Mendocino Farms

"As hard as your company tries to make your office habitable, you’re still surrounded by a bunch of glowing screens and people making water cooler conversation, even though the only water cooler around is on a Dilbert poster. So for lunch, it’s nice to go somewhere that actually feels like you’d want to hang out there. Mendocino Farms is a place on the corner of California and Montgomery that’s just that. Besides the big, open, blue and white space, the food here is mostly salads and sandwiches - all of which are light enough to keep you on your toes when you’re back in the office trying to dodge people talking about the weather. In particular, we like the pork belly banh mi." - Taylor Abrams, Jess Basser Sanders, Will Kamensky

"This is the first SF outpost of this LA-based mini chain. It’s bright and open on the inside, so if your morning isn’t going great, sitting here with a friend and splitting a sandwich could save your afternoon - we like the pork belly banh mi. It’s a counter service place that potentially requires interacting with multiple people and tablets to order, but the line moves relatively quickly for a work lunch stop in the FiDi. Sit here or get your food to go so you can get back to valuing real estate by the amount of wall plugs relative to height off the ground, or however it’s done." - Will Kamensky

"The first San Francisco location of Mendocino Farms, a popular chain of quick-service sandwich and salad spots, has opened its largest restaurant to date at the historic Merchants Exchange building. The space, designed by Valerio Architects, aims to attract FiDi diners and holds emotional significance due to its proximity to the co-founder's family history in the area. The restaurant, known for its 'not so fried' Mary's chicken sandwich, hopes to replicate its SoCal success in NorCal." - Caleb Pershan

"Mendocino Farms, the increasingly prolific chain based in Los Angeles, has made its way into San Francisco’s lunch-hungry downtown. It will debut its menu of sandwiches and salads on August 9 at the Merchant’s Exchange building (465 California Street). This is the fourth Northern California location (San Mateo, Campbell, and San Jose are already open) from founders Ellen Chen and Mario Del Pero, both of whom are natives of the area. In fact, Del Pero’s great-great-grandfather ran a butcher shop just blocks away at the turn of the century. Now they’re bringing their restaurant, which was inspired by local mainstays like Bakesale Betty and Tartine, back home. At 5,882 square feet, this will be the largest location to date, boasting a second kitchen designated solely for catering and delivery. It’s also the first Mendocino Farms to offer breakfast, grab-and-go salads, and local coffee, from Santa Cruz’s Verve Coffee. The restaurants in Los Angeles are known for their sleek design, with plenty of plants, chalk boards, marble, and colorful accents. SF’s outpost will go for an “old world aesthetic” with marble, brass, and smoky mirrors, communal tables, banquettes, and an outdoor seating area, all by Valerio Architects. When it opens, Mendocino Farms will be open from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; breakfast will launch in the coming weeks." - Ellen Fort