Bakeries keep San Franciso's Irish heritage alive

July 10, 2:04 AMSF Bakery ExaminerLindsey Danis

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John Campbell's famous brown bread by Bradley Allen

Historically, the Sunset--San Francisco's largest neighborhood and one of its last settled--has had a heavy Irish presence. Although many Irish have moved to the suburbs or otherwise left the city, a scant handful of Irish restaurants and markets remain to remind residents and visitors of the Irishmen and women who helped settle San Francisco.

The Irish have been a significant population in the Bay area since the settlement of California. Both Chinese and Irish immigrants competed for jobs in Gold Rush California. The Irish were attracted to San Francisco because it represented a break from the Protestant-heavy (and anti-Catholic) East Coast. While Irish settlers helped build San Francisco--notably James Phelan the merchant/banker and his son, eventual mayor of San Francisco--many Irish contributed to the anti-Chinese rhetoric that led to the Chinese Exclusion Act.

There's always an Irish pub and a pint of Guinness--and Durty Nellie's makes a great place of chips n curry--but those looking for memories in a buttery biscuit or scone have a couple of yummy options for their Irish breads and pastries.

John Campbell's Irish Bakery  5625 Geary / 415-387-1536

Opened by a master baker(named John Campbell) from Belfast, John Campbell's retail store sells classic Irish baked goods including scones, soda bread and brown bread. Meat pasties--chicken curry or ground beef--and shepherd's pies are very popular savory baked goods. The clear must-haves are the blueberry scone, soda bread and the chicken curry pastie. The scones are light, buttery and inexpensive; they rank as some of the San Francisco's best. Though technically in the Richmond, John Campbell's supplies smaller Sunset markets with scoes and Irish bread, and prepares brunch goods for its neighboring bar, the Blarney Stone. If a pint and pastry isn't Irish, I don't know what is.

Copper Kettle  2240 Taraval / 415-731-8818

The Copper Kettle in the Outer Sunset offers full Irish breakfast with white and black pudding and a small selection of pastries, brown bread, oatmeal and doughnuts. The real favorite here is the Irish Breakfast roll, a combination of Irish sausage, Irish bacon and egg on a soft roll. At lunchtime the menu changes to classics like Irish stew, fish and chips, shepherd's pie and curry chips.