Sometimes I wonder if I really am a native of California. So many places I have never visited, and I know there are tourists and short term visitors to this glorious state who really take advantage of all there is to offer.

The Beach Chalet, on the Great Highway, across from Ocean Beach, is just one of those treasures. Now serving as a Golden Gate Park Visitor’s Center, the Beach Chalet was designed by Willis Polk and served as a lounge and changing area for nearby Ocean Beach, and then later, as barracks for service personnel.

Fresco Mural inside Golden Gate Park Visitor's Center

When you walk into the Beach Chalet building, you enter into a visitor’s center that is open to all, with a glorious history of San Francisco depicted in a fresco mural by Lucien Labaudt. Our group had fun playing an “I-Spy” sort of game, looking for figures in the mural with hats, or counting the fishing boats, or looking for kids with tennis rackets. Straight through the visitor’s center, in the back, is the Park Chalet Garden Restaurant, specializing in California small-plate cuisine and fresh, hand-thrown pizza. Upstairs is the Beach Chalet Brewery, open for operation since 1997, when the building was restored.

After our visit to the Bay Area Discovery Museum this summer, we decided to head back to San Francisco and have lunch at the Beach Chalet Brewery. With 4 kids in tow, all under the age of 10, we had our hands full, but the restaurant was able to seat us right away in a booth with a nice view of the ocean. In fact, all tables in the upstairs restaurant have views of the ocean. Nice.

Beach Chalet Visitor's Center, San Francisco

I was captured by the extensive list of handcrafted brews, and sort of wished we had come with more adults and less kids! I started with a glass of the California Kind, but if deciding what to drink proved difficult, I could always fall back on the sampler collection of 6 brews.

And the lunch menu was extensive, offering something for every appetite, from hearty appetizers to salads and pastas, and fresh fish and meat dishes. The kids had their own menu, with many favorites, including corn dogs and mac and cheese. My kids really enjoyed their smoothies, which we treated as dessert!

Prices were reasonable, especially given the location and view. If you want to visit, here are details to know:

Beach Chalet

Located above the Golden Gate Park Visitor’s Center
1000 Great Highway @ Ocean Beach
Between Fulton St. and Lincoln Way
San Francisco, California

Hours (open 364 days a year; closed on Christmas)
Brunch (served Saturday and Sunday): 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
Breakfast (served Monday through Friday) 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Lunch (served daily) 11:00am to 5:00pm
Dinner (served daily) 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Sunday through Thursday 5:00pm – 11:00pm Friday and Saturday

Additional resources:

Ocean and Park View Dining in San Francisco

Ocean Park Motel near Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Photos courtesy of Gudrun Enger, Kitchen Gadget Girl.