Café de Olla

Well located, reasonably priced, and the food tastes good, but nothing exceptional. Very few vegan options, and the one I really wanted wasn’t available. They were able to adapt a couple of dishes for me, but the adaptation was just removing the cheese without adding anything else, so be prepared for a very basic flavor if you do that. I was really happy that they had Agua de Jamaica (and it was very good). I don’t think I’m interested in coming back.

Delicious vegan tamales! 🫔 The namesake drink, cafe de olla, really hits the spot on a (rare in the Mission) chillier day. They also serve a really good iced tea. I recommend asking for hot sauce for the tamal since it's not crazy spicy but instead brings a great smokey flavor with the right amount of heat. 🔥 Friendly staff and great prices!

The next time you say, “i think i’ll just get a burrito” ignore the urge and head to Café de Olla, and treat yourself to Oaxacan dishes for something much more flavorful. The Tlayuda with Carne Enchilada will satisfy your every craving with a delightful crunch and char on the corn tortilla. Perfect for a full meal or like i did, get it “on the side” with a Memala, which also packed a savory punch with the luscious asiento & beans. Also, don’t miss their namesake, the Cafe de Olla, for an iced coffee treat that can’t be beat.

I had such a delightful experience at Café de Olla. The memela with cecina was flavorful and the first bite transported me back to my mom’s kitchen. The agua de jamaica wasn’t too sweet but instead rich and natural, almost like a wine. Had a joyful interaction with the cashier and enjoyed the beautiful art and colorful ambiance inside the restaurant. Pleased to have found a restaurant that helped me connect back to my roots and is authentically Oaxacan. The only thing I’d change is the size of the memela to be bigger as it wasn’t filling and lasted me only 3 bites. I’d definitely come here again to try the rest of the menu. Definitely recommend it for those who want to appreciate indigenous culture. ❤️

Food was good but nothing really stood out. We had cafe de olla- it was pretty mid. We ordered food and the wait time seemed unusual long being that they were not too busy. We tried the mole tamale - it was okay. We also tried tlayuda - it was just ok.

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. 😋🇲🇽🌯🫔🌮

Amazing Oaxacan restaurant/cafe in the Mission. I got a tasajo tlayuda and one bite transported me back to my family's kitchen so you know this is authentic. On the cafe side, I love to get their iced Mexican Mocha and it's one of the best I've had in SF. The people here are friendly and definitely do take pride in bringing the energy of Oaxaca to San Francisco. Don't sleep on this gem and support this fantastic business.

We had just enough time for a quick breakfast before setting up the tents at the Mission Delores Park for the noontime rally supporting the use of water cannons on unruly mobs. It was Pecos Pete that suggested we eat at the Café de Olla, he says the small breakfast plate is the best in the city! 5 ☆☆☆☆☆ for sure!

This is a great neighborhood gem. I'd say the food is 4 star, but the atmosphere is warm, inviting & obviously filled with love. It feels like going to a small town and the favorite Madre has invited you to her dining table. I ordered two tamales. Definitely ask which ones are made with corn meal and which ones with banana leaves... it makes a big difference. I don't normally like chicken, but the corn/ chicken was wonderful. I also had a Mexican chocolate which was prepared at my table. Deliciousness and filled with love. Thank you to both ladies working while I visited. Warm appreciation, Sharine

This is seriously one of my favorite quesadillas in the city. It tastes so fresh and surprisingly healthy, and it's not oily at all. I'd definitely recommend checking it out if you haven't been yet! The only thing to note is the food took a little longer to prepare, but it seems like everything is made fresh to order, so I didn't mind. Just plan for a short wait before your food comes out.

Cafe de Olla is a short walk away from Valencia where I normally meet up with friends. It's a lovely little location with two small tables outside, a long counter by the window, and a few tables inside. They have two menus, one for food and another for drinks. My friend and I ordered two Oaxacan chocolates and a tlayuda to split at the counter before being handed a stand to bring to our table. We chose a smaller table towards the back of the restaurant near the restroom and got to look at the art for sale on the walls. There was also a little bucket of crayons on the table for drawing. The woman who greeted us at the counter and brought us our food was incredibly gracious. She brought the chocolate out and frothed it at the table before pouring the chocolate out into these mugs that stayed perfectly warm to the hands and were decorated with smooth and bright colored glazes. The tlayuda was also really delicious. A great mix of crunchy textures like the toasted tortilla and cabbage alongside the richness of the beans and cheese. My friend and I spent an hour or two at the cafe chatting while sipping our chocolates. We self-bussed our table to the counter, but I think we were actually expected to leave it at the table since that's what other guests did. The ambience was very comfortable and relaxing, and knowing they were open late made me feel more comfortable savoring the hot chocolate. We both used the restroom before departing and it was well-stocked and clean.

Amazing little cafe with authentic oaxacan food and black coffee. It is an experience that needs a first person taste!

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.

Came here for lunch and it was so tasty! I had a tlayuda with meat and a Mexican latte and both we delicious. The restaurant was also clean and nicely decorated. They had good music and employees were quite friendly. I will be coming here for lunch again!

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.

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!

THE VEGAN TAMALES OMFG. Nothing compares 2 u. maybe my favorite place to eat...in the entire US??????? So amazing every single time. Service is fast & excellent.

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?

Stumbled on this place while looking for lunch in the mission. Absolutely blown away by how delicious the food was. Everything we ordered was amazing and the tamales are pretty filling. The staff were very sweet and I will definitely make it a point to return in the near future!

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!

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.

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.

AMAZING FOOD!! AMAZING SERVICE!! Warm and welcoming. Dishes are inspired and cooked with love Keep up the amazing work!

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!

Thank you so much for your hospitality. The food is high quality and delicious. See you soon. It's cool that there is art on the wall from a local artist and even an art activity for guest to join.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

Nice to have some unique offerings (grasshoppers???). I stick to the tamal mole and was not disappointed! Great prices too.

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.

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

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

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.

This little hole in the wall is amazing the food was great and the service even better. Definitely will be back!

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

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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

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 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.

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.

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!!

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

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!).

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.

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!

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!