What to do in San Francisco if you’re here on business (2025)

Maybe you have read Lots of recent news stories about how San Francisco It is a failed city. Our infrastructure is crumbling, our streets are frightening, and our social fabric is torn and frayed. Most of those things are false. Yes, San Francisco has problems, but they are the same problems that nearly every American city faces as they struggle to reorient themselves to our new post-pandemic economic reality. The “death ring” narrative often repeated in the national press is a gross exaggeration.

The truth is, San Francisco is booming. We are at the epicenter of the machine intelligence revolution, where forces of change are attracting technologists, entrepreneurs, and massive venture capitalists to our city like neodymium magnets. The roots of our counterculture are Still SproutThe prevailing spirit is one that encourages free thinkers to make their own way.

The city is small and walkable—just 49 square miles, surrounded by water on three sides—and rich in natural green spaces. It is diverse, with thriving communities in Asia, the Pacific Islands and Latin America. It’s also a space for queer people and a haven for trans and non-binary youth. You’ll be spoiled with culture, mild weather and incredible views from the many famous hilltops.

If you’re coming to town for a job interview, a conference, a VC pitch round, a new job, or if you’re just here to enjoy the good vibes, this is where you should go, what you should do, and how to find the right people for you.

Where do you live?

Union Square Hotels

Courtesy of PaleSociety

417 Stockton Street, (415) 400-0500

You’ll find this entrance at the Palisociety hotel chain located on the edge of Union Square, between the Stockton Tunnel entrance and the massive Apple flagship store in San Francisco. The recently renovated historic building is filled with old charm (including the 110-year-old Otis elevator, one of the city’s oldest) but has modern amenities, like the fact that concierge requests are made and resolved via text message. Bali is also affordable; A single queen room rarely costs more than $150. The second floor is spacious and cool Marine barwhich features a knockout menu of nautical-themed craft cocktails and small plates. Full service Marine Boating Club A restaurant in the back, with a seasonal, seafood-focused (but vegetarian-friendly) menu, is not to be missed either. The neighborhood’s best destinations—the bustling restaurants of Chinatown and the lively bars and nightclubs of North Beach—are within a 10- to 20-minute walk. A short walk in the other direction takes you to the Moscone Convention Center and corporate offices south of Market Street in the SoMa area.

Courtesy of Z Hotels San Francisco

545 Post Street, (415) 563-0303

Across from Union Square, you’ll find this boutique hotel inspired by San Francisco’s history as a rock music hub. Yes, sure, Led Zeppelin is British, but you’ll find plenty of Janis, Jerry, Sly and Carlos on the walls and in the overhead speakers here. On-site amenities are plentiful – a 24-hour game room; Decent burgers at the bar. A sturdy fitness center, goodie bags for pets are welcome — and the location is close to the mid-market area that Uber, Reddit, and countless tech companies call home. Moscone Center and Salesforce Tower are both a 20-minute walk away. There’s a wide range of rooms available, from simple rooms at around $200 to deluxe suites at $350 and up, but even the queen rooms are spacious and funky… in a Summer of Love-via-Urban Outfitters kind of way.

close: Union Square is filled with big-name retailers, but San Francisco’s Theater District extends just steps to the west. There you’ll find traditional Broadway-style musicals, as well as the Warfield Theater, which hosts national titles like TV on the Radio, Garbage, and Earl Sweatshirt. There is good food in every building, but the highlights are Hinodaya Ramen On O’Farrell Street, Sudanese Arabic Menu in From Zul Cafeand two-Michelin-starred fine dining Sons and daughters. Try to get a great seat at the bar Who eats?is currently on the hunt for the best Thai food in San Francisco with a cocktail menu that will leave you losing feeling in your limbs. Get your Guinness in Johnny Foleyone of the nicest Irish pubs in the city. In addition to the giant Apple Store, the five-story Macy’s store, and all the high-end shops surrounding Union Square, the city’s first street. Nintendo The store has just opened on the same corner that Tippi Hedren passes by in the opening shot Birds.

Photo: Smith Collection/Getty Images

181 Third Street, (415) 777-5300

This high-rise building is a favorite place for visiting technology executives and conference attendees, as it is located directly across the street from the sprawling Moscone Center, where the Dreamforce, Workday Rising and Microsoft Ignite conferences are held. The rooms are well-appointed with accessible workspaces, peaceful views of the afternoon mist creeping over Twin Peaks, and prices range from $350 to $550 on most weekend nights. (Prices rise during major conference weeks.) The gym looks like it’s straight out of a Paul Verhoeven movie, but it has plenty of cardio equipment. This branch of the Marriott W hotel chain is a popular venue for corporate meetings, with 17 large event rooms on the lower levels, including a breezy indoor and outdoor terrace.

close: If you’re looking for a more luxurious stay, give it a try St. Regis Hotel Just two blocks from 3rd Street towards downtown. Rooms there start at about $700. This corner of Soma is rich in cultural institutions; the SFMOMA and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts They are located on the same block of 3rd Street as both hotels. Food is also plentiful: try Lao table For Southeast Asian fare Downtown Delarosa For hard pizza and pasta. The Grove It’s a good place for a simple lunch of soup, salad and sandwich, and it’s also the best place in the area for a quick breakfast. For cocktails, try the subterranean Local editionIt’s like a library a novelAnd charming old school House of shields.

