It is impossible to think of what makes San Francisco San Francisco without calling to mind our vibrant Mexican culture. La Mission, after all, is the city's most colorful neighborhood—an eclectic hodgepodge of the Mexican families that have lived there forever, and the hipster set that has brought trendy restaurants, artisanal coffee, and concerns about gentrification.
But while Mexicans make up nearly 70 percent of the Bay Area's Latino population, there is a smaller but nevertheless culturally rich number of communities here that make for a diverse Latino experience. Here, we offer a quick primer on where to get the flavor of some of the Latin American cultures with the highest prevalence in the Bay Area.
Peru
(Courtesy of Qosqo Maky)
Eat: Bay Areans have long been gobbling up the spirit of Peru at Limón and Limón Rotisserie, where pisco sours are the must-start to every meal. Order to share and taste pollo de la brasa (marinated rotisserie chicken with spicy ají sauces) and a variety of ceviches. // Multiple locations in SF and Burlingame, and coming soon to Walnut Creek, limonrotisserie.com
Shop: Need some llama fur for your home? Perhaps a pair of sneakers made with an indigenous Peruvian textile? Qosqo Maky is a treasure trove of Peruvian handmade jewelry, textiles, ceramics, clothing, and tchotchkes. // Qosqo Maky, 2515 Mission St. (Mission District), qosqomakysf.wordpress.com
Party: Dance the marinera—Peru's national dance takes cues from Spanish fandango, African zamacueca, and indigenous couple dances)—fill up on alfajores, or hear live Peruvian music (past performers have included singers Raúl Romero and Julio Bravo) at Newark's annual Festival Peruano de San Francisco, which celebrates the country's July 28, 1821 independence from Spain. // 2017 information TBA; 5911 Mowry Ave. (Newark)
Fun Fact: At the end of the 19th century, you could head over to the Bank Exchange & Billiard Saloon—where the Transamerica Pyramid now stands—and order a Pisco Punch. The drink was invented there by owner and bartender Duncan Nicol using Peru's iconic grape brandy.
