I visited this morning with my family during the first week they are open. My husband is Swedish and we live in the neighborhood so he has been highly anticipating its opening. Pros: - The space has high ceilings and is nice and bright - Large windows looking out unto Market street - This place is casual but still a nice atmosphere for a meal. Would be great for fika or a lighter meal. - Self serve for water and utensils - this makes a lot of sense - Variety of seating arrangements (communal tables, hightops, bar seating, a little couch nook area) - Food was good! My favorite was ordering off the customizable brunch menu - Pick 5 or Pick 7 items for a set price. I highly enjoyed the trout spread (not fishy, light, flavorful) and the muesli (not sure what's in there but it tasted like a wonderful summer treat) - The sprouted bread is dense but still moist - The almond bun with orange and cinnamon was a delight - Placecards while you wait for you order are names of famous Swedish musicians, authors, etc. I like that they're trying to educate people on Swedish culture and history. Cons: - Operational kinks are still being worked out - Ordering is fast but service was very, very slow - Latte took 25-30 minutes to arrive, and this was after following up with the staff twice asking for the latte - We had an item missing from our Pick 7, and took 10 minutes after notifying the staff before it was brought out. Staff also isn't too familiar with the menu, they had to come back and ask us which trout dish we were missing (there's only 1 trout item on the menu). Recommendations: - Have 1-2 people dedicated to making drinks so that they're not slowed down by having to make drinks and deliver the drink to table - Have 1 person dedicated as a runner for drinks to ensure it goes to the right table - Have waitstaff get familiar with the placecards, many times they had a puzzled look on their face while walking around trying to find the right table to deliver the food/drink. If having taller stands or larger placecards would help with this, that could be a solution. Also, maybe print the placecards on yellow or blue colored paper (swedish flag colors). At least with color, waitstaff can have some help in trying to find the cards when it's a roomful. This way you don't lose the educational/unique piece of having Swedish culture on the placecards. - The prices of the pastries at $4.50 are a bit high when the size is relatively small. I'd recommend to lower the price to $3.50. As I said, we live in the neighborhood and husband is swedish so we will be back, and hope to see this place blossom. read more

I love getting brunch here. Good food and coffee. Make sure to get some pastries to-go because they are amazing!

Kantine is an authentic Scandinavian restaurant that will not disappoint! My mom is from Denmark and is very critical of food that claims to be Scandinavian. Kantine did not disappoint! We enjoyed our brunch together and will be back again next time we are in the city. Kantine is a gem, it made us both feel like we were back in Denmark with every bite. Well done! read more

Kantine - Brunch Board - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Delicious, unique flavors! I had the savory porridge - AMAZING! My friend had the ham/cheese sandwich on savory pastry bread and said it was delicious. We both loved the cinnamon pastry that we ended up splitting. Highly recommend this place! Also a very clean restaurant. read more

I was curious about Scandinavian food and Kantine was about as great an introduction as I could ask for. It's a casual eatery (order/pay at the counter, and your food will be brought to you) in an open, well-designed, very Scandianavian-looking place (all the walls are white or wood, very classic and neutral, with plenty of natural light). We had a brunch board - there are so many great options, I'd recommend the 7-item board to make decisions easier. The coffee is excellent as well; I'm sure the drip coffee is great, but I'd definitely recommend going for a latte or cappuccino if you're into that sort of thing. read more

I've never had Scandinavian pastries so I was very impressed. I was jobless for a little while so I decided my hobby would be to hike and find a new pastry place and I really enjoyed this one. read more

Food is really, really fresh here, but a bit bland. On the brunch board, standouts were beet hummus, yogurt, trout salad, and shrimp. But compared to Broder Cafe in Portland, this falls a little short on offerings and flavor. read more

I love this place. The purchasing. Experience from the counter could definitely be streamlined, but I'll still be going to Kantine any chance I get! read more

Fantastic deal for 16 (or 20) dollars! Really well done eggs, porridge, cheese with persimmon, just a great experience overall.

