My Favorite Quesadillas & Beer Pairings in San Francisco
I literally have dreams about quesadillas. Over my last two decades in San Francisco I’ve tried thousands of them, on late-night street corners to sit-down cantinas, to sun-soaked patios. I’m a quesadilla aficionado, and since Anchor Brewing Co. has been serving beers to hungry San Franciscans for over 127 years, we thought it would be perfect to partner with them, to highlight my favorite quesadilla and beer pairings in San Francisco!
Anchor Brewing Co. prides itself on making beer that pairs well with food and it just so happens they’re launching a brand new Mexican Style Lager that pairs perfectly with quesadillas. It’s called San Pancho Mexican Style Lager with Lime, and they are having a big launch party this Sunday April 2nd at Anchor Public Taps! If you want to try some of the pairings in this article come on down to Public Taps!
En espanol ‘Pancho’ is a nickname for ‘Francisco’. The amazing artwork on the packaging and can were done by Artist Raul Urias
1. San Pancho Mexican Style Lager w/ Lime & The ‘Grizzly Dilla’ at Frank Grizzly’s
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Husband and wife duo Kim & Jorge are the team behind Frank Grizzly’s currently cookin’ at Anchor Public Taps. They make amazing Cali-Mexi dishes with tortillas made fresh every day by La Palma. My favorite quesadilla in San Francisco right now is made with spinach jalapeño flour tortilla, fried in duck fat with finely ground duck meat that Chef Jorge calls duck ‘carnitas style’, you dip it in the salsa roja, and wash it down with San Pancho Mexican Style Lager with Lime, and you get all the savory, cheesy goodness, with that refreshing lime kick on the end, it’s perfection.
San Pancho is brewed right in Potrero Hill, at the Anchor Brewery, it’s chock-full of zesty citrus, sweet corn flavors, golden maltiness, and Saaz hops. Check out the dope artistry on the can and packaging that pays homage to SF’s Mission District.
2. El Farolito Quesadilla Suiza + Anchor Steam® Beer
SF Classic meets SF Classic. On a foggy night, after running around the Mission there’s nothing more satisfying than picking up a carne asada, (the carnitas are also hella good). quesadilla suiza from El Farolito (on 24th & Alabama), and eating it with San Francisco’s original Steam Beer®.
The hearty crema, the salsa verde, mix perfectly with the classic amber, and caramel notes of Anchor Steam® Beer…and of course, the fog adds flavor too. Eat, sleep, repeat.
3. EL PIPILA Veggy Quesadilla + Crisp Pilsner
El Pípila is led by a trio of women, mother Guadalupe Guerrero and her two daughters Brenda & Alejandra, and they make traditional recipes from Guanajuato in Mexico. This quesadilla with their sautéed vegetables and a side of rice and beans is lighter than most quesadillas and is made in a corn tortilla with queso fresco. Top it off with Anchor’s Crisp Pilsner, and you’re in heaven.
The El Pipila crew is also going to be cooking at the San Pancho launch party so you can try their awesome food with Anchor beers on Sunday too!
4. El Castillito Super Quesadilla + Anchor West Coast IPA
This is everything, everywhere, all at once. The super quesadilla at Taqueria El Castillito on Church st. has everything you could hope for. It’s as thick as a burrito and carries guacamole, queso, crema, pico, pickled jalapenos, & carne asada. This taqueria has been run by a tight crew that works the grill seamlessly while capping on each other day in and day out. If you understand kitchen Spanish, they’ll have you laughing hard.
Castillito also has a great salsa bar with a habanero sauce that will blow your mind. Anchor it all down with the bitter notes of the West Coast IPA, and you’ll be set for a long, long voyage.
5. Cancun’s Chicken Quesadilla & the Best Coast Variety Pack
I have a special affinity for the grilled chicken quesadilla at Taqueria Cancun in the Mission, the pro-tip is to get it with avocado slices and dip it in that fresh salsa verde. The GOAT tip is to pick yourself up a Best Coast Variety pack, slice up the quesadilla into four parts and pair it with the San Pancho Mexican Style Lager with Lime, the Crisp Pilsner, West Coast IPA, and Anchor’s Steam Beer®.
San Pancho Launch Party
Or just come on down to Anchor Public Taps and spend the day with San Pancho Mexican Style Lager with Lime, San Francisco’s newest craft beer from Anchor Brewing Co. Celebrate with good music, delicious food from the amazing Frank Grizzly’s and El Pípila (paired above), and of course great beer. Anchor will be pouring all their amazing beers all day long, so eat and drink with us to your delight!
Anchor Public Taps
495 DeHaro St, San Francisco
SUNDAY, April 2nd
1 PM – 5 PM
RSVP for FREE party HERE
Our article is sponsored by Anchor Brewing, The video and images at Anchor Public Taps were taken by @alexmaksf, The amazing artwork on the new San Pancho Mexican Style Lager with Lime is by Artist Raul Urias.
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