When Muni’s new light-rail T-line finally got running along Third Street, access to the historic Dogpatch neighborhood became downright easy. But except for some dedicated gourmands and pugilists who are willing to trek across town for the neighborhood’s famed boxing gym, most people still don’t even know where Dogpatch is. With the recent openings of almost a dozen restaurants and nightlife spots, and plans for many more, including restaurants by the owners of Slow Club and A16, that’s about to change.

A remote nine-square-block area lying east of Potrero Hill, with some of the nicest weather in the city, the formerly industrial neighborhood littered with circa-1860 Victorians is also home to an eclectic mix of innovative start-up businesses (like TODO magazine, Global Gourmet Catering, and Hello! Lucky Letterpress) and an array of artists who have found great studio spaces in the old factory buildings. Dogpatch is still hurting for some essentials—it doesn’t have much retail, and an unofficial moratorium on new residential development has made housing scarce. But those who do get a foothold will have a great investment and the satisfaction of helping to rebuild a historic neighborhood. “The time to get in is now,” says Slow Club owner Erin Rooney.

 

HANGOUTS

The Dogpatch Saloon serves as an unofficial clubhouse for the neighborhood, drawing old-timers, new-schoolers, Muni drivers, barflies, and jazz aficionados for the live sets on weekends. 2496 THIRD ST.

Occupying a cheerful, sunny corner, Piccino (which means “little” in Italian) packs them in with its stellar, sustainably sourced eats, including seasonal pizzettas and panini. Outdoor seating and Blue Bottle coffee have clinched the restaurant’s place as an instant favorite. 801 22ND ST.

SHOP FRONTS

Clients come from all over town for the cutting-edge hairdos, lack of attitude, and easy parking at Dekko. The trio of owners and talented staff, who all hail from the long-gone-but-revered Architects & Heroes, do cool cuts and color in a modern loft space.
1325 INDIANA ST.

Locals sing the praises of Frames on 3rd, a one-stop shop for relatively inexpensive custom framing, with a quick turnaround to boot. 2500 THIRD ST.

ONLY HERE

When it’s time to “glove up,” head to the 3rd Street Gym, the city’s most authentic boxing gym. Golden Glove champs looking to spar and amateurs who want to get in shape are equally
welcome. Star trainers include Paris Alexander, who was the first to hold both the California State Champion and United States Lightweight Champion titles at the same time. 2576 THIRD ST.

THE GRUB

Serving only wines that are sustainable, organic, or biodynamic, the contemporary Yield Wine Bar is the city’s first and only “green” wine bar. It also offers toasted nuts, flatbreads, and Poco Dolce chocolate tiles. 2490 THIRD ST.

Just for You draws diners from beyond both bridges for its famed beignets, hearty breakfasts, and quirky decor, including a marlin hanging over the kitchen. Lunchtime is all about hefty Reubens and po’ boys. 732 22ND ST.

The Hard Knox Café is like a little slice of the South, but, in true San Francisco fashion, the family running the joint is Vietnamese. Hefty soul food plates, like spot-on fried chicken, come with two sides and corn muffins for $10 and under. Sodas in Mason jars and walls of corrugated metal complete the down-home vibe. 2526 THIRD ST.

Local workers fuel up in the morning or hold meetings at the friendly Sundance Coffee , which serves only java made from organic and fair-trade beans. 2295 THIRD ST.

WHAT IT COSTS

To rent: $2,300 for a one-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath live/work loft at 690 Penn­sylvania.
To buy: $719,000 for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom live/work loft at 1207 Indiana.

Notables

Only in Dogpatch would you find the Hells Angels clubhouse and City Attorney Dennis Herrera occupying the same block. Charles Phan of the Slanted Door was a neighbor until he needed a bigger place to live.

Talk

Housing is the area’s biggest problem. It’s nearly impossible to find listings for apartments on Craigslist, and they aren’t cheap when you do. And until the city’s Planning Department finishes its Environmental Impact Report, which has been in the works for eight years, residents are left wondering whether the community will ever get the housing it needs. “The last thing we saw was a draft document from over three years ago,” says Susan Eslick, president of the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association. “We’re losing patience.”

On this spot

The neighborhood has some frisky history: the Ruby Rose Hotel was first a rooming house for shipyard workers, then a brothel, before it became an SRO, which it still is today. 730 22nd ST.

Extra spice: the current site of Dogpatch Studios was form-erly Stage A, where the Mitchell Brothers filmed Behind the Green Door and launched their porn industry. 991 tennessee ST.