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Noe Cafe

Where to Eat and Drink in Noe Valley

From kid-friendly chicken fingers to date-night sushi and pasta

by Becky Duffett Updated Jan 20, 2021, 12:58pm PST

3 comments / new

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by Becky Duffett Updated Jan 20, 2021, 12:58pm PST

3 comments / new

Patricia Chang

Noe Valley may be rolling deep in strollers and puppies, but it isn’t particularly known as a dining destination. Of course, there are reliable options for kid-friendly pizza and burgers, but for snazzier dinner and drinks, many locals hike over the hill to Mission Dolores. Still, there are a few underrated neighborhood gems, as well as fresh openings at the crossroads of 24th and Church. Here’s where to eat, drink, and get cozy in Noe.

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Firefly Restaurant

Still glittering after 25 years on the dark edges of the city, Firefly is a magical spot where you can actually reserve a table and hear your date speak (whenever indoor dining reopens). The menu is farm-to-table hippie in the best way possible: sourdough comes with a garlicky bean spread, starters often include scallop dumplings or daikon cakes, and the thick-cut pork chop and fried chicken—with a “damn good biscuit”—rarely disappoint.

4288 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

The fried chicken at Firefly Restaurant

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The Little Chihuahua

Not to compete with the Mission, but if a craving hits closer to home, Little Chihuahua rolls a mean burrito. The fried plantain and black bean special has a fan following, and if you’re not too ravenous, make it a baby portion. Of the three locations, this one has a heated back patio, where you can literally bring your chihuahua, when outdoor dining allows.

4123 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Fried plantain and black bean burrito from Little Chihuahua

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Mahila

Mahila opened in 2019, when the Malaysian restaurant brought some much-needed sweet, sour, and fresh flavors to the neighborhood. Chef Azalina Eusope is a graduate of La Cocina and a fifth-generation street food vendor, and she’s ladling big bowls of turmeric noodles and duck curry.

Open in Google Maps

1320 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Bowl of noodles from Azalina’s

Hamano Sushi

Hamano has been a reliable neighborhood sushi spot for years, but a former Saison chef took the keys in 2016, and quietly and meticulously, everything only got better. The neighborhood loves the takeout rolls, including a Castro roll with salmon and white tuna, deep-fried and drizzled in a sweet sauce; and a Mission roll with yellowtail and jalapeno. But chef Jiro Lin’s pride is the omakase experience, served at the front counter, whenever it safely reopens.

1332 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Salads at Hamano

Noe Valley Bakery

Noe residents are invariably running late to a birthday party, and someone’s got to make the cake. This old-school bakery has a line out the door, and they really know their audience: The littlest patrons adore the electric trains in the window display, while feasting on mini cookies and cupcakes. Parents grab lattes and orange-currant scones for playground survival.

4073 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Mini cupcakes from Noe Valley Bakery

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Vive la Tarte

There are several reasonable croissants on 24th Street, but this bakery boasts the most precise layers. One of the owners is from Belgium, but the vibe is all Cali, with white marble counters and lush plants. Dig into the breakfast and lunch menu, complete with kale salad, avocado toast, and eggs Benedict, washed down with turmeric lattes, kombucha, and natural wine.

4026 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Croissants at Vive la Tarte

Also featured in:

Where to Find Flawlessly Flaky and Buttery Croissants in the San Francisco Bay Area

Novy

This Greek restaurant has been in the neighborhood since the 70s, and it’s back in the family, now run by the granddaughters. Diners usually grab a glass of wine at the tall tables or out on the sidewalk, but for now, Novy is still open for takeout, with lemony soup, cucumber-tomato salad, chicken wraps, lamb burgers, and eggplant moussaka to go.

