Best Lunch Spots in San Francisco (2025)

Third-generation cart-service dim sum that defines the downtown lunch rush; xiao long bao and shrimp har gow are essentials. Recognized with a Bib Gourmand and frequently praised by local critics for quality and variety.

Mission-style burritos without rice, seared dorado-style for crisp edges, and tacos that built a decades-long following. Celebrated by the Michelin Guide and honored by national and local critics as a defining San Francisco lunch.

A tiny, lunch-only counter where cracked Dungeness crab, oysters, and smoked salmon have drawn lines for generations. Celebrated by the San Francisco Chronicle and cherished for its unchanged old-SF spirit.

Cash-only bánh mì legend where the line moves fast and the roast pork and combination with pâté set the standard. Included in respected citywide lunch and best bánh mì guides.

SoMa’s cult sandwich shop stacks towering pastrami and turkey combos with pickles and serious swagger; takeout only and often sells out. Highlighted by the San Francisco Chronicle’s best sandwiches list.

A Marina raw-bar favorite for oysters, crab Louie, and a great lunch fish sandwich, with sidewalk tables and a tight wine list. Featured in Eater SF’s 2025 best lunch guide.

The beloved Cassava returns as a petite weekday café serving konbini-inspired egg salad sandwiches, po’tama, and hayashi rice—ideal for a quick, thoughtful lunch downtown. Covered by the Standard’s 2025 Hot List.

Bayview’s soul-food hub where gumbo anchors po’ boys and sides; weekday lunch hours and community events make it a neighborhood anchor. Included in Eater SF’s 2025 lunch guide.

Modern épicerie for pâté en croûte, rillette, and laminated viennoiserie—light yet luxurious lunch, often enjoyed with a glass of wine. Featured in Eater SF’s 2025 lunch list and praised by national publications.

Slanted Door Chef Opens Chuck’s Takeaway, New Sandwich and Banh Mi Shop in the Mission | Eater SF

I stopped by Chuck’s Takeaway when it opened on February 7 and found a narrow, high‑ceilinged spot at the front of Charles Phan’s 10,000‑square‑foot commissary where he spent months perfecting Vietnamese baguettes, soft milk bread, and sourdough boules; the breads achieve an ideal juxtaposition of crackly golden crust and airy interior. The tightly focused menu (all sandwiches $16) includes mile‑high banh mi and an egg salad on milk bread: the CP No. 3 comes closest to a traditional banh mi with a thick stack of three meats — house-made pate, pork cha, and chicken liver pate — with vinegary pickles served on the side and shallot mayo, soft herbs, cucumber, and jalapeño tucked into the baguette; the vegetarian Wurster Hall swaps in eggplant, yuba cha, and a smooth mushroom pate. Other options are Mom’s Meatballs (pork meatballs and tomato sauce), an Italian‑inspired bollito of braised beef belly with salsa verde, and an open‑face Tuna by Design (Olle’s olive oil tuna, shallot mayo, wild arugula on sourdough). Phan and chef Dong Choi make everything in‑house — from bread and pates to pickles and mayonnaise — and keep the rest of the offerings simple: three housemade spritzers (orgeat, raspberry, passionfruit), coffee and espresso including Vietnamese coffee made with Saint Frank beans, four teas, and a trio of cookies (chocolate chip sea salt, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter). The long, narrow room has an understated door off 18th Street and a bank of warm wooden cubbies showcasing Phan’s Wo Hing General Store condiments (fragrant chile oil, dangerously hot housemade Sriracha, hoisin) alongside local ceramics and cookbooks; customers order at a wood‑topped counter at the back and take food to go — perhaps up the street to Mission Dolores Park — with hours 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday through Friday. - Lauren Saria