In a sea of brunches offered in the city this one truly stands out. Portions may be small for most but I love it. I had the brunch board. You get to choose from a list of options. To me how the eggs were cooked is key. The runny egg / scrambled was perfect. It's a showcase of food cooked with care and passion. I can't wait to try their open faced sandwiches next. read more

Kantine - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Cute spot in a part of the city I don't usually visit. I'd describe this area of Market St as "up and coming." For locals there may be known gems around each corner, but for those, like me, who are only in this area when they're passing through, finding a nice cafe like Kantine is a really pleasant surprise. I met up with a friend for breakfast on Tuesday. We were some of the only people there at the time. The man behind the counter was super nice and helpful in explaining the menu. As I'm gluten- and dairy-free, I only ordered an oat milk latte, but my friend ordered their sweet porridge -- stewed peaches, lingonberries, and pistachios. It looked amazing, and apparently it was! As for my latte, I was more than happy. It's so hard to find oat milk in the bay. Of all the different alternative "milks," oat milk (imo) is by far the creamiest. I'd definitely stop by again, just for a latte. The aesthetic is nice, too. It looked thoughtfully designed without feeling too forced Scandinavian, if you know what I mean. I think I remember reading that a Danish design team did an interior consultation for them. Anyhow, lovely people, beautiful space, good quality food and coffee, and plenty of seating. One thing to note is they don't have WiFi, perhaps as a way to encourage conversation. read more

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Brunch at Kantine was phenomenal! We loved every single item in our brunch board, including the broccoli spread, the shrimp, and chia pudding -- and the presentation was beautiful. For something sweeter, highly recommend the almond roll as well. The space is excellent: simple, modern, airy, and colorful in an understated way. I believe it was their first week open, so they're still ironing out some of the service wrinkles (e.g., placing self-serve silverware directly beneath the coffee/milk station, such that the forks have some milk droplets on them). But I expect those will be easily fixed in the next few weeks. In the meantime, it's exciting to have such a great addition to the neighborhood. Can't wait to come back! read more

Wow this food is amazing. A refreshing take on brunch/lunch. At this point, I think I've tried almost everything, and really love the boards (pick delicious smaller items to make your meal) and the porridges. The ingredients are a good mix of healthy, unique, and delicious. Particular board favorites are the lentil hummus, soft egg and avocado but they also seem to have new items on the menu frequently that have all been great. I get a loaf of their rye bread to take home every time. read more

Nice place for a brunch. Tried their 5 things for $15 brunch. The breads were authentic, salmon was fresh and the Hugo Prosecco was well prepared. Will visit again. read more

I've always enjoyed dining at Kantine but yesterday I stopped in to pick up a semla I had pre-ordered on the last day it was available. The guy with the dark brown hair in a pony tail helped me and I asked if there was an extra semla available and he promptly dismissed me saying no. During the 10 minutes or so while I was waiting while sitting at the window facing the counter, a guy came in asking if there was any semlas available and the guy who had helped me offered to go in the back in check for him and was able to get him one after he shooed me away and didn't offer to check for me. Another woman was waiting for her semla order too said, oh that's not right I heard you ask first for it. Being tired at the time, I didn't say anything and but the customer service here has been noted. Just have to add that I'm a person of color and the person who had better customer service than me was not. I really hope that this wasn't a factor in the poor customer service I had received. read more

