Café de Olla

La mejor comida oaxaqueña en San Francisco by far 😍😋 I used to have to drive to Petaluma for this, but glad to see its now within San Francisco! We ordered the tlayuda de maíz azul with cecina enchilada and memela with tasajo. Both had flavors and textures that brought me back to Oaxaca; food tasted homemade and made with love and care. If I lived closer, I would have to come every day. Besides the food, the environment is welcoming, filled with light and colors that resemble Oaxaca. 😋🇲🇽🌯🫔🌮

Super cute cafe with friendly people and tasty food! Nothing else to say. Their food is pretty standard but I absolutely love their hot drinks. The Mexican mocha and cafe de olla were superb. So rich and flavourful. Love the vibe here

Great food, amazing coffee! Super helpful and nice staff. My friend likes to say he didn't like tamales until he went to Café de la Olla, now he's OBSESSED; must try in here!

Craving delicious, homey, fresh Mexican food? Look no further! You can notice the love and dedication put into their dishes, which might seem so effortless and natural but are definitely noticeable and delightful ❤️ The memelas are a must try, and don't miss getting a side of quesillo. Best.cheese.ever 😍

Sandra and I missed the foods of Oaxaca, Mexico so had to stop by Cafe de Olla in San Francisco for tlayuda and tamales, along with a yummy dessert.

Just stopped by for a coffee. Ordered a Café de Olla, home brewed with the perfect combo of spices and served in a beautiful clay pot. Super friendly staff, incredible pries. I was able to try the Tejate, a hot maize and cacao beverage which will now be a regular order for me. The food looked and smelled incredible, I’ll be back to eat soon.

One of the most beautiful places with the best food and drinks. The owners were amazing and kind and so friendly. We felt right at home. If you want hot chocolate, come here. If you want the best tamales, don’t skip this place.

Café de Olla offers an authentic Mexican experience that's hard to beat. Their tamales are a must-try—packed with great flavors and just the right amount of spice. At about $6 each, they’re worth every penny. The texture is perfect, and the filling is always generous. If you're looking for a place that delivers on both taste and value, this is it. Highly recommended!

This is a great casual spot for weekend brunch or lunch. There are a couple of tables outside, which I recommend on a warm day. Of course, you have to try the café de olla namesake drink here. This was a delicious coffee drink, and I love that it comes in a colorful ceramic mug. I've tried a couple of the food items here, and my favorite has been the tlayuda, which is a traditional Oaxacan dish. If you haven't had it before, I'd say a tlayuda somewhat resembles a quesadilla except the tortilla is a lot thinner and crispier. The tamales here are also pretty tasty.

Summary: Smaller portions of an interesting cuisine Details: So, a caveat to start this out with: as someone who needs to trek a bit into the Mission, there are plenty of other eats I'd rather have instead, so this is closer to a 2.5 for me personally, but this is not to say the food is bad! In fact, it's fine to enjoyable, and if nothing else, is pretty interesting as a cuisine you don't see too often in the Bay. Heck, they even have grasshoppers on the menu! That said, the food didn't speak to us too much to us though, with things like the tlayuda having good flavors, but being a bit on the rough and dry side, the tamales flavorful but a bit too salty, and the cafe de olla being far too sweet (we couldn't finish it). Not to mention the portions are on the smaller side: as someone who doesn't eat much, a single main is probably insufficient unless you add some meat options to it. Accessibility: On the smaller side, but spacious enough that accessibility shouldn't be an issue.

The tamale was pretty mid it was a vegetarian tamale, if you are expecting authentic oaxacan food, it won't taste the same because of the different ingredients sources in the states. Also 7$ per tamale is a rip off, which is why I gave 3 stars. coffee was pretty okay but wouldn't willingly come bac

A colorful and festive cafe. Loved all the decorations, definitely felt homey. There's even some paper coloring materials on each table to draw. Staff were very friendly and gave some food recommendations. Everything tasted homemade and fresh. The tamales tasted incredible. Each dish came with a delicious salsa and side salad. Favorite was the vegan tamale, surprisingly had a lot of unique flavor to it. Just wish the portions were larger, so would order more next time. Want to come back next time to try their drinks!

This is such a cute cafe in the Mission. I came in for a Mexican mocha this morning, it was slow and quiet at the cafe which was really nice for a Sunday. The staff was super nice, the decor and interior is very cultural to the Mission and adds a very authentic vibe to the cafe. They have indoor and outdoor seating. While I only got a mocha, they also offer food here. Parking was also quite easy, since it's located off of the prime streets, you can easily find neighborhood parking.

