TABLEHOPPER New spots to hop out of bed for, Monday pizza at The Mill, and Off the Grid’s TGIF fiesta.
BRUNCHTASTIC
Since there always seems to be a line at every single place that serves brunch in this town, why not introduce more options? Exactly. If you’re already a fan of Little Chihuahua‘s multiple locations (www.thelittlechihuahua.com), you should know it has started serving weekend brunch, taking care of you with breakfast tacos, stacked enchiladas, Mexican French toast, and chile rellenos, plus you can sip Sightglass coffee or mimosas (why not get both?). Through March, you’ll score a free coffee or mimosa when you order any brunch dish at the Valencia Street location. Buenos dias, indeed.
Over in Cole Valley, Padrecito (901 Cole, SF. www.padrecitosf.com) is serving brunch Fri-Sun 11am–2:30pm. Yeah, you saw that right: Friday brunch! Perfect for when you want to play hooky. (We won’t tell your boss, promise.) Dishes include chilaquiles, sopes de machaca with brisket and eggs, a quesadilla with bacon and cheese, or hen-of-the-woods mushrooms and nettles, and more. Best of all, there’s a full bar with some tasty brunch cocktails. Chipotle Mary, anyone?
Also on the weekday brunch tip, Namu Gaji (499 Dolores St., SF. www.namusf.com) is now serving brunch Wed–Fri 11:30am-4pm and Sat–Sun 10:30am–4pm. You can wake and bake and stuff yourself with loco moco or kimchi fried rice, or holla at some challah French toast. On the liquid side, Bloody Marys, micheladas, and more hit the spot.
Maybe you just want to grab a bite of something and head back home to your comfy bed (hopefully with a cutie still in it)? You have to pay a visit to the window at Marla Bakery Kitchen Communal (613 York, SF. www.marlabakery.com). A number of options are available, including an insanely good bacon brittle doughnut from A Spoonful of Sugar. Bagels with farmer’s cheese or English muffin sandwiches, made in-house by Marla Bakery itself also delight. (A spring-inspired muffin came with fava leaf pesto, Mornay sauce, white cheddar, bacon, and a fried egg.) There’s also coffee from Wrecking Ball to enjoy on your walk home. Or go find a spot for a picnic — a friend and I scooted off to the tables on the waterfront by The Ramp, perfecto.
BALLIN’ ON A BUDGET
Off the Grid is back at Fort Mason (Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Blvd., SF. www.offthegridsf.com) on Fridays, which means you have more than 30 trucks and vendors to choose from for your dinner, from Azalina’s Malaysian and El Sur to the ever-rockin’ Lobsta Truck. Go with a few friends so you can share bites and try more that way (and have someone with whom to strategize ways of negotiating some of the longer lines). A few ways to keep warm, besides wearing a jacket: There’s a heated area where you can hang out, with wine on tap, beers from Magnolia, and cocktails from The Alembic. Maybe playing some classic carnival games will help you get even toastier, like Whack-a-Mole and Skee-Ball. Fridays 5pm–11pm.
Anyone who loves bread, especially in the form of pizza, is going to want to check out the new pizza nights on Mondays by bread pusher Josey Baker at The Mill (736 Divisadero, SF. www.themillsf.com). The slice is like a perfect mash-up of pizza and artisan bread, all hearty and chewy in the best way possible. You can get a slice ($2.50) or a whole pie ($20), and there’s a new parklet out front where you can enjoy it. Each Monday features a different topping: March 24 is spicy broccoli, and March 31 is leek and potato. Pies start flying from the oven at 6pm, and can run out by 8pm, so don’t lag.
Marcia Gagliardi is the founder of the weekly tablehopper e-column, www.tablehopper.com. Get her app: Tablehopper’s Top Late-Night Eats. On Twitter: @tablehopper.