Yum j'adore! I love this place because they offer brunch boards which are fun and creative, the perfect way to try lots of little Scandinavian dishes and leave full and satisfied without being ripped off. I absolutely love the soft boiled egg with creamed spinach, the pickled herring when they have it, the baby shrimp salad with dill, the sweet porridges, the rye crackers, and a fruit salad options (too much added sugar though). Deducting a star for: 1) the service. There is a girl who often works the cash register who has messed up our order multiple times. She is slow and didn't seem to comprehend everything. If you make changes to your order, watch out she probably didn't get it right. I'll chalk this up to growing pains but this place has already been up and running for close to a year I think . 2) the spaces. It's cute and simple, but it often gets really hot and stuffy in there. I'm so glad they added a few outdoor tables. They should think about ventilation and making the inside more comfortable for people. 3) Wait times for food can also be very very long especially during brunch rush. But since most items are likely already prepared and ready to go it's a little perplexing. Overall, this is an awesome spot. Don't ruin it by overcrowding and bringing your tourist friends Updating review because I finally tried the savory porridge and found it really not good. It's like savory, chunky oatmeal with cottage cheese mixed in. Yuck. Avoid that one. Not changing star rating bc the brunch board is delish read more

Very good food, but it lacks of the Scandinavian details in service . The plates are empty , for the sandwiches they can give something extra at least read more

Small, cute place on Market where you can get some fantastic coffee and pretty authentic Scandinavian breakfast plates. Not very vegan friendly (naturally), but their croissants (the almond one specifically) are pretty delicious. Scrambled egg (part of the breakfast board) are nothing special though. The salmon spread is delicious. A tad pricey for what you get but worth grabbing coffee and a pastry at least! read more

Cute space, modern Scandinavia food, booze. But a little pricey and Seriously the food takes forever.

10 stars! 1 million stars. Everything about this place is 5 stars! The food design is amazing, quality amazing! Everything is amazing and soo soo cute. I've become a huge fan of this place. If you don't like this place I don't want to be your friend. read more

I am a huge fan of rugbrod (Danish rye bread-- dense, dark, and sour), so I was very excited to see this place open. Unfortunately, my experience wasn't great. I think a large part of it is working out the kinks of a recent opening, so I'm confident they will do better in the future. What went wrong? -Really wanted to try the trout smorrebrod but they didn't have it. -It was 79 degrees in there (according to a thermostat inside). No fans, no windows! It was like a greenhouse. -It took 45 minutes for my food to come (2 poached eggs + Danish rye bread + avocado) and I had to talk to a manager to get it. -Poached eggs came out not runny at all-- completely overcooked. -Second set of eggs came out in a puddle of water, as if the cook used a non-slotted spoon to dish the egg. -Just a note that the manager was extremely gracious and apologetic. He was very kind. How's the taste? -Danish rye is pretty solid-- not my ideal loaf, but still delicious. It's not as sour as the kind I like, but beggars can't be choosers, I guess. Gotta go back to Copenhagen for the ultimate sour dark rugbrod! -My poached eggs needed salt Other notes: -If you order avocado for the "Make Your Own Breakfast Platter, you'll get 1/4 an avocado. -If you order Danish rye for the same platter, it comes with 2 slices of rye. I ordered 2 because I wanted 2 slices, but I wish it was listed that it already comes with 2. I guess I would cautiously come back here, maybe a couple months down the road when it's a smoother operation. I look forward to seeing more smorrebrod options in the future (some fun smorrebrod ideas in case anyone from Kantine is reading this: blue cheese/caramelized onion, small sliced potatoes with chives and creme fraiche, smoked salmon with dill and creme fraiche, beef tartare) read more

my friend and i went to meet up at this place! we got the set brunch and shared together~ portion wise it is quite small but the quality of food is top-notch, and their bread is a must-try. read more

Awesome fast-casual spot with food that you can't get too many places in SF (Scandinavian breakfast and lunch really only exists in so many places). Gets pretty crowded on the weekends. Low ventilation so any sunny day in SF (rare) it will get pretty warm in there, but otherwise can't complain. Ambience is very IKEA-chic in a non-insulting way. Love the "create your own brunch board" option of 7 small dishes for under $20. The skyr (yogurt) with granola and berries, the mint tarragon grapefruit, and the scrambled eggs were all big wins. read more

The savory porridge rocks my world. Also, it's really lovely in there. Morning sun shining in, friendly staff. Can't get better than that.

