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Universal Cafe
(Now Closed)New American Restaurant and Breakfast Spot$$$$
Mission District, San Francisco
The experts at SF Weekly and 7x7 Magazine recommend this place
129 Tips and reviews
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Tania RahmanOctober 18, 2015Go for the scrambled eggs & orange mimosa and thank me later. Give the Banana bread a miss and opt for the French toast with cream as a side to share.
- Ashley MowreyApril 9, 2015This is my new favorite brunch. The eggs Benedict were stupid good, so so good. Perfect portions. Awesome service. the banana shake is amazing. Oh and I only had to wait 10min to get seated. BAM
Screw brunch, come for dinner. Consistently amazing food & a great affordable wine list courtesy of owner Armando.
BommyAugust 1, 2014Gets pretty loud inside so best to sit outside if the weather permits. Favorites are the soft scrambled eggs and toasted banana bread with whipped cream cheese. Great americano coffee as well!- So many brunch classics here: the flatbread or soft scramble for something lighter, the hash or meaty sandwich of the day if you're hungry. The real secret: the toasted banana bread with cream cheese.
Pacific UnionFebruary 4, 2013Terrific brunches with a rotating menu here. Most of the egg dishes include a delicious (and plentiful!) salad. If you arrive right at 9 a.m. on a weekend, there should be plenty of tables still.
Priya SaiprasadSeptember 8, 2012I absolutely love this place. Go for the French toast, soft scrambled eggs, side of sausage, potatoes and bacon to get the full experience! Also, don't forget to try their freshly squeezed mimosas.
Jason BucherApril 13, 2014The soft-scrambled eggs are really good. I liked how the asparagus was cut in thin slices and the ricotta was folded in so it was warm and melted.
7x7 MagazineNovember 1, 2012A zesty Southern tomato relish and splash of vinegar adds some spice and tang to this eggs benedict dish. Local-cured ham sits on top of sweet cornbread and the blend of flavors is amazing. Read more
Shagun AulakhJanuary 9, 2015Great, quiet location. All the food is great. I had an egg and brown sugar turkey sausage sandwich. Good portioning, not too much, but just enough to satiate you
John-Henry BaracOctober 20, 2013Grab a coffee from the thermos while you wait for a table. When it's just one the wait is usually short. It's not the cheapest, but well worth the price for the delicious food.
The Detox Bowl is a poor man’s version of Sqirl’s sorrel pesto rice bowl but without the LA traffic and dewy-skinned queue, so I am definitely here for it.
XavierOctober 7, 2017English muffin in picture. Really good. Fried egg, bacon, avocado and autumn greens.
Yaron SNovember 27, 2014Everything I've had has been delicious. Staff is warm and nice. Gets busy on weekends but moves pretty quickly. Seriously, everything is good
Arrive before 11:30 am Sundays to avoid excessive wait times. Get the donut with some cream on the menu. Trust. If you ever see something with creamy polenta, get it! Frites with herbs are amazing.
jolene linsanganMarch 31, 2012Lovely brunch. Good portions and friendly staff. Make sure to go early. The place is small... So enjoy in a group of 3 at most or solo:) oh yea- and the banana bread is amazing!
cyn kMarch 28, 2014still my fave brunch spot. i've finally stopped ordering the soft scramble eggs 100% of the time, and am loving whatever other special savory plates they're offering.
If you want to carbo load it’s hard to go wrong with the French Toast (maybe a side of bacon)
T ZNovember 29, 2015soft scrambled eggs with a perfect amount of cheese was delicious. super filling brunch.
John DohertyDecember 21, 2014I had the pork hash, which was amazing. A good double cappuccino and egg nog french toast later, and I was really happy.
Magda MilczarskaOctober 8, 2016French toast melts in your mouth! Delish. Mimosas are pretty good as well.
Alice OhJune 24, 2016The crab cake benedict and French toast was great. I was surprised the crab cake benedict didn't come with muffin bottoms
Josh MinznerJune 21, 2019Probably the best French toast I’ve ever had. You can get either 3 or 5 pieces. I found 3 to be plenty.- Get the crab cakes and sit under the sky light at the bar (or outside if weather permits).
- Delicious brunch, expect a significant wait if you get there during peak brunch hours
- Their previous head chef left a few months ago. I loved it before and think it's improved -- food is a bit lighter, less oily than it had been getting the prior couple of years.
olivier PEYREOctober 13, 2017Best brunch in town. Try to sit outside. And share a fruit plate and tartan combo.
Sara WJuly 15, 2010My husband and I love this restaurant so much we had our rehearsal dinner here. Brunch is incredible-love the doughnuts and bloody marys! Pasta with duck confit is my favorite.
Ros HodgekissNovember 16, 2012A classier date night can be found here. Get the wait staff to stumble you through the wine list, that's what they're there for.
This is my favorite brunch spot in SF. The fresh seasonal dishes never disappoint!
Mimosa, morning bun, poached egg with crab cakes, and their staffs are amazing
Dungeness Crab cakes with poached eggs...are you kidding me!?! So good!
Jess McCarterJuly 29, 2012Try the Flatbread W Summer Squash, Fennel & Caramelized Onions - #crunchy crust with super fresh veggies and fragrant herbs.
Love their take on Southern food. They also do weekday brunch.
Get the scramble with cherry tomato, avocado and salsa if available. It is blissful!
The fruit plate, with honey and a wedge of toast covered in cheese, will increase your brunch happiness by 1000%.
The Daily SipJanuary 3, 2011A legendary SF brunch option. Dinner is tasty as well, and corkage runs you $20/bottle. The fries are not to be missed, but plan on sharing them--huge portion.
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Permanently closed (Show more)
- Thu
- 5:30 PM–8:30 PM
- Fri
- 5:30 PM–9:00 PM
- Sat–Sun
- 9:30 AM–3:00 PM
(415) 821-4608
Features
Reservations
Yes
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. American Express & MasterCard)
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Music
No
Dining Options
Table Service
Parking
Street
Restroom
Yes
Food & Drink
Menus
Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert
Drinks
Wine
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- 7.9
"Happy hour is a fantastic value. Try the fried shishito peppers if they have them. Delicious."
nils janson - 8.8
"Everything is delicious. Cool concept - small servings so you get to try different dishes. Personally prefer this over the progress next door."
joahnna - 8.9
"This place is phenomenal! You either choose a 5 or 9 course meal. Their service is superb. So worth the money!"
Jen V
Places people like to go after Universal Cafe
- 9.4
"Beautiful dishes of all colors and styles - you will often see their dishwater in restaurants in SF"
Maya Byrne - 9.3
"One of the coolest designed shops in the city with their high ceilings & wood interior. The iced almond toddy is delicious. No WiFi"
Brandon M. - 9.4
"Good large playground for kids. Great park. Lots of dogs playing. Great view over the city."
Magnus Herbertsson
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Created by 7x7 Magazine
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