SoMa Part 3: Art, Nightlife, and Local Favorites
Welcome to our series exploring San Francisco’s rich and diverse neighborhoods. There are nearly ninety of them, each with its own story to tell. Every week, we’ll highlight a different corner of the city, diving into its history, how it’s evolved, and the local nooks and crannies worth exploring. Our goal is to celebrate the neighborhoods that shaped this city we love and the people and stories that continue to make it what it is today.
You’ve reached the finale of our SoMa series. Beyond its housing market, SoMa is one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in San Francisco – a place where culture, food, nightlife, and community intersect.
Art and Culture
SoMa has long been a hub for creativity. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) anchors the area, offering world-class exhibits just steps away from smaller galleries like Catharine Clark Gallery and the Minnesota Street Project. The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts hosts performances, installations, and community events that celebrate diversity and innovation. This mix of major institutions and grassroots creativity reflects SoMa’s layered identity.
Nightlife and Music
When the sun sets, SoMa’s nightlife comes alive. Legendary clubs like 1015 Folsom and DNA Lounge draw DJs and live acts from around the world, while venues like Audio and Temple keep the dance floors packed. For those who love live music with grit, Bottom of the Hill, tucked near Potrero’s edge of SoMa, has launched countless bands to fame. The neighborhood also carries a proud LGBTQ+ nightlife tradition, with bars and clubs that have served as gathering spots for decades.
Local Businesses
Food and drink options reflect SoMa’s eclectic spirit. Grab third-wave coffee at Sightglass, tacos at Garaje, or pizza at Square Pie Guys. For a unique evening, head to City Beer Store for craft brews or book a table at Alexander’s Steakhouse for a high-end experience. Tech startups and co-working spaces hum nearby, blending seamlessly into the scene and adding to the neighborhood’s constant motion.
Community and Play
SoMa isn’t only about industry and nightlife. Spaces like Victoria Manalo Draves Park and South Park provide green relief, while events like Sunday Streets transform the area into a festival of bikes, food trucks, and music. SoMa has always been a place of big gatherings, whether that’s Burning Man Decompression parties or Pride after-parties spilling onto Folsom Street.
SoMa is a neighborhood of transformation. From warehouses to lofts, from the dot-com boom to the pandemic slump, and now a market revival paired with cultural vibrancy, it remains one of The City’s most fascinating and future-facing neighborhoods.
Come back next week as our neighborhood series continues in North Beach – The City’s Little Italy with a dark side. We’ll explore its haunted past, tales of the plague years, and the legends that earned it whispers of a West Coast Jack the Ripper.