So overpriced. Dry and boring tea bun, toast was cold despite it taking 30+ mins to make? Terrible vegetarian options. So many better places for breakfast in SF. read more

Very cool space with good food. The breakfast was spot on. Eggs and bacon long with pickled fish and shrimp... makes me feel like I am back in Sweden! read more

Five stars for food, two stars for service. I've been to Kantine twice for breakfast/brunch, and once to the pop up before they opened the restaurant ( the pop up was FANTASTIC - I'm hopeful that some of the dishes from that end up being served at the restaurant). We went two weeks ago at about 10:30am on Saturday and it was lovely. It was quite busy but not crazy, and the food was wonderful. We got a ton of things: the savory porridge with an egg, a Karelian pastry with egg butter, the special herring open faced sandwich, and a board with bread, cheese, pickled herring, shrimp, and I don't recall what else. We loved everything! After the world cup game, we headed down to Kantine on Sunday. We got there at 11 and it was busy but there was no one ordering. We ordered immediately and each got a board and a dark chocolate rye pastry. It took over an hour to get our food, which I'm sorry, is unacceptable, even if you're busy. We weren't able to get our pastry while waiting for our food - I tried to get it right when we ordered, but the girl said she'd bring it over in a moment. Fifteen minutes later, I asked again if we could please have it while we waited ( to be fair at this point it was super busy) and she said she'd bring it over. We ended up having to get it from a guy who was running food before we left because it never came. The food was good, but not as good as two weeks ago, so there isn't consistency - my husband's boards' eggs and bacon were hot, but my egg and spinach were cold, and everything was under seasoned so we had to use the S&P from the coffee station. Side note: I'd recommend two things: 1. Taller posts for the order cards because the poor employees have a had time finding where to deliver food since they're so darn short, 2. Post a sign telling people not to sit until after they've ordered. Two folks sat next to us without ordering, and proceeded to save the seats they were in and four others..they sat waiting for their friends for at least 30 minutes before their friends came and ordered while other people who had ordered we're standing around struggling to hold their beverages and pastries and order cards. read more

Felt like trying something new for brunch. Atmosphere was very clean and modern, very Scandinavian I guess? Took about 45 minutes to get our food after ordering, but it was pretty busy. The highlight of the brunch board we ordered was definitely the trout spread/salad which went well with the crackers. Hummus was good too. But the rest of the food we ordered all seemed under seasoned, including the savory porridge which just needed some salt & pepper. With my limited experience with Scandinavian cuisine, we wondered if maybe that's it's supposed to be a little bland? But most disappointing part of the meal was the half-filled glass of $4 strawberry lemonade. Maybe they ran out of proper glassware but kind of felt like a ripoff. Might give it another shot in the future. read more

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1st Time - Breakfast was delicious! Ordered 5 item breakfast- everything was delicious! Presentation was a bonus! Side note: Best bathroom in the city! read more

Kantine - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Kantine has a great selections of pastries but it is the smorrebrod that keeps us coming back. Open-faced Scandinavian sandwiches on rye bread are the most delicious with various toppings like goat cheese with shaved asparagus or baby shrimp with boiled egg, mayo and dill. Smorrebrod is a beloved, tasty Scandinavian tradition. Nice décor to enjoy a meal. Very open and airy. Last time we lingered around for about 3 hours and did not feel at all like the owners were unhappy about longer stay on hour part. On the contrary, we even got a free to go coffee. And, not because they were happy we were leaving, lol! read more

Delicious. Gorgeous presentation Just a matter of time before there is a line out the door My one minor comment is that the baked goods and sandwiches are on the counter a bit too close to the paying public. While the presentation is inviting, I would personally would be concerned from a hygiene standpoint--spittle flying out of patrons mouths while ordering, epithelial cells falling off an arm waving over the food. The restaurant is impeccably clean. Maybe a glass barrier between the food? read more

