San Francisco has clearly become a tech town. But is there now a tech voting bloc in The City?
There are thousands of tech workers who live and work in San Francisco. Like other residents, many of them have become more politically active in recent years. Over that same period, tech moguls and political groups with tech-industry ties have flexed their muscles in local elections.
But the local elected officials, consultants and activists who spoke with The Examiner said they didn’t perceive tech workers as comprising a distinct bloc of voters. They don’t generally see tech employees as a constituency to which they specifically have to appeal. Instead, they see those in the industry as having a wide range of viewpoints reflecting the interests and concerns of city residents as a whole.
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The Examiner is monitoring these political power blocs before the November election.
Working in the tech industry can mean a lot of different things, said state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat who represents San Francisco. Some people are venture capitalists, some are startup founders. Some work at large tech companies, some at startups, and others work for themselves. And on many issues, you can find people in the tech industry on opposing sides, he said.
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“I don’t view tech as a monolith,” Wiener said. “And I think that would be disrespectful of folks who are in technology, because … they are a very, very diverse community who hold a lot of different perspectives.”
Twenty years ago, the very idea that San Francisco would have a tech voting bloc would be laughable. The center of the Bay Area’s tech industry was in the South Bay. To the extent that tech workers lived in The City, many of them commuted from there to Silicon Valley.
But a lot has changed in those 20 years. Some of the biggest tech companies in the world are now located in San Francisco. The City itself draws in a greater share of venture-capital investment than nearly all states — and far more than the valley. San Francisco has quickly become the center of the tech industry’s latest focus, artificial intelligence. And the number of tech workers in the area has swelled.
In early 2010, around 46,000 people total worked in the tech industry in San Francisco and San Mateo counties, according to data from the state Employment Development Department. Today that number stands at more than 150,000 — even after the industry shed more than 30,000 jobs in those counties over the last two years.
At least in San Francisco, many of those jobs are filled by people who live in The City rather than commute in, according to Ted Egan, San Francisco’s chief economist, citing U.S. Census data. Only a smaller portion of tech workers who live in San Francisco now commute to jobs outside of The City.
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Current Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan, pictured during the opening day of Web Summit 2018 at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal, has emerged as a powerful influence in San Francisco politics.
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In recent years, many of the City’s tech moguls have become much more active in local politics. In 2018, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff helped lead the effort — financially and politically — to pass Proposition C, which raised taxes on businesses to provide housing for homeless people. Venture capitalists David Sacks and Garry Tan were among the leading donors to the 2022 campaigns to recall three school-board members as well as District Attorney Chesa Boudin, and Tan is a board member and backer of local political group GrowSF.
Meanwhile, fellow venture capitalist Michael Moritz founded TogetherSF, another political group that has pushed The City to focus on government dysfunction, homelessness and public-safety issues. And Chris Larsen, the executive chairman of cryptocurrency company Ripple, has become a big donor to various local campaigns.
But it’s unclear that any of those moguls represent anyone other than themselves, local political experts said.
“I don’t know that any of them have individual constituencies,” said one longtime San Francisco political consultant who asked not to be named.
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To be sure, some of the groups those moguls have founded or backed have built loyal followings. But the people affiliated with the groups aren’t exclusively in the tech industry. And the policies they’ve advocated have resonated beyond just techies.
Sachin Agarwal co-founded GrowSF after working for Lyft and Twitter. Initially the group focused on San Francisco’s tech community, which traditionally hadn’t been very engaged in local politics.
Although a lot of tech people — including Tan — have donated to the group, Agarwal said he doesn’t see GrowSF today as representing the tech industry or workers. It doesn’t advocate for policies that would benefit the tech industry, he said.
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Sachin Agarwal, one of the co-founders of Grow SF, pictured on Friday, July 30, 2021.
Examiner file
Instead, it focuses on issues such as public safety and public education that have broad appeal, he said.
The group mailed its voter guide for the March election to every household in The City, and its website in that period drew 100,000 unique visitors, which would represent a sizable chunk of San Francisco’s electorate, Agarwal said.
