Sweet Joanna's Cafe
Cafe · Rincon Hill ·

Sweet Joanna's Cafe

Cafe · Rincon Hill ·

Airy market with great sandwiches, snacks, baked goods & coffee

sandwiches
friendly staff
great food
affordable
dutch crunch
breakfast
lunch
fresh ingredients
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null
Sweet Joanna's Cafe by null

Information

101 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94105 Get directions

$10–20

Order delivery
See Menu
Accepts reservations
Popular for lunch
Cozy
Trendy
Good for solo dining

Information

Static Map

101 Howard St, San Francisco, CA 94105 Get directions

+1 415 974 6822
sweetjoannas.com
@sweet_joannascafe

$10–20 · Menu

Features

•Accepts reservations
•Popular for lunch
•Cozy
•Trendy
•Good for solo dining
•Coffee
•Comfort food
•Credit card accepted

Last updated

Jan 8, 2026

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Sweet Joanna’s is the quintessential workday lunch spot - Review - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"Almost everyone who walks into this decades-old cafe is greeted by name, quickly followed up with “the usual?” Like them, we’re drawn into Sweet Joanna’s inSoMafor a quick grab-and-go lunch and the always-free tables that are great for getting some work done. This weekday-only cafe is built for nearby office workers, with strong coffee and seven kinds of tea lattes (go for the hojicha), an always-stocked pastry case with solid donuts and croissants, and nearly 30sandwichoptions. Prioritize the tuna melt and classic egg salad—behave like a proper San Franciscan and get them on dutch crunch—or you can just build your own. Gather up a small crew whenever you need an office escape, or if you’re flying solo, there is wifi, but just know the music is a bit loud, so avoid taking any calls." - Patrick Wong

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/sweet-joannas-cafe
Sweet Joanna's Cafe

Eliot

Google
Great place. Full of great snacks. Very kind staff. The Grilled cheese donut is a must. Best cafe in San Francisco!!!

Central V.

Google
Top notch sandwiches here and friendly service. I would go so far to say it's one of the best subs I've had. The dutch crunch was super fresh and pastrami very tasty. Very happy to have this place available to us.

Michael J.

Google
Really good breakfast and lunch sandwiches! Their homemade muffins and fresh squeeze orange juice are *chefs kiss*. Every time I’m in the area I stop by to pick some up. The service is very friendly and efficient enough.

Erik L.

Google
What an amazing discovery! The team cooked me their signature grilled cheese donut and it was irresistibly good! I am definitely considering coming back here in the future. A huge thanks to the team here at Sweet Joanna’s Cafe :)

Oskar E.

Google
I've been coming to Joanna's for lunchtime sandwiches and smoothies for over a year now. One of my favorite fares downtown - great quality fresh food and friendly people who run the place.

Amanda J.

Google
The owner was incredibly sweet and welcoming. The breakfast burrito was really tasty! I would recommend if you are in the area!

Patrick S.

Google
Great local place across from Starbucks. The owner makes a great espresso and their sandwiches are top notch. I am glad to see this place still open with so many local places downtown shuttering. I highly recommend it for a coffee, bagel, and/or sandwich.

Christian Torruella C.

Google
My sandwich is incredibly yummy and ingredients so fresh that i couldn’t believe it. Also the two ladies working here this morning were so kind and nice. Recommended
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Anwesha M.

Yelp
i got the chipotle chicken sandwich!! what a great find in fidi- the staff was so nice and i will definitely be back. sandwiches come loaded w veggies chicken, etc and i got it on a dutch crunch bread $17.70 for sandwich that i ate over 2 meals!! can't wait to be back
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Chris N.

Yelp
Sweet Joanna's is a little cute cafe and is so close to where I work. The place is a one stop shop to get your coffee and food fix. They have an assortment of pastries and just about everything you can ask for your breakfast and lunch needs. I got a breakfast burrito with sausage and avocado. I totally forgot to ask for the chipotle sauce this which gives this meal some delicious heat. The outside of the burrito has a nice toast as they place it on the panini grill for about a minute or two. The lady upfront is very welcoming too. Two thumbs up.
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Lily Grace B.

Yelp
Great sandwiches! I, as well as the two people I was with, loved every bite. The price on the menu seemed to be slightly off from what I was charged, but not enough for it to make my sandwich any less enjoyable.
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Angel A.

