Favorite Eats in the San Francisco Mission District

I can’t wait for it to be 11am so I can make a dash out into the amazing Mission District for my lunch. I’m craving spicy Chinese food today. If Mom is reading this, she’ll probably confirm her suspicions that I eat all day under the pretense of going to work and I am on the Road to Motu track. But what is life in San Francisco without the love for food?

Cafe La Taza on 20th and Mission is usually my first stop for the day for the Hot Mocha or Mexican Mocha. They are simply amazing and delicious.

I’m sad that Bombay Ice Creamery and Chaat closed down last year, which is a devastating loss to the community. So I usually indulge in “ice-cream” and crepes at La Copa Loca Gelato on Capp Street. The crepe in the morning and the ice-cream in the afternoon if it is a sunny day.

Mission has quite a handful of Indian restaurants. I think either there is no such thing as “Indian food” or “Indian food” refers to a large variety of foods. I am still trying to make up my mind. The Indian food you will eat at a typical restaurant is not what you will eat in my home though we would still call it “Indian food.” I love Pakwan, which I enjoyed courtesy Living Social’s $1 lunch days. They should have those at least once a week! For a $1, I got aloo mattar, chicken tikka masala and an extra large naan. I hope to go back soon. Additionally, I also spend a lot of time at Al Hamra (Indian-Pakistani) food right next to Estas Noches — a gay bar — on 16th. It’s a small, quaint place that feels like home, plays the soundtrack of Dil Se for me as I gorge down freshly-made vegetable samosas.

The Sandwich Place near 16th Mission makes the best sandwiches to go in San Francisco. They also make their own bread and the smell is divine. It is best if you call ahead of time and place your order since it is always busy. I chatted with the owner, Juan — a UC Berkeley alum — recently and we obviously ended up talking about immigration after he asked about my work. He told me that if he ever got placed in deportation, he would call me for help. He’s a U.S. citizen so that’s not about to happen but I am sure a lot of loyal customers have his back if anything else happens.

To fulfill my constant cheese pizza cravings, I head over to Serranos Pizza and Pasta that has huge slices on the cheap. Two slices look like a whole large pizza and costs a meager $5 I think. I’ll start looking like pizza and Coke Zero soon.

Frjtz is a tea-time, late afternoon hangout spot for me that has the most amazing flavors of dipping sauces for Belgian fries! Curry ketchup and creamy wasabi mayo are my favorite ones but they are all fantastic. I usually meet up with friends here. And a bonus is all the paintings of naked women up on the walls.

Boogaloos is a local favorite Sunday brunch place on Valencia. They say “whether you are in the mood for savory scramblers, sweet lemon-corn meal pancakes, or a spicy mexican style breakfast the heaping portions will leave your tummy full without breaking the bank.” That sounds about right.

I also recommend getting some local beer or ice-cream from Yotopia (organic froyos FTW) and hanging out at Dolores Park. Making out with someone special is a bonus but you can always people-watch and observe everyone else getting high and making out around you.

Life is good. And it is 11am.