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.
Puerto Rico
Eat: Named after consulting chef Gloria Pinette's neighborhood bus stop in San Juan, Parada 22 serves Puerto Rican staples such as mofongo (smashed green plantains with pork broth) and arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas). In the mood for brunch? Go for Boogaloos' breakfast pop-up (Monday through Friday until 2pm; weekends until 3pm) and pair your desayuno tipico (two eggs, grilled plantain cake, cabbage slaw, and beans) with bottomless mimosas. // 1805 Haight St. (Haight), parada22.com
Takeout: Sometimes you just want some bacalaitos (fried codfish fritters) to go. The Bay Area's first Puerto Rican food truck, Borinquen Soul, now has a permanent home inside Oakland's Two Star Market and touts itself as food for the homesick boricua (Puerto Rican). // 2020 MacArthur Blvd. (Oakland), borinquensoultakeout.com
Party: A yearly festival occurring in San Jose since the 1970s, El Dia de San Juan Salsa Festival fetes Puerto Rico's patron saint John the Baptist, whose feast day is June 24. Puerto Ricans are just as instrumental (no pun intended) to the genre of salsa dancing as the Cubans, so there are plenty of opportunities to shimmy. Last year's festivities included bongo legend José Mangual and La Mixta Criolla, a Bay Area band who takes its cue partly from the creole music of Puerto Rico. // 11am to 7pm, Saturday, June 17; History Park, 1650 Senter Rd. (San Jose), wrprc.org
Fun Fact: Club Puertorriqueno of San Francisco, founded in 1912, is the oldest Latino organization in the United States. // 3249A Mission St. (Bernal Heights), clubpuertorriquenosf.com
El Salvador
Eat: We are forever in the debt of El Salvador for bringing us the delicious pupusa—those pillowy soft tortillas stuffed with cheese and maybe some refried beans or pork, and topped with curtido, a slightly fermented cabbage slaw. La Santaneca has earned its go-to status as the city's place to indulge in El Salvador's national dish, having garnered its following through strong word of mouth from natives and a 4-star rating on Yelp. // 3781 Mission St. (Bernal Heights), yelp.com
Read: Publisher Holly Ayala and author Jorge Argueta joined forces to create Luna's Press, focusing on bilingual and multicultural children's books that celebrate Salvadoran heritage through its native characters. Olita and Manyula: The Big Birthday tells the story of an iconic elephant at San Salvador's National Zoological Park. // Luna's Press & Bookstore, 3790 Mission St. (Bernal Heights), lunaspress.com
Celebrate: Feast on Salvadoran foods including pupusas and pasteles fritos (fried empanadas), hear live music from national bands such as La Maquina and Los Hermanos Flores, and buy clothing emblazoned with the blue and white of the flag at the annual Festival Independencia Salvadoreña in San Rafael. // Sept. 10 at Marin Civic Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, (San Rafael), festivalindependenciasalvadorena.com
Fun Fact: Supermodel and Bay Area native Christy Turlington Burns is half Salvadoran—her mother is from Cojutepeque, which is known as the City of Fog in El Salvador. Coincidence, no?
Argentina
Eat: Argentinians are some of the biggest meat consumers in the world—in other words, they know their steak. So does Lolinda (2518 Mission St. (Mission), which takes a Californian-meets-Latin American approach in such one-of-a-kind dishes as yucca-ricotta croquettes. For something more homespun, the food truck Tanguito (2850 Jones St., Fisherman's Wharf) serves a traditional Milanesa steak or chicken with fries and egg.
Shop: Opened in 1972 as La Argentina, this is a true mom and pop shop: Flag Mama (flagmama.com) is the place to get your Día de los Muertos flags; Futbol Papa (futbolpapa.com) has your Lionel Messi soccer jersey. // 3250 24th St. (Mission)
Party: Learn the sultry tango, the most famous of Argentine dances, during 10 days of workshops at the San Francisco Bay Area Tango Festival, starring 2014 World Tango Champion Sebastian Acosta. // June 8-18, facebook.com.