Yelp
The staff is very kind and welcoming. Love speaking my native tongue to the ladies when asking for extra jalapeños on my sandwich and get a feeling of being at home when they call me "mijo". There may be an extra ingredient in their hot pastrami sandwich and that's "love".
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Leslie E.

Yelp
Looking for a friendly café with amazing food? This is the place! Starting from walking through the door, there was a warm welcoming feeling. I was meeting a friend and needed to use the bathroom, they saved my table, and didn't charge me when I ordered a Matcha while I was waiting - "pay when you're friend arrives". Feels like family and the home-like food felt the same. Great spot and I highly recommend!
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Afshin A.

Yelp
It was there All this time! I've worked in the neighborhood for a few years and walked past Sweet Joanna's Cafe multiple times but had yet to step in to eat. When I finally did that last week, I wished I had done that sooner. Sweet Joanna's is a good size cafe with a large lunch and breakfast menu that includes many choices of pastries. Their coffee is good and will slap you awake in the morning! The staff is amiable and helpful. On this visit, I only bought coffee drinks; however, I took my time to look at the food. The sandwiches, both hot and cold, look good, but what stood out for me was their breakfast sandwich. The dining area is comfortable and can accommodate more than a couple dozen people. There are a few tables by the window where one can watch the foot traffic. Next time, when I have more time, I will stop for breakfast and try the burrito.
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Matt K.

Yelp
Greer sandwiches. Tuna melt and hot sandwiches. Good location. Go here. Locally owned spot.
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Adam B.

Yelp
With people heading back to the office, my sandwich consumption has increased substantially. But I don't want just any old cold cut sandwich you could make from meat at Safeway. Here they have a few meats cooked in-house, to make your sandwich extra special. California Club w/ Fresh Turkey: It's pretty rare to find fresh turkey at a FiDi sandwich shop. Sure, grilled chicken breast is kinda common now, but turkey takes so much more time to cook. So this is a must! Nice mix of white meat and dark meat chunks, which had been resting in some sort of juices (maybe just the turkey drippings). Adding so much flavor to the cheese, bacon and avocado. It's like Thanksgiving every day here! Italian Meatball Sub: Another option if you want in-house meat, instead of mass produced deli meat. The tomato sauce had a little spicy kick, which I liked. Lots of sauce too. The meatballs were meaty and chewy, so just right for a sandwich. A little skimpy on the cheese though.
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Dmitry R.

Yelp
The vegetarian sandwich was great. Smoothie was even better. Coffe is normal. I recommend this place. Thank you, guys, for the great service.

Jeffrey C.

Yelp
Food is really delicious. I love that they cook fresh eggs on the spot. However, I feel like the price is too expensive for what you get
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Lauren S.

Yelp
Love this place but rarely think to come here even though its just around the corner from my job. sweet Joanna's is a nestled nook in between two buildings off Howard close to Spear as a cross street. The menu is perfect for breakfast and lunch varying from bagels, sandwiches, salad/ hot food bar and delectable delights. My usually is the Burne special...nice and tasty croissant with egg and cheese. If I go for lunch then I will often get their" California club" with fresh deli turkey.
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Kendall B.

Yelp
Sweet Joanna's is a very under appreciated lunch spot downtown. Their selection is great and the food quality is noticeably good. Both hot and cold sandwich selections are great, and their salad bar comes in handy in a pinch. Give them a try and you'll see why they are so highly rated.
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Donna T.

Yelp
One of the many cafes that is still opening during the pandemic. The portion sizes here are huge and the price isn't too high. I ordered a California Club here and the sandwich that came was the size of my head. I didn't know how to tackle it at first. I guess the downfall would be that I had to think about how to eat this sandwich and had to dissect it a bit. Otherwise the sandwich was solid. Blast of different flavors in my mouth. Many place sacrifice quality for quantity but they had both and price was affordable. My huge sandwich cost about $12 and fed my coworker and I.
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Sarah L.

Yelp
I like this place. It's very homey. I love their pastries, freshly baked every morning. So come in early to get your fav. They also have a deal, about $4 for a pastry and a large coffee. Coffee is self service, usually 4 pots (maybe 3? I pay more attention to the pastries, sorry) of different flavors. Good to grab as I walk down the cold Embarcadero. Ahmed is great, always greets me with a sweet sincere smile. I love this guy, very down to earth. They also have deli, but I have yet to try them. I've only tried the pastries: scones, muffins, bear paw.

Robert P.

