Uncover Hidden San Francisco Lunch Spots
San Francisco, a city known for its diverse culinary scene, offers a plethora of lunch restaurants that cater to every palate. From the bustling food markets of the Embarcadero to the quaint bistros in the heart of the Mission District, the city is a gastronomic paradise for lunchtime diners. Whether you're in the mood for a quick bite or a leisurely midday meal, San Francisco's lunch restaurants offer a variety of cuisines, from fresh seafood and authentic Italian to innovative fusion and hearty comfort food. This article will guide you through some of the best lunch spots in the city, ensuring you'll never be at a loss for where to eat in San Francisco.
Chez maman west
4.5
(1611)
Cozy, informal eatery serving French bistro classics ranging from burgers & crêpes to mussels.
Reviews:
Food was superb. Service was exquisite. Atmosphere quaint and cute without being decadent or cheap. My mussels were outstanding but wife wasn’t too impressed with her duck. The French onion soup was sublime….but it could’ve had something to do with micro-dosing
Gnome Chomsky
Highly recommend organic salad + tuna, the tuna was one of the best I’ve had, fresh and tender. Interesting flavor to have bacon with mussels. The soup is very great for bread. The snails were okay but it might be a personal preference thing - it’s taste gears more towards grass and does not have the normal spice you’d expect for snails. Reasonably priced, in a lovely neighborhood.
Jane zhao
The food was outstanding! I’m a vegetarian and ordered the fettuccine creamy mushroom, veggie panini and 3rd salad on the list. Everything was outstanding - specially the pasta for my cousin and panini and me! Thanks to my cousin, we ordered desert and it was mind blowing. I don’t have a sweet tooth and definitely not a fan of cinnamon but we got something to do with cinnamon (2nd on list). Highly recommend. Our total came up to $80 including tip. Great service!
geetika rajani
I walk frequently by this place and it is always busy, so I had yet to try it. Last Friday around 2pm I was showing the city to my parents and saw that the place had some clients but no waiting line. We took a look at the menu on the door and were quickly welcomed by the servers which invited us to stay. Since we had my dog with us we sat in the terrace over Gough street. The service was the best, prompt, attentive and very amicable. The food was delicious: we had the onion soup, grilled New York steak with fries and roasted chicken. We were happily full and satisfied but couldn’t resist desserts: crème brûlée and a scoop of rum and raisins ice cream. Both were delicious but bonus points to the crème brûlée. I would definitely look into going back, even if there’s a line! Ps.- Willy, our server was super kind. He even brought a bowl of water for my dog and made sure my parents had a very nice experience. Thanks Willy!
Monica Quiroz
Wow the escargots are the biggest ones I had so far. Highly recommend it. Delicious! Grilled salmon is cooked too much even I asked for medium rare. Not sure if it was because the server misunderstood my words or it is always overcooked. Service is super. They have only one restroom so you will have to wait if someone has occupied it.
John Z
401 Gough St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
Novy restaurant
4.3
(642)
Cozy corner cafe with beamed ceilings & a creative, Mediterranean-influenced menu.
Reviews:
Love to come here for Moussaka! Always delicious and juicy, right from the oven. Was really happy to find this lovely Greek spot in Noe Valley. I always was lucky with being seated without wait and even had choice of spots. My favorite though are bar stools with a view to lively Noe street. The ambiance and service here are great, modern interior and nice tableware significantly add to the experience. They have vegan options. My husband likes their burger with beyond meat and sweet potato fries. Highly recommend to give it a try if you crave for a good moussaka or lamb gyro.
Аlisa Paludeti
Great Mediterranean food with nice portions and wonderful flavor. The pesto actually tasted like pesto in contrast with most places that serve pesto. Desert was fantastic and not too sweet
Barnaby Lewis
Great Greek restaurant, casual for a beer or a family dinner as well. The service was super friendly and felt genuinely. Food was fresh and delicious, the fries are amazing!
V Maxeno
Lamb gyro was fire. Lamb was so flavorful and the gyro wrap had a good balance of flavor and texture. We had pasta with eggplant and fried calamari salad as well. Everything was very reasonably priced and tasted decent.
Jingyi Xu
Was here for early lunch, reservations were early to make online and when I got there it was relatively empty. Service was prompt and polite. We had shrimp pasta and Greek fries. Menu include standard Mediterranean fare and the food quality is pretty good. Nice neighborhood in Noe Valley.
Wee Khim Lee
4000 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114, USA
Suppenküche
4.5
(1706)
Authentic German fare like pretzels & schnitzels plus imported beers served in a glass boot.
Reviews:
This is the second time I visited the restaurant with my wife. I am from the southern part of Germany. We had the Sauerbraten with Rotkohl and Spaetzle and the Jaegerschnitzel. As starter we had the Brezen, should be spelled with a "B" not a "P".9 The Brezen looked weird, was mushy like it was old and warmed up. They don't serve this in Bavaria! The Sauerbraten was great. Soft and tender and not too sour. The Rotkohl (red cabbage) was surprisingly great. The Spaetzle, called "Knoepfle" in Bavaria, were too floury, like not cooked long enough. The mushroom sauce of the Jaegerschnitzel was great but the Schnitzel was way overcooked. As desert we had the bread pudding which was really good. They have a great selection of premium draft beer which I can highly recommend. To my surprise I saw deviled eggs on the menu and people seem to order it. This is certainly not known to be a German dish. Deviled eggs?! Not German specific. We would have had a good time but it was so loud that we had to yell at each other. Finally we gave up talking and just texted each other. Service was not that good. No one asked us how the meal is and at times our waitress disappeared. Suppenkueche is a neighborhood place to go, great for German draft beer and ok for German food.
