i prefer the salads here to the sandwiches here. whenever i order a sandwich here i am always slightly disappointed. unless it's a panini - you can't go wrong with those, not to mention they are also cheap. also, totally yummy if you grab a few before a road trip. much healthier too. the nicoise salad is excellent if you like tuna & the pasta portofino is divine if you don't mind your food drowning in olive oil. the cobb comes with a huge pile of bacon. their daily special is usually a hot pasta dish. really good if you're in the mood for some comfort food. a previous reviewer said the little pickles are cute, but i think they're scary. read more

With their Iced Chai and Alfajores Dulce de Leche cookies, it's amazing I'm not fat.

I'm a huge fan of a sandwich for lunch and Cafe Centro is my go-to sandwich spot. It's nothing special, just a cute cafe/take-out lunch spot (they have a few tables if you prefer to eat there) Delicious, non-greasy, relatively healthy sandwhiches. My favorites are the grilled chicken (with regular pesto instead of Mayo) and the tuna. The tuna is VERY light on the mayo. They also have a 1/2 sandwhich option, which is nice if you're not in the mood for a big lunch and the 1/2 sandwhich is bigger than an actualy 1/2. Tastey chocolate chip cookies as well :-) read more

Awesome acai bowls, nice coffee drinks, and a wonderful setting with all the outdoor seating and the park- really find this place enjoyable and a happy spot. read more

Delicious vegetarian sandwich, and the grilled chicken one is great as well. I went with the half on the grilled chicken sandwich and it was more than enough. The focaccia bread is to die for as are the iced mochas. We were served the food within minutes! read more

Came here for the first time after living by them for 2 years, and wow. I wish I would've come earlier. It's located right next to the mini park in South Park - super cute area. And they keep all their windows open so it's a very nice little vibe going on. Next their sandwiches, where do I start... they were amazing. I got a turkey sandwich and the bread was sooooo soft and delicious - fresh and affordable af. I mean it was like $7 or something near there (most sandwiches in SF run you $15 plus tax). Then to top it off the staff was very kind and informative. So I give this place a 5/5 and I will be back :) read more

I come here at least 2-3 times a week for lunch, and I always order the same thing: the Pasta Portofino Salad. Try it and you'll know what I mean: it's the perfect balance of salad, pasta and chicken (fiber, carbs and protein) all mixed together into a heap of magestic delicousness. Even though that is great, their sandwiches are pretty sub-par: pre-made and dry with sparse toppings and no sides. I honestly don't see why people actually buy those: if it was up to me I'd change the name to Pasta Portofino Salad Cafe and the people would thank me, but whatever... They have a nice staff who remembers you by name and they usually have some cool art on the walls. Also, the location is great with outside tables and the park right across the street. read more

Excellent coffee, great spot to hang out with friends.

Bad service. Was waiting in line, but the barista ignored me and arranged some napkins instead, then served the person behind me. Surprisingly rude. I've walked past this place many times, thought I would give it s try. Very disappointing. read more

I love the clean space and the staff. I just wish they would bring back the veggie sandwich!

Really great egg salad sandwiches. Although I wish they had a better choice of bread. Egg salad is soft and mushy, but they have really hard, crusty, sour bread, so when you take a bite, everything squeezes out the side. You need soft, squishy white bread, so it can become one with the soft, squishy contents. read more

A little underwhelmed. I came here on a recommendation that may have set the bar a little too high - and I think I ordered the wrong thing :( Got the tuna sandwich (bland, despite the menu saying there was a lemon aioli - if there was, it was undetectable), and the tomato bisque (which was actually good, but had a puddle of oil floating on top). Heard that the salads are really where it's at, so take my review with a grain of salt. read more

This is one of the better choices in an otherwise underwhelming list of options in South Park. The place wants to buzz like it's 1999, and features efficient, quality fare, and sun-drenched outdoor seating. Avoid anything with the strangely rubbery chicken (failed brine-injections??), but everything else is fair game (espetially the spinach salad). read more

