Neighborhood
Potrero Hill
Sunny, residential and creative, with skyline views and neighborhood favorites.
About Potrero Hill
Potrero Hill is a sunny hilltop of small houses and big views, a neighborhood that grew up around shipyards and light industry and was settled by Russian and Slovenian families after 1906, when the hill's bedrock spared it from the worst of the quake.
It sits above the fog line, which is the most important thing about it. When downtown is grey and the Sunset is socked in, Potrero is often in full sun, and the view from the crest takes in the whole skyline and both bridges.
The commercial life is a couple of blocks on 18th Street. It is quiet, residential, and unusually pleasant to walk if you do not mind the grade.
Our neighborhood lines are based on DataSF's Analysis Neighborhoods, adjusted where visitors use a smaller area or a different name: Dogpatch and Fisherman's Wharf stand on their own, and the Richmond and the Sunset are each kept whole.
How Far Is It?
- Union Square2.5 mi · 10–15 min drive, 25 min by bus
- Golden Gate Park5 mi · 20 min drive
- Fisherman's Wharf4.5 mi · 15–20 min drive
- Golden Gate Bridge7 mi · 20 min drive
- SFO airport12 mi · 15–20 min drive
Getting here: The 22-Fillmore runs along 16th and 18th toward Mission Bay, the 10 and 19 serve the hill, and the 48 clips the south side. The nearest BART stations are 16th Street Mission and Glen Park, both a bus ride away, and the 22nd Street Caltrain station is at the bottom of the hill.
What to See
The Vermont Street Crooked Block
Seven switchbacks, steeper than Lombard Street and with almost nobody on it.
McKinley Square
A hilltop park with a playground, an off-leash dog area and a community garden that dates to the 1970s.
The 18th Street Corridor
Six or seven blocks with the neighborhood’s cafés, restaurants and small shops.
Skyline Views from the Crest
No official overlook needed; the street corners do the work.
Anchor Brewing
The 1896 brewery has been closed since 2023, with talk of a revival but no confirmed reopening. Worth a look from outside; do not plan a tour.
Jackson Playground
Ballfields, courts and a big renovated play area on the north slope.
Things to Do
Jackson Playground
The biggest play space in the neighborhood, with fields and courts alongside it.
McKinley Square
A smaller playground with a far better view, and the community garden next door.
Monday Night at Goat Hill Pizza
All-you-can-eat sourdough pizza night, with young children eating free. A neighborhood institution.
Walk the Vermont Street Switchbacks
Ten minutes, and more turns than Lombard with none of the queue.
Chase Center and Mission Bay
Basketball, concerts and a waterfront park at the bottom of the hill.
Where to Eat
Goat Hill Pizza
Sourdough-crust pizza since 1975, open daily, and the family default here.
Plow
The brunch everyone queues for; the potatoes are the reason. Weekday mornings are calmer.
Farley’s
The neighborhood coffeehouse for thirty-plus years, with a magazine rack and a community board.
Chez Maman
A small French bistro with crêpes and burgers, and a good early dinner with kids.
Hazel’s Kitchen
Sandwiches and salads to take up to McKinley Square.
Papito
French-Mexican cooking in a corner room, and a longstanding local favorite.
Upcoming in Potrero Hill
Sundown Cinema: Beetlejuice (1988) at Crane Cove Park
Potrero Hill Festival
Museum of Craft and Design Free First Thursday
Places We Rate in Potrero Hill
Catharine Clark Gallery
Christopher’s Books
Hosfelt Gallery
Plow
Potrero Branch Library
Potrero Hill Recreation Center
Guides
Hungry Ghost Festival in San Francisco: Chinatown’s Ghost Festival
San Francisco's Hungry Ghost Festival in Chinatown: what it is, every date since 2023, the Ghost King parade, kid tips, Muni and…
Read the guide →SF Ballet Nutcracker 2026 (Dec 4–27): Dates, Times, Kids and Getting There
San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker 2026: all 35 performances from 4 to 27 December at the War Memorial Opera House, age rules, run…
Read the guide →Bay Area Science Festival 2026 for Kids: What to See and When
Free at UCSF Mission Bay on Saturday 17 October 2026, 11am to 4pm: what to see with kids, the schedule and how…
Read the guide →Questions People Ask About Potrero Hill
Is Potrero Hill sunny?
Reliably. It sits above the fog line, so on a grey day downtown or in the Sunset the crest around 20th and Vermont is often in full sun, with a view of the skyline and both bridges.
What is there to do on Potrero Hill?
Walk the Vermont Street switchbacks, which have more turns than Lombard and almost no crowd, take the kids to Jackson Playground or McKinley Square, and eat on the 18th Street strip. Monday is all-you-can-eat pizza night at Goat Hill Pizza, with young children free.
Is Anchor Brewing open?
No. The brewery on Mariposa Street has been closed since 2023. There has been talk of a revival but no confirmed reopening, so do not plan a tour.
How do you get to Potrero Hill?
The 22-Fillmore along 16th and 18th, or the 10 and 19 up the hill. The nearest BART stations are 16th Street Mission and Glen Park, both a bus ride away, and the 22nd Street Caltrain station sits at the bottom of the hill.