[manfromchina1]

Moving from LA to SF will definitely give you a sticker shock. I used to buy nice large burritos in DTLA for $10 flat as recently as 2024. That's with tax. Later that year in SF a nice sandwich in random bodegas would cost well over $20(with tax). SF is probably the most eye wateringly expensive city in all of US. It definitely beats NYC.

[testfrequency]

Food is so much cheaper (and better) in LA than SF.

SF has such mediocre food for what you pay compared to any other city I’ve lived in*. You either have to fork over a few hundred to experience some of the stellar fine dining options in the city, or end up at some brunch place that’s probably pretty decent but you’re not leaving without at least $100 between two people.

The good food in the Bay Area I’ve always found to be in a shopping center or random places sprinkled all round the south bay and peninsula. Which, may sound similar to how LA is too, but I’d argue LA has overall a healthier food scene and variety of amazing food all within central LA - and most importantly, more affordable.

* besides Seattle

[buildbot]

I love Seattle and it’s food but yeah it’s really expensive by default - I haven’t spent enough time in the Bay recently to compare but it feels equally pricy.

There are still reasonable & very good places though you just have to know.

[OkayPhysicist]

LA's food scene is unbelievably good. There are individual categories of food that other places have it beat on (for example, if I want a deep dish pizza, I'm probably better off going to Zachary's, or being in Chicago), but on a scale of "I can walk into a random restaurant with no research and expect a good to extremely good meal, with plenty of variety in such restaurants to choose from" to "Evansville, IN", I haven't been anywhere in the world that has LA beat.

[radley]

SF / Bay Area is best for a few specialties such as Super burritos, specialty Thai, & shawarmas. But LA is far better for quality and taste, along with a broader range of options.

[the_sleaze_]

$25 dollar cocktails in Washington DC. $16 sandwiches from a gas station in Northern Virginia. It's everywhere.

[ep103]

It is everywhere, but SF really brings it to another level. Its wild.