It's really tough to find a perfectly balanced sandwich, but these folks have nearly made it. The sammies are simple with the right amount of ingredients. I ordered the roast beef with roasted tomatoes and mayo, and had them throw on some lettuce. It took a few bites for the flavor to really hit my mouth, but after that it was smooth sailing. Topped off with a handful of olives and orange slices, plus the great location, and I was a happy girl. read more

Who knew I would discover one of my favorite salads at Caffe Centro, a nondescript cafe nestled in the secluded South Park area? I first stumbled across it when I was running late to my salon (Grasshopper Salon). I hurriedly ordered a pesto pasta salad. WOW. It's the perfect salad: pasta to quench your carb craving, but greens to make you feel healthy. Fresh salad greens are dressed with a light balsamic vinagrette. The salad is topped with tender chunks of chicken and al dente bowtie pasta tossed in fresh pesto. Toasted pinenuts and parmesan cheese perfectly tops off the salad. I now make it a point to grab this salad everytime I'm at my salon. And when I'm craving this salad but not in the area, I've come up with my own version that I make at home. It quenches my craving until the next time I have a hair appointment and can get to Caffe Centro. read more

Oh man their cobb salad is sooo good! Can't beat it. Wild greens with a good portion of bacon, egg, blue cheese and chicken. I must admit the chicken doesn't taste like real chicken, maybe some bloated type, but it's tender and it grew on me. Their vinegarette is awesome on their salad, sometimes I ask for extra, but then it'll get too salty. Yum cobb salad! I haven't even had much else other than that. read more

Found them as a Yelp suggestion as I was walking around SF. Great location - ate outside in a shaded park. I got the peanut butter cookie with my Free Treat Check In and ordered the Spinach Salad , which was super simple but seriously delicious (spinach, oranges, goat cheese, pine nuts and orange vinaigrette). Definitely recommend the salad, and I'll be back to try some more of their goodies from the pastry case. read more

Latte--5 stars, the sweetest smoothest foam around, how do they do it! The somewhat pretentious dot com yuppiness of the place sometimes bothers me, and hell, I am a dot com yuppie--or I wouldn't be drinking $3 lattes, would I?? If this review sounds schizophrenic, it's because I have a love hate relationship with the place. Love its convenience and hate what it stands for. Salads there, particularly the cobb, are my fallback when I neglect to bring a lunch from home, Otherwise I avoid the place at lunch time. The food isn't good enough to justify a wait. read more

Very cute. Just grabbed my lucky americano made fresh and delicious. Must return for something more substantial.

Had a great cup of coffee! The space is very charming and the stuff was extremely friendly. Can't wait to come back and grab a sandwich.

They have a weird salad here, it's a pesto pasta salad with chicken & pine nuts over a bed of greens that are soaked in balsamic. It's good, but it doesn't belong together. I eat it just because it confuses me. read more

This place reminds me of the northeast somehow. Or rather the nice park right around it, it's this strangely neighborhoody place in the middle of SOMA. The cafe has really good sandwiches and salads but beware there is limited seating. The park will usually have tables available but there will most likely be a crackhead taking a hit somewhere in the vicinity. read more

Yucky coffee; don't bother. The food is decent, and average priced, but nothing special. Friendly staff, but frankly it's only busy because it's the only "cafe" in South Park. read more

I am STILL marveling over the soy latte I got the other day. Perfectly creamy, with just the right kick of caffeinated bitterness. The only downside is that I work a little under 10 minutes away, which meant my coffee was warm instead of hot by the time I got to enjoy it. Oh, but did I savor it... read more

