Was walking around with my mom & we found this place and wanted to try it out. It's so cute inside and Rob who helped us was super nice & welcoming. My mom got the filipino style bistek and she said she really liked it, I got goin' back to cali & it was really good and was made fresh which I enjoyed. They also gave me coffee no charge & it was good but I forgot to bring it with me when I left we would definitely come back again read more

Great service. Reasonable priced foods at high quality. Make sure to get some hot sauce for your breakfast burritos!! read more

Foundation Cafe - Breakfast menu Sept 2023 - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

This cafe is fantastic. we came from South Africa and found them online, their breakfast is spectacular. I had the avocado toast which was on this incredible bread, my mom had the breakfast burrito and our favorite was the breakfast sandwich. All the food is worth a stop. read more

Robbie is a G! Best food spot on Kearny we literally go here every day for lunch. Food is bomb, service is bomb, everything is bomb!

Came with a friend for breakfast, the food was so delicious. Will have to visit again to order from their lunch menu. The service was really friendly and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. read more

The food here is absolutely incredible. It's all fresh, delicious and prepared but love. The service is so friendly and generous and the environment. It was really chill, clean and super modern. I love this place. It's a wonderful overall experience especially if you're looking for something a little bit different as the food here as a Filipino orientation. read more

Sisig breakfast burrito! Really delicious, really hit the spot. Great people there too. Highly recommended.

We were early risers and wandered into this little place - terrific food, friendly service and coffee hit the spot. Highly recommend if you are in the area read more

The best avocado toast I've ever had. Literally my fave cafe in SF, I'm addicted and go almost every day

Sisig Rice Bowl is the best quick lunch in the financial district. Cool vibes inside, great customer service. Always a treat.

One of my favorite spots, excellent food, great value and attentive service! I love the salmon bowl with an added fried egg. Everyone who works there is super accommodating and sweet. read more

Foundation Cafe has earned its fifth star from me! I stopped in today and discovered their new (to me) "bowl your own way" option and pretty much fell in love. The choices are diverse and I saw a lot of intriguing ingredients like grilled rainbow carrots, house kimchi and marinated tomatoes. I went with brown rice, cashew broccoli, bacon braised chard, roasted kabocha squash and topped it with soy ginger dressing and added avocado. I'm eating it in between keystrokes and it is divine! But this fifth star isn't just for the food. It's also for the dedicated dude at the register who was courteous and quick (as well as a tad bit flirty, in a completely appropriate way). Even though the California Donburi is no longer on the in store menu, they still have it. Ask for it by name if you're a fan. read more

We used to do weekly office lunches. We stopped a few months ago, but for our last one, I picked Foundation Cafe. It arrived via Caviar on Friday, February 8th around 11:45am *All Kale Caesar Salad: Baby kale, classic Caesar dressing, and parmesan, brown butter croutons ($7) *Personal Cheezus: Brie, provolone & parmesan grilled cheese, truffle oil, sourdough levain, and a cup of tomato soup ($9.75) *Deviled Ranch Egg: Per Piece, Pickled Onion, cornichon spear, scallion ($1.50) The cheezus was nicely grilled and had a great truffle-ly aroma. Good amount of cheese as well. The tomato soup was okay. A little thin, a bit too sweet, and slightly too acidic. I think it would have been better if maybe it was a little creamier. I loved the salad. Lots of baby kale. But for most people, I think they would find this salad under dressed. They were only little bits of dressing as I rummaged through the salad. I find salads are normally over dressed for me, so this was fine. I like the pure taste of greens. (I know. I'm weird.) The deviled egg was okay. I like mine super savory (like with bacon) so this was an interesting play. Nice place for a salad and sandwich. And moderately priced. 4 stars. read more

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This place deserves so much more love! I am surprised that it wasn't busy at all when I was there for lunch on a weekday. Probably it's because there's construction right outside but I am not complaining because I didn't have to wait in line. You build your own bowl by filling out the paper they have at the counter and you just hand it over to the cashier when you're ready. I built my own bowl with 50/50 kale and quinoa, squash, fried eggplants, brussels sprouts and avocado with soy ginger dressing. Beside the quinoa being a bit too dry, everything else was delicious. The flavors are very well balanced and the food is perfectly seasoned. The squash was cooked perfectly and the fried eggplants were crispy and not oily at all. The portion is huge and will definitely keep you full for the rest of the afternoon. The service was super fast; my order was ready after 5 min of ordering. Will definitely come back! read more

Foundation Cafe - Kale and quinoa bowl with squash, fried eggplants, brussels sprouts, avocado and soy ginger dressing - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

