West Portal Neighborhood

In addition to Parkside and the Outer Sunset, West Portal is one of three main neighborhoods tucked away in the hills of southwestern San Francisco. Some tourists may never see it, and not because it’s blanketed in fog for much of the year. The area is somewhat off on its own, connected to the thicker downtown crowds through the West Portal Muni Metro Station. But don’t spread the word too much, because that’s just the way most residents want to keep it.

A great many who call the greater Bay Area home only know “West Portal” as words on the Muni map. But with a bustling row of unique neighborhood shops, restaurants and a theater gathered along the district hub of West Portal Avenue, the area boasts some good buys and delicious eats well worthy of a regular visit. Eateries include Toasties, claiming the "best crab sandwich in San Francisco," and the Squat & Gobble Cafe & Crepery, and shops include West Portal Antiques, Irish Delights and White Rose Boutique. The businesses here are said to have a retro feel, and many of the spaces still contain '50s-era architectural details.

Outside of the avenue, West Portal is for the most part residential, with a middle-class population that takes pride in keeping the larger chain stores from leeching all the character from their neighborhood. Some of the bigger coffee shops and chains have begun to establish themselves in recent years, but family-owned businesses still dominate.

Nearby haunts include Twin Peaks and Ocean Beach, both just a quick drive away. Back in the day, West Portal used to be covered in the sand dunes that can only be seen at the beach today. Neighborhood lore has it that Hollywood directors once shot their desert scenes in the once-desolate neighborhood, creating the illusion that the sand dunes stretched to the horizon.

HelloSanFrancisco Tip: While you’re in the general area, you can get a feel for the Parkside and Outer Sunset neighborhoods with a drive down their primary streets, Taraval and Irving.

- by Renee M. Rutledge, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Renee M. Rutledge

Renee M. Rutledge currently writes articles on local travel and culture for Red Tricycle, Parents' Press, Oakland Magazine, and Alameda Magazine.