Yelp
Opening up at 6:30AM this place serves great breakfast options, as well as amazing pastries. I would highly recommend it for breakfast or lunch Everyone here is always, so very nice
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Jennifer D.

Yelp
The shop is very open and they have seating outside!! Good place to eat during the summer. The owner is was nice, he was handing out free samples of a new berry smoothie they added on the menu. I forgot the name of the sandwich, but it was delicious!! (Not kidding) They also have chips and different sorts of drinks too. I remember seeing bagels, and coffee on their menu too.
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Chris T.

Yelp
Great sandwiches & soups in a comfortable setting. Hardworking and kind staff - a great spot for lunch in SoMa!
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Lena T.

Yelp
The service was great and I got the Roasted Eggplant on Focaccia with everything on it and it was soooo good! The portions were generous and it tasted so flavorful but wasn't too heavy so I loved it! Highly recommend and can't wait to try their other items!
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AnneMarie W.

Yelp
How come I didn't know about this cafe when I worked at 201 Mission?!!! I would have come every day for lunch!!! They serve different meals each day at the salad bar. Today I had lasagna and chicken. Both were incredibly tasty!!! The space in here is uplifting and light. The prices are reasonable. And the staff is friendly. It's a hidden gem!!!
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Amy L.

Yelp
I ordered my sandwich (triple decker club sandwich) through all set around 10:15am to be picked up at 11:15am. The staff was extremely friendly and nice but I was not too satisfied with my sandwich. It was filled with ingredients I didn't particularly like such as mustard and pepperoncini. That's easy to take out and I had no problem with it but I kind of expected my sandwich bread to come out warm and with a crunch-- especially with that type of bread. The overall bite of it just wasn't what I expected and I thought it would be much tastier than it looked. I might come back here to try it again since it's so close to my office but for now, I will pass on getting the triple decker club sandwich again.
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Mari H.

Yelp
I found it difficult/ confusing to order, i got extra fees because i wasn't told that cheese was an extra charge when they suggested it to me for my sandwich. When i went to check out i felt like i was being talked over, not the most welcoming place to order. Plus not many sauce options for sandwiches, Id rather go to subway and get better service, and options for a lot less money.
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Moushumi K.

Yelp
UPDATE: so, apparently, my one review is bringing down their business. Should I feel giddy with power? Let's go with humility. In that spirit, Too Good To Go refunded me $5.99. I decided to part ways with the app - telling me where I can/cannot review is not quite my cup of tea. I digress. As for Sweet Joanna's Cafe, they updated content of their surprise bag (includes soup now) in that app. That's my only experience with them and not yet in a generous mood to try them again. This 1 star is my displeasure for attempting to pressure me to change review via TGTG. And to think I gave them 5 stars on TGTG. Oh well, c'est la vie...

Madhu B.

Yelp
I frequent this place all the time because of the convenience but the sandwiches are incredible and affordable, and the staff is kindhearted, helpful, and will go out of their way to make sure your experience is the best. If you can try it out one day, I would definitely recommend!
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Nicole M.

Yelp
Really delicious food and good prices for the neighborhood. The owner was very nice and friendly. I hope people in the neighborhood will support them during this time. They have apparently been there for 27 years.
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Katherine M.

Yelp
Very quick, generously portioned sandwiches and great customer service. Employees recognize regulars, remember orders, and even offer to reheat items or replace if you're running late. Bravo!
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Connie G.

Yelp
Fluffy eggs, delicious fresh fruit, friendly service. I recommend the egg muffin sandwich! I will definitely go back!
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Ann P.

Yelp
In a group order through Uber Eats, they managed to mess up half of the items. My salad arrived with 2/3 - not exaggerating - of the ingredients missing. It was just lettuce, tomato, and avocado. No chicken, cheese, cucumbers, or carrots. If you don't know how to make multiple items at once, don't sign up to do group orders. People whose orders did happen to be correct weren't impressed either. This place may be OK if you go and order a single item but stay away from their Power Lunch on Uber Eats.
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Steve P.

Yelp
I had the cheesesteak. I would say was more of a beef and cheese sandwich but, an excellent sandwich. A lot of tender, tasty beef. Great bread. All around a great sandwich. Everyone was friendly. Highly recommended for breakfast or lunch.
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Patrick S.

