SFGuide
Where To Eat & Drink Near The Chase Center
photo credit: Sarah Felker
Whether it’s for a Warriors game, a concert, or some modernized version of the Ice Capades, you might wind up at the Chase Center at some point. But your whole experience shouldn’t start and end at the place you scan your ticket, which is why we have this guide. It’s filled with lots of incredible spots to eat and drink that are all within a 20-minute walk of the arena. And as much as we love Gott’s and Dumpling Time, we aren’t including the restaurants you can easily find within Thrive City.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Sarah Felker
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 19 minutes
If you’re looking for a casual, easy, and reliable spot near the Chase Center, Cafe Okawari has your back. The Japanese restaurant in SoMa is one of the best spots in the city for katsu chicken sandwiches and Japanese curry. But the all-day cafe also has plenty of other things you should get into, like spicy tuna bowls, egg salad sandwiches, and soup, plus housemade yuzu sodas and hojicha lattes.
photo credit: Vivio Visuals
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 11 minutes
Cavaña feels more like Miami than San Francisco, so get here when you want to dress up for a night in a city that thinks T-shirts are formalwear. This oasis is a Latin rooftop bar at the top of the LUMA Hotel filled with showy cocktails, amazing views (if the fog is in your favor), and people who love reggaetón. Fire pits, heaters, and blankets are on hand if you do decide to brave the cold and plop down on a cushioned lounge chair on the deck outside. While corn esquites tostadas, aguachiles, and smoky carne asada plates are the energy charge you need before you walk to your favorite artist's concert around the corner (take that car-infested Miami).
photo credit: Ungrafted
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 13 minutes
This Dogpatch spot is located in a warehouse-like space that’s light-filled and massive. And coming here to wine up before a game means you can order a glass of your favorite red or white (they have cider and beer, too). But really, come here to try something from their impressive selection, and consider getting the za’atar bread with labne, everything-spiced fries, or other small plates to share.
photo credit: Stephanie Court
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 21 minutes
This spot pulls from the make-your-own-rules playbook by remixing western Indian food with new ingredients. Which is why you’ll find blue cheese in the fluffy parathas and garlicky pea shoots and raita are heaped atop tender Impossible kebabs. And mint-infused tamarind water for the crispy pani puri contains actual gin. A meal at this small-plate dining spot is a great way to eat your way through the regions of Gujarat: a vegetarian mix of fire-roasted eggplant that taste like it was forged in the flames of Mount Doom, housemade maska paneer, and the other dishes inspired by the chef’s family.
photo credit: Susie Lacocque
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 14 minutes
If you’re taking Muni to go to the Chase Center, consider starting your night with tacos and margaritas at Death By Taco—it’s right across the street from the 4th and King Street station in China Basin. Here, a single taco is a steep $10, but the quality of the ingredients makes it worth it. There are 13 tacos on the menu, but we recommend going for the Dirty Girl with braised pork and spicy sauce, the battered and fried fish taco, or the chips and guacamole to split.
photo credit: Third Rail
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 12 minutes
Sure, you may already have plans to eat all the hot dogs, fried chicken sandwiches, and pretzels you can stand while at the Chase Center, but it still wouldn’t hurt to have a light bite ahead of time. So head to Third Rail. This Dogpatch bar makes great cocktails, plus their own jerky you’ll enjoy with your drinks. We like the Red Eye with coffee and the candied one with brown sugar and chili flakes. They also do shot, beer, and jerky combos for $12—follow one drink with the other and take the jerky with you on your short walk to the arena.
photo credit: Mission Rock Resort
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 2 minutes
Mission Rock Resort is located only a few steps from the Chase Center, which makes it a convenient spot to meet before a game. This place tends to get crowded on game nights with people in blue and gold jerseys, so grab a cocktail and a seat at the bar while waiting for a table overlooking the water. It’s not the cheapest spot to get food (the burger is $18), but you’re probably already spending a ton of money on tickets anyway. We recommend sharing the fries or the Thai chili-glazed chicken wings if you want a pre-game snack.