C Insight
Traveled around the world and this is one of the most authentic German restaurants in California. Came here with a party of 8 to enjoy the communal “boot” experience, just like it was in Munich. Everyone drank from the boot, passed it to the next person and the first person who puts the boot down, will have to drink all that is left from the boot. 😈 The seating and the food were also communal. We enjoyed the generous portions and tasty meals. For the nostalgia and the pure enjoyment of the ambiance and friends, this place gets six stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
ktzpawz
If you find yourself craving German food Suppenküche will not disappoint. They offer a solid menu with plenty of options, big portions, and some great German pilsners to wash it all down with.
A.C. Antonelli
This is a very authentic German beer hall. They have delicious German treats, pretzels, schnitzels, etc. In a rustic farm house style venue. And of course they have no shortage of beer and outdoor beer garden as well. If you want to relive your Germany memory you've got to come here.
Michael Wu PhD
Large selection of Bavarian beers (Paulaner, Hofbräu Müchen, etc) and German cuisine in a simple cozy setting. Feels very authentic.
Jonathan Edewards
525 Laguna St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
Mkt restaurant and bar
4.5
(377)
Californian fare, steaks, cocktails & views in the Downtown Four Seasons' urban-chic hot spot.
Reviews:
We were staying at the hotel and got a few meals at the restaurant. A lot of the meals were delicious, especially lunch and dinner. The staff during those times were also fantastic. They were very friendly, made recommendations and checked in on us a few times. The breakfast however, left something to be desired. I had to send my over hard eggs back because they were not in fact, over hard. My toast was nearly burnt and the staff weren’t very helpful. I would visit again because of all the other nice staff we met and for all of the delicious lunch and dinner we had.
Aniekan Udoh
We came for brunch on Thursday and loved the food and the views. The migos was gorgeous to look at tasted even better! The Tropical Green smoothie - Pineapple, Mango, Carrot, Coconut & Almond Milk, Banana, Spinach, Wheatgrass - was also great. Our server was happy to let us relax and be in no rush. One odd thing: we were asked - without feeling like it was optional - for a full name and phone number at the host stand in order to be seated. There was no line and it was not busy, so that part was off putting.
Janet McIntyre
MKT is absolutely a must visit restaurant if you are in SFO downtown. It is located on the fifth floor of the Four Seasons hotel. The ambiance is classy with wood finishes all over, but with some contemporary finishes. The bar located within the restaurant offers impressive beverage selections. MKT's servers are professional and friendly. The main part is the food, which is absolutely phenomenal. From the presentation to the last bite, we enjoyed the Tasmanian salmon and an impressive crab salad. The espresso martini and an old fashioned both drinks were well made and presented. We finished our lunch with chocolate cherry mousse cake, and just like the other items, our dessert was memorable. I will definitely visit the restaurant again to try their other dishes on the menu.
Rocky Singh
MKT was incredible. We went on a Sunday night, so the restaurant was closed, but they served a full menu in the bar. Our server was so nice and helpful; we had lots of questions about the flavor palette of raisins in one dish. He was very patient and was obviously very intimately knowledgeable about the entire menu. And the food was sooooo amazing. Kudos to the chef; everything was as perfect as possible. Highly recommend!
Bobby Rose
In my opinion, there’s nothing too special about this place beyond the location or association to the Four Seasons. I went on a Saturday for a solo lunch with myself. They understood how to make a spicy margarita which is rare in SF so that really convinced to to stay. I had the chicken slider which were nothing special but the slaw they gave me with the sliders had apples in it and it was so delicious. They didn’t bring my food out together and actually forgot my fries so when I finally received them 15 minutes after eating my sliders, they were cold. I feel my server treated me less than a priority in a nearly empty restaurant but sadly that typical. I still left her a $50 tip with poor service just to show her, stop treating people poorly based on the color of their skin. The menu and drinks were minimal so I’m wondering if it’s seasonal. Anywho, this place was overrated and pretty average for me.
MissRachelEunice
757 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
Souvla
4.5
(1961)
Hip haunt featuring roasted meat sandwiches & salads, plus Greek yogurt, beer & wine.
Reviews:
So so Greek food; egg-lemon soup was OK. Spit roasted meats aren't always fresh; the pork & lamb we got tasted fresh off the fridge & thrown on the grill. Chicken is the safe choice, plus the plant based lamb was good the last time we were here.