Open in Google Maps

4000 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Lamb pasta at Novy

Also featured in:

14 Stellar Lunch Spots Across San Francisco

Bernie's

Starbucks might be right across the street, but locals go straight to Bernie’s. It’s hard to explain how much Bernadette “Bernie” Melvin and her coffee shop mean to the neighborhood. She’s been pouring Spinelli’s coffee and putting out empanadas and love for more than a decade, from the ground level of a gray Victorian, complete with a coveted bay window and sunny bench in front. Noe old timers, toddlers, professionals, and even the occasional cat all wander through, and enjoy the free wifi, as well as life advice.

Open in Google Maps

3966 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Exterior of Bernie’s coffee shop

Also featured in:

19 Essential San Francisco Coffee Shops That Are Still Open For Takeout

Noe Cafe

For a decade, barista Maricar Lagura served good coffee out of a corner of an old laundromat. She finally partnered with roaster Christian Ritter, and the two took over the coin-op and completely transformed it into a sleek cafe, which now serves third-wave coffee to the under-caffeinated crowd that strolls Sanchez Street. Scones are from Kahnfections, doughnuts are from Dynamo, and bagels are from Poppy Bagels, and the puppies love that chill front parklet.

1299 Sanchez St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Kahnfections croissants at Noe Cafe

Saru Sushi Bar

Unfortunately, this tiny sushi spot isn’t a well-kept secret, and usually its snug counter and few tables fill up quickly. But these days, you don’t even have to huddle under a heat lamp. During the pandemic, Saru has been doing brisk business in takeout and delivery, offering sashimi, rolls, and even an omakase experience, all boxed up.

Open in Google Maps

3856 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Sushi at Saru Sushi Bar

Also featured in:

20 Fantastic Bay Area Sushi Restaurants That Are Open for Takeout and Delivery

Billingsgate

Billingsgate is a fresh new fish counter from Four Star Seafood, a local wholesaler that supplies many leading restaurants, including Benu, Scoma’s, and Waterbar. Billingsgate is primarily a market, with ice cases stocked with king salmon and oysters, and live tanks filled with live Dungeness crab during the local season. But it’s also a deli with a casual takeout menu, serving buttery brioche toast topped with crab salad, along with crudo and ceviche.

Open in Google Maps

3859 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Shellfish platter from Billingsgate

Also featured in:

Hi-Way Burger & Fry

The tech millionaires and toddlers of Noe Valley demand their burgers and fries, and Hi-Way is the strongest contender in a neighborhood teeming with kiddie menus. They settled in nicely into a corner space that previously flipped a couple of times, and keep slinging grass-fed beef, flat-top franks, and thick milkshakes.

3853 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Burger and fries at Hi-Way

Also featured in:

Uma Casa

Chef Telmo Faria, who folded plenty of tacos at Tropisueño and Tacolicious, is finally celebrating his own heritage in one of the few Portuguese restaurants in the city. Usually, the blue-tiled dining room welcomes groups of friends who can share small plates of salt cod fritters and sardines, and big platters of clam stew and piri-piri chicken. At the moment, the chicken is available for pickup from the front window. And don’t miss the egg tarts, which aren’t usually on the takeout menu, but are worth snagging when they pop up.

1550 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Visit Website

Seafood plate at Uma Casa

Also featured in:

The Hottest Restaurants in San Francisco Right Now, April 2017

Lovejoy's Tea Room

In a world full of posh hotel teas, Lovejoy’s is fabulously shabby chic, and one of the best afternoon tea services in town. Usually, tea drinkers settle into an antique sofa, sip from mismatched china, and tuck into finger sandwiches and scones, topped with clotted cream and lemon curd. But these days, the shop is still offering the queen’s tea boxed up as a lovely takeout experience at home.

1351 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Front door and window of Lovejoy’s Team Room

Also featured in:

La Ciccia

Venture to the bottom of Church Street, draw back the curtain, and step into one of the most intimate and regional Italian restaurants in San Francisco. La Ciccia sweeps you to the island of Sardinia, with salty and briny seafood and cheeses, from white anchovies to baby octopus, and pastas sunk in squid ink or topped with tuna heart. While the tableclothes are folded up for the moment, they are still open for takeout.

