queer-owned business guide to san francisco

I am co-writing this piece with a dear friend of mine, (if you don’t know him of him already, you are missing out). mattias and I met through the power of the internet and consider myself so lucky to know him. he has shown me and told me about so many different parts of the bay area, from the best underground food spots, to how to have fun by yourself. he is the true embodiment of a ray of sunshine and I consider myself so lucky to be his friend

a note from mattias:

I am SO honored to be collaborating on this guide with Su! Since meeting two years ago, I have felt the warmth she carries and her genuine & infectious kindness. It truly pours into everything she creates!

I’ve been creating content online for over 3 years now and have gone through so many different focuses, but nothing has been more rewarding than spotlighting local businesses in San Francisco with passionate owners and playing even a small part in their growth. This city has always been a place where community shows up for community and that deserves to be celebrated!

some background before we get started:

san francisco’s queer history doesn’t start with a parade. it starts in 1966, three years before stonewall, at a 24 hour diner in the tenderloin called compton’s cafeteria. trans women and drag queens used to gather there because it was one of the only places in the city that would let them. when the staff started calling the cops just to clear them out for existing, a group of regulars finally said no. they fought back with coffee cups and high heels and whatever was on the table, and it became one of the first recorded uprisings for trans rights in this country. that block is now part of the transgender district, the first legally recognized one in the world, and it’s six blocks away from where some of us are getting coffee this week without thinking twice about it.

I bring that up because it’s easy to treat pride like a party, rainbow flags and a parade route and a fun outfit. san francisco’s identity as a queer city was built by people who had almost nothing and refused to disappear anyway. this city taught the rest of the country what visibility could look like, what community care could look like, what it meant to build a neighborhood out of people who felt outcasted. the castro, the tenderloin, parts of the mission, they’re not just fun places to go out or where the best food scene is; they’re the result of decades of people choosing to stay and build something here when it would have been easier to hide

so this guide is my small way of saying thank you to the people still doing that work today, the ones running cafes and bars and bookstores and flower shops that exist because someone decided sf deserved more queer owned spaces, not fewer. every spot on this list is currently open, currently queer owned, and currently worth your money. pride weekend is the loudest moment to show up for them, but honestly the goal is that keep returning and get to know your neighbor’s. let’s get into it:

coffee + morning

pinhole coffee (bernal heights) - the neighborhood cafe everyone on this stretch of cortland swears by, the kind of place where the barista knows your order by your second visit. it’s become an anchor for a whole little strip of queer-owned businesses on this block

equator coffees (multiple locations) - one of the largest lgbtq-owned coffee companies in the bay area, co-founded by helen russell. the coffee is excellent and consistent (everyone is currently obsessed with their banana latte)

bites

hilda and jesse (north beach) - michelin-starred and queer-owned, run by rachel sillcocks and ollie k.c. liedags with so much care in every plate

anchor oyster bar (castro) - a castro institution since 1977, now backed by a michelin bib gourmand to make it official. small, unpretentious, and exactly the kind of place that earns its longevity (my favorite seafood spot in the city!!!!)

brenda’s french soul food (civic center) - the kind of place that earns “legendary”, open daily and always full for a reason. chef brenda buenviaje built something that’s outlasted a lot of polk street’s churn

canela bistro & wine bar (duboce) - spanish tapas, 80 wines, and gf options if you’re like me and need that built in. great for a long, lingering dinner that doesn’t feel rushed

boichik bagels (multiple locations) - queer-founded by emily winston, new york-style bagels that hold their own against any east coast comparison. the bagel order is non negotiable, get there early before the good ones sell out

hed verythai (downtown) - trans-founded by billie wannajaro, a former thai beauty queen turned restaurateur, serving khao gaeng style curry-and-rice trays

little bee baking (bernal heights) - tiny bakery, big payoff, right next door to pinhole for an easy pairing. everything’s small batch, which means it sells out, which means go early

dolores park cafe (mission) - your built-in pre or post dolores park pit stop, casual and reliable. grab something to go and find your spot on the grass

hot cookie (castro) - an actual castro landmark, the cookies are a vibe and so are the underwear hanging in the window. it’s silly and a little chaotic in the best way, very on brand for the neighborhood

hila gelato (mission) - sicilian gelato made completely from scratch by a queer woman owner, with the whole shop running on solar power. the flavors rotate based on what’s actually good right now, and the italian custard has a finish that lingers for days

nosh box (soma) - a bright pink coffee and wine spot tucked into soma’s leather and lgbtq cultural district, gay-owned and a steady presence through years of construction on this block. think fresh baked goods, california wines, and noshes pulled straight from the farmers market

café de olla (mission) - an immigrant and lgbtq owned oaxacan cafe built on real family recipes, tamales, tlayudas, mole, and the namesake coffee brewed in a clay pot with cinnamon and piloncillo

bars + drinks

twin peaks tavern (castro) - sf landmark status since 2013, recognized as the first gay bar with floor-to-ceiling windows, a major act of visibility back in the 1970s. the history here is genuinely moving, this is a bar that helped change what it meant to be seen

the lookout (castro) - a beloved castro bar with a wraparound balcony overlooking market street, karaoke nights and drag brunch included. it’s the kind of spot that works whether you’re starting your night or ending it

casements (mission) - a solid mission hang that’s good for groups and good for a low-key weeknight drink. unpretentious in the best mission tradition

hi tops (castro) - the castro’s gay sports bar, game day energy with a crowd that actually came to watch. they have the best wings!!!!!

beaux (castro) - a dependable castro night out, the kind of bar you default to when you want a sure thing. easy to recommend without overthinking it

shops + lifestyle

sui generis designer consignment (castro) - queer-owned luxury resale, think chanel and prada at actual resale prices, open daily. a genuine win for anyone who wants the fashion pillar without the markup

arcana (mission) - founded by iranian asylum seeker and queer activist naz khorram as a kind of mystical shared living room, part urban greenhouse, part tea house, part gallery and event space. it’s unlike anything else in the city!

ampersand (duboce) - queer-owned flower boutique with funky, vibrant arrangements that don’t look like anyone else’s. an easy little luxury moment, especially if you need a gift that doesn’t feel like a gift

nigella (downtown) - botanical boutique known for turning blooms into something closer to art. newer to the scene but already making a name for itself

acme floral co. (hayes valley) - another flower stop worth the detour, with the kind of arrangements that make hayes valley feel even more put together. a nice add if you’re already shopping the neighborhood

cliff’s variety (castro) - the castro’s answer to a hardware store that’s also a gift shop that’s also a full vibe. you’ll walk in for one thing and leave with five

books + culture

fabulosa books (castro) - a three-time best bookstore winner and the castro’s literary heart, with a curated queer selection you won’t find stacked the same way anywhere else. the kind of shop worth slowing down in

dog eared books (mission) - a valencia street fixture, always worth a browse whether you’re hunting for something specific or just killing time. the used section alone can eat an hour

Thank you all so much for reading! Let me know what I missed!!I hope everyone is having an amazing sunday, xoxo.

Love Always,

Su

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