San Francisco Sandwich Adventure: Italian Classics with Alcatraz Views
- SEANWICHES
- Jan 29
- 4 min read
San Francisco is a city that thrives on reinvention. It’s a shapeshifter, neighborhoods donning identities as easily as the fog rolls over the hills. But just below the crest of one of those iconic hills, off Polk Street, I stumbled into a place that felt timeless—an old-world deli dressed in new-age charm. Limoncello deli. A corner of Midtown Manhattan transplanted into the heart of the Bay.
The day started with one of my favorite rituals: catching the Clipper Ferry from Oakland into San Francisco. For a $9 round trip, it’s an experience worth every penny—a moving postcard of the Bay. The skyline looms larger as you glide past the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate stretches out like a sentinel in the distance. Throw in a beer from the ferry’s bar, and you’ve got yourself a happy hour that no rooftop could rival.
But today wasn’t about boats or bridges; it was about bread and sandwiches—the cornerstones of San Francisco’s culinary soul. Sourdough is the city’s pride and joy, its history stretching back to the Gold Rush, when miners relied on the tangy, naturally leavened bread to sustain them. Dutch Crunch, a local favorite with its sugary crust, came later, carried here by immigrants. I’ll admit, the sweet topping isn’t my thing, but I respect its place in the city’s sandwich DNA.
San Francisco is a Sights & SEANWICHES dream city—a perfect marriage of best sandwiches and jaw-dropping views. This trip wasn’t my first sandwich pilgrimage here, and it won’t be my last. There’s something about this place that stays with you.
Today’s destination was Limoncello, an Italian sandwich shop that doubles as a specialty market. The kind of place where you can stock up on imported olive oils or sit down with a glass of wine and something extraordinary from the display case. Upstairs, the deli hums with life. Strings of cured meats hang like edible art, and the counter’s glass case is filled with premade Italian meals that are more like works of genius than food. The TVs were tuned to playoff football, a touch of Americana that clashed perfectly with the Italian elegance of the place. Downstairs, the market buzzed—people buying everything or nothing, just enjoying the vibe.
The owner was there, fully invested in the playoff game playing on the TV—just as I was—but never too distracted to engage with his customers or oversee the parade of sandwiches being crafted. There’s something special about watching someone bring their vision to life, their passion visible in every meticulous detail. It’s hard not to admire someone who pours their soul into creating a space like this.
I found myself daydreaming about my own plans—a little SEANWICHES sandwich shop, a new-age bodega where locals could pop in for a quick bite or linger over coffee and conversation. I pictured myself behind the counter, chatting with regulars, eagerly watching them take that first bite of one of my creations. Someday, perhaps. But today, I was here to experience someone else’s dream come true.
Like I always do, I went with the classic Italian—or as they called it, The Sicilian. A combination of ham, salami, mortadella, and provolone, tied together with oil, vinegar, greens, and tomato on a sesame seed roll. It’s my go-to order, the one that always sets the bar high. While I love a traditional, old-world Italian sandwich for its simplicity, I also enjoy the indulgent, messy chaos of an American-Italian twist—sometimes with a mustard blend sneaking in where it shouldn’t. This sandwich embraced the old-world style, where simplicity was the star of the show.
Maria, inspired by a conversation we’d had earlier with our neighbors about pastrami sandwiches, decided on The Americano—corned beef with mixed greens, tomato, and onion. It wasn’t a typical pairing for this kind of meat, but there was something about the owner’s confidence and the care we’d seen in the deli that made us trust his choices completely.
We left Limoncello buzzing from a 10/10 experience and started a 10-minute walk toward Lafayette Park in Pacific Heights. I’d been here before, a long time ago, and held onto this vague memory of a bench with a perfect view of Alcatraz and the Bay. It was where I wanted to be. Finding the spot to eat the sandwich is part of the ritual—the thrill of the hunt for a place that feels both familiar and just a little unknown.
The park’s steep stairs rose ahead of us like a challenge, each step making me feel like Rocky ascending to the top of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. But at the crest, there it was—the bench, the view, the moment. Everything was coming together as if the day had been quietly orchestrated just for us.
When we finally unwrapped our sandwiches, it wasn’t just about the food anymore. There was a gravity to it, a sense that we weren’t just sharing a meal but a piece of something much bigger. The way a great sandwich can do that—turn simple ingredients into a story, a memory, a reason to pause and let the world slow down.
As we sat on that bench, sandwiches in hand, the sun at our backs, it all clicked. This is what Sights & SEANWICHES is all about. That perfect trifecta of food, view, and company. A moment as much about where you are as who you’re with—and what’s in your hands. It’s a moment I’ll replay for anyone willing to listen, for anyone who shares my love of a stunning view and an even better sandwich.
Buy the sandwich, take the walk
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