On a sunny Sunday in late October, we’re ensconced at Pacifica’s tiny Perfect Pour Cafe, hazarding guesses about latte flavors. Matcha, ube and cinnamon bun lattes seem fairly straightforward. But what does a piñata taste like? Or a witches brew?
Just a few blocks from the ocean, Perfect Pour and its creative lattes, panini and breakfast burritos woo hikers just back from the trails of Mori Point. Ditto for those seeking sustenance before the hefty shlep up the Point’s Bootleggers Steps, all 185 of them.
Mori Point is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, an 82,000-acre expanse that stretches from the San Mateo coast to Point Reyes. Spectacular vistas await at the top of the bluff, with views that stretch all the way from Point Pedro to Mount Tamalpais on a sunny day. (And if you don’t fancy the stairclimb, the sights are pretty remarkable from the flat California Coastal Trail, too, which parallels the black sand of Sharp Park Beach.)
But if it’s history you’re seeking, take a moment to simply gaze at those steps. During Prohibition, this route was used by bootleggers to smuggle spirits up from the beach to the Mori family’s inn and roadhouse. When federal agents arrived at the speakeasy in 1923, guns a’blaze for real, they found a thriving business with a stash of 24,000 cases of Canadian whiskey … all carried up those steps.
Everet Paragas, of Pacifica, enjoys the weather and the scenic wildflowers blooming as she takes the Bootleggers steps at Mori Point in Pacifica,, Calif., on Friday, March 22, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
The smugglers and speakeasy are long gone, of course, and anyone climbing the Bootleggers Stairs these days is likely toting water. But the reward for the climb — crashing surf and endless ocean views — is intoxicating at any time of year.
In April, you’ll find these basalt bluffs blanketed with wildflowers — yellow tidy tips and California goldfields. Humpback whales cavort in the waves from April through October and occasionally into November. And gray whales can sometimes be spotted even in January.
The bluffs at Mori Point in Pacifica, Calif., are covered in California goldfields, Tuesday, April 9, 2024. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Or you can simply dawdle at the Perfect Pour, contemplating surfing pups as you fuel up on caffeinated creativity. On the day we were there, the latte lineup included pumpkin spice — well, obviously — but also banana bread, horchata and piñata lattes. And more. That Witches Brew? It’s a creamy concoction combining espresso, chocolate, blueberry and a little magic.
Pacifica’s Perfect Pour Cafe specializes in wildly creative seasonal lattes in flavors such as Witch’s Brew for fall and Honeysuckle for spring. (Jackie Burrell/Bay Area News Group)
Of course, there’s more to Pacifica than bootleggers and surf breaks (and tasty lattes). Did you spot the crenellated silhouette of a fortress on the hill? Yes, that is a castle. The dramatic, fire-resistant structure was built by San Francisco attorney Henry Harrison McCloskey in 1908, two years after the Great Earthquake and Fire.
Back then, Pacifica — or Salada Beach, as this stretch of San Mateo County coast was known — was an up-and-coming resort destination dubbed “The Playground of San Francisco.” There was a hotel and cottages downtown, and a new rail line bringing revelers from San Francisco. Developers dreamed of adding a lakeside promenade, casinos, cafes, dance pavilions and bath houses.
That part of the fantasy never quite materialized, and the railroad closed in 1920, doomed by the advent of those newfangled automobiles. But you can still see the lake — a natural lagoon surrounded by wetlands at Sharp Park Gold Course — from the Coastal Trail. And the downtown of yore offers shops and eateries to explore as you wander along Palmetto Avenue.
At Pacifica’s Royal Bee Yarn Company, you can browse jewel-toned skeins of merino wool, craft kits and more. (Jackie Burrell/Bay Area News Group)
We may not be knitters — we’re more the casual crochet type — but we were dazzled by Kelley Corten’s Royal Bee Yarn Company, where a beehive of shelves and baskets hold jewel-toned skeins of merino wool in shades ranging from “Ocean Blue View from Pedro Point” to “Bootlegger’s Steps to the Quarry.” You’ll find hooks, needles and embroidery hoops here, and holiday gift inspiration in the form of winsome notebooks, craft kits and tiny scissors that look like birds.
