PACIFICA, Calif. — 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 stairs, 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 ablaze, they found a thriving business with a stash of 24,000 cases of Canadian whiskey … all carried up those steps.
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.
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 but also banana bread, horchata and piñata lattes. And more. The Witches Brew? It’s a creamy concoction combining espresso, chocolate, blueberry and a little magic.
Of course, there’s more to Pacifica than bootleggers and surf breaks. 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.
We may not be knitters 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.
To the south, you’ll find the gentle mile-long curve of Linda Mar Beach, stretching languidly along a sheltered cove and tempting surfers, beach bathers 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.
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. But 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 wet suit and sip a Foggy IPA 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.
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.