Yelp
I'm glad that this place exists, but I am not thrilled with the food I've experienced. Today I was hunting for a late lunch today and searched for "cheese steak". To my delight I found several reviews for a nearby place, Sweet Joanna's, that raved about their take. Unfortunately I think some of those reviewers may never have what most people would call an authentic version. When I ordered a chicken cheese steak, I received the following: - Dutch crunch roll! - Deli BEEF, barely warmed - Raw onions - Mayo - Some white melted cheese - Some pickled jalapeños (very few) The menu called out mushrooms too, but I did not detect any. I didn't mind the mistake with the meat, a good version with beef would have been fine. But this version was an abomination. I was hungry so I did eat it and for someone who likes this combo of things I would say to go for it. But it was a disappointment for me. I decided on three stars due to the fact that if a person just expected a deli sandwich then I think they could have a good lunch experience.
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Kev H.

Yelp
I always get their rare roast beef sandwich on Dutch crunch. Delicious but it's not really super cheap though.
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Meg G.

Yelp
Picked up sandwiches for a nice lunch by the water! We went on a Saturday afternoon and it was very empty (there had only been one other customer). Service was very friendly but admittedly quite slow and there was a bit of a delay in our order being processed/being made. However the food definitely made the wait worth it! We ordered a roasted aubergine sandwich and a falafel wrap - both were delightful! Prices were a bit steep but expected in the city. Also, I really appreciated the wide range of vegetarian options and how large the portion sizes were.
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Besan Z.

Yelp
I always enjoy trying new things at Sweet Joanna's. Their sandwiches never disappoint. My favorites so far are the pastrami on sourdough bread, roasted eggplant sandwich, and the turkey. They load their sandwiches with meat and veggies, I usually can't finish all at once. Their bread and pastries are always fresh. Great location too, take your sandwiches and eat them on the pier! Highly recommend!

Freedy H.

Yelp
The first time I went to this cafe was 15 years ago when my co-worker urged me to get his favorite sandwich, the California club with chicken on a Dutch crunch roll ADD pepperoncini. I was in the neighborhood today and very pleased to see they persevered thru the Covid years and are still serving their delicious sandwiches. I'm not sure if I got smaller or the sandwiches got bigger, but I could only finish half my sandwich today, and, honestly, it was so large I had difficulty eating it. Lol. Definitely a good problem to have. Ahmed is still there too and as friendly as ever. Love that guy. Btw, my coworker moved to San Diego but every time he's in town he stops here to get a sandwich. That's how good this is. Btw, the Turkey here is real roast so you know they are serious about their sandwiches!
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Matt S.

Yelp
Extremely mediocre. The food here is cafeteria quality. 3 dollars for a donut that's worse than something from Safeway. I hope this place either gets their act together or is replaced by something that is higher quality. There are so many better options in the area and I will not be returning. Seriously, across the street you can get a delicious Bahn Mi from Bahn Mi King or Mau around the corner. Avoid, go elsewhere.
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Steve A.

Yelp
All the restaurants and cafe's in San Francisco are suffering right now. It's often a depressing scene when you are in the city walking around. What used to be bustling streets and lines out doorways of even mediocre restaurants is now a desolate landscape with almost no one there. Many of these small cafe's are going out of business or teetering on the verge of doing so. When I walked into Sweet Joanna's cafe yeterday I saw the owner, whom I have spoken with several times, and ordered a sandwich at the counter. While I was in the restaurant, there was a guy who was obviously down on his luck, looking to spend his last $8 to buy a small item to eat. When the owner was done serving this person their food he told him that it was OK, and he could keep what was probably his last $8. I was truly surprised that this person, who is struggling to keep his business alive, gave food away to help this guy. The food was delicious, and I ate there at one of the outside tables, but the generosity of the owner who must be having his own financial troubles brought a tear to my eye. If you happen to be down on Howard street around lunch time, make sure to patronize this establishment, they have great food and genuine heart.
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Vivian C.

Yelp
THE spot to hit up if you're looking for an affordable pick-me-up. Seriously, you can get coffee here for $2 which is unheard of in FiDi! I flip flop between the Cafe Mocha, Cafe Au Lait, or the house coffee depending on my mood and how many calories I'm allowing my body to intake. The cashier and servers are very kind and if you come here enough, they may recognize you and coin you as a regular- every daily coffee drinker's dream! This cafe also serves Mediterranean-style food, sandwiches, chips, drinks, breakfast pastries, and baked goods. This place doesn't exactly have the quickest service since they are minimally staffed and usually the cashier also makes the drinks too, just an FYI if you're running late and don't want your boss catching you walking in five past starting with a piping hot cup of to-go coffee!
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Tien L.

