Belden Place
- Good for Kids: No
153 reviews
Neighborhood: Fisherman's Wharf
"Boudin sourdough bread bowls. The chowder in this city isn't like Monterey Bay, but you can't beat the aesthetic. A friend's family owns…" read more »
60 Reviews for Belden Place
Anything or place that reminds me of Europe gets my 5 stars. Charming place to go for a nice night out. I am not the biggest fan of Voda, but the restaurants are wonderful. Perfect place for fine dining with a group of friends or with a date. I don't go here too often so each time is special. I love how it is kind of hidden and not too many people would think to go there. Definitely not a tourists trap! Love Belden Lane.
It can be a good place for dining if one is feeling less than creative, but the general look of it can be off-putting to those seeing it for the first time as it comes across as a cheap, touristic spot. And honestly, it does look just like Liszt Ferenc tér in Budapest, which while being European is extremely touristic and ultimately horrible.
The singularly horrid thing about Belden are the pushy hostesses though. When asking one of the two owners of the restaurants (there's an Italian duo and a French duo who own three restaurants apiece there) why they do this, they say that it's because it's "European". My friends, this is not "European". It's trashy touristic, but not European, unless there's some spot in Paris or Venice I haven't seen where this happens. If you lose these girls and you lose the neon signs, the place would have a chance to be a decent dining spot.
Also, since there really aren't any cultural activities around Bastille Day in San Francisco, this is about as good a place as any to "celebrate" it with a glass of wine while in the midst blue, white, and red balloons...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/29/2005
First to Review
You really can't go wrong here. Unless you go to Voda Lounge when you really wanted to get… Read more »
Many many times during the day I forget that I am an adult, but places like Belden Lane remind me that I am. I come here for happy hour drinks at Voda, for business lunches at Bistro 44, and an occasional romantic dinner at Plouf. The attraction is the outdoor seating in the heart of the Financial District and the food which is always good. By the way I have no idea if it actually is authentically European, but frankly every place in SF is a "fusion" of some sort.....so I think of this alley as Euro-Fusion. Very satisfying in so long as you don't actually try to compare it to the real thing. Oh and hopefully you won't mind sharing your lunch with the pigeons underfoot.
It's my perfect spot for spending a long ass lunch skipping work on a balmy day.
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The charm of this spot is it is an alley & the hosts try to draw you into their restaurant. I would call them "forward" not aggressive (amazing how many complainers their are). I love this place on a warm evening but it is San Francisco & most nights are chilly (bring your jacket). I had a hard time picking a restaurant based on yelp comments, seems like you either love or hate it. I've been to Plouf & Cafe Bastille both are great!
Very cute, romatic area. A little bit hard to locate, because it's tucked into a tight alleyway. I definitely want to try out more of the restaurants there.
I've only been to a couple of the restaurants here, but every time I walk through I don't know why I'm not here more often. I love the European feel of this outdoor refuge in the middle of the financial district.
My one complaint: I felt like I was walking through Tijuana passing strip joint after strip joint with the way I was accosted by the hostesses in front of their respective restaurants trying to lure me into their establishment.
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Absolutely charming! Feels like a piece of Europe, right in the heart of SF. I've tried three restaurants in less than three months - I'm addicted. The Italian/French accents are a charming touch. Cozy seating within earshot of neighboring tables, beware!
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I was apprehensive about hitting up Belden Place for our Saturday night dinner. I had heard it's an alley reminiscent of Europe but had also read on yelp that the hostesses can be aggressive and annoying. Since we didn't have a reservation and we were a party of 6 I was expecting to encounter a long wait.
We found parking immediately a block away so things were looking up. We entered the alley right near Cafe Bastille and asked the hostess if we could check out the menu... (looked good) However since we were the last of our party to arrive the others had gone into the Taverna towards the other end for drinks. In our attempt to make our way down towards our friends we came across 3 hostesses that must have trained with NFL blockers. These vulturesque hostesses stepped right in front of us flashed open their shields (menus) and tried to block us from passing their restaurants. What is up with that shit?? Does this demeanor attract customers? I found it a TURN OFF, personally I don't wish to be accosted by a hostess.
The best was the Taverna hostess, after being attacked by 2 hostesses we learned our lesson and managed to dodge her, but she hauled ass and physically blocked us by jumping in front of us so we explained to her that our friends were inside having a drink and we were simply going to talk to them. HOMEGIRL FOLLOWED US IN AND STOOD THERE! She was listening in our converstaion and interjecting in an attempt to offer us seating or menus. I had to contain myself and keep from turning around and yelling BITCH BACK OFF!!!! ( I didn't, but we didn't stay there either we went back to Cafe Bastille)
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Sorry folks, I'm gonna have to go against the grain on this one...
