San Francisco Blog

Ed U.

When you find yourself pulling jury duty at the county courthouse at 400 McAllister (and unless you're some sort of whiny, self-absorbed fascist, you should), it's a comfort to know that there are enough lunching options in the immediate vicinity to tide you over during the deliberative days ahead. A few blocks to the north along Larkin is Little Saigon, home of Saigon Sandwich's awesome banh mi (560 Larkin), Larkin Express's spicy and delectable Burmese seafood (452 Larkin) and the Seven Courses of Beef extravaganza at Pagolac (655 Larkin).

If it's a Wednesday, check out the snacking options at the Heart of the City farmers market in United Nations Plaza (the kettle corn and All-Star Tamales stands are especially worthwhile). And Hayes Valley across the highway offers several tasty places to pass the lunch hour: Patxi's (551 Hayes), one of the few places in town to get good Chicago deep-dish; Caffe Delle Stelle (395 Hayes), a classy little trattoria with hearty pastas at affordable prices; and Absinthe (398 Hayes), which serves the city's finest croque monsieur and plenty of other stuff too.

And if you've only got time to grab a snack and a cup of coffee, the cafeteria down in the basement is surprisingly pleasant, with a nice tri-tip sandwich, daily soups and bountiful salads, baked goods from Raison d'Etre and a wide array of top-shelf potato chips and soft drinks. At least, that's our verdict.