Such a perfect little cafe with a very creatively curated menu. This is a marked step up from the typical San Francisco sandwich/bagel shop. Open early for breakfast and lunch which is very convenient if you're in the Financial District. Don't miss them! read more

Foundation Cafe - Breakfast sandwich with ham - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

Their memu seems appealing - like "fried eggplant", which I loved! Quite pricey for my overall bowl, all because I added shrimp (plain). I'd recommend their muso wasabi sauce for dipping and not for salad because it's not watery/creamy enough. I was only disappointed at the shrimp, I feel that did not worth $5 extra. Tight space, weird seating at the windows. Unless you have a super long back, you would awkwardly (low chairs and high table). read more

Foundation Cafe - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was looking for a place to sit down, have a great sandwich, a cup of coffee, and just a tranquil spot to recharge in this part of downtown - - and I found it! Unexpected - because this block's strip of the doors wasn't promising anything special (to be fair, some places were still closed in the morning), but what a bright morning star this place is, on the backdrop of the grey and dull same-ol-same-ols around. A relief indeed. A separate word on the service - I am not often served like this in the restaurants even. People operate while literally running, valuing their customers' time. I was asked about 10+ different options of all kinds, all with humor and such an upbeat, that I woke without even having my coffee yet. In short - - return here I must. read more

Great little cafe restaurant with fresh, organic ingredients. Loved the avocado toast here with fresh lemon zest and delicious ricotta cheese on fresh bread. read more

Came in for a weekday breakfast with a friend, we noted they had a variety of breakfast choices that worked for us both. We both ordered the Sunrise Bowl (garlic grain mix, spicy corn & pepper relish, braised greens, tomato, grilled spring onions, 2 eggs your choice, melted cheese, moringa pesto) which is vegetarian and gluten-free friendly. Very hearty and yummy breakfast (we ended up skipping lunch for the day since it was so filling). As for interior seating: there's a long picnic bench for larger crowds, and If I recall two smaller tables with chairs that can seat 2-3 comfortably. read more

Foundation Cafe - Sunrise Bowl: garlic grain mix, corn & pepper relish, braised greens, tomato, grilled spring onions, 2 eggs, melted cheese, moringa pesto - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

such a great place!! staff is so kind and good is fantastic! will def be coming back:)

Food is great, very tasty and nice presentation- big plates, too! service is excellent - Melonie helped us with our coffee even after she already cleaned the espresso machine! Small space but seating is not cramped . I will visit again! read more

Two years ago Foundation was much better, now not so much. Their Foundation Bowl was filled with big chunks of fresh veggie, greens, etc and really good. I recently went and paid $18 for a Foundation Bowl filled with brown rice, 10 pieces of cherry tomatoes, peeled thin carrots and three slices of onions. I could have bought bags of brown rice for $18 at the grocery store! Very disappointing and never going back. Do better!! read more

Foundation cafe is definitely worthy of 5 stars! To start off, the cafe is the cutest and the staff is extremely friendly. They have a variety of things on their menu that accommodate vegetarians and vegans and people who love their mean haha! I decided to order the Shake Your Banh Banh (best friend chicken sandwich ) and my friend got one too and substituted it with grilled chicken breast! This place is HEALTHY, ELEGANT, and FRESH! It's a definite go to when you want something light and flavorful. Prices are very reasonable and I don't think you can go wrong with anything you order. I'm glad I bumped into this place and I look forward to coming back again. read more

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Had the eggs and broccolini on toast. Eggs were cooked nicely, fluffy and well seasoned. Service was very friendly. Good coffee. A great cafe! read more

I was very excited when foundation reopened and have attempted to eat here about 10 times. Unfortunately they seem to close early almost everyday. Three stars for great food but minus two for closing between 130-200 daily rather than the posted 3. read more

I ordered their avocado toast and added a poached egg on top. I definitely enjoyed how simple, fresh and flavorful it was. It had ricotta cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, and sprinkled sea salt on top of a piece of grilled sourdough levain. All in all, it was $7.25 plus tax. The place is cute and industrial looking inside. I would definitely come back and try out their other foods as well! read more

Foundation Cafe - Avocado Toast w/ Poached egg & added chili flakes - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

