City Guide: San Francisco With Kevin Knapp

Born in Louisville, schooled in San Francisco and current Berlin resident Kevin Knapp has seen quite a bit of the world. The successful DJ and producer has been a staple on the international clubbing circuit for years and played stages like Sonár, Dirtybird Campout and Lucidity, in addition to party brands like Elrow and Sankeys. His music has appeared on Repopulate Mars, Sola, Hot Creations and elsewhere. Now with his globe trotting ways in mind, we asked Knapp to give us a City Guide for San Francisco to give you the lowdown on the best spots for drinks, record stores and Sunday escapes.

Knapp released a new two track EP on Etiquette a couple of weeks ago. Check out the two-tracker of jacking house music as you plot your next trip to San Francisco. Pick up a copy here.

Drinks before going out

Waterbar – Whenever I’m back in SF I love to go by Waterbar for a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a couple dozen oysters. Nothing compares, I mean just look at that view!

Clubs/Late night Venues

Monarch, Halcyon and Phonobar are the clubs I frequent the most when I’m back in SF these days. They are all run by my homies so it always makes for a good time when I’m in town to visit any of the three.

Brunch

Lately Plow has been the business for brunch. Be sure and get “The Plow” which has eggs, sausage or bacon, potatoes and their coveted lemon ricotta pancakes. Make sure to get their early though as spots fill up quickly and they don’t take reservations! The Ramp is another brunch fav of mine and has an amazing view as well.

Late night Street Food

In terms of street food this is not late night, but it absolutely is not to be missed! The Lobsta Truck is the jam! There are a ton of street food trucks in the bay, so be sure to check them out when you see them there are often hidden gems. Get on that bisque and a lobster roll son!

Record Store

SF used to be filled with great record stores but as the years have progressed there has been fewer and fewer around to choose from. I remember the days of going into BPM and having Victor the owner pull records for me back in the early aughts. Those days in San Francisco are long gone unfortunately. However, there is one store though that still has an impressive collection that I like to visit whenever I’m in town, Vinyl Dreams.

Sunday Escape Plan

Grab my buddies and head up Highway 1 on motorcycles to The Marshall General store or to Hog Island Oyster company. Hands down it’s my favorite way to spend a day in northern California, and yes, obviously I have a thing for oysters. Kevin Knapp Beats & Eats! ;)

Something you should do when visiting

Wander the streets in the mission and look at the murals, there are some that are simply unbelievable! Also eat at Swan’s Oyster Depot. It’s the best seafood in SF. It’s owned by the third generation of a super gregarious and kind SF family. It’s a special place. Pull up a chair, grab a locally brewed Anchor Steam and tell them to serve you what they think is best. You won’t be disappointed.

Tracks that remind me of the city:

Exports:

Although not from SF specifically, Northern California wine is not to be missed. I highly recommend a day trip to do some wine tasting in Napa Valley as well.

Gift:

Chocolate – SF has some pretty decent chocolate. Stop by Dandelion Chocolate or grab some Ghirardelli chocolate as a gift for peeps in your life for sure!