Tlayuda is really different and good! It's like a quesadilla, but the home made tortilla is firm, and the base ingredients are refried black beans, cheese and shredded cabbage. I had it that way. ... with their amazing smoky salsa. (It comes with a cute wooden serving spoon!) I always enjoy new things! Next time will I be brave enough to try huitlacoche?

Super cute small restaurant off 19th and Mission. Friendly and quick service. Love that everything is handmade. Portions were a bit small for the price but we're still pretty filling. Chicken mole tamale was good though a bit dry despite having the mole sauce inside and on top. Tostada was crispy and packed, and the huitlacoche was good though pretty mild on the funkiness. Overall taste was good but could've used a pinch more salt to really bring out the flavors.

We came here for the traditional Oaxacan hot chocolate and and were not disappointed! My partner got oatmeal milk and I got it with water - definitely recommend getting it with milk for the extra froth. The server made it on the table in front of us, and chatted with us about the traditional history. We also got two tamales, chicken mole and chepil (a vegan option that is not commonly served in the US but tasted pretty good.) The tamales are not overly big but are reasonably priced at $6.50 each.

Love the service, drinks, and food here! We ordered the sweetbread, chicken tamal, Oaxacan hot chocolate, and cafe de olla. The servers who brought the drinks to the table took good care of us. Will be back to try more!

I had never tried Oaxacan food before I came here, and this place exceeded my expectations! It is self seating and you order/pay in the front, get a loteria card stand for your order, and it is brought to you when ready. It took my friends and I's orders about 10-15 minutes to come out, which is what they told us. I ordered one Memela with Carne Enchilada (pork). It was so good and it was enough to fill me up. My friends also ordered the Tiayuda's with different toppings each and they also looked delicious. They also ordered drinks they let me try which were both also amazing! Overall service was amazing, restaurant was so pretty and clean, and the food/quality so delicious! Would 100% come again and order a cafe de olla next time!

I went to Oaxaca two years ago and absolutely loved it. When I found this place on Yelp and saw the high reviews, I had high expectations. The inside is a bit dim but the decorations made me feel like I was back in Oaxaca. The tlayuda and memela were good - they weren't as flavorful as I had hoped, but it was still authentic. Our tamale came out much later after we finished the tlayuda and memela (not sure if they forgot). Not sure if we had an off tamale, but it was incredibly dry. It seemed a bit old. The ones we had in Oaxaca were so moist and flavorful so we were a bit disappointed in that. The hot chocolate was good and our server was incredibly friendly. It was nice to try this place to reminisce Oaxaca.

Excellent hot chocolate that's not too sweet but rich in flavor. The chocolate comes from Oxaca and mixed and aerated in a ceramic pitcher. I like it better than Dandelion Chocolate which is a little too sweet and heavy for me. Tamales are solid. I have been here a handful of times and just learned they have roasted grasshopper! It's roasted with garlic and tons of spices so it's super tasty.

Stumbled upon this cafe while looking for a quick coffee. I just got a cafe con leche and a tostada with pork. They were so friendly taking my order and food came out quick. Cute little spot with music and decorations. Tostada was delish!

I've been wanting to try huitlacoche for so long and found it here! I ordered it with the Tlayuda one of their popular dishes & a chicken mole tamale. Both were delicious, but I especially liked the Tlayuda. It was filling, crispy, and the huitlacoche since it's a fungi tastes just like a mushroom. Everyone was very friendly, it was made very fresh to order, and the inside was so cute. Happy to be supporting a small/local business!

If I could give this restaurant 10 stars, I would. If you want to taste quality Oaxacan food in SF, this is the place to go. Try the tlayudas with chicken tinga. I had it twice in one week. Eduardo, the chef, makes them with ingredients (e.g. cheese and peppers) from Oaxaca. The salsa is exceptional - warm spices with a slightly smokey aftertaste. The chicken mole tamale and chile relleno that my friend and partner ordered tasted like nothing I've had in the Bay. Of course, the agua fresca and jamaica were refreshingly natural. Both times, I had the champurrado, which had a warm cinnamon flavor; I plan to get it again with pan dulce in the morning. Everything they make tastes homemade and fresh. In addition, Francisco, the owner, Giovanna, our server and Eduardo, the chef, are truly welcoming and friendly. It's clear that they do what they do because they love it. When they weren't busy, they seemed happy to have conversations with us about food, Mexico, culture, life. Finally, the place itself feels intimate and homey. The decor is bright and reminds me of markets and restaurants in Oaxaca. The walls feature art from local artists that change periodically. Please go check it out yourself. I haven't been as excited about a restaurant like Cafe de Olla in a while!