*BIRD FEATHER IN MY SALAD* Yesterday was my first time at foundation cafe, I ordered through Caviar to save time on my lunch. I ordered the All Kale Caesar, and my coworkers Personal Cheezus. Walked back to my office ate my salad happily with my coworker. 1. salad was good 2. cheap I had a quarter of my salad left until I crunched on something hard, I thought...kale? I crunched on it again and pulled it out of my mouth. It was a bird feather. I walked back upset that i ate nearly all my salad and found something terrifying and unsettling. I talked to a young lady and she apologized, and grabbed Charles, the manager. 1. He didn't even acknowledged me, only handed me a new salad. -after I said I would not like the salad, I would like a refund he apologized and said I would have to call Caviar because I ordered through there. -If I found out a feather was in my customers salad, I WOULD IMMEDIATELY CALL THEM MYSELF. Charles only requested my salad to be refunded. Seriously? I would have refunded my whole order (I ordered my coworkers) 2. He never told me where the feather came from. When I asked he blamed Bi-Rite, and then offered me a free coffee card. after that, I took the salad, bc I was not satisfied or happy and Caviar did reach out. Charles should have told me not to worry about calling Caviar, instead of making me more stressed about the situation. It was not professional how this was handled, I hope future customers will never have to go through this experience. read more

Foundation Cafe - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nice little cafe on popular Kearny Street. There are a couple of tables but mostly it's a place where people who work in the neighborhood get lunch or breakfast to go. They have a selection of sandwiches, soups and salads. Menu selections are centered on fresh food and wholesome selections. They have Four Barrel coffee and Sherpa coffee selections as well. Here are what stands out for me: Breakfast: Avocado Toast ~ super love this with ricotta, olive oil and sea salt on sourdough Cherry Bomb Toast ~ sweet tomatoes, ricotta, sea salt another light healthy option Donut Muffin ~ when you want to indulge Lunch: Como Soy Cubano ~ braised pork, honey ham, bacon, melted swiss on soft roll Goin Back to Cali ~ grilled chicken, bacon, avocado Salads: Steal My Sunshine ~ baby kale, wild arugula, romaine hearts, grilled yellow corn, california avocado, farro, pepitas, house goddess dressing California Donburi ~heirloom brown rice, fried eggplant, avocado, soy-pickled cucumber, green onion, watermelon radish, napa kimchi, sesame seeds, soy ginger dressing I love the look of Foundation with a clean, minimalist appealing space , white subway tile, chalkboards, and reclaimed wood. If you want healthy & nourishing food you can find it here! Four stars! read more

Foundation Cafe - Harvest Salad - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

Updating my review to 4 to 4.5 stars! My colleague ordered lunch for our office today and I can tell you right away that my CA Donburi Bowl was SO much better this time around! It wasn't overloaded with green onions, the eggplant was nicely fried without being oily, and I added grilled chicken, which was perfectly cooked and flavored. To me, the chicken paired much better with the rest of the ingredients than the shrimp, but either works. By the way, I love the kimchi from here. Can't wait to try more items on their menu! read more

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This is part of the tidal wave of healthy lunch options saturating the city as of late with tsunami-like ardor. You know the usual suspects by now - Darn Good Food, Market & Rye, Heyday. All of them are upwardly mobile, order-at-the-counter places that focus on local, sustainable and organic ingredients like they were going out of fashion (photo: http://bit.ly/19nKx43). Truth be told, they serve their purpose well for the busy office drone looking for something fast and healthy to make up for that weekend of gluttony, and Foundation Cafe is no exception. Coincidentally, right across the street from Darn Good Food (review: http://bit.ly/19xE0QP) on one of the busiest blocks of Kearny between Bush and Pine, it appears to be thriving during the lunch hour (photo: http://bit.ly/179AwTN). Chef Alex Placencia offers an eclectic mix of salads, sandwiches and soups that all sound and look pretty appetizing (photo: http://bit.ly/12fTqqJ). Although I was tempted by the Barley Mushroom Burger, I went instead for the $11 Chopped Salad with radicchio and endive mixed with crisp shallots, carrots, white beans, green beans, a spritz of vanilla, and shaved Parmesan, all of it lacquered liberally with a lemon mustard vinaigrette. For an extra $3, I had huge chunks and tentacles of Grilled Calamari tossed into the mix, and the result was hearty, healthy eating at least for that day (photo: http://bit.ly/11XvGDG). Porcini-dusted tri-tip and grilled chicken are other protein options. I find the big challenge is finding an empty seat here, so expect to take it to go. FOOD - 4 stars...fresh, abundant salads with plenty of calamari for flavor AMBIANCE - 3 stars...busy, bustling place at lunch SERVICE - 3.5 stars...reasonably efficient TOTAL - 4 stars...I'd go back for anything on that chalkboard menu read more

