Having spent much of the last three years either working or going to school almost every evening of the week I haven't been one to really "go out to dinner" much. Most evening meals are a quick slice of pizza or some Chinese takeout. When I do go out to eat it's an occasion, planned in advance with the location deliberately selected.
The flipside? I I've had the pleasure of enjoying what very few normal folks get to do.... Frequent long leisurely off-hours lunches on a whim. I don't have to blast through a sixty minute power lunch, nor do I have to eat between noon and 1:30.
Lunch has its advantages.... It's more laid back, especially if you get there after the rush. The menu, while generally smaller, will usually offer the dishes the restaurant's known for and usually have a broader array of sandwiches, salads, and smaller plates which often are a better showcase of a kitchen's abilities and innovation. And also the servers are typically less experienced, which means they're usually younger and cuter.
So in my travels I've found some rockstar fabulous lunch spots worth a drop-by.
First, the good cheap spots:
1. Sophia on Solano Avenue in Albany
2. Yammy Sushi in El Cerrito Plaza
3. King Tsin on Solano Avenue in Berkeley (Dim Sum!)
4. Magnolia Pub at Haight/Masonic in San Francisco
But recently I rediscovered A16 and have quickly found one of the best lunch spots in town. I found myself with time to kill in the Marina and I caught A16 on one of its open days for lunch (Wed-Fri only). Assortment of salads, a few pastas and small plates, and their full array of pizzas--probably the best in town.
Glass of wine, salad, and a pizza and I was out the door for $43. Of course one didn't need the wine or the salad, and I took half the pizza home so realistically you could be out of there sated and pleased for under $30.
Hard to beat for a meal at one of the better restaurants in SF.
A16
Chestnut at Divisadero
www.a16sf.com
Reservations: 415-771-2216 or www.opentable.com
Remember!
Live to eat. Eat to live. But never spend money on shitty food.
About Me
- David J.D.
- Novice fantasy football hobbyist. Aspiring pinball wizard. Wine guy. Writer who really should write more often. Political progressive. Welcome.
2 comments:
Since I work evenings I'm in a similar position. It works well with my longstanding bias for sandwiches. Of the four places you mention I've only been to Magnolia and I wasn't especially impressed. Food was fine for a brewpub, but not special. I think they had an oyster stout, which is uncommon if not unique, so points for that, though in practice I prefer both imperial and oatmeal stouts.
Magnolia I find to be excellent for pub food and prices are reasonable for the quality of the ingredients.
They change a bunch of their beers up all the time. I know it's late now, but I recommend hitting them up come next February when they it's Strong Beer month and they do special beers for that. Excellent Russian Imperial Stout.
If you like falafel, DEFINITELY check out Sophia. It's right by the BART tracks on Solano Ave in Albany (about six or so blocks above San Pablo). Retarded good, made by a genuine Israeli transplant.
Good lunch spots in Oakland you recommend? I don't get there as much as I should.
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