We went in with high expectations based on the reviews. However, while we appreciate their effort, unfortunately the food missed the mark. We ordered a chicken mole tamale and memelas. The tamale was the best item from what I ordered, as the mole was very good, the tamale dough was moist and flavorful, and the chicken was a generous portion The memelas were disappointing. They were tasty but honestly it lacked authentic Oaxacan cuisine flavor. I have tasted Oaxacan food from Oaxacan family and from various places in Oaxaca. The memelas had too much red sauce that overpowered other flavors and made the memela get soggy quickly. It did not taste like a memela should. When the food got to our table, it had some cold parts for some reason which we found odd. Highlights: friendly staff, cozy environment and nice themed decor. Clean restroom. Lowlights: not authentic as it claims.

Incredible food. Perfect portions - not American sized portions. Food has amazing flavor profile. Service was somehow even BETTER than the food! Giovanna was incredible and treated us like family!!

This place is one of my favorites in San Francisco. If you're looking for authentic Oaxacan Mexican food with a rest Latin atmosphere, this is it. It's a small intimate little cafe with great food. The Mexican hot chocolate is my favorite as well as the tamales. Inside it feels like a little casita. You'll feel right at home if you come from a Latin household

Excellent Oaxacan food! Small place off of Mission. Oaxacan hot chocolate was delicious! Rich and not too sweet. Perfect with a concha. We also ordered chilaquiles and a chicken mole tamale. Definitely be back.

The service is decent, I got enfrijoladas, the beans were horrible, they tasted old and didn't had cheese inside which is the first time it happens in years of Ordering enfrijoladas, can't understand how they manage to have clients, the hot Chocolate was good, they took about 10 minutes to take my order and another 30 to serve it which is really long for what I got, definitely not recommended.

I had both the memela and the tlayuda. The memela with carne asada and the tlayuda with al pastor. The memela itself was great, but the meat was dry and no flavor. The tlayuda shell was state and the meat also dry and no flavor. If you come here, I would recommend the memela with no meat. I emailed them and gave them my feedback. Someone replied with an apology and offered a refund. I never got a refund and no one ever replied to my followup emails. The memela (with no meat) was good tho. I may go back and just get that. And look at other people's food to see how the meat quality is that day. Maybe I went on a bad day where they keep the old meat.

I'm finally getting my Oaxaca fix! Chicken mole tamales are super fantastic. Terrific carne asada quesadillas. The dessert pineapple tamales were surprisingly succulently delicious. Charming staff. This will certainly become a habitual return.

Most amazing piping hot off of the grill experience. The staff was warm and educated me on the origin of the dessert. Magical experience.

Cute spot with bright decor and super friendly service. They also offer non dairy options like oat and soy milk. I got the hot chocolate which came in a beautiful mug and was mixed right in front of me. Yummy and not too sweet. Tamales come with a small side salad. Not too busy on a Thursday night and it was nice that they have longer hours on Thursday. Great lower priced option in the Mission for a cozy catch up spot.

Super colorful and lively, freshly renovated. Service is super friendly but food is prepared pretty slowly, just FYI. The space is pretty small, not that many seats. I order a Tlayuda every chance I get. I got the tasajo Tlayuda which was good and hit the spot though not the best I've had. The tortilla had a pleasant corn flavor. Great for a Tlayuda fix or casual meal.

It's nice to have a nearby place that has this quality food. It's priced so we are able to eat here a couple times a month. Our favorites are the tamales (and I'm not a tamales fan normally) and this one dish with salty cheese on it...where I choose the grasshoppers as the meat. The grasshoppers have a little bit of spice to them. That salty + spice + crunchy combo hits the spot.

This is a cute little cafe located in mission. Street parking only. We came here for a quick drink since it was a super cold day and ordered Yerba Mate Tea and Oax Chocolate. The lady was super welcoming and nice. Would come back to try their food.

