Patricia Unterman, proprietor of the stalwart Hayes Street Grill (which was known before "Hayes Valley" was happening), author of the Bay Area dining-out Bible, San Francisco food critic-about-town, has written up a half-dozen of her "choice spots for outdoor dining". She tips her hat to Zuni, B-44 of Belden Place, and to Fourth Street in Berkeley (maddening difficult to get to, at least from San Francisco) -- but does not ask the question:
Why is outdoor dining so difficult to find in San Francisco? I have long kept a small, secret list of "places to sit outside and have someone bring me food" -- I prefer table service to the Squat-and-Gobble cafeteria-style setup.
For as vibrant and verdant a city as San Francisco, we have precious few outdoor rest.s. A dearth of sidewalk space, congested main roads, and odd zoning (a separate license is required to serve alcohol outside!) all contribute to a decided indoors eating experience in San Francisco. Oh, and the weather: tempestuous and mercurial, from one day to the next one doesn't know which way the wind will blow.
I have eaten at Zuni's sidewalk patio, and it's disgusting: buses and cars slowly driving past, belching fumes; a bicycle lane a few feet away from my plate of food; and mendicants seeking a sip of my drink. Not the most conducive atmosphere to digestion. On the other hand, a plate of ribs in the beergarden at Zeitgeist , neatly set back from the road (even as the new Central Freeway passes above), is a pleasure. But it's not sit-down dining. Even Belden Place, with its assortment of Iberian and Gallic cuisine, becomes chill and dank in the evening; during the day, it's a alley for deliveries.