I was hesitant to blog about this place simply because it’s one of my favourite places in San Francisco and I selfishly wanted it for myself. However, I soon started feeling guilty about this, and convinced myself that sharing would be the right thing to do. Damn conscience.

Elephant & Castle is a bar I discovered early on in my time here. There’s no denying that its close distance from my place adds to its appeal and rank. But aside from the distance, Elephant & Castle is a warm, homey, English pub that serves up a large variety of beers and comfort food. In other words: there’s nothing not to love.

Their menu includes a large range of choices ranging from Quebec poutine to Indian curry. On my last trip I ordered a panko crusted hotdog served inside a naan bun and drizzled with chipotle aioli. It was unreal. A word of advice: portions are huge here so be sure to come with an empty stomach, or with plenty of time to spare to finish your meal. With a menu that includes items such as French onion soup, burgers, truffle parm chips, and jalapeño mac n cheese, the extra time is probably a good idea simply to choose your order.

The bar additions here also add to this places inherent appeal. One of my more interesting drink orders here was a surprising mixture of Guinness and Strongbow cider. Served in a pint, the two beverages never actually mixed in the glass. It was something I had never tried before and although it wasn’t my favourite beer beverage, would love the opportunity to try more mixtures like this.

If you happen to not live in San Francisco, the best news you’ll hear all day is that Elephant & Castle is really a chain that may have locations near you! With locations across the U.S. and in Canada, it’s possible that pub happiness might be closer to you than you think. Did I mention they serve breakfast?