photo credit: Melissa Zink
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 11 minutes
Head to the Dogpatch and you’ll spot plenty of white boxes making their way down Third Street or hanging out with a pint at Dogpatch Saloon. All roads lead to Long Bridge Pizza. The casual spot does sourdough pies right. They have a nice snap—never too chewy or hard. And you can taste the tang of the sourdough, separate from the high quality toppings. Like any great neighborhood spot, this is a place to post up in one of the three dining rooms and gab about how today was the best or worst day ever. A game will probably be on one of the many large TVs. Order from the counter and let the beer and pizza come to you.
photo credit: Melissa Zink
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 18 minutes
The big reason we keep coming back to Little Skillet is their perfectly golden-brown chicken and waffles. But the spacious restaurant that's just three blocks from Oracle Park has a ton of other soul food dishes to get to know, too, like a po’boy spilling over with juicy pulled pork, shrimp and grits, and a fried chicken combo called The Works, which comes with a mini jalapeño corn muffin and a side of your choice. There's also a huge bar and TVs to watch the pregame show before you head out.
photo credit: Melissa Zink
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 11 minutes
The Ethiopian restaurant is just a short walk from the Chase Center, but that’s not the only reason you should head here. Soft, tangy injera, comforting veggie combos, and excellent chicken tibs make Tadu a great choice for a casual meal. And really, you can’t go wrong with anything you get here.
photo credit: Susie Lacocque
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 11 minutes
The Sea Star serves drinks in long, dark room with dim lighting—in other words, it’s a cocktail bar disguised as a dive, and a great spot to meet up before an event at the arena. They make some of the most creative cocktails in the area, including a few on draft. This spot is also big enough for your entire group to fit in without taking over the place, and there’s a pool table in the back for when watching sports on the TVs just isn’t enough.
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 5 minutes
The Ramp has one of the best patios in the whole city. It’s huge and overlooks the Bay, and is a great spot to meet up with a group and drink before heading to the Chase Center. They also have live music Fridays and Saturdays, weekend brunch, and a weekday menu of things like house-smoked ribs, al pastor tacos, and seafood risotto.
photo credit: Remy Galvan-Hale
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 16 minutes
Piccino is practically built for relaxed catch-ups with friends. There’s walk-up bar seating if you want to keep things extra casual, thin-crust pizzas great for sharing, and plenty of wine and cocktails. The airy dining room or covered parklet at this Cal-Ital restaurant is a reliable place to bust out your best small talk skills over braised veal ragu and mushroom pizzas. At night, the menu is a bit longer and the atmosphere is still laidback, but know that Piccino is really at its best during the day—say, before a Warriors night game?
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 14 minutes
We go to this family-run lasagneria for lunch and choose from the seven lasagnas on the menu: eggplant, mushroom, verdura, butternut squash, abruzzo with housemade sausage, bianca, and bolognese, and each one is layered with ultra-thin pasta, creamy béchamel, and tomato sauce. Unless you get a whole sheet that serves six, the lasagnas are made for one and are roughly the size of a small novel. There are also several ways to experience Marcella’s lasagna—outside on their sidewalk patio, or for takeout (you can also ask for it cold and warm it up at home for later).
photo credit: Susie Lacocque
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 15 minutes
This dog-friendly neighborhood corner bar on Third St. and 22nd is a good, chill spot to kill some time over a beer or cocktail while you wait for friends. During Happy Hour, pints and well drinks are $2 off until 7pm—it’s definitely a deal you won’t get at the arena.
Walking Time To The Chase Center: 10 minutes
Casey’s Pizza in Mission Bay is a neighborhood spot that makes great Neapolitan-style pies. Start with the burrata, which comes with crostini and a nice lemony arugula salad, before making your way to the pizza list. They make everything from margherita to pepperoni and arugula to a funghi pizza loaded with mushrooms and fresh thyme.