Jonathon J
laid back Greek place with a neat vibe - that's unique (for sf). food - a little bland but I like it. still pretty authentic without charging you through the nose. the menu is simple, wraps and salads so don't bring your complicated friend here unless you're trying to teach them a lesson. I wouldn't show it off to a Greek friend but I might be back (that's a high bar)
Arthur Book
As a Greek, I don’t approve - orange and boiled chicken in a pita? My mom would sue if she tried this lol Also, $17 for a pita wrap? Are we serious! The fries were good, though!
Naya Tsoroni
Delicious Greek food on Diversadero in San Francisco. They make AMAZING roasted chicken, which you can see them cooking on a rotisserie inside. We had chicken, the juicy (lemon & herb) roasted potatoes, and a salad - it was so good we gobbled it up & forgot to take pictures! 😂 For dessert, we had frozen, soft serve Greek yogurt with baclava and honey… mmmmmmmm. It was so good. The interior seating area isn’t huge but there is additional outside seating in the back patio. You can pick up to-go orders at an outside window, which is handy. We enjoyed eating here & I’d definitely recommend it! 👍👍
C McKenna
My favorite lunch spot for meetings or catching up with friends! I always get the chicken salad with dressings on the side. There’s usually a line but it goes quickly. The olive oil frozen yogurt is really delicious too! Love the slightly savory taste contrasting the sweetness.
Chimi Chew
517 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA
Rocco's cafe
4.5
(1008)
Family-owned Italian restaurant & bar serving large portions of classic pastas, sandwiches & more.
Reviews:
Great breakfast food and weekend diner vibes. The breakfast portions are hearty, with delicious eggs, grilled vegetables, and potatoes. The service was also great, we felt very welcomed by Ann. I've been in Soma 2 years and it's a shame I didn't discover this place until now. Will definitely be back.
Shaun Aukland
I got the prawn omelette. Tbh I was expecting it to be really good, but it was just good. However, the toasted English muffin was really really unbelievable. Nice vibe and hot quite busy since opened
caimiao liu
The food was excellent, and the service was awesome! The owner, Don, was present, accommodating & available. The ambiance was great with photos of famous patrons and artifacts. It was an enjoyable dining experience.
Linda C Rose
Great breakfast place .I had the Denver omelette. All the ingredients were fresh and delicious. Who doesnt love country potatoes
Jerry G
Sizzler. That was in our young minds, the best place to get a steak! We were also there on many occasions for the "unlimited" all you can eat salad bar and would take chicken nuggets from the kids section! In our college years, We went to " Tad's Steak" on Powell St. We felt we were living the life! Rocco's is the place I go to around work to treat myself to a nice sizzling steak w/ mushrooms. For $28.95, you get a nice ribeye with a pile of mushrooms on top. It's oozing with flavor and juices. You can also get a side of plump raviolis or fries. Meatballs- housemade and it comes in two. By far, one of my favorite meatballs in the whole city! Nice, huge balls with texture and not dry at all. Your meal begins with complimentary bread and butter. But, you can request for the bread to be warmly toasted and also some olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip it in. The owner, Don is around to say hello and talk to you on most days. Due to staff shortages, customer service is slow as expected. Parking can be difficult They have many other hearty Italian American inspired dishes for a satisfying meal.
Donny Pusawong
South of Market 1131 Folsom St. (between 7th &, 8th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
Brenda's meat & three
4.6
(1904)
Homey cafe offering Southern comfort food with a Big Easy spin, including fried chicken & beignets.
Reviews:
I would give B’sM&T 10 stars if that were possible! What an amazing restaurant…this was our first visit to San Francisco and our meal at Brenda’s will be a fond food memory for life. We ordered the Fried Chicken (dark meat), the cheesy grits, collard greens and a Bavarian beer bottled. The fried chicken is served with the most moist, crumbly cream biscuit that along with the cheesy grits and pepper jelly is food nirvana! The fried chicken is phenomenal. I think words will not do this experience justice so I’ll stop now. Super highly recommended!
AJ luvzlondon
Great place to get southern American meal. We had a great brunch at Brenda’s. They have a large choice of food on weekends because you can choose between breakfast and lunch dishes. The food was super good, flavourful. I loved the texture of the grits with the shrimps and tomato. The spicy chicken burger is also a great choice and comes with fries, coleslaw or salad. The ambiance, super comfy, as well as the staff were also great.
Julien Letonnelier
This is the first good biscuits and gravy I've had since I moved to California. The cheese grits and hash are also amazing. Our waiter was very patient with our questions about the menu and told us a bit about the area. We sat on the patio and it was nice and cool and quiet. Made it through one of the pint mimosas, peach and mixed berry are both great. I forgot to take a picture before we started eating.
Chelsea M
Since the long-standing Elite Cafe disappeared years ago, this is the go-to cafe for Southern cuisine. The menu is standard fare including beignets, fried chicken, omelettes, grits and corn succotash to name a few. The ambience is cute with plenty of two tops. Vegetarian dishes can be had, but unfortunately no chicory coffee. They do serve Mr. Espresso however. Meals are well prepared and plentiful. The variety of beignets offered are fluffy not stuffy. If only the served peanut butter pie! 😋
Richard Birchard
A taste of New Orleans in San Francisco. We had a nice breakfast with eggs Benedict and cheese grits. Nice patio, excellent service.
Susan Ramlet
919 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA