Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [73]
352 Grant Ave. (at Bush St.). 415/398-2680. www.cafedelapresse.com. Breakfast $6.25–$10; lunch and dinner main courses (other than fish and meat) $9–$13; fish and meat main courses $15–$20. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Fri 7:30–10am; Sat–Sun 8–11:30am; Mon–Fri 11:30am–2:30pm; Mon–Thurs 5:30–9:30pm; Fri–Sun 5:30–10pm; brunch Sat–Sun 11:30am–4pm. Bus: 9X, 15, 30, or 45.
Dottie’s True Blue Café ★ AMERICAN/BREAKFAST This family-owned breakfast restaurant is one of my favorite downtown diners. This is the kind of place you’d expect to see off Route 66, where most customers are on a first-name basis with the staff and everyone is welcomed with a hearty hello and steaming mug of coffee. Dottie’s serves far-above-average American morning fare (big portions of French toast, pancakes, bacon and eggs, omelets, and the like), delivered to tables laminated with old movie-star photos on rugged, diner-quality plates. Whatever you order arrives with delicious homemade bread, muffins, or scones, as well as house-made jelly. There are also daily specials and vegetarian dishes.
In the Pacific Bay Inn, 522 Jones St. (at O’Farrell St.). 415/885-2767. Reservations not accepted. Breakfast $5–$11. DISC, MC, V. Wed–Mon 7:30am–3pm (lunch 11:30am–3pm). Bus: 2, 3, 4, 27, or 38. Cable car: Powell–Mason line.
Mocca ★ ITALIAN If you’re like me and can’t be bothered with a long lunch when there’s serious shopping to be done, head to this classic Italian deli on pedestrian-only Maiden Lane. Here it’s counter service and cash only for sandwiches, caprese (Italian tomato and mozzarella salad), and big leafy salads. You can enjoy them at the few indoor tables or the umbrella-shaded tables on the street front that looks onto Union Square.
175 Maiden Lane (at Stockton St.). 415/956-1188. Reservations not accepted. Main courses $7–$13. No credit cards. Daily 10:30am–5:30pm. Bus: All Union Sq. buses.
Sanraku Japanese Restaurant ★ JAPANESE/SUSHI A perfect combination of great cooked dishes and sushi at bargain prices makes this straightforward, bright, and busy restaurant the best choice in the area for Japanese food. The friendly, hardworking staff does its best to keep up with diners’ demands, but the restaurant gets quite busy during lunch, when a special box lunch containing a California roll, soup, salad, deep-fried salmon roll, and beef with noodles with steamed rice comes at a very digestible $11. The main menu, which is always available, features great sesame chicken with teriyaki sauce and rice; tempura; a vast selection of nigiri (raw fish sushi) and rolls; and delicious combination plates of sushi, sashimi, and teriyaki. Dinner sees brisk business, too, but a table always seems to be available.
704 Sutter St. (at Taylor St.). 415/771-0803. www.sanraku.com. Main courses $7–$13 lunch, $10–$26 dinner; 7-course fixed-price dinner $55. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon–Sat 11am–10pm; Sun 4–10pm. Bus: 2, 3, 4, 27, or 38. Cable car: Powell–Mason line.
Sears Fine Foods ★ AMERICAN Sears is not just another downtown diner—it’s an old-fashioned institution, famous for its crispy, dark-brown waffles; light sourdough French toast served with house-made strawberry preserves; and silver dollar–size Swedish pancakes (18 per serving!). As the story goes, Ben Sears, a retired clown, founded the diner in 1938. His Swedish wife, Hilbur, was responsible for the legendary pancakes, which, although the restaurant is under new ownership, are still whipped up according to her family’s secret recipe. Sears also offers classic lunch and dinner fare—try the Reuben for lunch and codfish and chips for dinner, followed by a big slice of pie for dessert. Breakfast is