Fun Fact: Argentina is the largest South American wine exporter and the fifth largest producer of wine in the world. Order a glass of malbec at your favorite local wine bar—try Hotel Biron, Blush, or Beso Bistronomia.
Cuba
Eat: SF's newly opened Media Noche (3465 19th St. (Mission) serves an Americanized spin on Cuban classics such as lechon asado (grilled pork) and the signature media noche, a cousin of the Cubano sandwich made with roasted mojo pork shoulder, smoked ham, Swiss cheese, house pickles, and mustard on sweet brioche bread. For more authentic flavor, don't miss Radio Habana Social Club (1109 Valencia St., Mission) for the traditional ropa vieja (pork with rice, black beans, and an organic mixed salad).
Shop: Nothing says Cuban luxury like a fine cigar. In the Fairmont Hotel, men's clothier Vendetta sells pre-embargo cigars, aged 30 to 60 years. Take the Flor de Farach Palmeras, for example. Crafted in 1956, these puppies have a mildly spicy flavor and come in a box of 25 ($3,500). // Fairmont Hotel, 950 Mason St. (Nob Hill), vendettablu.com
Party: The SF Bay Area Cuban Festival comes around each October to venues including Balançoire and the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. Over the course of three days, expect dance workshops, concerts, parties and more. // 2017 dates TBA, sfbayareacubanfestival.com
Fun Fact: San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón was born in Havana.
Colombia
Eat: Mr. Pollo-Aguila de Oro (more commonly known as just Mr. Pollo) is one of the few places where you can eat Colombian food in the Bay Area. Nosh on some arepas (we love the slightly sweet version served here), or try the traditional bandeja paisa, a serious platter that comes with ground beef, fried egg, plantain, chicharrón, black pudding, white rice, red beans, an arepa, avocado, and more. // Mr. Pollo-Aguila de Oro, 6123 Mission St. (Daly City), mrpolloaguiladeoro.eat24hour.com
Cook: The Mission's Evergreen Market specializes in Latin American groceries, with an assortment of meats, seafoods, and dry goods. The place also has all the Colombian snacks you could want. PIck up some achiras (crispy biscuits made with cheese and arrowroot powder) or obleas (flour wafers with an arequipe, also known as dulce de leche, spread). // 2539 Mission St. (Mission), evergreenmarketsf.com
Party: Shake it like Shakira at the Festival Colombiano de la Bahia SF, which celebrates the country's independence from Spain (July 20, 1810). Hear the national sounds of cumbia and vallenato music and watch folkloric dance performances. // 2017 dates TBA; Santo Christo Society Hall, 41 Oak Ave. (South San Francisco), facebook.com
Fun Fact: Nicknamed the Barranquilla Baby for the Colombian city where he was born, retired San Francisco Giant Édgar Rentería was named MVP when the team took the pennant in the 2010 World Series.
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.
Nicaragua
Eat: Las Tinajas is a no-fuss, cafeteria-style eatery where you can order up Nicoya classics like a Nicaraguan mom would make, such as queso frito and gallo pinto (red beans and rice). // 2338 Mission St. (Mission), facebook.com
Sweets: For over 28 years, Lelenita's Cakes has supplied the community with special occasion sweets, everything from pastelitos (small cakes) to elaborate sheet cakes for any celebration. The tres leches cake is a customer favorite. // 3743 Mission St., (Bernal Heights), yelp.com
Celebrate: Nicaragua gained its independence from Spain on September 15, 1821—the country shares this day with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The yearly celebration Festival Viva Nicaragua, in Newark, promises live music (last year's festivities brought Grammy-nominated rock band La Cuneta), native food (such as vigorón, a dish made of curtido, boiled yucca, and chicharrones wrapped in a banana leaf), national dances, and more. // Sunday, Sept. 17, 10am to 7pm; Swiss Park, 5911 Mowry Ave. (Newark), facebook.com
Fun Fact: Nicoya music group La Cuneta traveled to San Francisco to record their 2015 album Mondongo with Latin producer Greg Landau. In 2016, the album was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Latin Rock, Urban, or Alternative Album category, making La Cuneta the first Nicaraguan band to be nominated for a Grammy.