291 30th St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Visit Website

Plate of pasta at La Ciccia

Also featured in:

Ardiana

Pizza pro Sharon Ardiana owns not one, not two, but three neighborhood gems, with Gialina in Glen Park, Ragazza on Divisadero, and now Ardiana in Noe. True to form, the pies are pillowy, from the spicy amatriciana with pancetta and egg to the wild mushrooms with truffles.

1781 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Visit Website

Pizza at Gialina

Also featured in:

10 San Francisco Restaurants That Serve Great Gluten-Free Pizza

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Firefly Restaurant

4288 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Still glittering after 25 years on the dark edges of the city, Firefly is a magical spot where you can actually reserve a table and hear your date speak (whenever indoor dining reopens). The menu is farm-to-table hippie in the best way possible: sourdough comes with a garlicky bean spread, starters often include scallop dumplings or daikon cakes, and the thick-cut pork chop and fried chicken—with a “damn good biscuit”—rarely disappoint.

4288 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

The fried chicken at Firefly Restaurant

The Little Chihuahua

4123 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Not to compete with the Mission, but if a craving hits closer to home, Little Chihuahua rolls a mean burrito. The fried plantain and black bean special has a fan following, and if you’re not too ravenous, make it a baby portion. Of the three locations, this one has a heated back patio, where you can literally bring your chihuahua, when outdoor dining allows.

4123 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Fried plantain and black bean burrito from Little Chihuahua

Mahila

1320 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Mahila opened in 2019, when the Malaysian restaurant brought some much-needed sweet, sour, and fresh flavors to the neighborhood. Chef Azalina Eusope is a graduate of La Cocina and a fifth-generation street food vendor, and she’s ladling big bowls of turmeric noodles and duck curry.

Open in Google Maps

1320 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Bowl of noodles from Azalina’s

Hamano Sushi

1332 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Hamano has been a reliable neighborhood sushi spot for years, but a former Saison chef took the keys in 2016, and quietly and meticulously, everything only got better. The neighborhood loves the takeout rolls, including a Castro roll with salmon and white tuna, deep-fried and drizzled in a sweet sauce; and a Mission roll with yellowtail and jalapeno. But chef Jiro Lin’s pride is the omakase experience, served at the front counter, whenever it safely reopens.

1332 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Salads at Hamano

Noe Valley Bakery

4073 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Noe residents are invariably running late to a birthday party, and someone’s got to make the cake. This old-school bakery has a line out the door, and they really know their audience: The littlest patrons adore the electric trains in the window display, while feasting on mini cookies and cupcakes. Parents grab lattes and orange-currant scones for playground survival.

4073 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Mini cupcakes from Noe Valley Bakery

Vive la Tarte

4026 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

There are several reasonable croissants on 24th Street, but this bakery boasts the most precise layers. One of the owners is from Belgium, but the vibe is all Cali, with white marble counters and lush plants. Dig into the breakfast and lunch menu, complete with kale salad, avocado toast, and eggs Benedict, washed down with turmeric lattes, kombucha, and natural wine.

4026 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Croissants at Vive la Tarte

Novy

4000 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

This Greek restaurant has been in the neighborhood since the 70s, and it’s back in the family, now run by the granddaughters. Diners usually grab a glass of wine at the tall tables or out on the sidewalk, but for now, Novy is still open for takeout, with lemony soup, cucumber-tomato salad, chicken wraps, lamb burgers, and eggplant moussaka to go.

Open in Google Maps

4000 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Lamb pasta at Novy

Bernie's

3966 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Starbucks might be right across the street, but locals go straight to Bernie’s. It’s hard to explain how much Bernadette “Bernie” Melvin and her coffee shop mean to the neighborhood. She’s been pouring Spinelli’s coffee and putting out empanadas and love for more than a decade, from the ground level of a gray Victorian, complete with a coveted bay window and sunny bench in front. Noe old timers, toddlers, professionals, and even the occasional cat all wander through, and enjoy the free wifi, as well as life advice.

