The Tenderloin’s (TL) roughly 7-by-5 blocks get a massive amount of bad press as the center of San Francisco’s worst drugs and homelessness. As it has everywhere, pandemic has made conditions worse as Tenderloin’s decades-old issues have expanded a few blocks. But the TL remains a tiny part of our ever vibrant city with top-notch food, as in every SF neighborhood. Yet due to the TL’s location next to tourist central Union Square and hotels, it gets outsized attention compared to much larger difficult neighborhoods in other U.S. cities.
Living in the TL when first here as a girl back in 1998, working directly with unhoused and SROs in the neighborhood, I never feared it as it was always rough… and always rich with a global community sharing incredible food. The TL’s Western couple blocks are Little Saigon, some of SF’s densest Vietnamese community and foods.
Focusing up, our Tenderloin boundaries are bordered by Polk Street to the west, Geary Blvd. to the north, Mason to the east and to the south, Turk until you hit Hyde, then stretching down to Market, bordering the Civic Center’s many restaurant gems like Chao Pescao, Outta Sight Pizza and The Madrigal. Don’t think I forgot TenderNob/Lower Nob Hill’s incredible eats (Liholiho Yacht Club, Del Popolo, Chisme Cantina, Aria Korean Street Food, Pearl’s Deluxe Burger, Maison Danel, etc.), Union Square’s too-many-name cocktail and food riches, or just across Market Street, SoMa glories like Montesacro, 54 Mint, Tu Lan and Square Pie Guys. But since these few blocks of the TL hold enough edible wealth all their own, we’ll focus there.
Bonus recommends: Don’t miss superb TL coffee and breakfast bites at closet-sized Farm:Table, perfect French pastries at the second location of Inner Richmond’s ever-mobbed Arsicault Bakery or live jazz and music with food at sexy, basement Black Cat.
Bánh mi legend: Saigon Sandwich
Purportedly opening 1981, Saigon Sandwich is a legend in Vietnamese bánh mi sandwiches, listed on a green, 1970s 7UP sign above the counter. The sandos remain a steal at $5, churned out all day long, cash only. When I returned from a life-changing month in Vietnam over 20 years ago as a girl, their banh mi tasted most like what I had in Vietnam. Yes, SF — and the entire Bay Area — is silly with “real deal” banh mi and Vietnamese food, being part of California’s biggest Vietnamese population in the U.S. for decades. Despite all the great bánh mi out there, Saigon’s remain among the very best — at the best prices. The generously-loaded roast chicken or pork bánh mi win every time, but I go for the combination: steamed pork, roast pork and silky pâté.
// 560 Larkin Street, www.yelp.com/biz/saigon-sandwich-san-francisco
Legit Nola comfort in SF: Brenda’s French Soul Food
Since opening in 2007, queer-run Brenda’s French Soul Food has been our best, authentic New Orleans restaurant. Partners in business and life, Brenda Buenviaje and Libby Truesdell, opened the equally great Brenda’s Meat & Three in 2014 on Divisadero. The OG Brenda’s shrimp and grits (a Low Country speciality from South Carolina), seafood po boys and catfish des Allemands transport straight to the Big Easy. But over 15 years of research later, even in my beloved New Orleans I’ve never found anything close to her unparalleled crawfish cheese beignets. Lucky us.
// 652 Polk Street, https://frenchsoulfood.com
Breakfast sandwiches and burgers: Bandit
Closet-sized Bandit has been a TL treasure since 2017 for good-time burgers and chicken sandwiches. But we have an endless number of local burger and chicken sando greats in town. Yet few do breakfast sandwiches — a whole menu of them — as well as Bandit. With no less than seven breakfast sandos blessedly served all day, it’s hard to go wrong whether you get the simple but utterly gratifying Petty Cash (scrambled eggs, Tillamook cheddar cheese, chives) or signature Bandit sandwich, layered with fatty-good butcher’s cut bacon, muenster cheese, scrambled eggs, avocado and arugula. In even better news for the rest of the city, they opened a second location in Dogpatch in March and just opened their third Mission location next to Dolores Park this weekend, September 24, 2023.
// 683 Geary Street, www.banditsf.com
Venezuelan Chinese: Cantoo Latin Asian Rotisserie
I first wrote about unique family dive, Cantoo Latin Asian Rotisserie, not long after it opened in December 2022. Co-owner Christina Wu Feng’s dad/chef and mom immigrated from Guangzhou, China, to Venezuela years ago before moving to SF. Thus, what you’ll find is an unusual mashup of traditional Chinese dishes alongside Venezuelan coastal specialities from their town of Puerto Cabello, like a seafood packed soup or Pollo Valenciano rotisserie, paired with the mini-corn arepas, coleslaw and addictive green garlic sauce. From empanadas to Chinese dumplings, this is familial comfort food. Most crave-worthy is their sweet and sour in chicken, pork or fish form — I go for the fish filet. Beyond ubiquitous fried fish, you can taste the difference in their made-from-scratch sauces and light, crispy fry.
