Walzwerk, San Francisco

Sample Menu

• Beer: Paulaner hefeweizen
• Nonalcoholic drink: Apfelschorle—a soft drink made with apple juice and mineral water
• Appetizer: marinated salmon with horseradish cream and beetroot
• Entree: pork schnitzel with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables
• Dessert: kalter hund, a layered chocolate cake

Where You Are: in East Germany. You had fair warning—an all-caps sign on the door reads, “You are leaving the American sector” in four tongues. Inside the sunlit dining room, wood beams, right angles, and reclaimed industrial items accent brick and textured white walls. Vintage posters boast a steely, constructivist style. The menu is 100% German, with nary a burger or baseball-filled apple pie to be seen.

While You Wait: Wave to the large black-and-white portraits of Marx, Engels, and Lenin.

Vocab Lesson
Walzwerk: German for “rolling mill.”
Schnitzel: a thin cutlet of meat—often veal or pork—that's typically battered and fried.
Ich habe eine Groupon für eine fantastische restaurant: German for “I have a Groupon for a fantastic restaurant.”

While You're in the Neighborhood
Before: Catch a show or exhibit at nonprofit arts organization The Lab (2948 16th Street), located in the historic Redstone Building.

After: Take in an indie film at the Roxie Theater (3117 16th Street), the city's oldest continually operating movie house.