Awesome gift certificate in SF?

December 22, 2005 8:14 AM

San Francisco Filter: What would you recommend as a local gift certificate for 2 people moving to San Francisco early next year?

It's for a Christmas present, range $75-100 or so, but flexible. Nice places to eat, must-shop local businesses, etc. Bonus points if it can be bought online.

posted by true to shopping (17 comments total)

I've been out of the Bay Area for a few years, so I can't help a ton, but I can tell you XOX Truffles (in North Beach) is really amazing. I'm not sure how well-known it is within SF/outside of SF, but I promise they're absolutely fantastic.
posted by JMOZ at 8:39 AM on December 22, 2005

What about museum memberships? The new DeYoung just opened, or there's SFMOMA.
posted by occhiblu at 9:08 AM on December 22, 2005

Tickets to Beach Blanket Babylon + dinner at a nearby North Beach restaurant.
posted by SoftSummerBreeze at 9:10 AM on December 22, 2005

I'm actually currently on a weeklong vacation to San Francisco, so I can give you some ideas from recent experience.

If your friends are into theater, I highly recommend the American Conservatory Theater on Geary Street near Union Square. It is an absolutely beautiful theater, with an amazing production crew and a very talented case of regulars. Just last night I attended a production of A Christmas Carol, and it was one of the better theater experiences that I've had in my life.

Biscuits and Blues is also a neat experience if your friends would be into a live blues performance. They have a beautiful facility, with great food and an amazing house band, The Fat Tuesday Band. I recommend their chicken jambalaya.

Some other cool ideas for gift certificates could include:
- Dottie's True Blue Cafe, for a diner-style breakfast treat.
- A Muni Pass, for unlimited usage of San Francisco's magnificent public transit system.
- Frisson, for a fine dining exprience.
- Restaraunt Gary Danko, for an even finer dining experience.
- In-Symmetry, for a world-renowned spa.
- An enormous Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany & Co. are among the shopping possibilities in the Union Square area.
- Jardiniere for French, Bistro Yoffi for Mediterranean, Cafe Tiramisu for Italian, and Chez Panisse for Californian dining.

Perhaps I could make better recommendations if I had a better description of the type of thing that the couple would enjoy better?
posted by charmston at 9:17 AM on December 22, 2005

The museum membership is a great idea - we're members of the SFMOMA and its great to just find yourself in the neighborhood and pop in.
There are soooo many great restaurants in this city it would be hard to pick just one without knowing what they like or maybe you know in which part of town they'll be living?
No offense to SoftSummerBreeze but I'd skip BBB. Its a touristy thing more than a locals thing.
posted by Wolfie at 9:21 AM on December 22, 2005

I second GD and Chez Panisse, as well as first Farallon (also).

Restaurants are easy in SF, there's a ton worth spending money at, but without knowing ANYTHING about their habits, hobbies or preferences that's the best I can do.
posted by kcm at 10:28 AM on December 22, 2005

Thanks all for the help - I left it pretty vague on purpose; I wouldn't have even thought of the museum pass but that is perfect, and right in my price range.

Other than the collected opinions so far, any votes for DeYoung or SFMOMA?
posted by true at 11:15 AM on December 22, 2005

DeYoung also gets you into the Legion of Honor, where the Rodin sculptures are, if that helps. I haven't seen the artwork at the DeYoung yet; SFMOMA is all contemporary & modern (as the name might imply...)

I would say: DeYoung if they would prefer more classical/traditional art; SFMOMA if they like contemporary/modern.
posted by occhiblu at 11:26 AM on December 22, 2005

The Asian Art Museum is also awesome, and is offering a handsome holiday gift package at all membership levels.
posted by trip and a half at 11:36 AM on December 22, 2005

If they are coffee fiends, Ritual Roasters would be nice.
posted by shoepal at 11:56 AM on December 22, 2005

I actually gave SFMOMA memberships as gifts one year. Everyone loved them! Good call true/occhiblu.
posted by shoepal at 11:58 AM on December 22, 2005

SFMOMA is awesome because then they'll hit the gift shop and find the best place ever to buy their own presents for people.
posted by kcm at 11:59 AM on December 22, 2005

The de Young and Asian Art Museum participate in a reciprocal membership program. If you give them membership of over $100 (Contributor at the Asian, Contributing at the de Young) you get memberships at a bunch of museums across the country. Including where I work! I would recommend the de Young, personally.
posted by modofo at 12:30 PM on December 22, 2005

$75-$100? How about six minutes worth of rent! Ha ha!

I am not a comedian.

I always recommend Trattoria Contadina. The $75-$100 gift certificate will get you an appetizer, main course, dessert, and a bottle of good wine.

It is by far the best Italian food in North Beach, which is saying a lot. Everyone I've recommended there now goes back at some regular interval. It tends to be "for the locals" (I got referred by a neighbor), and yet close enough to central North Beach to go walk around and see the sights after dinner.

I'm not sure if you can buy gift certificates online, but call them and they will accommodate you, they've always been exceptionally helpful to me.
posted by symphonik at 3:01 PM on December 22, 2005

Another (belated) offbeat suggestion. One or two punch cards for the Red Vic Movie House. A card is $25 and is good for four admissions.
posted by picklebird at 4:25 PM on December 22, 2005

Giants gift cards if they're into baseball
posted by culberjo at 7:41 PM on December 22, 2005

Teatro ZinZanni.
posted by anarcation at 1:11 AM on December 23, 2005