Where to Eat on Irving Street, San Francisco: An Inner Sunset Dining Guide
Eating is San Francisco’s favorite pastime, and Irving Street in the Inner Sunset neighborhood is one of the city’s most reliably diverse areas to do it well.
Unlike boutique-heavy Sacramento Street and the vintage shops of Haight Street, Irving Street and intersecting 9th Avenue are where San Franciscans meet at the table.
Join a friend for dinner, pick up food before a free outdoor concert in Golden Gate Park, or grab a coffee and snack and get some work done.
On Irving Street, it’s less about shopping bags and more about showing up hungry to one of San Francisco’s diverse and dynamic neighborhoods.
👉Travel Tip: Come for the Sunday Farmers Market, held year round in the parking lot between 9th & 8th Avenues, off of Irving Street.
Ready to eat?
Let’s go!
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Where Is Irving Street
Walk, bike, bus, or take a Waymo to the intersection of Irving Street and 9th Avenue just south of Golden Gate Park. You’ll be in the thick of it all and can explore the neighborhood easily from there.
The most ‘edible’ stretch of Irving Street is roughly between 5th Avenue and 12th Avenue, but the surrounding side streets and Irving Street further afield are home to more hidden gems and restaurants.
This post would be way too long if I named them all, so you’ll just have to come back a few times to taste all the flavors of the Inner Sunset.
How to Get to Irving Street
Irving Street is one of the easiest neighborhood commercial streets to reach without a car.
Muni Metro: The N Judah streetcar line operates on Irving Street between Arguello Boulevard and 9th Avenue in the Inner Sunset.
Bus: Routes serving the area include the 7 Haight/Noriega and 6 Parnassus.
By car: Street parking is possible but competitive near 9th Avenue. It gets easier as you head west.
📍 Best strategy: rent a bike in Golden Gate Park and keep the experience hassle-free. It’s very close to Irving Street, and pedaling around the park on an e-bike is the ultimate SF experience.
Why Irving Street is One of San Francisco’s Best Dining Districts
Irving Street feels like a giant outdoor food court, where you can’t go wrong with your picks for lunch or dinner.
The dense dining corridor has more than 50 restaurants, cafes, bakeries, bars, etc., making it one of the best places to eat in San Francisco.
Just a few flavors you’ll find on and around Irving Street:
- Vietnamese noodle soups 🍜
- Chinese comfort classics
- worker-owned bakeries
- taquerias
- coffee stops
- submarine sandwiches
- French brunch
- Pizza by the slice
- More!
It’s diverse, authentic, and super casual. Leave your tux and gowns at home, unless you want to pack them. No judgment —this is San Francisco!
Where to Eat on Irving Street in the Inner Sunset
Grab-and-Go Favorites
Perfect for Golden Gate Park picnics, easy-to-pack hiking staples, and take-away lunches and dinners.
Arizmendi Bakery
Worker-owned cooperative bakery known for rotating daily pizza menu (orders slices or the whole pie), excellent pastries and bread, and other picnic-ready snacks. Order online and take your lunch to Golden Gate Park.
Best for: pizza, fresh bread, pastries
Peasant Pies
These are a favorite of mine when I’m dashing home and I don’t want to cook. Toss them in the oven and voila— a hot and savory hand pie meal.
They are filled with seasonal vegetables, meats, and cheeses. They’ll heat them on the spot so it makes a quick and easy lunch stop too.
📍These hand-held pies make excellent picnic provisions for the beach or before a fun Summer of Love E-bike Tour through Golden Gate Park.
Address: 1039 Irving St
Irving Subs
My husband loves a good classic submarine sandwich shop, and Irving Subs makes them delicious, hot and cold, on freshly-baked bread.
Best for: sandwiches to take with you into Golden Gate Park or on a scenic coastal hike in the Presidio
Address: 1228 Irving St
Sit-Down Inner Sunset Dining Favorites
This is where Irving Street really shines.
Yummy Yummy
A neighborhood favorite Vietnamese pho, grilled pork, 5-spiced chicken, imperial rolls, and comforting rice dishes. It’s casual, quick, and tasty.
Best for: pho-style soups and cold-weather comfort meals.
Address: 1015 Irving St
San Tung
Locals line up for San Tung’s famous dry-fried chicken wings, which are crispy, sticky, garlicky, and widely considered some of the best in San Francisco.
The handmade noodles are excellent, and they also serve other northern Chinese dishes.