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“We’re not about any single industry,” he said. “We are about normal people … people with families who have kids, who are homeowners who want to stay in The City long term.”
Meanwhile, not all tech workers are politically aligned with groups such as GrowSF or TogetherSF.
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Supervisor Hillary Ronen said she has numerous friends who work in the tech industry, but they are independent thinkers. While organizations such as GrowSF recruit from the tech community, they don’t represent the values of her friends or other regular tech workers, Ronen said.
“I just don’t think [those groups] represent the community at large,” she said.
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Supervisor Hillary Ronen speaking about the San Francisco Reproductive Freedom Act at Planned Parenthood in San Francisco on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
Craig Lee/The Examiner
Indeed, within San Francisco’s tech community are a lot of diverse viewpoints — even about industry–related policies, local political experts say.
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Wiener said there are people in the community on both sides of the debate over his bill that would attempt to prevent artificial-intelligence models from causing catastrophic harm. While many tech people are intensely in favor of housing construction, some aren’t on board with that movement, he said. They have a range of views on policing and public safety and even on who they favor for mayor in November, he said.
“In my experience, quote-unquote tech people are as diverse in their political views as anyone else,” Wiener said.
Matters such as quality of life, public safety and homelessness are important to many of those in the industry, said the political consultant. But those issues are the top priorities for many San Francisco residents, tech or not, the consultant said.
No matter what industry they work in or where they live, residents generally want the same things from The City — a safe place with good schools, affordable housing, frequent and reliable transit service, and activities they can enjoy with friends and family, said Maggie Muir, a political consultant who works with Wiener and Mayor London Breed.
“Whether you work in tech or any of those other places, you all want the same thing,” Muir said.
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Many of those items are the focus of The City’s so-called moderates. But just because tech workers prioritize such things doesn’t mean that they also ascribe to the pro-business policies favored by such centrists, the consultant said.
In fact, folks in the industry can’t be counted on to support policies that might benefit their own companies, such as local tax reform, even when those policies are popular, the political consultant said.
Instead, it’s not unusual “that tech employees will go out of their way to vote against the interests of their employer,” the consultant said.
The November ballot will offer an example that’s arguably along those lines. Proposition L would put a new tax on Uber, Lyft and Waymo to help address the huge budget deficit faced in coming years by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
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A Waymo autonomous vehicle on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco on Monday, June 10, 2024.
Craig Lee/The Examiner
Uber is one of The City’s leading tech companies and one of its biggest private employers. The ride-hailing services it and Lyft offer took off due in no small part to The City’s tech workers. And Waymo is the leading developer of a new iteration of technology — autonomous vehicles and robotaxi services.
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But those companies have also drawn plenty of criticism over the years, charged with helping undermine the traditional cab industry, treating human drivers as second-class workers, and — in the case of Waymo — offering a service that’s under-tested and potentially unsafe.
So one might think that the measure might come out of a backlash against tech, but no: The three authors of the proposition all work or have worked in the industry. Many of the people they’ve signed to support it are in the industry.
Although Uber opposes the measure, Prop. L’s backers say don’t see it as particularly antitech. Instead, they see it as a measure that would not only benefit Muni but the ride-hailing services also, said Lian Chang, one of its authors. By keeping the transit system healthy, the measure would encourage people to continue to use the system instead of driving, thus keeping the streets less congested for Uber and Lyft drivers, she said.
“If Muni craters, we’re looking at a lot more traffic,” Chang said. “That is not good for anyone.”
For her part, Chang said, she sees support for the measure among tech workers as indicative of what actually might be a unifying theme among the community: While many in tech do support transit, what they actually have more broadly in common is what she called a “problem-solving attitude.”
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Technically minded people love to solve problems; it’s what they do for a living, Chang said. Those who work in the industry have a lot of experience collaborating to find solutions, she said. And especially as the community has become more politically active in recent years, they’ve been looking for ways to address The City’s problems.
“There’s a lot of political diversity in tech, so it doesn’t all go in one way,” Chang said. “But there is that problem-solving vibe.”