In theory, Belden Place is cute. It tries hard to re-create a quaint Euro feel. Sadly, it fails.
While the look of it is actually cute (if not cramped and chaotic) the rest of it just feels like it's trying too hard. The "hostesses" implore you to eat at their restaurant as you pass by (I like to imagine that they have fake accents :-P and I'm sure it's true for some of them). If a restaurant needs to be pimped like that, maybe you should think twice about going in.
The food here is OK but overpriced and ultimately nothing special. In San Francisco there is no dearth of restaurants and you can definitely get more authentic than this.
Sure it's cute and romantic to every once in a while come out and sit beneath the twinkling lights but if you do it more frequently than that... well... I'm not sure what that says... but it ain't a good thing.
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You know those rare balmy nights we had just lately? God those are my favorite. They are the reason for outside seating. So when especially balmy night came, no matter how much I didn't have my phone, didn't have money and already had plans to go to another bar, I needed to spend some time outside. I needed to chill out and bask in the fortune of good weather and pretend it is like this every night. I needed Belden Place.
It is said that this alley reminds people of some Mediterranean town with all the little outside tables squished together and different southern European cuisines. I can see that. That's the main reason I love it. But it is not quite European enough to deserve five stars. I can't remember anytime I was walking through downtown Nice or Aix and was accosted by maitre d's to come eat at their establishment.
And when the waiters came by, they also had an air of "make yourself at home, I'll be your server. That means I bring take your order and bring your food. You will not see me unless I choose to be seen. You will get a business smile, not a friendly smile because I'm not your friend. If you whip out a book I won't bother you until you call me. I might come by every once in a while to see if you are alright, but that is very 'once in a while' because truly I could give a flying fuck about your American ass. You will conform to how I choose to serve you and you will like it. And you will tip me because you don't know that it is included in the price." They have mastered the art of being a server AND being French
But sadly this is America and we have no idea how to be French. We totally know how to be American though in all our fake kindness and concern and desire to sell and make a large tip and flip the tables. That aloofness that I am so fond of in French waiters and the French in general just comes off as lack of concern here. I'd like to see what they would do if I come back on some random warm Saturday and bust out a book and sit there for 3 hours. If it were really like a European through-way, I wouldn't have to wonder.
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It's like being in Europe...
Well, I wouldn't know because I've never been - but it looks a like like it from the pictures I've seen!!
Anyhooooo....I love Belden Place. I'm usually there visiting my favorite little lounge, Voda. I love this place on Bastille Day, they really know how to celebrate.
Tucked away in the alley, you feel like your transported away and on a European vacation. Have a wonderful meal at Plouf outside under the awnings - they have really yummy mussels!
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Love coming out here for French food. All of these places are pretty good. Some of the hostesses are pushy as you walk by on the patios, but don't let their customer hungry attitudes turn you off. Just go for the food.
The patios are nice to sit outside, but the tables are very small and it's crowded. Sometimes it's almost better (for me) to sit inside since it's less crowded and you can hear yourself talking. It just depends on what you need and how you're feeling that day.
Of all the times I've eaten at each of the different restaurants in Belden Place, I probably got great waiter service 3 times out of 20. I just go for the food really.
My favorite of this alley is Cafe Bastille.
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First of all it's Belden Alley not Belden Place, because it's an Alley... a dirty little alley. If you walked through the Alley in the morning you would never eat here at night, it smells like pee.
I don't need a menu, I'm just on my way to the bus.. or the bar... probably the bar.
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love belden ALLEY. great for lunch, dinner, happy hour. lots of great people watching. my faves are cafe bastille, plouf then voda. usually end up hitting all three in one form or another when i go. if you work in the financial district and its sunny definitely hit it up for lunch. the service is always fantastic.
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San Francisco's Gourmet Getto with sun, fun and urban bliss all shared in this simple, short alley adjoining the financial district. Anchored at the Bush Street end of the alley by Sam's Grill, one of the oldest and best seafood restaurants west of Chicago and going strong since 1862, with assorted gallic, Italian, fast food and various other mediterannean find food purveyors packing the space for three hours surrounding lunchtime every day, and into the night with bright lights and beautiful music filling the air scented with romance and chance. This is the closest to Europe most armchair gourmands ever get, and its mighty close and great fun.
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Seriously a hidden gem in the city.
I guess I shouldn't say hidden since everytime I go here, it's packed.
But it's still an awesome great time every time no matter where you end up, Taverna, Plouf, Cafe Tiramisu, Voda, whatever.