The little wood-shingled cottage next door is home to David Puente’s eponymous bagel shop, which sells bagel sandwiches, pastries, cappuccino and Fido-friendly puppuccinos. And the one-room schoolhouse perched on the corner, the one with a sunny yellow door, is artist Olga Munoz’s 7.3.1. Designs, a gallery that showcases local artists and their watercolors, jewelry and mixed media.
Pacifica’s 7.3.1. Designs features local artists and their watercolors, jewelry and mixed media projects. (Jackie Burrell/Bay Area News Group)
To the south, you’ll find the gentle mile-long curve of Linda Mar Beach, stretching languidly along a sheltered cove and tempting surfers, beachbathers and Gordita Supreme lovers alike. (The rip tides and strong swells of Rockaway Beach and Sharp Park are no place for a casual dip. Head for Linda Mar.)
You’ll see surfers at Linda Mar year round — and not just the human variety. The World Dog Surfing Championships hang 18 here every summer. (Yes, they wear life jackets. They ride the waves solo, in pairs or with their humans. And Delilah the Spaniel won the 2024 small dog category, in case you wondered.)
Linda Mar is also home to what’s considered the world’s most beautiful Taco Bell. That may sound like a dubious distinction, but wait until you see the place. The architecture would fit right in at Sea Ranch, and the Burrito Supremes and boozy slushies come with ocean views.
If you’re not feeling the crunchwrapped whatevers, there are plenty of alternatives nearby.
In 2022, Santa Cruz’s Humble Sea opened a Pacifica taproom and beer garden half a mile from the beach. It’s just the spot to kick back, peel off the wetsuit and sip a Foggy IPA — think hazy but coastal — like the flagship Socks and Sandals or Wharf Patrol, as you chow down on fish and chips, burgers and tots served with smoky ketchup and Citra Hop aioli.
PACIFICA, CA – AUGUST 14: Customers fill the outdoor seating area of the Humble Sea Brewing Company taproom on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2022, in Pacifica, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
More in a pastry or pizza frame of mind? Head to the north end of town, where Matthew Kosoy opened his Rosalind Bakery five years ago. It’s in a strip mall, so it scores low on the ambience scale — but the baked goods are irresistible. Named for Kosoy’s grandmother, the bakery specializes in flaky pastries, sourdough and a signature pizza, the toppings balanced atop thick rectangles of focaccia.
It’s just the thing to warm you up on a chilly day — or a sunny one — by the sea.
If You Go
Perfect Pour: Open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends at 2500 Francisco Blvd., Pacifica, @perfectpourcafe/.
Mori Point: Find more information about parking and hiking trails at www.nps.gov.
Whale watching: Watch the crashing surf on the Pacifica live cams and learn more about whale sightings at https://pacificaview.net.
Sam’s Castle: Take a 90-minute guided tour ($30) of the castle at 900 Mirador Terrace on Nov. 16 and other, select dates. The castle’s music salon schedule ($50), includes a Jan. 19 performance by Oakland’s classical Town Quartet; www.sammazzafoundation.org.
Sam’s Castle in Pacifica was built by the McCloskey family of San Francisco as a refuge after the Great Earthquake of 1906. Sam Mazza purchased the property in 1959. (Photo by Robert Azzaro for the Sam Mazza Foundation)
Royal Bee Yarn Company: Opens at 11 a.m. Wednesday-Sunday at 1922 Palmetto Ave. in Pacifica; www.theroyalbeeyarncompany.com.
David’s Bagels: Opens at 7:30 a.m. daily at 1920 Palmetto Ave.; https://davidsbagelspacifica.com/.
7.3.1. Designs: Opens at 11 a.m. Wednesday-Sunday at 1932 Palmetto Ave.; https://www.731designs.com/.
Taco Bell Cantina: Opens at 8 a.m. daily at 5200 Coast Higway; tacobell.com.
Rosalind Bakery: Opens at 7 a.m. daily at 450 Manor Plaza; www.rosalindbakery.com.
Humble Sea: Opens at 3 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, noon Wednesday-Friday and 11 a.m. Sautrday-Sunday at 5560 Pacific Coast Highway; https://humblesea.com.
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