Presidio Eats: A Delectable BBQ at the Presidio Golf Course

​For most sunshine loving Americans, summertime means grilling on the BBQ – even in San Francisco, where the weather is less than scorching. But if you feel like letting someone else don the apron, Presidio Golf Course has a “diamond in the rough” for you to discover (pun intended)  – the Presidio Golf Course General Store.

Located just off the greens where the Park Trail intersects with Washington Boulevard, the General Store smokes up some of the best barbeque this side of Augusta. Though the setting is modest and very casual, the General Store can make even a cloudy day feel like summer vacation.

Vinny Moran, BBQ Master, starts prepping his grill early. On Wednesdays, he pulls his ingredients together for the Thursday to Sunday service. He marinades his tri-tip overnight in a Bloody Mary mix that includes liquid garlic and a bottle of whisky that replaces, and upgrades, your classic vodka. “By Sunday, the tri-tip is pretty insane,” Vinny said. “Imagine – it’s been marinating in this delicious mixture for three days and the whisky acts as a tenderizer. It just gets more and more flavor as each day goes by.”

For his famous pulled pork, Vinny smokes a pork shoulder for six hours, flipping it a few times on the grill, then braises it in beer for another three hours. When it’s fresh out of the oven and falling apart, he adds a bottle of hot wing sauce and herbs and spices. The hot dogs at the General Store aren’t neglected, either – he typically fires up the grill around 9 am so he can throw a few dogs on for incoming hungry golfers, tourists, hikers, kids from the playground, or the occasional runner who likes to start their day with something more than a Power Bar.

The General Store also has chips, sodas, and beer in their fridge. Prices range from $5-7 for lunch items. Everything off the grill is served on a jumbo bun, slightly scorched, and hot off the fire – this includes the huge “burger dog” (though we did witness a few Paleo golfers forgo the bun to get their tri-tip served in a paper cup). The General Store typically has the aforementioned burger and hot dogs on the menu, along with bratwursts, hot links, chili dogs, polish dogs, and specials like Vinny’s tender and delicious tri-tip steak sandwich, the pulled-pork sandwich with vinegar purple slaw, and a marinated grilled chicken sandwich. You’ll also find $1 additions, like cheese, avocado, and bacon; the classic hot dog condiments; and a few homemade toppings, like horseradish sauce, barbecue sauce, chipotle or cilantro-jalapeno aioli.

Located within “driving range” of the 6th hole (and not far from the 11th green), the General Store is a great spot to take a break from a hike, rest and refresh at a picnic table, and people watch. Personally, we like to watch the slow stream of golf carts as they make their way over the perfectly groomed hills and through the tall cypress trees along the course.

Hours at the General Store are dependent on crowds and the weather – though they’re typically open Thursday through Sunday, 10ish to 4ish.

Learn more about the General Store at the Golf Course >>