In 1866 the first Basque boardinghouse opened in San Francisco. Clientele were single young men, aged 17-25, who immigrated from the Basque regions of Spain and France. Most of these men found work as shepherds in Idaho, Northern California and Nevada, but needed a place to stay in the off season. San Francisco became the capital of American Basques. By the late 1800s Basque boardinghouses opened up across the City. They not only provided a room and meals, but acted as employment agencies, recreation centers and social clubs. Boarders were often expected to help out in the hotel, kitchen and dining room. Meals were served on the first floor on long tables with benches. The family-style meals became so popular that many of the boardinghouses converted these dining rooms into restaurants. 

These early boardinghouses were destroyed in the 1906 Earthquake and Fires^[1], but a new cluster opened in the neighborhood separating China Town^[2] from North Beach^[3]. They thrived through the 1960s, though immigrant borders were eventually replaced with artists and students. 

Des Alpes Restaurant was the last of the old boarding house restaurant to close (in the late 1990s). Located at 732 Broadway, it was my father Chris’ favorite restaurant in the City. We went there on many a Friday night for many years when I was a child. There would be one service at 6:30 that consisted of a five course meal: soup, two entrees with vegetables, a salad, and dessert.  I fondly remember their string bean salad. And it was there at age 8 that I was introduced and developed a taste for sweetbreads: they are hard to find on a menu these days. 

Piperade^[4], located at 1015 Battery, opened in 2002 and is one of the only Basque restaurants remaining in the City today. Hirogoyen combines fresh local ingredients with classic French, Spanish and Basque cuisine. 

^[1] 1906 Earthquake and Fires: https://thesanfranciscophoenix.com/?p=2849

^[2] ChinaTown: story coming October 18th

^[3] North Beach: https://thesanfranciscophoenix.com/?p=5026

^[4] Piperade: visit them at www.piperade.com