Hella Hankerings — Seeking Small Sustenance

Where to get the best snacks in and around San Francisco, for every palate.

San Francisco’s foodie reputation needs no introduction; whether you’re at home or dining out, allergies and dietary choices withstanding, you’re gonna eat good. But what about when you’re not quiiiite hungry enough to sit down for a meal, or you just want to quickly sate a craving on the go? You may think, well I’ll just grab a bag of chips or a candy bar on the way, but you would be thinking wrong, or way too small. San Francisco has legions upon legions of snack foods for every kind of snacker at every time of day. We believe we’ve found some of the best, and we promise you’ll have room or dinner later.  

If you’re looking to share finger foods (and some sumptuous sangria) with friends, tapas are the perfect snack that can easily turn into a meal. Try Esperpento for a classic Spanish experience, or Bask in North Beach for a French twist. And both of Cha Cha Cha’s locations offer a Caribbean slant. 

Boba for a beautiful day - Even as summer wanes into fall, nothing quenches a sugar and texture thirst like a good bubble tea. We'd be remiss if we didn’t include the ever-evolving Boba Guys, but pioneers like Tpumps and newcomers like local rapper Larry June’s Honeybear are also worth the long lines.

When I get a craving, it’s most often for something salty and savory. Chips might seem like a dime a dozen, but there are some that stand above the rest. You can find shrimp chips at the swanky new H Mart. Might have to be Original Joe's, made in-house.

Sweet is such a subjective term, one reinvented and revised in every corner of San Francisco and the Bay Area at large. Sweet can be the bourbon-flavored ice cream at Humphrey Slocumb, or a tamarind agua fresca at the Pancho Villa Taqueria, or a couple of Christopher Elbow truffles.

When you live in San Francisco long enough, almost nothing will surprise you, almost. If you’re tired of the munchies on this list, step outside your comfort zone (and in this case, the city) with the sautéed grasshoppers at Mezcal . If you’d rather keep it in the neighborhood, you can get your phallic freak on at Hot Cookie or pick up a bag of Don Bugito's toasted mealworms to pair with anything else on this list.