As an Irish woman who has spent the better part of the last decade in San Francisco, there is a lot that I have grown to love about American culture. The Giants are now my team, I can deal with having ranch dressing as a side to everything, and I’m even toying with the idea of sending a personalized holiday card this year. But of all the charms in my adopted home, brunch is my hands-down favorite. You guys do it right.
All expats miss their comfort food, though, and we Irish are no exception. Thankfully in a city swarming with my countrymen, there are several fine establishments around town that serve up a mean Irish breakfast almost as good as mam made it.
An Irish breakfast resonates most deeply with Irish folks in two different stages of life. First, when we are young and handed a brimming plate the size of our heads on a Sunday morning, which meant that we probably weren’t getting fed again for several hours. A breakfast fit for a longshoreman would be plopped in front of us and eaten without hesitation in record speed.
The second life stage of the Irish breakfast comes when we start getting hangovers. The sheer soakage power in a proper plate of the stuff will most certainly help quiet the tiny monkey that is playing its symbol inside our brains.
Bacon plays a huge part in a delicious Irish brekkie. Irish- or British-style bacon is made from a combination of pork belly (which is what a traditional cut of bacon is here in the U.S.) and pork loin with plenty of fatty pieces to tie them together. To me, this is what makes or breaks a good breakfast — that and a really nice cup of tea.
So as an Irish girl who makes her home in San Francisco, here are my favorite spots to eat an Irish breakfast in the city. Feel free to share yours in the comments.
BEACHSIDE COFFEE BAR AND KITCHEN CAFÉ
A perfect spot to grab a breakfast roll, which is basically a full Irish breakfast served inside fluffy bread. This place is located right next to the beach in the Outer Sunset, giving you plenty of options for a post-hangover walk. Beachside Café has indoor and outdoor seating, great coffee, and plenty of other dining options on the menu in case your group isn’t on the breakfast bandwagon.
FIDDLER’S GREEN
I am 10 years into a love affair with this Fisherman’s Wharf establishment. The breakfast here is on point; the bacon is streaky, the soda bread is house made, and the staff is friendly and welcoming. Skip the tourists and grab an Irish coffee here instead of around the corner. Fiddler’s serves breakfast seven days a week.
PHOENIX IRISH PUB
The Phoenix is an unpretentious, cozy spot in the Mission. The full Irish breakfast here consists of bacon, sausage, potatoes, eggs, baked beans, grilled tomato, and black pudding served with house-made soda bread that’s as good as it gets. It has a full bar, a killer Bloody Mary, and a decent tap selection. If you can snag a high top at the front, it’s the perfect people-watching spot on Valencia Street.
DURTY NELLY’S
Durty Nelly’s has quite possibly the best pint of Guinness in the city. A full Irish breakfast is served here on the weekends, but if you ask nicely the chef will whip one up any day of the week. This cozy bar is a great example of a neighborhood spot that serves the Sunset Irish set their Sunday hangover helper.
THE LIBERTIES
The Liberties offers a belly-filling Irish breakfast on the weekends. I work in the Mission, and this beastly morning meal has saved my life on several occasions. I rank it as having the best black pudding in the city.
COPPER KETTLE IRISH BISTRO & BAKERY
A family-run operation. Fresh baked soda bread and soda farls daily. Copper Kettle even serves mini Irish breakfasts if the regular-sized one seems overwhelming. If it’s a little late in the day for a breakfast here, you can order Irish curry fries that are too legit to quit.
Notable mentions:Andytown serves up some delicious soda farls with cheese and bacon. Martin Macks will be serving up traditional Irish breakfasts to the Haight Street masses in April.
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Photo of Durty Nelly's Irish breakfast by Odhran McLaughlin