// 572 O’Farrell Street, www.yelp.com/biz/cantoo-latin-asian-rotisserie-san-francisco
Upscale Vietnamese diner with cocktails: Bodega
As Vietnamese food central, TL’s Little Saigon has rich offerings in a few short blocks. And there’s nothing quite like new Bodega, like modern diner in sleek woods, serving Vietnamese-influenced cocktails and quality Vietnamese food.
Matt Ho opened Bodega in 2022, when I wrote my full review. But the Ho family has deep roots in the ‘Loin with Bodega Bistro, run by Matt’s father and uncles, a 14 year TL favorite. He’s back, running Bodega with his parents and uncle, alongside business partners Eugene Kim and Adrienne Fornier. Don’t miss their bánh cuốn, a fresh rice roll wrapped around ground pork and wood ear mushrooms, in crispy shallots and nuoc mam fish sauce. Another standout is bun rieu: Dungeness crab, tofu and egg in a tomato-y broth over vermicelli noodles recalling SF-created cioppino.
// 138 Mason Street, http://bodegarestaurants.com
Proper Hotel Trio: Villon, Charmaine’s and La Bande
Consider SF Proper Hotel restaurants/bars a three-in-one, with a range of moods. Most importantly, each kitchen is helmed by chef Jason Fox, formerly of Michelin-starred Commonwealth, an SF great I still very much miss. There’s scene-y rooftop Charmaine’s, with its elevated bar bites (think huitlacoche-stuffed potatoes), cocktails, stunning views and live music. Downstairs is the more elegant but relaxed Villon, and around the corner is La Bande, a Cal-Med (not traditional Spanish) aperitif and tapas bar with gorgeous Art Deco decor. At Villon, all manner of meats and veggies shine, from eggplant agnolotti pasta to pork katsu with miso cabbage slaw. But dishes showcasing our coastal setting most intrigue, whether Parker house rolls with seaweed butter, or silky scallop crudo over plum ice with licorice herbs, radishes, tapioca and fresh wasabi.
// 45 McAllister Street and 1100 Market Street, properhotel.com/san-francisco/restaurants-bars
Indian-Pakistani Meals under $13.99: Chutney
It’s true: Chutney is a bit dingy and there are more “authentic” Indian restaurants in town. But in the long-nicknamed “TandoorLoin,” representing the neighborhood’s deep Indian-Pakistani roots for decades, Chutney has been a beloved all-day go-to since 2002 when Pakistan-born Mohammad Bajwa opened the humble spot. First for cheap, crushable curries and naan priced generally $8–13.99 for entrees. Also, Bajwa sources halal meats, making it a welcome destination for Muslims and all seeking halal food. You can fill up on the cheap here with robust flavor to boot. There’s ubiquitous chicken tikka masala but also comforting bengan masala eggplant curry or green, vegetal saag paneer (spinach in soft, neutral Indian cheese). Some of my historic Tenderloin Indian favorites, namely Little Delhi and now-closed Lahore, aren’t as good as they used to be under original owners, but divey go-tos like Shalimar are going strong since 1994, right by Chutney for a Curry Crawl.
// 511 Jones Street, www.yelp.com/biz/chutney-san-francisco
Hip Duo with rooftop views & downstairs feasting: Rise over Run and Tenderheart
Open late 2022 in the LINE Hotel SF, Rise over Run and Tenderheart are some of the TL’s chic-est offerings. Tenderheart is a downstairs haven for Chinese-American chef Joe Hou’s inspired New American food, weaving from killer fish crudo to hand-held little gems or signature sweet and sour quail in gochugaru (Korean chili powder) and pineapple. Tenderheart is equally a draw for also Chinese-American bar master Danny Louie’s creative cocktails, with ingredients perfected in his LINE basement cocktail lab. The more casual but popular rooftop and solarium Rise Over Run is worth it for stellar SF views alone. You also have a whole separate Louie cocktail menu and Hou’s shareable food, like a double royale cheeseburger in yuzu mayonette or a bucket of Korean-spiced fried chicken with cheddar chive biscuits.
// 33 Turk Street, www.thelinehotel.com/san-francisco/restaurants-bars
OG Thai food local mini-chain: Lers Ros
There are, indeed, three Ler Ros Thai restaurants in SF, but this Larkin Street original was the OG since 2008. It was a far more humble space back then, since spiffed up with a remodel to match its hipper Hayes Valley and Mission District locations. Chef/owner Tom Silargorn lived in Cholburi in East Thailand, but takes a lot of inspiration from his mother’s recipes. Regional Thai classics line the long menu, but it’s fun to dig into Silargorn’s chef specials unique to Lers Ros, like chicken curry puffs dipped in peanut sauce, fried black bass in sweet chili sauce or dry tom yum noodles.
// 730 Larkin Street, http://lersros.com/larkin-street
Old school East Coast-inspired deli: Morty’s Delicatessen
Humble Morty’s Delicatessan has been a Tenderloin deli treasure since 2006. Their tagline is, “East Coast Soul, West Coast Style.” They bring it with their popular pastrami or corned beef Reuben sandwich, or sandwich twists like a “New Cubano” with avocado aioli and pineapple. But they really have fun with starters like their Reuben fried egg rolls. You heard right: egg rolls filled with pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing.
// 280 Golden Gate Avenue, https://mortysdelicatessen1.com
