In San Francisco, it can feel like it’s easier to find a restaurant serving a $200 tasting menu than a deli counter selling a sandwich for less than $20. After all, this city is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most expensive for living and dining. It’s home to coffee shops slinging $10 matcha lattes, $264 happy hours for two, and restaurants plating $310 “monster” porterhouses.
But there are places offering high-quality, affordable eats — if you know where to look. There are mom-and-pop shops serving fresh banh mi in the Inner Richmond, Mission institutions assembling massive burritos and hearty pupusas, and Haight Street newcomers making mind-blowing muffulettas.
To find some of the best meals that won’t break the bank, we asked 12 restaurant industry pros to point us to their go-to spots for cheap eats in San Francisco.
Oscar Michel, co-owner, Tacos Oscar
Favorite spot: La Palma Mexicatessen, 2884 24th St., Mission
Every Thursday, Michel makes the trek from Oakland to this market, where he picks up the famous Sonoran-style flour tortillas for his taco shop’s weekend brunch. While he’s there, he also orders a regular burrito ($12.95) with all the fixings: meat, rice, beans, and two kinds of salsa. He recommends that if you’re sharing with a friend — Michel usually splits one with his business partner — fork up the extra $4 to swap the chile verde for a chile relleno. Plus, the order comes with a side of house-made salsa and chips, which is arguably the real reason he loves coming here. “I could gorge on just that salsa extra picante and chips that you get with your burrito.”
Spencer Horovitz, owner and chef, Hadeem
Sandy’s on Haight Street. | Source: Kelsey McClellan for The Standard
Favorite spot: Sandy’s, 1457 Haight St., Upper Haight
At the top of Horovitz’s long and well-researched list of cheap eats in San Francisco is Sandy’s, a charming shop that serves his favorite sandwich in the city, a roasted mushroom muffuletta ($15). “I’ve eaten more of these cold out of my fridge than I’m proud to admit.” It’s easy to understand his obsession after one bite into the soft, Italian sesame bread layered with roasted cremini mushrooms, scallions, Duke’s mayo, provolone, and spicy olive salad. “I keep bugging the owner to collab on a Hadeem version called the ‘Jewfuletta,’ with lox, whitefish dip, and smoked sablefish,” he says. “But until then, I’ll have to keep coming back for the OG.”
Nite Yun, owner and chef, Lunette
Source: Courtesy Carly Hackbarth/Ferry Building
Favorite spot: Peaches Patties, 1 Ferry Building, Financial District
Yun often visits this popular spot, just a few steps from her restaurant in the Ferry Building, to get her Jamaican food fix. Her go-to order is the beef patty, a flaky, buttery pastry shell stuffed with what she calls “the most deliciously seasoned beef.” Yun says it’s an incredible deal at just $7.75 because they never skimp on the filling. If you like an extra kick, she recommends the hot sauce — but with how well everything is seasoned, she doubts you’ll need it.
Cat Ho, bar director, Arcana
Favorite spot: Bender’s Bar and Grill, 806 S. Van Ness Ave., Mission
On nights when she’s able to leave Arcana before 11 p.m., Ho pops over to this 33-year-old dive. She says all the items are hits but gives special shoutouts to what the menu calls the “classic schnitzz” ($13), a take on a fried chicken sandwich, and the “bent totzz” ($12), which sees tater tots smothered with bacon, shredded cheddar, lettuce, house sauce, and a mountain of pickled jalapeños. But the draw for Ho is the “din din noodzz” ($8), a plate of spicy yakisoba noodles stir-fried in a peanut sauce and sprinkled with herbs, bell peppers, and seasoned peanuts, to which she adds a piece of fried chicken ($9). “After a long shift or night out, that’s pretty much all I’m craving.”
Brenda Landa, head chef, Outerlands
Chef Brenda Landa.
Favorite spot: Pho Huong Viet, 5733 Geary Blvd., Richmond
Since moving to the Outer Richmond four years ago, Landa has been coming to this Vietnamese restaurant at least twice a month. That’s often enough that they know her usual order: Hanoi beef stew ($17.75). “It’s Vietnam meets France,” she says, raving about the French-style braised beef and slurpable rice noodles swimming in a piping hot Vietnamese broth that’s made daily. “It all makes for an ultra-comforting meal that’s oh-so-perfect for the chilly west side of the city.”
