Famously delicious and nourishing, “Jewish food” can refer to a variety of dishes found across the Jewish diaspora. Some but not all of the restaurants on this list are kosher, and you’ll find culinary traditions that range from Tel Aviv to New York City and beyond. It’s a good place to start for anyone looking to explore and enjoy Jewish food traditions here in SF.
1. Loquat
This new bakery and cafe in Hayes Valley celebrates the foods and flavors of the Jewish diaspora with treats like poppyseed walnut babka, eggplant feta bourekas, and savory breakfast platters. It’s a unique, inspiring, and delicious addition to SF’s world-class bakery scene.
Location: 198 Gough Street
2. Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen
Ever since Wise Sons first opened their doors in 2012, they’ve enjoyed near-constant growth and become synonymous with Jewish cuisine in SF. They now have locations in SF, Oakland, and LA, as well as a location inside SF’s Contemporary Jewish Museum. Their house-made bagels, latkes, and OG Ruben sandwich are all worth going out of your way for. They also offer a special catering menu for Hanukkah.
SF Locations:
- 1520 Fillmore Street
- 3150 24th Street
- 537 Octavia Street
- 736 Mission Street. Inside Contemporary Jewish Museum
3. Oren’s Hummus
This small chain of Israeli restaurants up and down the Peninsula specializes in both classic and unique styles of hummus alongside a variety of pita sandwiches, shakshuka, challah french toast, and other favorites.
Location: 71 3rd Street
4. Limonnana Glatt Kosher Mediterranean
This kosher restaurant in SoMa offers Mediterranean classics like shwarma, and hummus, their sabich (pita sandwich)with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, hummus, tahini, and Israeli salad.
Location: 212 6th Street
5. Hummus Bodega
This kosher restaurant is located in SF’s Central Richmond district and focuses on hummus, which they make fresh daily, and other unique Mediterranean offerings like pita schnitzel, an Israeli chopped salad, and their special halva mousse for dessert.
Location: 5549 Geary Blvd
6. David’s Delicatessen
Opened in 1952 by holocaust survivor and Polish immigrant, David Apfelbaum, David’s Delicatessen has been feeding SF theater district crowds for 70 years. This historic deli is a place to enjoy the classics like chicken broth with matzo ball, bagels with lox, and cream cheese, chopped chicken liver sandwiches, and other Jewish deli staples.
Location: 474 Geary Street
7. Frena Bakery
Frena is a kosher bakery based in SF’s SOMA district. They produce a variety of mouthwatering Jewish and Israeli treats but are renowned for their sufganiyot. A Hanukkah staple, sufganiyot are donuts with an assortment of fillings including fruit jelly and pastry cream. This fried treat symbolizes the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days instead of one in the Hanukkah story. Frena is preparing this traditional treat during Hanukkah (Dec. 18-26) and selling them at their SOMA bakery and also distributing them at Hummus Bodega in the Richmond District.
Location: 132 6th Street
Featured image:@frena_bakery via Instagram