As of the past few months, I have been lucky enough to travel to San Francisco quite a bit for work. While the actual travel can be draining, I have loved the chance to get to know another city. Whether you are a Bay Area native or going to San Fran for work/play, here are my favorite health conscious locales.
Where to Eat:
Gracias Madre – Since my last Healthy City Guide, I have transitioned to a vegan lifestyle, so from now on you can expect at least one plant-based restaurant in each guide. This first restaurant is my vegan stomping ground in SF. Gracias Madre is a completely plant-based Mexican restaurant that will not disappoint! My favorite dishes are the coconut ceviche and quesadillas!
Elephant – One of my top 3 favorite sushi restaurants anywhere in the world! The full sushi menu is to die for, but ask for the special veggie roll (not on the menu) it is amazing! Keep in mind there are no reservations and this is a popular spot, go a bit early to put your name in and grab a drink near by while you wait.
Seed + Salt – This is a perfect fast casual joint for the health conscious eater. Eat in, take-out or deliver. My favorite dish is the S+S Beet Burger, but everything I tried was phenomenal! Next trip I am going to stock up on all of the little extras they have to offer like unique breads, yam chips, almost guilt free desserts and flavored lemonades!
What to Do:
The Pad Studio – If you want to experience the stereotypical yoga studio scene, The Pad is your spot. I personally am not a fan and was a little skeptical when I first walked in, and I remained skeptical through the first 5 minutes of chanting in class (also not my jam). All of that said, the actually yoga flow was amazing and made up for it all! In a cold studio it takes me quite a bit of time to warm up, but this flow had me going from the beginning. On top of the flow, the studio is bright, airy and easy to find.
Run the Presidio – The Presidio is a former military base, situated along the water on the northern tip of SF, near the Golden Gate Bridge. My favorite run on the base is the 5-mile scenic trail run. Enter the park at the corner of West Pacific Ave and Arguello Blvd, take a short walk into the park on Arguello Blvd. and you’ll find the start of the trail at Finley Rd. Make sure you stop and appreciate the view from Immigrant Point Overlook and Pacific Overlook.
Hills – Google San Francisco and every image that comes up will in some way shape or form include a hill. Hill workouts are GREAT for quick cardio bursts when you are short on time or want to mix it up. Here is my 30-45 minute hill progression:
- 2x sprint
- 1x backwards run
- 1x lunge first half and squat jump second half (take your time, as long as you are doing the movements correctly you are gaining the benefits)
- 1x speed walk (use this as a recovery for your next set)
- Repeat this series 3x back-to-back no rests