They’re open for lunch and dinner but closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Address: 1031 Irving St
Art’s Cafe
A family-owned American diner with counter stools, a few outside tables, and almost always a line, especially for their copious breakfasts, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
You’ll also find a handful of Korean specialties on the menu, such as beef or chicken bibimbap, a popular Korean rice bowl topped with meat, assorted sautéed vegetables, a fried egg, and spicy gochujang sauce. Closed on Mondays.
Best for: a satisfying large breakfast after a night out
Address: 747 Irving St
Don’t Miss 9th Avenue Dining
The intersection of Irving Street and 9th Avenue is like the Inner Sunset’s food court, with many great restaurants, bars, and bakeries huddled around this corner.
Fiorella – Sunset
My neighborhood go-to for Italian food, Fiorella feels cozy and welcoming, yet not old-fashioned. The menu leans into Italian-American comfort-forward dishes, with house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas taking center stage. They also have large meal-sized salads.
Best for: lunch and catch up with the girls or family sharing
Address: 1331 9th Ave
Gordo Taqueria
A favorite local spot for casual burritos, tacos, and other Mexican comfort food.
Address: 1239 9th Ave
Best For: Grab-and-go food to pack before a hike in the Presidio or on the beach
Arizmendi Bakery
This worker-owned cooperative bakery serves rotating daily pizzas, pastries, and some of the city’s best sourdough treats.
Best for: pizza-by-the-slice and picnic snacks
Caché
A modern French neighborhood bistro opened in 2025 by chefs with Michelin-starred kitchen backgrounds, serving seasonal dishes inspired by Bay Area ingredients with creative twists on French classics.
Caché is a new French bistro in the Inner Sunset (photo from cache-sf.com)
Best for: weekend brunch or date nights before or after a bike ride through Golden Gate Park
Address: 1331 9th Ave
Coffee, Tea & Dessert Stops in the Inner Sunset
Perfect between meals, or after one—or any time!
San Francisco Hometown Creamery
Family-owned and farm-to-cone, this small-batch creamery with ice cream flavors inspired by what’s in season, and classics like the fresh mint chip, and peanut butter and fudge.
Best for: after dinner treat and hot fall San Francisco days
Address: 1290 9th Ave
Saint Frank Coffee
Named for the beloved Saint Francis (San Francisco’s namesake), who supposedly had a passion for life and a connection with people, this specialty coffee roaster with a bright, modern café atmosphere is always packed with families and work-from-home warriors.
Best for: work -play vacation and mid afternoon pick-me-ups
Address: 744 Irving St
Little Sweet
For an original taste of boba milk tea, Little Sweet does it best, with each drink made to order and usually in vibrant colors — like sky-blue matcha and purple velvet.
Address: 1253 9th Ave
Easy Breezy
An Irving Street stop for frozen yogurt in various flavors, custard swirls, and vegan soft serve.
Best for: vegan ice cream in myriad flavors
Address: 718 Irving St
Irving Street Bars & Nightlife
The Inner Sunset has no shortage of places to unwind after a day out touring San Francisco.
The Temple Bar
This bright red Irish Bar opened in 2024, but its roots date back decades.
Regard,less, the Temple Bar feels like an old friend and will welcome you like one too for karaoke, trivia, music, 21 beers on tap, and pub grub.
Best for: casual drinks, karaoke Mondays, game nights with friends and Irish hospitality
Address: 834 Irving St
The Little Shamrock
Though not on Irving St, this Inner Sunset institution, just a block away, deserves a nod as one of San Francisco’s oldest bars, serving customers on the edge of Golden Gate Park since 1893.
You’ll find dark and cozy dive-bar nostalgia, cold beer on tap, and warm Shammy welcomes. I believe it’s still cash only. Please check ahead if that’s a concern.
Best for: San Francisco nostalgia and beers
Address: 807 Lincoln Way
The Mucky Duck
Catch the big game or shoot some pool at the Inner Sunset’s favorite neighborhood sports bar—the Mucky Duck.
Best for: sports, sports and more sports on TV
Address: 1315 9th Ave
Irving Street may not make every first-time San Francisco itinerary, but that’s part of its appeal.
Life unfolds here over steaming bowls of noodles, bakery boxes carried to the park, and cold brews with friends and a ball game.
Its proximity to Golden Gate Park makes it easy to pair the two activities for a glimpse into the San Francisco locals actually live in, and one that’s impossible not to love once you’ve spent a little time here.