Open in Google Maps

3966 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Exterior of Bernie’s coffee shop

Noe Cafe

1299 Sanchez St, San Francisco, CA 94114

For a decade, barista Maricar Lagura served good coffee out of a corner of an old laundromat. She finally partnered with roaster Christian Ritter, and the two took over the coin-op and completely transformed it into a sleek cafe, which now serves third-wave coffee to the under-caffeinated crowd that strolls Sanchez Street. Scones are from Kahnfections, doughnuts are from Dynamo, and bagels are from Poppy Bagels, and the puppies love that chill front parklet.

1299 Sanchez St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Kahnfections croissants at Noe Cafe

Saru Sushi Bar

3856 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Unfortunately, this tiny sushi spot isn’t a well-kept secret, and usually its snug counter and few tables fill up quickly. But these days, you don’t even have to huddle under a heat lamp. During the pandemic, Saru has been doing brisk business in takeout and delivery, offering sashimi, rolls, and even an omakase experience, all boxed up.

Open in Google Maps

3856 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Sushi at Saru Sushi Bar

Billingsgate

3859 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Billingsgate is a fresh new fish counter from Four Star Seafood, a local wholesaler that supplies many leading restaurants, including Benu, Scoma’s, and Waterbar. Billingsgate is primarily a market, with ice cases stocked with king salmon and oysters, and live tanks filled with live Dungeness crab during the local season. But it’s also a deli with a casual takeout menu, serving buttery brioche toast topped with crab salad, along with crudo and ceviche.

Open in Google Maps

3859 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Shellfish platter from Billingsgate

Hi-Way Burger & Fry

3853 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

The tech millionaires and toddlers of Noe Valley demand their burgers and fries, and Hi-Way is the strongest contender in a neighborhood teeming with kiddie menus. They settled in nicely into a corner space that previously flipped a couple of times, and keep slinging grass-fed beef, flat-top franks, and thick milkshakes.

3853 24th St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Burger and fries at Hi-Way

Uma Casa

1550 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Chef Telmo Faria, who folded plenty of tacos at Tropisueño and Tacolicious, is finally celebrating his own heritage in one of the few Portuguese restaurants in the city. Usually, the blue-tiled dining room welcomes groups of friends who can share small plates of salt cod fritters and sardines, and big platters of clam stew and piri-piri chicken. At the moment, the chicken is available for pickup from the front window. And don’t miss the egg tarts, which aren’t usually on the takeout menu, but are worth snagging when they pop up.

1550 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Visit Website

Seafood plate at Uma Casa

Lovejoy's Tea Room

1351 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114

In a world full of posh hotel teas, Lovejoy’s is fabulously shabby chic, and one of the best afternoon tea services in town. Usually, tea drinkers settle into an antique sofa, sip from mismatched china, and tuck into finger sandwiches and scones, topped with clotted cream and lemon curd. But these days, the shop is still offering the queen’s tea boxed up as a lovely takeout experience at home.

1351 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Visit Website

Front door and window of Lovejoy’s Team Room

La Ciccia

291 30th St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Venture to the bottom of Church Street, draw back the curtain, and step into one of the most intimate and regional Italian restaurants in San Francisco. La Ciccia sweeps you to the island of Sardinia, with salty and briny seafood and cheeses, from white anchovies to baby octopus, and pastas sunk in squid ink or topped with tuna heart. While the tableclothes are folded up for the moment, they are still open for takeout.

291 30th St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Visit Website

Plate of pasta at La Ciccia

Related Maps

Ardiana

1781 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Pizza pro Sharon Ardiana owns not one, not two, but three neighborhood gems, with Gialina in Glen Park, Ragazza on Divisadero, and now Ardiana in Noe. True to form, the pies are pillowy, from the spicy amatriciana with pancetta and egg to the wild mushrooms with truffles.

1781 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94131

Visit Website

Pizza at Gialina

Related Maps