Joe Poz, co-owner, Bar April Jean
Favorite spot: Il Pollaio, 555 Columbus Ave., North Beach
Poz has been a regular at this family-run Italian restaurant with a 50-year history since 2023. His favorite dish is a protein lover’s dream: a half chicken, braised, marinated, and finished on the grill with a side of chimichurri ($15). If he’s in the mood for sides, he’ll add Italian sausage, marinated eggplant, anchovies, or a caprese salad. “It’s one of my favorite restaurants and feels like a home away from home.”
Kate Campecino-Wong, co-owner and chef, Breadbelly
Favorite spot: Ilana Coffee, 2314 Clement St., Richmond
“Just as Asian people often compliment a dessert by saying, ‘It’s not too sweet,’ I find myself complimenting this banh mi by saying, ‘It’s not too salty,’” Campecino-Wong says. When she’s on the way to drop off her toddler at school (and doesn’t have to rush off to her bakery’s second location in the Dogpatch), she calls and preorders a steamed pork and pate banh mi with extra veggies, topped with cilantro and a couple of slices of jalapeño ($9.62). “The bread is crisp and yielding, the pork is tender, and the pickled daikon and carrots have the perfect balance of sweetness and vinegar,” she says. “‘Refreshing’ might be a weird word to describe a sandwich, but this banh mi is actually that.”
Nick Cobarruvias, owner, Otra
Favorite spot: Palmyra, 700 Haight St., Lower Haight
After giving a special shoutout to Banh Viet — “a legit good banh mi that’s not just made for Karens” — Cobarruvias discussed his love for this neighborhood staple that serves Syrian fare. At $15, the Syrian-style wrap, a massive pita packed with chicken shawarma, pickles, fries, tahini, and garlic sauce is on the pricier side of a “cheap eat.” But just trust him: “It’s a fucking meal.”
George Dingle, co-owner and chef, Dingles Public House
Chef and co-owner George Dingle at Dingles Public House. | Source: Carolyn Fong for The Standard
Favorite spot: Hayes Valley Bakeworks, 550 Gough St., Hayes Valley
While building out his restaurant last year, Dingle never had enough time to make breakfast before the contractors arrived. Luckily, he discovered Hayes Valley Bakeworks, less than a block from Dingles Public House. He almost always orders the same thing: a warm, buttery jalapeño cornmeal biscuit breakfast sandwich ($6.75) with ham, provolone, and a jiggly egg. “I was living off of them,” he says.
Anthony Salguero, owner and chef, Popoca
Favorite spot: Panchitas #2 Pupuseria & Restaurant, 3091 16th St., Mission
When he’s not chowing on tacos dorados with carne asada from La Taqueria, Salguero likes to snag a seat at this Salvadoran institution, which has been slinging some of the city’s favorite pupusas for nearly 40 years. He’s been coming here with his dad since he was growing up in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Back then, he would top his loroco pupusas ($4.75) with the curtido and salsa that sat in tubs and squirt bottles on the tables. These days, Salguero, who owns and operates his own acclaimed Salvadoran restaurant in Oakland, doesn’t make it across the bridge as often. But when friends or family are visiting from out of town, “Panchitas is always part of the agenda.”
Marisa Williams, owner and pastry chef, Sol Bakery
Favorite spot: Eddie’s Cafe, 800 Divisadero St., NoPa
Growing up near Divisadero Street, Williams often went to Eddie’s Cafe, an old-school neighborhood diner. She still comes by on midweek mornings — there’s usually a line out the door on weekends — and, in front of the legendary wall of bobbleheads the restaurant has amassed over its 52-year run, orders her standard breakfast. That means two eggs, bacon, toast, and a cup of coffee, for about $15. “Eddie’s will forever carry the real Western Addition vibe, and I love that I always get a different coffee mug on each visit,” she says, referring to the restaurant’s eclectic selection. “This place holds a real soft spot in my heart.”
Seth Stowaway, owner and chef, Chicken Fried Palace
Source: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/The Standard
Favorite spot: El Gallo Giro taco truck, 986-998 Treat Ave., Mission
“Literally insane tacos,” is how Stowaway describes the offerings at this truck. El Gallo Giro has been a neighborhood staple, parked at the corner of 23rd Street and Treat Avenue, for 24 years. He has been a fan for 15, walking up to the family-run business to order two carnitas tacos crisped on the plancha, two al pastor tacos, and, sometimes, a cabeza taco for good measure ($3.50 each) — all with “everything” on top: cilantro, onion, and salsa roja.