Long before Cypriots were being pushed out of Limassol by rising rents, residents of San Francisco were struggling to afford housing. But while Limassolians can head for the hills, those living in the Californian city have far fewer options: San Francisco is built on a peninsula. There’s simply nowhere else to go!

According to a recent report, the average person in San Francisco pays €3,500 per month in rent – a payment as steep as the vertiginous streets! Granted, there’s a lot to be said for living here. But the considerable advantages are merely attracting more and more residents…

San Francisco is a welcoming city that embraces diversity; a philosophy that’s reflected in the vibrant food culture…

As a coastal city, it enjoys excellent marine cuisine. There’s the renowned Dungeness crab, a delicacy that can be savoured in various forms, from classic crab cakes to rich, creamy crab chowder. You’ll find the famous San Francisco-style cioppino, a tomato-based seafood stew brimming with clams, mussels, shrimp and fish. And while locations such as Hog Island Oyster Co and Anchor Oyster Bar have long been famed for their fresh-from-the-water shellfish, they now also offer the more daring oyster shooter – a Bloody Mary complete with raw oyster!

In the Mission District, you’ll find the iconic Mission-style burritos: hefty, flavour-packed wraps generously filled with ingredients such as grilled meats, rice, beans, cheese and vibrant salsas. And the hot clam chowder bread (local chowder inside a hollowed-out sourdough loaf) is a favourite down at the wharfs.

Speaking of bread, San Francisco is renowned for its tangy and distinctive sourdough; apparently, the city’s microclimate (moist, mild winters and dry summers) provides the perfect conditions for cultivating the wild yeast that gives this bread its signature flavour!

whats eaten2But it’s the sweet treats that are probably the city’s most iconic fare. In 1893, Italian immigrant Domingo Ghirardelli launched his local chocolaterie of the same name on Kearny and Washington streets, bringing the Broma method of chocolate making (an arduous process that’s both a physical and literal grind) to San Francisco.

Ever since, the city has been a destination for chocolate-lovers. Today, the sweet-toothed among the city’s 808,437 residents can enjoy everything from Ghirardelli chocolate bars to Ghirardelli hot fudge sundaes. If, of course, they can afford such luxury after paying the rent!