It's an alley full of European bars and restaurants with seating in the street, similar to how I would imagine you would see in Europe. Big awnings give you shade while you enjoy the sunny downtown weather, with your meal or drinks. The servers all come with authentic accents, and when you walk by the restaurants, the hostesses fight for your business. It's nice to feel wanted.
During the week, it's filled with tourists and business people in the area alike, and on weekends it's mostly locals and tourists. Either way, why would you want to go somewhere with no business? At least this alley has business? Doesn't that usually imply that the places in here are good?
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This is a special, adorable little corner of San Francisco, and a special treat on a warm summer night. Sitting in that little alley, lights overhead, surrounded by lively people in all directions. This city could use more places like this.
But let's face it. The food at every restaurant on this alley is mediocre. Plouf is by far your best bet - but you come to Belden for the ambiance, sadly not the food as well.
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Belden is one of my favorite places in the city. Tucked away in a little side alley amongst streets dominated by banks, stores and chain restaurants, Belden Alley is a charming change of pace.
Quaint, European to a tee, Belden is both a fun alley filled with great restaurants as well as one of the most romantic spots in the city. Anytime is a great time here--whether you prefer to lounge about on a sunny day, sipping a cocktail, French Tuesdays or hot summer nights...Belden is a fun, adorable little escape from the mundane day to day of the city.
Always a favorite place to escape, Belden has become one of my favorite places to take out of towners or come with old friends.
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Sure it's gimmicky but if you can't allow yourself to enjoy the charm of the place then I doubt you can have fun anywhere at all. Not much of a place to become a regular but you have to check it out at least once and it's sure to impress out of town guests. At the very least stop by for a few drinks and enjoy the outdoors on a warm starry night.
I discovered this street one night after we'd spent over 40 minutes trying to find Chinatown (I wasn't living here so getting lost was part of my usual routine).
What a cool street. As you walk down it there are people in front of each restaurant with a menu trying to sell you on why their place is the best. Like others have mentioned, very remenisant of Europe. We had the tortellini & flank steak dishes at Taverna, it was great. The wait staff was very nice even after we broke a wine glass.
If you want a quite meal ask to sit inside one of the restaurants, otherwise sit outside and enjoy the people watching and cool scenery.
This is one of my favorite little hideaway magical places in the city. And I'm a huge fan of paella and always looking for the best. The best paella I've ever had was in Miami but I love B44 mostly for its ambiance....go to Belden Place in that hidden alley and the lively crowd and you feel like you are in Europe especially while you are sitting outside having their delicious seafood paella with a good glass of red wine or try their sangria and just pretend you're in Spain. If you don't like paella, go next door to Plouf for French cuisine...I love the mussels and the fries there. Bon appetit!
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Wow, a wonderful treasure in the middle of the Financial District!
Belden Place has several restaurants serving various European cuisines all under a umbrella-covered alley. There are lights strung in between the buildings on either side of the alley, which I'm sure give the place a wonderful ambiance at night.
The atmosphere is very European, specifically French. You can get Spanish, French, and Italian food here from a variety of places, including Plouf and B44.
Belden Place is like a little slice of Europe in the FiDi!
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Ok so the hostesses are a little pushy here but I would face them any day of the week just to dine in this charming alley. I know what your thinking...AN ALLEY??? Yes...an alley with some of the best food in the city!! Go see for yourself!!
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I went to Brindisi for lunch today, and as usual, ended up ordering the most expensive thing on the menu PURELY BY COINCIDENCE. I swear, sometimes I think the prices change just so whatever I'm in the mood for is the highest-priced item. It's a blatant conspiracy.
But that didn't change the fact that while signing my soul away on the dotted line, my tears were ones of joy instead of sorrow. Worth every dirty little penny under the couch cushions!
And for those of you less inclined to scrounge in the nooks and crannies of your furniture to come up with the necessary tip money, the gourmet pizzas are only $12 and will easily feed two.
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Must haves at Belden Place
1. Friends and/or lovers
2. Wine
3. Pasta
4. Sit outside - even when its chilly. There are heat lamps.
Don't forget to people watch.
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Belden Place is a very, very convenient "venue". This little euro-alley always comes handy when we are just to lazy to be creative in terms of selecting a place to go; especially I only work a couple of blocks away.
My favorite place there is Cafe Bastille. It's a french cafe with no attitude and serves good casual food. I always make sure I order their onion soup. Hmm.. best onion soup ever!
It makes me feel as if I am back on the rue de bouchers in Bruxells. If only I could smoke inside the bars and restaurants that line it...
Hidden in a narrow alleyway in the Financial District lies a handful of euro-styled bistros, each fully equipped with a team of hosts who stand ready to pitch their daily catch. Delicious menus. All of them. Great atmosphere and excellent service. It truly reminds me of Barcelona.