The San Francisco Giants didn’t make that “major” move in the offseason. They saved those for last offseason and last year’s trade deadline.
Still, San Francisco did plenty to position itself as a team that could be better than 81-81 last season. Not all moves are created equal. Not all moves work out the way the franchise hoped. The value of some of those moves have yet to be determined.
But, on their face, here are the moves that already look smart and already look, eh, dumb, going into opening day.
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Smart
San Francisco Giants pitcher Adrian Houser. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Signing Luis Arráez
The Venezuela native had a huge World Baseball Classic as his home country won the title for the first time. He had his second career multi-home run game in his WBC career. He returned to spring training and the bat kept cooking. He slashed .353/.389/.412.
While many envisioned him as a leadoff hitter due to his impressive ability to get contact and his three batting titles, San Francisco is toying with batting him later in the order. He’s one of the few contact hitters that could excel in that role, and he gives the lineup flexibility.
Signing Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser
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The Giants may get the best version of both pitchers. Before Sunday’s exhibition game in Sacramento, Mahle had thrown 10 scoreless innings in spring and showed no signs of the shoulder fatigue that limited him last season. Houser has thrown 11 innings and while he hasn’t been as effective, he looks like the innings-eater the Giants hoped they signed.
With the season-ending injury to Hayden Birdsong and the underperformance of the Carsons — Seymour and Whisenhunt — signing the two veterans to inexpensive deals looks smarter by the day.
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Signing Harrison Bader
He’s day-to-day with a tight hamstring, but it’s a minor inconvenience this early in the campaign. San Francisco knew what they were getting when they signed him — a Gold Glove level center fielder with a resurgent bat who can make their entire outfield better. It allowed San Francisco to move Jung Hoo Lee to right field, which should improve his defensive numbers. San Francisco locked him into a cheap two-year deal. It should pay off handsomely.
Dumb
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Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Ryan Borucki. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Not Signing Left-Handed Relief Help Sooner
San Francisco knew it was going to have some issues at left-handed relief. Erik Miller was going to need time to recover from a back issue. Sam Hentges won’t be ready after arthroscopic knee surgery. Then the Giants lost Reiver Sanmartin for three months to hip surgery. At one point the only healthy left-handed reliever in camp was Matt Gage.
San Francisco tried addressing it by signing Joey Lucchesi. But the Giants released him on Sunday after signing Ryan Borucki. But a bit more careful planning might have lessened San Francisco’s need to scramble this late in camp.
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Not Adding Healthy Closing Experience
The Giants signed left-hander Jason Foley to bolster the bullpen. He had 28 saves for the Detroit Tigers in 2024. There was one problem. His recovery from shoulder surgery will keep him out of the lineup until the second half of the season.
That puts the pressure on Ryan Walker to not only be the closer but keep the job. He wants the pressure, he has said repeatedly in camp. He’s held the job before but not consistently. If he meets the moment, the Giants look smart for trusting him. If he can’t, San Francisco doesn’t have a healthy back-up plan until the All-Star break.
Fire department units were dispatched to the 3900 block of Mission Street, near College Avenue, to assist PG&E crews in “a possible gas odor or possible gas leak.”
SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco authorities are investigating a possible gas leak in the St. Mary’s Park neighborhood on Saturday evening after a person died amid reports of a permeating odor.
Emergency crews called:
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Fire department units were sent about 6:15 p.m. to the 3900 block of Mission Street, near College Avenue, to assist PG&E crews in investigating “a possible gas odor or possible gas leak,” the San Francisco Fire Department told KTVU.
“Upon entering the building, a civilian was discovered receiving medical attention but passed away on scene,” the fire department said.
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The person’s identity was not released, but the San Francisco Police Department told KTVU that foul play was not suspected in their death.
However, the exact manner of their death was not immediately known.
What’s next:
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The SFFD said it was investigating the scene, along with PG&E and the SFPD.
PG&E told KTVU that there were no gas leaks or “impacts from PG&E” located in the area, and that reports of a leak and odor came from outside the building where the victim died.