12 Fourth Street, (415) 348-1111

When staying in SOMA but venturing a little west, we recommend this beautiful hotel located at the corner of 4th Street and Market Street, directly across the street from the boarding area for the world-famous Powell Street cable car. Zelos has a chic, modern vibe, with big, bold artwork displayed everywhere, even in the rooms. Pets are welcome, and the fitness center has Peloton bikes. Rooms with large beds start at just over $300 per night. hotel restaurant, Dirty habitserves up a bit of extreme California cuisine, but the real draw is its 640-plus bottle whiskey selection. If you can’t decide what to drink, go on one of our curated whiskey flights.

close: Other hotels in the area that we recommend are Intercontinental and Marriott Marquis. Both are comparable in price to Zelos. Food is abundant here. Mythids needs to try the burger at Marlowea 15-minute stroll down 4th Street. We don’t recommend going any further west than 7th Street, as things get risky after dark, but if you head down 6th Street, you’ll find great Vietnamese food. Vietnamese fig Modern and new, and Miss Saigon It’s some delicious fatty food with an atmosphere that can best be described as Santa’s Electric Acid Garden. For happy hour, go to The clown At Mint Plaza or try Press Clubone of the best wine bars in downtown San Francisco. The Powell Street cable car will take you on a surreal ride up and over Russian Hill (right next to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s mansion) and all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf, where you can spot sea lions, watch tourists, and watch your wallet.

Work and meeting spaces

San Francisco is full of coworking spaces; It is the land of startups, after all. There are plenty of WeWorks and established coworking brands out there — especially downtown and in Mid Market — but here are a few locations we recommend trying first.

Courtesy of Noisebridge

272 Cap Street

This is not your typical co-working space of desks and chairs. Noisebridge is a community of makers, hackers, DIY advocates, and hands-on creatives of all stripes. To enter, go to the door on a side street in the Mission District, ring the bell, then wait a few minutes (actually, maybe several minutes) for a volunteer member to greet you. Inside you’ll find desks, work benches, Wi-Fi, tools, and manufacturing equipment, all free to use. If you’re looking for a place to polish your 3D printed prototype, a circuit board for your next hardware demo, or sew some LEDs into your Burning Man clothing, Noisebridge is the place. It’s a place where you’ll find your inspiration, a place that’s queer-friendly, skeptical, and a little punk rock.

595 Pacific Street, plus two other locations

If you’re going to be there for a week or two, check out one of the city’s three Canopy spaces. It’s very comfortable, with office furniture designed by Herman Miller and August, and the perks are plentiful. Canopy’s business model is geared toward longer stays; You pay monthly, either for your own office ($1,100) or a space at the community table ($700). If you’re only in town for a week or two, the best deal is the hybrid membership: $445 for any 10 days a month. Small conference rooms and meeting rooms are also available.

1540 Market Street, (415) 463-3998

This brightly appointed, calm and lively space in San Francisco’s Mid Market district is the best place to go if you only need an office for a day or two. Memberships are available for longer stays, but a single-day pass is only $25, and you get a discount if you purchase a three-day pass. The Anchor has a tidy kitchen, private phone booths, free printing, and even a podcast studio.

Ferry Building, 1, Suite 201

Climb to the top floor of the historic Ferry Building on San Francisco’s waterfront to find Shack15. This spacious, exclusive and always busy space is as much a community hub as it is a co-working space. There are two large rooms, one quiet and filled with desks, the other more social. Evening events range from book readings to DJ sets to yoga sound baths. It’s a members-only club, but you can apply for a day pass or ask a member to bring you as a guest for a day. The public is generally well-connected and well-funded with venture capital money; Keep your playground surface handy.

The best cafes and offices

The city’s café culture isn’t as strong as New York or Portland, but we have excellent coffee and comfortable places where you can work all day. Just know that some cafes intentionally avoid using Wi-Fi and disable their electrical conduits to prevent remote workers from staying put. However, most will welcome you with open arms as long as you keep buying new refills, and keep tipping generously.

Photograph: San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

181 Fremont Street, 7th floor (415) 375-5984

This café is located in a building right next to Salesforce Park, a funky urban green space on the roof of the city’s large bus station next to the city’s tallest skyscraper, the Salesforce Tower. It sounds strange, but the ambience is more like a “sun-dappled green oasis” than a “rooftop café.” Andytown is a local roaster with several locations around town, and the coffee drinks here are excellent. This location has plenty of indoor seating, some outdoor seating, and good WiFi.

3049 20th Street

Located in the heart of the neighborhood where all the city’s AI companies have set up camp, the Atlas has been around since long before the Web 1.0 boom. The simple, spacious café with indoor tables and a covered patio serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it’s open until early evening — an anomaly in a city where cafés close at 3 p.m. The food is delicious. Try the grilled Cubano, the smoked trout sandwich, or one of the many vegetarian options.

375 Valencia Street, (415) 935-0604

If you just need a clean, well-lit place to work and don’t need Wi-Fi, visit Four Barrel, one of our many roastery cafés, and among the best in San Francisco. Coffee drinks are complemented by delicious pastries, and the tasting bar near the front door often serves rare single-origin roasts. The park on Valencia Street, with e-bikes and driverless robotaxis passing by, is a popular place for casual one-on-one meetings.