24 Hours Eating San Francisco's Most FAMOUS Food!

San Francisco is one of America’s most famous food cities, but this was the episode that surprised me the most. In this episode of my 2026 World Cup food series, I’m in San Francisco, California, to find out whether this legendary food city deserves its reputation as one of the best places to eat in America. San Francisco has always had a serious food identity. Seafood, sourdough, old-school institutions, Italian-American classics, Mission burritos, Chinatown, North Beach, counter dining, proper neighbourhood restaurants and some of the most influential food spots in the country. It is a city with history on every corner, but I wanted to find out what eating here actually feels like today. I start at Swan Oyster Depot, one of San Francisco’s great food institutions and a place famously loved by Anthony Bourdain. This tiny seafood counter has been around for generations, serving oysters, crab, smoked salmon and proper old-school hospitality in a way that feels completely untouched by time. Then I head to Golden Boy Pizza in North Beach for one of San Francisco’s most famous slices. This one did not quite land for me, but I’ll be honest, I probably ordered badly. Sometimes the hype is real and you just catch the wrong thing on the wrong day. After that, I visit Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, one of the most talked-about pizzerias in America, to review another San Francisco pizza institution. Again, it was not my favourite pizza of the trip. Mine came a little burnt and did not quite hit the heights I was expecting, but that is part of the journey. Not every famous spot can be a knockout. From there, things properly turn around at Deli Board, where I try some of the best sandwiches I’ve had in America. The 49er was absolutely incredible, stacked, messy, full of flavour and exactly the sort of food that makes you understand why people get obsessed with this city. Then I head into the Mission District for a proper Mission burrito from El Farolito, one of San Francisco’s most iconic late-night food spots. Huge tortilla, rice, beans, meat, salsa, cheese, avocado, all wrapped into one of the great American regional dishes. And finally, I finish at Zuni Café for their famous roast chicken, one of the most celebrated dishes in San Francisco. Simple on paper, but cooked with the kind of care that turns a roast chicken into something people travel across the world to eat. I did not fall in love with San Francisco in the same way I did with some of the other cities on this tour, but that is what made this episode interesting. It was not a perfect food day, but it was a proper experience. Some disappointments, some huge wins, and a city that still has one of the strongest food identities in America. This is part of my 16-part series travelling to every 2026 FIFA World Cup host city in North America to find out which city has the best food. I’ve already visited New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Miami and Toronto, and now I’m in San Francisco to see how one of America’s most iconic food cities compares. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro: San Francisco 00:33 - Swan Oyster Depot 01:41 - Oysters & Crab 02:41 - Smoked Salmon 04:52 - Golden Boy Pizza 05:28 - Tony’s Pizza 06:50 - Deli Board 10:01 - Mission Burrito 11:43 - Zuni Café 14:43 - Roast Chicken 15:38 - Bob’s Donuts 17:20 - Final Verdict