Greeks in the San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco's northern districts, such as Russian Hill, Fillmore, and Downtown-adjacent areas are plentiful in Greek Americans. Outside of S.F. proper is a large Greek community in the Bay Area, namely in San Mateo.

History

South of Market Street “Greek Town” was the center of local life for Greeks in the city. By 1920, San Francisco’s Greek colony was the fourth-largest in the country. Census figures showed 5,922 Greeks in the city in 1930. In 1923, according to the San Francisco Examiner, Greeks owned 564 restaurants and were disproportionately represented as proprietors of groceries, candy stores, shoeshine stands, laundries and flower stands.

The Grecian consulate was at the corner of Mission and 3rd Streets, the Greek American Hall stood at 2nd and Harrison, and the first Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church was built at 345 7th Street (the building still stands, now as St. Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church). Greek-owned restaurants, hotels, and cafes operated in between these community centers.

Greek-born George Christopher was the last Republican Mayor of San Francisco, from 1958 to 1964. He came to San Francisco in 1920, when he was three, in the Greektown neighborhood presently in South of Market.

Today

The 94123, 94108, 94121 zip codes of San Francisco are all at least 1.3% Greek, with the first zip code nearing 2% Greek American. These zip codes are all in the northern and central parts of San Francisco.

The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church serves the Greek community and has Greek immersion classes for children.

Suburbs

Small communities across the Bay Area such as Emerald Lake Hills, San Mateo, Stinson Beach, Lexington Hills and Corte Madera, these all within San Mateo County and Marin County, have plentiful Greek communities. The Belmont, California Greek Festival is held in the forementioned town.

Businesses

The restaurant Kokkari Estiatorio off 200 Jackston Street, is highly rated and Michelin-starred. There is a Greek store selling baklava, Turkish delights, and Greek jewelry and sponges originating from Greece, in the Castro District, named Aegean Delights. Also, a Greek and Middle Eastern store is located in Daly City, off John Daly Blvd.