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Inside San Francisco's most exclusive neighborhood, where old money rubs elbows with tech billionaires

Inside San Francisco's most exclusive neighborhood, where old money rubs elbows with tech billionaires

I started my journey with a hearty breakfast at an unpretentious-looking restaurant called Sweet Maple in Lower Pacific Heights. The menu cannot claim the same modesty.

Inside San Francisco's most exclusive neighborhood, where old money rubs elbows with tech billionaires

The restaurant is known for its "millionaire's bacon," a thick-cut, sweet-and-spicy version of the breakfast staple that costs $4 a slice. Its decadence at least made me feel rich.

The restaurant is known for its "millionaire

Learn more about the breakfast craze sweeping San Francisco »

After breakfast, I headed north on Fillmore Street into the den of luxury.

After breakfast, I headed north on Fillmore Street into the den of luxury.

Stores selling designer apparel, high-end housewares, and cosmetics line the street.

Stores selling designer apparel, high-end housewares, and cosmetics line the street.

Jane coffee shop was packed at midday with shoppers hauling bags and others gazing at smartphones. They nursed cups of Stumptown Coffee and ate house-baked pastries.

Jane coffee shop was packed at midday with shoppers hauling bags and others gazing at smartphones. They nursed cups of Stumptown Coffee and ate house-baked pastries.

The Clay Theater, in business for over a century, is a single-screen movie theater that still hosts regular midnight screenings of "The Room" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

The Clay Theater, in business for over a century, is a single-screen movie theater that still hosts regular midnight screenings of "The Room" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

A quick detour off Fillmore Street brought me to Alta Plaza Park, a former rock quarry that now features a large lawn area, two tennis courts, a children's playground, and trails.

A quick detour off Fillmore Street brought me to Alta Plaza Park, a former rock quarry that now features a large lawn area, two tennis courts, a children

Panoramic views of the city greet winded visitors at the top.

Panoramic views of the city greet winded visitors at the top.

In the 1870s, these hills overlooking the San Francisco Bay were filled with laborers enjoying a building boom in what was then the largest city west of St. Louis, Missouri.

In the 1870s, these hills overlooking the San Francisco Bay were filled with laborers enjoying a building boom in what was then the largest city west of St. Louis, Missouri.

Source: Wikipedia and ZPub

After the 1906 earthquake shook San Francisco, fires consumed some 500 city blocks. The wealthy stood around the burned rubble of their homes and wondered where to settle.

After the 1906 earthquake shook San Francisco, fires consumed some 500 city blocks. The wealthy stood around the burned rubble of their homes and wondered where to settle.

The best view in the city was in Pacific Heights, and with that swath of real estate now up for grabs, old-monied families claimed the working-class neighborhood as their own.

The best view in the city was in Pacific Heights, and with that swath of real estate now up for grabs, old-monied families claimed the working-class neighborhood as their own.

Pacific Heights has been an elite enclave ever since.

Pacific Heights has been an elite enclave ever since.

Pacific Heights today is also home to the new-money titans of the tech boom.

Pacific Heights today is also home to the new-money titans of the tech boom.

Of the 70 billionaires living in the Bay Area, 28 reside in San Francisco, and many call Pacific Heights home. The area's zip code has a median home sales price of $2.09 million.

Of the 70 billionaires living in the Bay Area, 28 reside in San Francisco, and many call Pacific Heights home. The area

Source: Forbes and Forbes

An unassuming street in the the northwestern corner is better known as Billionaires Row.

An unassuming street in the the northwestern corner is better known as Billionaires Row.

Jony Ive, Apple's longtime head of design who recently took back the reigns of the company's design team, scooped up this Tudor palace for $17 million in 2012.

Jony Ive, Apple

Source: San Francisco Chronicle and Redfin

Tech mogul David Sacks, who sold his startup Yammer to Microsoft for $1.2 billion, and wife Jacqueline dropped $20 million on a mansion that towers over Broadway.

Tech mogul David Sacks, who sold his startup Yammer to Microsoft for $1.2 billion, and wife Jacqueline dropped $20 million on a mansion that towers over Broadway.

Source: Business Insider

Oracle's Larry Ellison, the first tech giant to arrive on Billionaires Row in 1988, lives across the street. He bought a house for $3.9 million but tore it down to build this boxy abode.

Oracle

Source: Vanity Fair

Ellison has been known to ruffle feathers on the block. He took his neighbors to court because he said their trees obstructed his bay views and hurt his property value.

Ellison has been known to ruffle feathers on the block. He took his neighbors to court because he said their trees obstructed his bay views and hurt his property value.

Source: Vanity Fair

Zynga's Mark Pincus, an early investor in Facebook and Twitter, and his recently separated wife Alison Pincus, founder of One Kings Lane, own a New England-style home nearby.

Zynga

The couple filed for divorce earlier this year.

While not everyone on Billionaires Row is thrilled to share their slice of San Francisco with the technorati, the newcomers have an ally in socialite and entrepreneur Trevor Traina.

While not everyone on Billionaires Row is thrilled to share their slice of San Francisco with the technorati, the newcomers have an ally in socialite and entrepreneur Trevor Traina.

Traina, who has been called "San Francisco's undisputed social king," is a member of one of the city's most established families and founded several startups, including IfOnly and DriverSide.

He is credited with bridging the old-money and new-money families of San Francisco when he tipped off tech moguls to a number of Pacific Heights houses coming on the market in 2012.

"My aspiration for my good friends is that they all love their homes," Traina told Vanity Fair, "and selfishly it's wonderful to have so much incredible magical brainpower nearby."

"My aspiration for my good friends is that they all love their homes," Traina told Vanity Fair, "and selfishly it

On my way out of the neighborhood, I passed a sure sign of the tech industry's influence: a Blue Bottle coffee shop. The VC-backed chain was recently acquired for $425 million.

On my way out of the neighborhood, I passed a sure sign of the tech industry

Even the ultra-rich need their coffee.

Even the ultra-rich need their coffee.

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