We came here for the Champurrado and while it is tasty, I didn't like how much cinnamon it had and was a bit thinner than the thicker versions I've had elsewhere The tostada could have had more beans, we enjoyed the chicken mole tamale, and the fried flour tortilla with meat and cheese was very good A little high price wise for potions you get but the people working here were nice and it's a cute cafe

Authentic Oaxacan cuisine! Chicken mole was so tasty, my first experience of grasshoppers...chapulines! was delightful and the Oaxacan hot chocolate in gorgeous traditional styled mugs was yum. The Day of the Dead artwork including a stunning mural by Mara Lea Brown was also such a treat. The initial impression is definitely a humble hole in the wall kind of scene that ends up delighting the senses and warming el corazon! Thank you, thank you!

The place is ok, I really like the service and the food. I asked for a special request, a quesadilla with hand made tortillas and quesillo. It was delicious!

I am giving this place 10/10 across the board. The cafe is a nice size with an outside setting. It was my first time here with my daughter and we both loved the dishes. My daughter ordered one of the pastries and I ordered the vegetarian tamale. To my surprise, I wasn't expecting a side of salad which was very good and the tamale was delicious and freshly made. The service was excellent and the people were very polite and friendly. I will definitely come back to this cafe.

This place is AMAZING. I couldn't wait for my next visit after leaving, and I mean that because I returned no more than 2 days later and brought 2 friends! The warm, welcoming employees, their actual interest in knowing your preferences and thus suggesting something as you review the menu and can't decide because everything sounds delicious (!!!), and the authenticity of it all. Best vegan tamales I've ever tried (ordered all 3 kinds), best Oaxacan hot chocolate I've ever tried, and best service I have received in a long while. Gracias Cafe de Olla for existing and for being kind...and of course, for sharing your food with the world (and for not forgetting about us vegans!).

straight FIRE Tamales that come in a banana leaf = so good!!! tostadas are my absolute fav and this one did not disappoint it had an amazing chipotle flavor this place is definitely gonna be a staple

Service, GREAT The location itself, super cute Food, even better! We tried to go again a few weeks ago but they were closed, we will be back but we're from east bay. It's a hop skip and a jump for us, but genuinely worth it. Wish they were open Sundays but totally understand why they aren't. The goal is to try everything on the menu!

I worked with Café de Olla for our Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month event at work. They were so fast, easy, and flexible to partner with. We ordered conchas, iced cafe de olla, and Oaxacan hot chocolate for 50+ people. The concha's were the fluffiest and most moist ones I've ever had. Everyone raved about them and loved their coffee and hot chocolate. They make everything with high quality ingredients and lots of love. 10/10 recommend for any small or large catering needs, such a gem!

I've been meaning to come here for a while since I read about Cafe de Olla in Mission Local pre-pandemic. "Café de Olla" literally means "coffee from the pot" and is a significant drink of Mexico. I love that it's community-oriented. It doesn't feel like most coffee shops in SF and prices are very reasonable and accessible. I enjoyed my mate latte and pan dulce while writing (free wifi! Cute tables and art!) Will be back to try tamales, quesadillas, and other dishes and drinks. Love the owners Eduardo and Francisco who are friends who met through a LGBTQ group. Service is immaculate!

The barista, Giovanna who was also our server, was sweet as can be. She was friendly and prompt with bringing us our order. The Oaxacan chocolate drink was creamy and delicious. I got the quesadilla with chicken, and my companion got the barbacoa and chipotle chicken tamales. 10/10 would recommend!

Took forever to get my food. Not busy son what's going on? Wasn't impressed with the food.

Pretty good!!! The ambiance is on point! I love the coffee!! The lady who served us is really nice

Inside another building. Shared space with other businesses Drinks come out fast but food took a little longer Steaming hot champurrado perfect on a cold winter day Memela - flavor of salsa good Tlayuda has salsa on side

The perfect Saturday brunch on a sunny day is sitting outside Café de Olla with two of their tamales and a Oaxacan Chocolate. They mix the hot chocolate directly when serving it using a molinillo whisk in a pitcher, which is apparently the traditional method in Mexico (and is just fun to watch). The tamales are excellent too. The molé pairs well with the chocolate, and there are various vegetarian and vegan tamale options that are solid too. The service is great (not that I would particularly care if it wasn't anyway).

This place has not only the friendliest staff, who were very kind about my attempts to speak spanish with them, but also has amazing tamales and fantastic agua fresca. Everything was fresh, delicious, and inexpensive. They have great vegetarian and vegan options, and while many items on the menu are not vegan, they were willing to modify them (mostly removing cheese) for my vegan friend.