For years now, I've been sick of the American breakfast. It's just slight variations on eggs, potatoes, and bread with meat occasionally thrown in. Veggies are rare. It's boring, generally bland, and far from a balanced meal. Enter Kantine. This is the perfect solution to that boring unhealthy, humdrum breakfast existence. This isn't just different though. The food is incredible. I've been here several times and I have yet to consume a dish that wasn't scrumptious. I love the fact that most of the dishes are small and they give you the option of picking 5 or 7 of them. The prices are reasonable too, especially considering the quality of the food. Also, the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. I absolutely love this place. read more

One of our absolute favorites for breakfast in SF! Kantine is a cozy and cool spot, and the homemade baked goods are SO good! We have been back several times for the delicious 'tebirkes' and cardamom morning buns and savory porridge. We love to come on weekdays, so we avoid lines and crowds. read more

It replaced a laundromat in the neighborhood. Even though I had WD in my apartment, it was nice to have a same day wash and fold service near by. My initial reaction was like "we don't need another restaurant" when Hayes valley and Valencia corridor is so close. I came in for brunch the other day, but I was suprised by excellent food in a very hip environment. I had their brunch board (5 items for $15), was a lot of food. All really tasty. I think the 7 items for $19 option might be enough to feed two people easy. Although I wonder why they don't do dinner service. They only serve lunch and breakfast, but there isn't many office workers looking for lunch during a workday in this neighborhood. Can it survive on weekend brunch alone? All the best! read more

When I've gone to Kantine, it's either been in the early morning, shortly after they've opened, or in the later afternoon after a lunch crowd has hit. My visits have been at off-times so Kantine has been a quiet oasis to enjoy during the weekdays. The open, airy, sunlit space, the minimal interior design, and touches like celadon-colored hydrangeas on the tables enhance the air of static calm. I've had two dishes - the savory porridge with kale, mushrooms and housemade farmers cheese for breakfast and the open-faced egg salad smorrebrod with organic greens for a late lunch. Kantine's porridge was warming and just filling enough, with a delightful and unexpected tanginess provided by the whey from the farmers cheese. The rye bread for the egg salad sandwich provided enough heft and crunch to offset the creaminess of the egg salad. I appreciated the paper thin slices of radish on top and the raw legumes (I think that's what they were) that tasted a little bit like sweet raw corn. I liked the contrast in textures for this unassuming but ultimately, complex open faced sandwich. Kantine is just that, unassuming and personal, and the food is well thought out and presented without pretension. Seek out this calm oasis and you'll be well-rewarded. read more

Kantine is the best place in the area! Adding to San Francisco's tradition of interesting and diverse cuisine, their brunch board is something exceptional. The cardamom morning bun rivaled the areas most established bakeries. The staff is always friendly, and create a great environment. Put this spot on your brunch list, you won't regret it! read more

Super cool concept - inspired by the Danish /Nordic. Try out the open faced sandwiches on rye bread, they are delicious. Same thing with the porridge with mushrooms and egg. Definitely worth a visit read more

The food was antiseptic and flavorless, with strange things like hard cold rice pastry and butter mixed with chopped hard boiled eggs. The crab salad seemed to be made from fresh water crabs. If I went there again, I would stick to coffee and a croissant, but I don't think I'd go there again. read more

We really wanted to like this place. My husband is Danish and since we moved back from Copenhagen we have missed Danish brunch. But, it was terrible. We had to wait 40min for our food, and it wasn't even busy. After 30 minutes I went and asked about our food, the waitress said there was an order ahead of us and it'd be another 10 min. And there was no apology. Then the food came out. My eggs were almost cold, and may portion was way smaller than anyone else's. My bacon was just ok. The yogurt and rye bread were the best thing I got. My husbands øl og brød (rye porridge I think they called it) was runny and had the wrong flavor for that traditional dish and his herring open faced sandwich was drowned in dressing and was generic. And it was all super expensive. I'd give 1 star but my husband said 1 star should be reserved for food poisoning..... read more

Misleading hours posted on yelp. The kitchen closes at 2:30pm so they are not open until 3 as advertised.