GREAT EATS HAWAII: SUTRO'S AT THE CLIFF HOUSE

Saturday, December 1, 2012

SUTRO'S AT THE CLIFF HOUSE

SUTRO'S AT THE CLIFF HOUSE

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

SUTRO'S AT THE CLIFF HOUSE
1090 POINT LOBOS
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121
415-386-3330
www.cliffhouse.com
Check website for Hours

On a absolutely stunning warm and sunny day in November we enjoyed an incredible lunch at Sutro's with some of our dearest friends. It is just amazing that this place exists just minutes from the hustle and bustle of downtown San Francisco. So many times we have visited San Francisco and never left the city. This trip our friends made sure that they drove us to some of their favorite places in and out of the city. They have lived a lifetime here and wanted to share their history with us. We went down small streets and saw the house they grew up in, the shop and hospital where they worked. The schools they attended and the hilly streets where Tom would walk for hours delivering goods to the neighborhood families. As we drove through the many neighborhoods around San Francisco a lifetime unfolded before our eyes. Two people that grew up in the city and have now spent decades together were sharing their story and life with me and my family. How did we get so lucky I thought. To have friends like this and be here at this moment in time. A moment where I have never seen them so happy and content. A moment that delivered to me the meaning of friendship. A moment that I will never forget. Our journey led us to Sutro's at the Cliff House. An amazing restaurant overlooking the Pacific ocean and filled with San Francisco history. The restaurant views are beautiful. As soon as you walk down to Suto's you are greeted with a panoramic view of the ocean. The Cliff House has a number of venues to drink and dine. There is a bar and a Bistro in addition to Sutro's. Whether you are looking to have breakfast, lunch, dinner or just drinks, the Cliff House has you covered. This is a newly renovated modern version of the Cliff House. The original structure was built in 1863. In its day, the Cliff House welcomed three U.S. Presidents as well as prominent San Francisco families such as the Hearsts, Stanfords and Crockers. Wealthy San Franciscans flocked to the coast to enjoy the unique restaurant and spectacular views. The restaurant was renovated in 1868 and soon became the meeting place for local politicians as well as less savory citizens from the Barbary Coast. High society locals abandoned the Cliff House and it became known for some scandalous behavior, which greatly disturbed Adoph Sutro, a self-made millionaire philanthropist, and later Mayor of San Francisco who had built his estate overlooking the Cliff House. Sutro purchased the Cliff House in 1883. In 1887, the Cliff House was severely damaged when the schooner Parallel, abandoned and loaded with dynamite, ran aground on the rocks below. The explosion destroyed much of the Cliff House and was heard all over the Bay Area. In 1894 a chimney fire destroyed the building on Christmas day. (note: history from the Cliff House websiste) Today the Cliff House is a modern structure with lots of glass. It has lost that old historic look and feel that you see in the old photographs. As you enter the building there is a gift shop adjacent to the entrance. We went downstairs to Sutro's and were greeting with a panoramic view that literally takes your breath away. You are drawn to the floor to ceiling windows that display the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Nothing else seems to get your attention but the view. We were seated at a great table at the end of the dining room right next to the window. The staff here was courteous and professional. When we asked to split a salad and entree, the answer was yes of course. I thoroughly enjoyed the Sutro's "Louie" with dungeness crab and shrimp.