Yelpsters, I have got to tell you about Caffe Centro in San Francisco's trendy South Park area. During the past few years, South Park has transformed from a sketchy urban enclave to a cool urban oasis for web types seeking non-monitor illumiation during lunch breaks. Here's the review, broken up into different sections. 1 sucks, 5 kicks butt. 'Nuff said. Atmosphere: 4.5 The first thing you notice when you walk in for lunch is the trendiness level rises about tenfold. It's so hip, it hurts. Here, you'll see everything from cool web designers to architects to VC types talking the latest deal to bike messengers looking for a caffeine sugar boost. Fashion-wise, if you want to blend in, wear plenty of black. Just kidding. The mix of Centro patrons is so eclectic, something that you simply don't see at regular coffee houses. Sometimes it's fun just to sit outside and people watch, other times, the interior is worth checking out for the rotating artist displays. There's also a cool mix of music that helps transition you out of work mode. Most people get their orders to go, but if you get a chance, grab a seat and if it's sunny, one outside where you can catch some rays, overhear the latest web gossip and eat your lunch all at once! So what about the food? 5 All told, there is nothing I won't eat at Centro. Everything is very fresh and consistently good throughout the year. I've tried pretty much everything from their roasted veggie sandwich to their daily specials like gazpatcho soup to their unbelievably tasty salads. The sandwiches (roast beef, turkey breast, chicken) are mostly pre-made, but feel free to order yours to taste. My fav's are the Nicoise and Pasta Portofino salads. The latter is a generous portion of bow tie pasta and grilled chicken tossed in a light creamy pesto sauce all served on a bed of spring greens with a light balsamic vinaigrette...Mmmm...delish!!! Be sure to try the ham and swiss counter panini if you need a quick between-meal snack and also check out the changing variety of brownies, cakes and other sweet delectibles. I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but I do like their lattes, mochas and hot cocoa's. Order your drink any way you want -- these guys are pros and often know your drink right when you look at them! Sort of like a modern-day Cheers for caffeine freaks. Service: 4 Being a semi-fast food cafe, I don't expect much. I've been there often enough so that they know I'm probably going to order one thing or another and never screw up the order. Considering the volume of people they serve, it's amazing they're able to keep up. It's busiest at 1pm, so if you can, stop by at around noon or 2pm if you can hold off the pangs of hunger. I usually end up waiting a total of 8-10 mins from the time I step in the door to getting my order in my hands. This may seem like a long time for fast-food, but it's definitely worth it. The long line that sometimes curls spills outside is a testament to customer loyalty. Prices: 4 Salads and sandwiches range from around $5-7. The portions are fairly generous for the salads, but are worth it. It's hard to find quality food this good at this price in this part of town. Figure on spending about $7-8 for a full meal. Overall: 4.5 I love this place. I have no idea what I'd do if it weren't around. Centro is like a hub or cenetral fixture and as many patrons would agree, the gem of South Park. A must-visit for the cool casual lunch. read more

As I am preparing to go over to the Cafe now, I can say I really like this place. The barristas are very friendly, the coffee is quality, and the assortment of breakfast and lunch items is good. Prices are decent, there is seating, and you can have a small work meeting, lunch date, or private reading time. read more

I want to like the place, it has a lot going for it. The vegetarian sandwich has got a lot of good stuff in it (goat cheese, eggplant, zuchini, tomatoes, pesto), but the bread quality and portion size is disappointing. I was hoping for fresh Focaccia, but when i saw there were using sliced bread, i asked for a roll. The baguette they used was stale. I'll come back to try again at some point, but at $6.75 before tax, i expect better. read more

Lovely spot and very friendly people! I tried the acai bowl which was yummy. Minus one star because they served it in disposable plastic instead of a reusable bowl and spoon. :*( read more

Great lunch spot South of Market. They have a walk up window. Sandwiches and Salads are their main focus. Pre-made brie sandwich is my fav. read more

Cute cafe with decent sandwiches, soups, and salads but a tad overpriced. Good veggie selection. Cool walk-up window for ordering to go. All in all this place is best for sunny days when you can enjoy a leisurely lunch in the park. read more

