INNER SUNSET
From the eastern boundary of Stanyan Street, the Inner Sunset District runs along the four wide avenues of Lincoln, Irving, Judah and Kirkham and ends at 19th Avenue. Once a wasteland of billowing dunes, the Sunset is now a family neighborhood, full of outstanding restaurants, cafes and sandwich shops. The N-Judah Muni rail line slices through the district, providing fast downtown access via the Judah Streetcar Tunnel. Four-lane Lincoln Way provides a quick outlet for cars headed in toward the Haight, or outward to the Outer Sunset and Ocean Beach. The border with Golden Gate Park gives residents easy access to the wild green forests of this San Francisco landmark. Though Lincoln Way is the prominent artery for transportation, the main commercial district runs along the length of Irving Street. This area boasts some of the city’s finest Asian restaurants, including the award-winning Ebisu sushi. Two doors down from Ebisu is the aptly named House, which serves California-style cuisine in a quirky modern atmosphere. Around the corner is 19 year-old P.J.’s Oyster Bed, which serves some of the city’s finest seafood – as cold as a raw oyster bar and as hot as the blackened redfish on Cajun Tuesday.
Most of the sights in the area are on the perimeter of the neighborhood -- Golden Gate Park to the north, Ocean Beach to the west, the zoo to the south and Haight-Ashbury to the east. However, for a taste of post-sand dune history, stop by St. Anne of the Sunset (850 Judah St. between Funston and 14th Avenue). This beautiful Mission-style church was built in 1931 and has been lovingly restored. Services, held in English, Cantonese and Arabic, reflect the ethnic make-up of the neighborhood.
Panoramic views of San Francisco and its environs are the reward for those who make the trek up the two peaks of Golden Gate Heights -- Grand View Park and Sunset Heights Park. It is actually fairly easy to access Grand View Park on foot. Head up to Kirkham Street and find the hidden staircase between 14th and 15th avenues. Follow it up the hill, and continue on 14th to Noriega. To your right is another steep staircase that leads to the top of the park. The park itself is not much to look at for most of the year -- it's just a tangle of weeds until spring, when wildflowers cover the hillside -- but the view, on a clear day, is spectacular. You'll see downtown San Francisco and the Bay Bridge to the east, Golden Gate Park and the top of the Golden Gate Bridge to the north and the vast openness of the Pacific Ocean to the west.
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