Yelp
Really solid sandwiches for lunchtime. My go-to is usually the Reuben, but their salad bar is pretty good if you're not feeling sandwiches. Prices are pretty reasonable and comparable with other sandwich shops in the area, but I think the sandwiches are a little better here than what you could get elsewhere. Service can be kind of slow even during the lunch hour.
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Rudolph R.

Yelp
Friendly staff and solid, serviceable breakfast and lunch fare for the office crowds returning to downtown. My favorite is the falafel sandwich.
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Nesha P.

Yelp
I just discovered this cute place recently! We went for a little brunch after the gym and there is more outdoor seating available which is where we sat. The food is what you'd expect it to be from a coffee shop, but really good. I appreciate them being open and will go there more often now that I know it is opened AND that its actually there. It's a little hard to spot or remember.
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Matt K.

Yelp
Ahmed at Sweet Joanna's Cafe is a super hero. He really saved us and was super friendly and professional and the food was great too! We had a big morning meeting and had scheduled a breakfast through a major online service in advance. The online service totally failed and not only didn't deliver but had no excuse too. I called Sweet Joanna's and Ahmed said they could put together platters of breakfast food for 50 people and deliver it (outside of their normal delivery area) and do it within an hour! Ahmed brought it himself and helped setup. The food went super fast and some people even came back for seconds, (which meant I didn't get to taste the breakfast burrito because they were all gone!) I did taste a veggie breakfast sandwich and it was really good. We're going to order from them again just so I can taste the other options next time!
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Vadzim S.

Yelp
Randomly i stopped here to have breakfast and definitely will return again. They have an amazing breakfast option starting with muffins, croissants and finishing with my fav scramble combo. I took Joanna's combo which included 3 scramble eggs , ham ( originally bacon but they substituted it with ham easily) , toast, fruit bowl and coffee ! Less than 10$- an Amazing breakfast deal. It's necessary to add that everything was fresh and tasty , staff super polite and willing to help!
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Katie C.

Yelp
Tried their Mediterranean chicken wrap. So good! 2 for 2 this spot hasn't disappointed. The wrap was flavorful and filled with chicken.
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Green M.

Yelp
Sweet Joanna's Café is like entering into the home of the staff! They are all so warm and welcoming, and they make food as if it is for someone they love. I use them for the office catering when I need breakfast burritos or lunch catering services, they easily accommodated orders for 45+ and everyone at the office asked to put them on the rotation for the weekly breakfast/lunch catering ever since. The organic green tea made with coconut milk and Matcha is amazing! The tea bags are organic and so is all the over 20 flavors they offer. I am so excited to be able to have access to these types of beverages. For my staff of mainly organic tea drinking vegetarian, vegan and of course meat eaters they have real hearty food and beverage options for all. My personal and professional experiences at Sweet Joanna's Café are beyond excellent. Come here to eat you will be met with big smiles and lots of love always found here at Sweet Joanna's neighborhood café.
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Justin G.

Yelp
This place is so cute and has the best breakfast and coffee in this area. Do yourself a favor and skip the Starbucks around the corner with the lukewarm coffee.
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Joshua R.

Yelp
If your looking for a small home town feeling cafe this is the cafe for you. Great customer service and the prices for their food is very affordable for anyone. Their organic Guatemala coffee is my favorite. Food is very good and eclectic they have a little bit of everything. Please stop by and order Joanna's special for breakfast it's light and healthy .
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Madhu J.

Yelp
This review is about their mealpal cheese steak sandwich. I think it's a good value sandwich when you're not too hungry. Average sized sandwich.
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Johnny C.

Yelp
It felt like family cooking us breakfast. We could tell the quality of ingredients that went into the food. My 12-year-old enjoyed it so much, we went back a second day during our 3-day stay in S.F. You won't regret eating here.
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Joanna R.

Yelp
Sweet Joannaaassss is sweet and not just cause it has my name. Delicious food and very affordable place here in the East Cut. I'm so glad my husband discovered it because now this will be our breakfast and lunch place over and over again. Expect us!!
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Jennifer C.

Yelp
Good food, good service, very reasonably priced. I come here regularly for breakfast and get Joanna's special: 3 eggs, bacon, toast, fruit, and coffee for under $10! Coffee is self serve. I see a lot of people ordering the breakfast burrito and pastries, which look super yummy. I will definitely try them next time. Their salad bar and sandwiches look good, too, lots of options! Definitely coming back.