Mestiza
Asian fusion restaurant · South of Market ·
Filipino-Mexican fusion street food with plant-forward options
Filipino-Mexican fusion street food with plant-forward options
"With a heavily vegan Filipino menu, Mestiza in SoMa is a bit of a rarity. Mushroom sisig and ruler-length vegetable lumpia are the best things on the menu, while the vinegary pork adobo and lechon bites are the standouts among the few meat dishes. Visit for a quiet dinner—the only seats are on the uncovered back patio, surrounded by buildings on three sides and tucked away from the street. Reservations are easy to get any day of the week, so it’s the perfect option for spontaneous group dinners." - gabi moskowitz, julia chen 1, patrick wong
"Plant-forward Filipino food can be somewhat of a unicorn in San Francisco, let alone one that boasts such a nice patio in the back. It’s not all vegetarian offerings — although your vegetarian friends will be more than happy with the selection — so if you’re craving pork adobo or shrimp gambas, a variation is most likely on the seasonal menu, too. If you’re looking for more of an experience, try the restaurant’s kamayan feasts, which allows diners to sample a mix of 15 items and guests are encouraged to eat the traditional way, with your hands." - Dianne de Guzman
"A Mexican Filipino restaurant in San Francisco known for its vegan lumpia and group-sized kamayan feasts."
"After closing in 2020, Mestiza reemerged in another SoMa location, shedding its Filipino taqueria-esque menu to focus on vegan dishes. It’s a welcome addition to SF’s growing plant-based dining scene. Extra long lumpia filled with sweet potato, brussels sprouts, and water chestnut hold their own against tradition, and the mushroom sisig has enough umami to make you forget about the dish’s classic use of pork and offal. You’ll still find glimmers of the restaurant’s former self in dishes like delicious vinegary pork adobo and crispy lechon bites. The combo of vegan dishes and meaty options makes Mestiza especially useful when you’re planning a meal with a few friends who all have different dietary needs. If you happen to wrangle a group of four or more, Mestiza also offers a kamayan option with the requisite banana leaves draped over a picnic table. The restaurant may not be entirely vegan, but it is entirely outdoors. Take a quick, pineapple-lined stroll straight back through a narrow hallway right next to the open-air kitchen—while spying on what’s on the grill—and you’ll arrive at the renovated back patio. Reservations are usually easy to come by, so remember Mestiza as a reliable last-minute pick for a date night or large group dinner (you can make a reservation for up to 12 people). Sure, the patio doesn't have any blankets, but there’s no shortage of heat lamps and toasty champorado with berries to keep you warm. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Mestiza Lumpia Looks are deceiving with these. They’re about nine inches long, but the filling—which is excellent—only covers the center, leaving the ends hollow. The accompanying “island sauce” thankfully makes even shards of empty lumpia wrapper tasty. Worth ordering, just remember size isn’t everything. photo credit: Patrick Wong Inisal Skewers That island sauce we were just talking about? There’s no shortage of it on these barbecued shrimps on a stick. Charred, spicy, and tangy, we’d order this app as an entree. Sometimes these come with chicken rather than shrimp. photo credit: Patrick Wong Mushroom Sisig These mushrooms have seemingly taken acting lessons from pork, because we didn’t miss the meat at all. The hefty bowl of fungus is so savory and rich that we were digging around just to make sure pork hadn’t snuck its way in. Order a side of atchara to balance the heaviness. photo credit: Patrick Wong Braised Pork Adobo Sour and pungent, just how we like adobo, and served with potatoes that are soft rather than mealy. The cook on the pork shoulder can be a bit inconsistent, though, with some tender chunks mixed in with tougher ones. Eat this with plenty of rice on the side to dull any overly salty punch. photo credit: Patrick Wong Champorado The only dessert on the menu, this chocolatey bowl of rice porridge makes us feel like a kid eating breakfast cereal. We could skip the macerated berries on top, but we’d order this again regardless. One portion is easily shareable among two to three people. photo credit: Patrick Wong" - Patrick Wong
"Head over to this small takeout-friendly SoMa restaurant for plant-based riffs on Filipino classics and stunning kamayan spreads — though there are meaty dishes on the menu too. It’s a comeback for Mestiza owner Deanna Sison who closed the first iteration of her restaurant in 2020 and now returns in a new space with chef Syl Mislang at her side. Order sweet potato-stuffed lumpia, calabasa coconut curry with aji verde, and a vegan version of sisig made with mushroom tempeh." - Dianne de Guzman, Lauren Saria