Brindisi:
www.brindisicucina.com
b44:
www.b44sf.com
Plouf:
www.ploufsf.com
Cafe Tiramisu:
www.cafetiramisu.com
Cafe Bastille:
www.cafebastille.com
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This place feels like europe smack inbetween chinatown and the FiDi. A nice little choice of restaurants and bars with outdoor seating. It even comes with the nice array of euro-trash! Good times!
Great place to go anytime: business lunch, dinner with friends, first date place, during the world cup, during bastille day, during st. patricks day and i could go on...
This place is amazing if you are wanting to feel like you are someplace else other than San Francisco. I love it, but don't go here looking for any cheap deals.
I love Belden Lane, it's a little slice of Europe in downtown San Francisco. I've been to several of the restaurants with great success and one of my favorite "street" parties in SF is Bastille Day on Belden Lane.
Skip Brindisi and Voda.
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Love Belden Place. Especially B44 which has good tapas and Spanish wine. Voda is an excellent place to start the night. It reminds me more of Spain that it does France, but same difference :) I give it 4 starts instead of 5 b/c the hostesses outside are a little annoying trying to get you into their restaurant.
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This little alley of European restaurants is so charming and adorable that I can't bring myself to take off a star for perpetual crowdedness during peak lunch hours and steamy-sweatiness when it's hot outside.
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Belden Place guarantees to put you in a mood parallel to that with most intimate restaurants in Europe. Enjoy cuisine from France (Cafe Bastille, Plouf), Italy (Cafe Tiramisu) and even Spain (B44) in this little hideaway from the city dubbed as the "French Quarter" of San Francisco. The area may become crowded especially during warm summer nights when the stars and the bright lights entice more people to try the place. However, it is a small price to pay for experiencing this small slice of Europe located smack in the heart of the Financial District. If you stumble on it by accident, it's a uniquely appealing discovery!
The most awesomest place (yes, I said it) to go to dinner on a beautiful SF evening. I like sitting outside under the umbrellas and strings of light. It's like a small part of Europe showed up in a semi-hidden alley. My favorite restaurant there is Plouf. The seafood is fresh and delicious. Coming in second is B44. I prefer going to Cafe Bastille for lunch rather than dinner, but either way, it's all good.
The ambiance is very nice, outdoor dining in an alley - yes, though an alley it is still cute and a wonderful place to linger after a good meal for a (few more :) ) glasses of wine after dinner. I started with the butter leaf salad, substantial without being overwhelming, and then the lamb shank which was done nicely in a deep red/brown wine sauce. The house cab was just fine - nothing fantastic, but easily good enough. It was a bit crowded, but their breadstick basket, with other bread crisps of odd variety, kept us nibbling while we waited for service which was understandably a little slow - but not unforgivably so, considering it was a weekend night with a wait just to get a table. Great place to people watch, to be a little loud if you want. They have an upstairs inside as well if you want a little more quiet, but really the best reason to go here is for the outdoor seating - the quality of everything else isn't far behind that.
When I start feeling my Tracy, CA roots growing out again I tend to skip on over to Belden Place for a little culture. Lunch is always a shot in the dark depending on who you go with. For all I care, those restaurants could merge into one and I really wouldn't notice.
I absolutely make an effort not to remember the names of the places there. I pick a place based on 2 things: 1) the host/hostess isn't shoving a menu in my face as I walk down the alley and 2) I remember I ate at that place last time, so try something new.
It definitely beats the monotony of the burrito at your desk experience and it makes you look like you are "in the know" on where to eat in SF when confronted with visiting friends and relatives.
BLT with fries was $9, but you know it was cut up all fancy and the ketchup didn't come in packets.
For reals.
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Ate here 3 times in the last week for lunch, and me and my co-workers just can't get enough! We're very fortunate to have such a great little spot like this smack dab in the middle of downtown SF. The perfect place to eat and relax on a nice summer day!!!
Belden lane is cute and somewhat European looking/feeling but you're quickly reminded by the people that flock here in droves you're still in the US....and it really is a turn off to have those bastards trying to rope you in to eating at their establishments There is some pretty good food tucked away back here though and it is worth seeing at least once or twice. Not a destination for me but if I'm working in the area I would stop by and see if it wasn't too busy and half a meal. Just can't deal with the crowds...
Love the location. The alley is very charming, and I appreciate the ease of parking on the weekends. I've been to Plouf and enjoyed the mussels tremendously - I'll have to go back and try the rest of the restaurants now.
I have to say though, that the restaurants that have their hostesses assaulting people with their menus as the door are a turn-off for me.
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