San Francisco is the definition of a dynamic destination. Although it’s known as a tech hub and for attractions like Alcatraz Island, a national park filled with history and mystery, this California city is also notable for its food scene. After all, San Francisco is home to renowned restaurants and is the “undisputed culinary capital” of America. What’s more, diners have the opportunity to enjoy many of the city’s offerings as they look out onto San Francisco’s iconic waterfront. For visitors looking to start the day with a meal complemented by coastal scenery, we’ve rounded up a list of San Francisco’s top-rated brunch spots with bay views.
Chosen based on ratings from Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor, these five establishments come highly recommended for their brunch offerings and scenic San Francisco vistas. Not to mention that our chosen selections, serving everything from classic brunch dishes to seafood and German-inspired fare, highlight the city’s eclectic gastronomy. All that’s left to do is to decide which eateries to include on your San Francisco itinerary, but this will perhaps be easier said than done.
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Mission Rock Resort
A short walk away from Chase Center, a stadium that hosts NBA games and concerts, is Mission Rock Resort. The eatery is located in Mission Bay, a vibrant, modern enclave with a walkable waterfront. Included in a list by Eater San Francisco highlighting the city’s best restaurants for views, this spot offers a heated patio overlooking the bay and docked boats. And as general manager Nick Osborne explained in a 2025 interview with the San Francisco Examiner, “Being on the water gives you a chance to take a moment to relax and enjoy our beautiful city.”
Mission Rock Resort, whose logo fittingly features a mermaid, primarily serves seafood-forward mid-morning meals. Forget pancakes; the brunch menu consists of oysters and dishes like Dungeness crab Benedict and grilled fish tacos (if you do happen to be craving something sweet, you can always opt for the French toast). On Yelp, Mission Rock Resort has a 4.0 rating, with one reviewer who dined here for brunch writing, “There were 7 of us so we truly explored the menu and no one was disappointed!! From appetizers to desserts everything was delicious.”
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Mission Rock Resort is open every day except Monday, but brunch is only offered on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made on Yelp. Diners may be able to find street parking. If you’re looking for more to do in the area, perhaps before your meal, Crane Cove Park is within walking distance and features onsite kayak and paddleboard rentals.
Eagle Cafe
San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is packed with character and old-timey fun. Still, this wildly popular California destination has been called the “world’s worst tourist trap.” However, you shouldn’t necessarily write it off, as it’s here you’ll find what Tripadvisor calls one of the top restaurants in the city with a view: Eagle Cafe. The eatery, which features an outdoor patio with counter seating, has a 4.0 rating on the platform and earned a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice award in 2025. “Eagle Cafe is one of those old school San Francisco spots that never really goes out of style. The location right on the water at Pier 39 is hard to beat and the views of the bay are amazing,” reads one diner review.
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On top of this, some reviewers on Google, where Eagle Cafe has a 4.1-star rating, point out that on clear days, you can see Alcatraz and even the Golden Gate Bridge from the patio. But as one individual explained, “Not only is the view great but food is amazing and the servers are usually very attentive and excellent.” Dating back to 1928, this long-standing family-owned restaurant has nautical and diner vibes, and a menu reflecting its classic ambiance.
Eagle Cafe dishes up an assortment of traditional breakfast, brunch, and lunch fare. Popular items on Yelp include the avocado toast on Boudin Bakery bread and a breakfast burrito, filled with eggs, bacon, and cheese. Eagle Cafe is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. No reservations required; only walk-ins are accepted, and if needed, the eatery does validate parking.
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Radhaus
For a combination of beer and brunch, check out Radhaus at the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, a former military site. This industrial-style beer hall with earthy elements features expansive windows that provide natural light and waterfront views. With a 4.2 rating on Yelp, one reviewer described Radhaus as a “beautiful place to have Brunch at with spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge.” While there is outdoor seating, you can take in the panoramic scenery and vistas of the marina from inside the dining room.
