Heroic Italian San Francisco

Artisanal Italian Sandwiches Have Arrived in the Castro | Eater SF

"Inside Swirl Wine Bar in the Castro, I found the San Francisco outpost of Heroic Italian, launched by David Bullitt (who partnered with his brother Jeffrey Merrihue after their LA success). The shop is deliberately takeout-only for now, with limited hours (Thursdays–Sundays, noon–6 p.m.) and an online ordering system at launch; Bullitt has held off on third-party delivery to protect quality and margins and even structured a profit-share deal with the wine bar owner to avoid lease risk. The concept is small, artisanal sandwiches and salads — not the cheapest or biggest in the city, but made with “excruciating care”: all meats are imported from exclusive Italian makers (unnamed), rolls come from SF’s Montesacro Pinseria using a soy/rice/wheat flour blend imported from Rome, and produce and sides are local. The menu is intentionally tight — four sandwiches and four salads — and highlights include the OMG (prosciutto, salami, capocollo, mortadella, porchetta, smoked mozzarella, artichokes, tomatoes, housemade giardiniera, mustard, and black truffle mayo) and the Mount Etna salad (roasted farro, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and fennel on arugula). Bullitt says the ingredients are "lovingly cared for and lovingly crafted" into a slightly smaller sandwich you won’t walk away bloated from." - Eve Batey