utah.
There’s still a lot to do outside in SoMA. Hit up our personal favorite, the SF Flower Mart. Have an afternoon picnic at South Park or Sales Force Park.
We also highly recommend a concert at Oracle Park, or even a Giants game!
Shop:
Shopping in SoMA is all about home and interior. There are tons of warehouse/loft-type spaces, and a small sub-neighborhood known as the “Design District”.
Getting our very own MUJI was a big deal.
If you’re needing some serious furnishing, make sure to check out the below:
HD Buttercup
Zozi’s Loft
Room & Board
Design Plus Consignment Gallery
Health & Wellness:
you read that right- we are low key maybe high key health junkies. Of course SoMA has it’s Whole Foods and it’s SoulCycle, but there’s always Ritual Hot Yoga for a sweat that’s off the beaten path. The saying is “a yoga class a day makes way for late night pizza”, right? …and if not, we’d like to make that a thing.
While you’re at it, don’t skip these other StyleBFFs approved spots:
Raven Fitness
San Francisco Pole and Dance
Being into weed in 2020 is pretty much like taking Advil, so we’re getting real with these recs. Hit up SPARC, which is perfect for the bougie contemporaries. The bud tenders are knowledgable, and the vibe is bright and modern.
For an old-school 415 vibe, go to The Green Door .
DINNER/DATE NIGHT:
From ultra-California fresh vibes, to solid Italian food, SoMA boasts some of the best restaurants in SF. When you’re in the mood for an occasion, make sure to check out the below for an intimate and chic meal:
Mourad
Montesacro Pinseria
54 Mint
Cockscomb
Marlowe
GROUPS:
SoMA is a great spot to meet up with friends, since it is so central, and centered around work culture. Meeting up with friends? Look no further. These spots are affordable, and have damn good food.
Dumpling Time
Delarosa
The Pawn Shop
soMa StrEat Food Park
BREAKFAST, BRUNCH, N LUNCH:
According to the experts, these are your most important meals.
We enjoy eating in style, so our SoMA go-to is Vive la Tarte (pictured). We’re also big fans of these spots too:
Soma Eats
Sightglass Coffee
Cafe Du Soleil
La Capra Coffee
Dill-Lebni-Roe from Mourad
Drinks:
We’re not big drinkers, but our totally friends are. (and we love them for that)
The below are fully vetted for a good time.
Press Club
The Stud
Monarch
Adrienne Kwok-Lundy