Even so, another reviewer who recommended this spot for brunch advised, “Come for views, stay for the great food and drinks.” As you might have already guessed, Radhaus offers German-inspired brunch fare — think dishes like a wurst sandwich with a fried egg and bacon jam, and a pretzel French toast (which does sell out) topped with berries and whipped cream. Of course, there’s plenty of brews, ranging from dark lagers to cider, on tap as well.
Radhaus is open daily but only serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday until 4 p.m., perfect for late risers. However, there’s more to do on the weekends at the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, situated in the Marina District, located between Fisherman’s Wharf and Golden Gate Bridge. For instance, SF Camerawork, a photography gallery, is open on Saturdays. Additionally, there is a farmers’ market held every Sunday.
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Beach Chalet
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco’s most beloved attraction, is full of wildlife, museums, and gardens. And that’s not all; you can also have a scenic brunch within this famed green space, courtesy of the Beach Chalet. Housed on the second floor of a renovated 1920s-era structure, this restaurant features panoramic windows with views of Ocean Beach. “Sitting here watching the waves roll in while enjoying lunch or brunch never gets old,” wrote a Tripadvisor user. That said, this classy yet casual establishment with a modern coastal vibe serves a mix of seafood and classic brunch dishes.
At the Beach Chalet, you can dine on everything from clam chowder to corned beef hash, as you stare at the Pacific in the distance (plus, you could take a beach stroll after you’ve wrapped up brunch). If you’re feeling fancy, there is a champagne brunch option to consider, complete with a starter, entree, dessert, and mimosas, for a fixed price. On Google, Beach Chalet has a 4.1-star rating, with an individual writing that it has, “Great views, impeccable service, delicious food and reasonable prices.” They added, “This place really has it all.”
The Beach Chalet only serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Reservations are encouraged, and bookings can be made on Yelp (be sure to request a window seat so you have an optimal view of the sand and sea). Parking is conveniently located at the front of the eatery and is free.
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ATwater Tavern
Located a couple of blocks away from Oracle Park, ATwater Tavern on Pier 50 is an industrial-style eatery surrounded by urban scenery. However, this establishment’srear patio offers waterfront and East Bay views. Although ATwater Tavern is open daily before noon, primarily offering seafood, sandwiches, and salads, brunch specials are served on Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“One of our favorite dog-friendly places we go to regularly for brunch on the weekends. One of the best Huevos Rancheros I’ve ever had,” states a review from Google, where ATwater Tavern features a 4.4-star rating. Other brunch specials include pancakes and crab cake Benedict, but you could always order from the rest of the menu as well (the fish and chips are a crowd-pleaser on both Google and Yelp). While ATwater Tavern has a range of beverages, those who need a caffeine fix will be happy to learn that espresso-based coffee drinks are served here.
Guests highlight brunch on the patio with waterfront views. “Came here with a friend and it was super pretty looking across the water!” reads a review posted on Yelp. This individual went on to write, “The vibes are good for a lazy Sunday afternoon catchup.” Moreover, countless others say that they have stopped by for a bite to eat before catching a game at Oracle Park. Reservations for ATwater Tavern are available on Yelp, and a paid parking lot is available nearby.
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Methodology
f11photo/Shutterstock
To find the five top-rated brunch spots in San Francisco with breathtaking coastal views, Islands utilized rankings from Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor. We combed these platforms for reviews that frequently commended eateries for their waterfront views and brunch offerings. Once these criteria were met, we concentrated our search on establishments that featured a minimum of a 4.0 rating on at least one of these websites. To better showcase San Francisco’s beauty, we narrowed down our selections to restaurants with varying scenery.
Mission Rock Resort, Eagle Cafe, Radhaus, Beach Chalet, and ATwater Tavern checked all these boxes. For example, Beach Chalet overlooks the Pacific Ocean, while diners can catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge from Radhaus. Of course, cuisine and ambiance were just as important, with this list including eateries for an ultra-casual quick brunch, a boozy brunch, or a more upscale-style experience. For additional Bay Area eats, read a local’s guide on the five tastiest restaurants they always take friends to when they visit San Francisco.