Ahh Caffe Centro, so close to the office that it's hard to convince co-workers to walk to Philz. Not that Centro makes a bad latte, very good in fact! Their ham and swiss on a baguette is also really tasty. I can't in good faith recommend the caprese... but I am probably forever spoiled by Pane Bianco's. Nevertheless, Caffe Centro is a great spot for lunch or coffee, and the staff is very nice! read more

Yummy food + cheap = awesome. Their salad choices are really good as well as their low priced sandwiches. Their portions are pretty generous and even something like a bean salad tasted really good. I recommend always getting your dressing on the side though, time and again places put too much on their salads kinda ruining the whole "healthy choice" feel. If you're not a fan of eating outside, this place might feel cramped since there's not much seating and always people in line. read more

I was recently introduced to this place by a co-worker and I love it. The staff is friendy, the service is prompt and the food (at least the sandwiches) is tasty and fresh. There's always a line at lunchtime but the guys working the register are quick and you won't wait an unreasonable amount of time. If you're looking for a light and tasty lunch, Caffe Centro is your place. read more

Went to Caffe Centro yesterday and was delightfully surprised. I enjoyed a wonderful black bean salad, macchiato, and muffin... was a nice place to enjoy lunch away from the office and emails! I will definitely be going back again soon! read more

i like the vibe here more than the food. Caesar salad: chicken was squishy like airplane food and the dressing was so bland it tasted like undressed lettuce. Blah! nicoise salad: way too much dressing and did not expected canned tuna counter panini: solid ham and cheese on a baguette for $4. Caprese sandwich: the tomatoes always taste like they came from a can. read more

Love this place! Go here probably once a day and they are always so nice and friendly and have a great variety to choose from.

First timer. I was looking to find a new sandwich place close to work and found this on yelp. It's right by the park which gives it a nice cozy feeling on a sunny day. Convenient parking if needed. Fairly busy but quick service. I ordered the roast beef sandwich hot, it was pretty good. The roasted tomatoes are fabulous. The focaccia bread toasted was good, the edges were a little burnt, but not enough to overwhelm the taste of the sandwich. The only reason I gave this place 4 stars was because of the roast beef. It was sliced a little thick for my liking and when I bit into the sandwich, I had to rip the meat apart, although it was a nice medium pink color so it wasn't dry just thick. If the roast beef would have been sliced a little more thinly and rather than folding the meat on the sandwich, let it almost "fluff", it would have made the sandwich a 5 star. I did end up adding salt and pepper to the Roast Beef, should have already had some on it... Service was really quick from the side window. Girls were nice. Good cookies!!!! Reasonable prices. I didn't get a latte but noticed the 2 people waiting in front ordered one - it not only looked great with just the right amount of foam, but also smelt like good quality of espresso. I definitely regret not ordering one as I write this review!!! I definitely plan on trying this place again but think I am going to go with the salami and cheddar panini....looked really yummy. read more

awww, i love caffee centro. the coffee is strong, like the men behind the counter...just kidding about the strong men. not saying they're not but i don't have any proof. anyway, it's a cute little place in south park. great for people watching if you're sitting outside. the service has always been friendly. one morning i was there at 6:30, brain functioning at 20% capacity and struggling to figure out how to carry two cups of coffee and a bag of bagels. dude runs over from behind the counter to help me figure it all out. best part was, he shows me the jar of peanut butter on the counter, gave me a to-go container and said "help yourself". omg, seriously dude, you made my morning. oh, why aren't you open on sundays? read more

Great coffee, wonderful tables outside (fresh air, good people watching), tempting lunch offerings that I'll have to return to enjoy. I think I just may have to make this my next remote office...and the clientele also seems very chill and cool - quirky in a enjoyable sort of way. read more

Nice lunch spot, with good sandwiches and salads in the $6-$10 range. Pleasant people working the counter.