This is place is awesome! The food is so good, especially the tamales and even more specifically the tamal de barbacoa and the frijol one. I also love that they use their space to host different art shows and give local artists a place to showcase their art. Cafe de olla is truly a gem in the mission.

The food was authentic and delicious! The restaurant was cute and had great vibes. The service was quick and pleasant! I can't wait to go back!

The food is authentic and is always so delicious and amazing! The customer service is friendly and welcoming. The ambiance is colorful and vibrant filled with local art from a specific highlighted artist on the walls and some times the ceiling which is so cool and gives such a unique feel to the space. It's a must try when in the Mission District I go regularly for the tamales and Oaxacan Chocolate. Yum!

Phenomenal great service better food! Everything slaps here I also like the local art on the walls

4.5 STARS All my adventurous eaters, where you at? Don't worry, I'm not talking about cutesy *almost* baby ducks today (aka balut). I'm talking Huitlacoche... Corn smut or "corn truffle" if you want to bougie-fy it. Huitlacoche is a fungus that grows on infected corn kernels and looks like diseased grey stones. Don't ewww at me until you try it. This Mexican delicacy is earthy and mushroom-y with a touch of sweetness. It tastes how you would imagine a corn truffle would taste like. Delicious. If you're looking for something even more adventurous, they also have Chapulines, grasshoppers (tastes like little toasted shrimp). But, Café de Olla just got a fresh shipment of Huitlacoche in from Oaxaca so that's what I went with. Café de Olla is an under the radar gem serving Oaxacan food and drinks. They opened just several months before the pandemic hit. They're located inside the Mission Economic Development Agency/El Mercadito building in the heart of The Mission. Café de Olla is open for takeout, delivery, indoor dining (~6 tables), and dog-friendly outdoor dining (3 sidewalk tables). With the mandate lifted, staff still wear masks. I visited on a weekday around 3 pm, and more than half of the tables were taken. I was the only non-Spanish speaking customer which is always a great sign! M E N U Oaxacan cuisine - housemade tamales, tlayudas (oaxacan quesadilla), memela (thick corn tortilla w/ toppings), tostada, torta, pan dulce (sweet bread), etc. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free friendly. For drinks, they have an array of hot coffee (Proyecto Diaz beans from Oaxaca) and chocolate drinks (i.e. champurrado), agua fresca, and bottled drinks. The hot chocolate drinks are froth the traditional, old-skool way with a wooden molinillo (whisk). Almond and oat milk available. F O O D * Chicken Mole Tamale ($5): https://bit.ly/3NFbAh0 ***Requested extra mole sauce The tamale was tasty with a filling of tender shredded chicken in mole sauce. Some parts of the tamale, especially around the edges were a bit dried out but a dunk in the side of mole, problem solved. I read reviews that the mole runs sweet but on the day I visited, the mole was deeply complex with strong chocolate bitter notes and a slight kick. The side salad of mixed greens was dressed with a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. * Tlayudas de Huitlacoche: Crispy Oaxacan quesadilla filled w/ corn smut, beans, quesillo cheese, cabbage, habanero salsa ($11): https://bit.ly/3r1RVyc ***Add avocado ($1). The avocado was missing though. Def my fav item of the two, the thin, crispy toasted tortilla was filled with earthy, mushroomy corn smut, sweet corn kernels, hearty refried beans, and stretchy quesillo cheese (like mozzarella). The habanero salsa was bright, punchy, and spicy (medium heat). Delicious, hearty, and so satisfying! S E R V I C E Friendly. Ordered inside, and my order was brought outside to me. The tamale took about 15 minutes and the tlayudas arrived 5 minutes later. A M B I A N C E Colorful and festive with community vibes. P A R K I N G Difficult street parking. Overall, Café de Olla is an under the radar gem that's worth the visit when you're in The Mission. Or, if you're looking to step out of your comfort zone and try something adventurous, give this small, local business a try!

Dope-a$$ spot! Just looking at the menu, I knew this place would be solid--so many things that are tough to find in a restaurant in the city--let alone in the same spot. Got café de olla for the caffeine fix and also because duh and sipped it in the sunshine while waiting for memela de huitlacoche. They were open for brunch on Sunday (9-2)!

The first thing that struck me was the quality in flavor, ingredients and presentation of the food, much higher level than the average Mission restaurant. Great decor and cleanliness. The staff does an amazing work delivering the food and making sure we have what we need. A lot of locals seem to frequent the place and enjoy it. Highly recommend.