Bernal Heights is a cute, eclectic neighborhood of San Francisco that was once very working class, but is becoming quickly gentrified. Sister to the Castro, this neighborhood south of Mission Valley is very popular with the lesbian community. The main commercial drag is located along Cortland Ave.

Get in

Bernal Heights is served by a number of San Francisco MUNI bus routes. Running along the western border of the neighborhood, the 14 Mission and 49 Van Ness buses provide convenient access from downtown areas as well as north-central neighborhoods such as Pacific Heights and the Tenderloin. The 67 Bernal Heights service runs through much of Bernal Heights and connect to the BART system at the 24th Street Station. The 24 Divisadero runs along Cortland Avenue and provides service to both the Bayview neighborhood to the south and Noe Valley and the Castro to the west and northwest respectively. The 23 Monterey runs along Crescent Avenue in the southern part of Bernal and connects to Glen Park (which has its own BART station) and the Sunset District.

See

• The Hill. There is really only one "attraction" in Bernal Heights, and that's the hill itself. The top is more than 40 acres of grassy open space, with views of the San Francisco Bay and Mt. Diablo to the east, downtown San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin to the north, Twin Peaks and Noe Valley to the west and a rise of hills leading up to San Bruno Mountain in the south. People come and run their dogs here and watch eclipses, sunrises, sunsets, the Blue Angels and wildlife. There's a red-tailed hawk. There used to be a celebrated coyote in 2003; who knows if it's still there? There are nooks and crannies and stairs and weeds and it's a big, big, well-loved back yard.

• The Neighborhood. It's cute, and if you like to ramble and look at pretty houses and get a leg workout, it's a fine place to spend the afternoon.

Do

• Bernal Yoga, 461 Cortland Ave., If what you want in a yoga studio is a lot of hot, tight young bodies bending away in spandex, well, Bernal Yoga has that. But it's also got a lot of older practioners, less fit practitioners, moms-to-be and moms-returning-to-shape, and a set of instructors that really know the meaning of "all levels classes." The soulful, welcoming, peaceful community is run by sister-and-brother team Savonn and Bill Wyland, who keep things varied with frequent guest instructors and quarterly literary events, which attract nationally-known poets and fiction writers.

Buy

• Alemany Farmers Market, 100 Alemany Blvd., Forget Ferry Plaza, unless you just can't live without the high prices and the most fashionable vegetables. San Francisco's original 1943 farmer's market is where it's at. It was founded by the Victory Garden Council as a WWII ag-surplus depot! Rock-bottom cheap, we-picked-it-at-3-a.m. fresh, it's where elderly Asian ladies swarm piles of fresh peanuts and carefully pick out the live chicken to bring home. It has the hurdy-gurdy lady, flowers at unbelievable prices and a really stellar selection of basic fruits, nuts, tubers and vegetables, and exotic Asian produce. There aren't that many organic farmers, but there are some. Get there early for salad greens and Euro-American vegetables, as these go fast. The fish market is mixed but sometimes has good local catches.

• Good Life Grocery, 448 Cortland Ave., People tend to have a love-hate relationship with this grocery store on the busy Cortland/Andover corner. One one hand, it's a fine, managably-sized market with all the quality brands of pasta, meat, dairy, condiments, juices, vegetarian staples, etc. that you would hope for in a neighborhood with a significant upscale, foodie population. On the other hand, the prices are high, and it would be really nice to be able to purchase a woman's razor blade or non-natural hair conditioner. Great wine selection and recommendations, though.

Eat

• Hunan Chef, 519 Cortland Ave., A great local and simple Chinese place. Hunan Chef has been servicing Bernal Heights for many years. The usual American-Chinese fare, along with a pretty extensive vegetarian offering. The vegetarian General's chicken is a favorite among some Bernal Heights locals. The Hot and Sour Soup is perfect for any cold and rainy day. Service is great. Most of the food prepared is wrapped up for take-out. Beer/Wine available. Good Value.

• Liberty Cafe, 410 Cortland Ave., This is one of those places that would be perfect for a business lunch, a dinner with visiting family or any other time you want relaxed elegance. The reviews about its pot pies are quite true. They're better than your mother used to make. There's a tiny narrow walkway to a back courtyard and cottage that's a bakery for your baguettes, cafe au lait, warm raspberry bran muffins and brioches by day, and a wine bar by night. The post-yoga crowd goes there for their coffee, as opposed to Progressive Grounds and Martha & Bros.

• Martha & Bros, 745 Cortland Ave., Hands down, the strongest coffee on the strip. Martha & Bros. is part of a six-shop San Francisco chain. The smiling, mostly Hispanic female staff, crack-of-dawn hours [it opens at 5:30 a.m.], big pastries and reasonable prices make the place a favorite of newspaper readers, working men and the California Highway Patrol.

• Moki's Sushi & Pacific Grill, 830 Cortland Ave., This peach-walled fish chop shop serves fun maki rolls, including a variety with tempura'd ingredients. Its also got killer barbeque spare ribs with wasabi mashed potatoes and steamed greens on its small-plates menu. A good time, often packed, so get there early.

• Moonlight Cafe, 634 Cortland Ave., A creperie with some great taste sensations. The toasted bagels with cream cheese, sun-dried tomato and cucumber are perfect, as is the lavender or ginger lemonade. It's not the best coffee on the block, but it's good enough not to turn you away if you're craving their food.

• Progressive Grounds, 400 Cortland Ave, A perfect Bernal Heights cafe. Serves up some great coffee drinks and a good selection of salads and lavash wrapped sandwiches. The hummus will make anyone think twice about buying hummus from a grocery store again. Great service. A great place for all types and ages. Kids have their fun with Enzo and his assorted instruments every Sunday. PG also has a nice garden space in the back.

• Valentina Restorante, 419 Cortland Ave., Bernal Height's romantic Italian restaurant, where at times every single table is a land of mingling glances. The food is delicious, if not that exciting. The staff knows that when you order a primi and a secundi, that they should bring the pasta first and the meat second and let you share both.

• VinoRosso, 629 Cortland Avenue (At Anderson Street) A great little wine bar with emphasis on Italian varieties.

Drink

• Wild Side West, 424 Cortland Ave., Although technically a lesbian bar, this neighborhood watering hole welcomes all. Inexpensive beer flows from the taps. In the winter time, a fire burns in the main room, which includes a small pool table. But the most interesting aspect to this bar is the outside garden in the back, best enjoyed on warmer days and nights. The garden is heavily decorated with sculptures and lights. Find a nook to cuddle up with a loved one while sipping a drink.

• Skip's Tavern, 453 Cortland Ave., Live blues music spills from this dive located in the heart of Bernal Heights. Come play pool or darts.

• Chaise Lounge, 309 Cortland Ave., For many years known as "Charlie's", this bar had a reputation as a very rough dive until a major renovation in 2002. The clientele instantly changed to reflect the increasingly affluent, middle-class demographic of the neighborhood. After another change in ownership in 2005, another subtle shift in clientele now favored a younger lesbian crowd, although the bar is welcoming to both straight and gay patrons. One notable feature is a cozy secret room in the back area. Chaise Lounge features a wide array of hard liquor and a diverse but small selection of draft beer.

• VinoRosso, 629 Cortland Avenue (At Anderson Street) A great little wine bar with emphasis on Italian varieties

Sleep

Contact