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We were looking for breakfast and stumbled upon this gem. The staff was fantastic with our dietary requests and modified their menu to meet our needs. My son and I had the avocado toast which is amazing and sooo filling. My husband had scrambled eggs which was off menu. Overall, the service was wonderful and the food was top notch. This was exactly what we needed. read more

Love the hipster vibe here. Lots of fresh, high quality and healthy options here...though i ordered the wrong thing haha... The food: - $14 bento box salad with shrimp: Shrimp was fresh and well marinated, but there wasn't enough food overall to keep me full. Was definitely eyeing the chicken kale caesar and any of the sandwiches. .. all of which were ~$11 Tip: - packed at lunch but line moves quickly - they serve four barrel coffee here! read more

Foundation Cafe - Fresh ingredients - bento box with shrimp for ~$14 - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

So psyched that this place opened up! The food is great and the portions are really generous. It's my new favorite downtown lunch spot.

One of my favorite places for lunch in the downtown SF area. I would call this clean & flavorful food with great ingredients. This is not the cheapest place for lunch but one pays for what one gets. I love the veggie sides that they have (one could mix and match). And the soup that I had today (beef and potato stew) was phenomenal. You think of what your grandma makes in the countryside when you have it. 10X better than the soup kitchen. They recently rolled out "make your own bow" concept, pick one base, three vegetable add-on's, and additional protein add-on. I got the quinoa, with long beans, kale and beans, squash, and adobo chicken. Delicious!!! Free water (with some fruit infused) in a cute cafe layout. (they do need to make the seats a bit taller at the window though). They deserve more visitors! read more

Foundation Cafe - Bowl of Beef and Potato Stew with side of Grilled vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, carrots, and Broccoli) and Broccolini. - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

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That older white lady with the thin hair and glasses is so rude. The way she speaks to customers is despicable. I did a pickup order the other day and she only put one out of the three orders in my bag for whatever reason. The other 2 were sitting right next to it. I asked for hot sauce and instead of handing it to me, she leaves it on the counter right in front of her and walks away, and trust me, I wasn't the only one she was giving bad service to. Never again will I go back and I will discourage anyone I know not to go. Not only does she give disgustingly rude "customer service", they tack on an automatic 2 - 5% to your bill as a service charge. Get out of here with that....pay extra for repulsive service?? No thanks.... read more

A very delightful find. We came here a little after 12pm and beat the rush. Line was out the door plus some. The cafe was very charming, love the warm and cozy decor. Super cute place to have lunch with friends or even for a date. My friends and I got: Fried Chicken Banh Mi on a soft roll. Love their sweet-pickled jalapenos. I think the bread could be alil more on the softer side. $10 and comes with a side of pickled veggies. Big Apple Dreamin' SALAD - its with baby kale, arugula, apples, fennel, avocado, house granola, yogurt poppyseed dressing $9 and I added Grilled Chicken $3. the salad was so yummy. I don't prefer lots of dressing, I will ask for less next time. But its delicious. So refreshing and fresh especially with the apples. YUM!! Five-Spice Roasted Cauliflower, ginger pears, sesame. was super good. Very light and tasty. Going to try and make it myself at home. read more

Foundation Cafe - Big Apple Dreamin' SALAD, Five-Spice Roasted Cauliflower and Fried Chicken Banh Mi - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

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One of the few places I know of to get something close to a bulletproof coffee other than my kitchen.

Tater tot breakfast burrito was killer!! Healthy dose of tots which is essential. Generous portion of avo as well! Really good and the best breakfast burrito I've had in SF! read more

Foundation Cafe - Tater tot breakfast burrito - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love me some avocado toast here! The avocados always look perfect and the flavor is super lemony (you can get it without if you're not into the lemony flavor). The sea salt gives it a nice crunch too. I tried making this at home and I couldn't recreate the awesome flavor it has. It's a special treat! The price is on point as well for the amount of avocado they give you! Their staff is super friendly and nice to. If you go there a couple times , they generally remember your name. All my coworkers that go there often say the same thing. I mainly go for breakfast but they have awesome lunch items too. Definitely check it out if you're in the area. read more

Foundation Cafe - Their avocado Toast is on point! - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

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popped in for a quick empanada -- ended up ordering a vanilla latte as well and it turned out to be one of the best latte's I've ever had! I never write reviews but the guy who served me was so nice I had to share. he even let me taste the vanilla bean syrup they have as he was very proud of it--has it sent in from Madagascar! Empanada was phenomenal as well, can't wait to go back for a full breakfast or lunch. super interesting menu. read more