As I write this post, I'm currently on day 6 of Whole30. Today I searched for Whole30 compliant restaurants and Kitava appeared to be first on the list. My boyfriend and I decided to eat here for dinner and ordered a Cuban Bowl and Spaghetti Squash Bolognese. The staff were very accommodating to meet customers' needs, especially when they're on a diet like Whole30. Kudos to the staff and management for having a binder dedicated to all the listed ingredients of their menu. Whether you're on Whole30 or not, we were glad to be able to customize our own dishes with the compliant ingredients. As soon as we paid our order, we sat down on a table and did not expect to get our order in less than 5 minutes. Lastly, we were curious to find out about a yellow sauce in a bottle. I kindly asked the staff what it was and it was actually Whole30 Pineapple Habanero sauce with no added sugar. I immediately fell in love with this restaurant and would love to go back regardless of my future diet plans. read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Nice food! Very nice place! Wish they just put key dressing sauce in the Pesto Chicken salad read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Such a different experience for "good food" at Kitava. My friends and I came in after the fair yesterday, and even though we were a bigger group and came in last minute they accommodated tables for us! We asked the cashier Erik/Eric what was good for drinks and he recommended the Marin Kombucha which we finished in two seconds. Gali/Gayly our server was super sweet and the Chocolate Brownie she endorsed for the end of our meal was outstanding (sorry if we butchered their names!!). The Cuban Bowl is a plate I will definitely be taking back down to SoCal, it's a shame Kitava isn't in LA. If you're looking for filling food you don't feel bad about later, this is IT! read more

As a previous local in San Francisco, l try to support local restaurants when l am in town. I had never ordered food from this restaurant. I decided to order based on the reviews on Yelp and Google. Reviews are subjective, so it really depends on what you are looking for. I ordered directly from the restaurant though DoorDash delivered my order within an hour. The plantains were okay, the pulled pork was good, l really liked the Brussel sprouts. Overall, the food quality is okay. I'll try them again soon. read more

1st time here. Thank you for using exceptional ingredients and providing another healthy option in a city that seems to love hedonism :-) Please open a 2nd location in the inner sunset! You would do very well. read more

I am a consistent customer of Kitava, but my experience yesterday really disappointed me. Upon arriving to Kitava at 8:23pm the front cashier informed me that the kitchen was closed. The kitchen closing is understandable but upon my walk home my friend and I were able to order on DoorDash with no issues. Lying seems unnecessary given that we were still able to order food. I still plan on going to Kitava, but integrity is valued at any restaurant. read more

What a hidden-in-plain-sight healthy gem! I got the Cuban bowl with cauliflower rice and sunflower risotto and a rebbl beverage- love how all is local, creative, flavorful and fresh. I'll definitely be back! read more

Kitava - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Amazing menu for dietary restrictions! Gluten free dairy free corn soy etc etc. great casual dining for special diets. Very tasty too, and fast service when I went. read more

Kitava - Cuban bowl - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Conveniently located across the street from BART. Cool! Impressed with the high quality of the ingredients. Pulled (pastured) pork & plantain special--pretty good Thai curry--pretty good... tastes homemade! Roasted brussel sprouts--very good Butternut squash humus--excellent Can't wait to try other foods on their menu! Clean, airy decor. Was able to order the food online for easy pickup. Ready in 15min. This is the place in SF for nutritious, tasty and not overly expensive good eats! read more

This place is delicious!! Just had the ahi tuna bowl - fresh, tasty, filling. The ambience is also very tranquil and the staff were helpful and kind. I don't live in the area anymore but happened to be by here because it's so close to 16th Street BART- will try to find an excuse to be here again because it's so great. So rare to find delicious and healthy options. Much better than the salad places like Mixt. read more

It's great to find a restaurant that uses healthy oils and ingredients! Brought my family here and we'll most likely be coming back. Thank you read more

I take friends here who are health freaks / "clean-eaters" / have digestive issues. I love the General Tso's chicken and the bone broth but feel like a lot of the dishes need some work (especially given their price point). I highly recommend. HOWEVER, when I ordered the "make your own plate" with chicken ($15), the chicken was so dry that it got stuck in my throat. I had two options: wash it down with a drink or feed it to my friend's pet dog. Not ideal. The roasted Brussels sprouts and cauliflower were also undercooked. A shame, because I love those vegetables! (I tried the fried Brussels sprouts and those were much better) Also the cookie is VERY DRY. You will also need to wash it down with a drink. Do not order it, unless you are desperate for a cookie (which, if you are gluten-free & paleo, you might be). The ice cream is very good. But expensive. read more

I've been looking for a spot like this in SF for some time. High quality ingredients. Tasty. Ill be a repeat customer.

Yeah, it's kinda pricey. But where else are you getting your fast casual bowl with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles? That's what I thought. As others have touched on, pricing precludes this spot from being an everyday destination, but I *really* like what I've had here. The Baja Bowl with pastured chicken, avocado mash, kale slaw, poblano peppers, pico de gallo, salsa verde, cauliflower rice & extra kale slaw (instead of beans) has become my go-to, as it's packed with flavor while also being fairly guilt-free. Plus, while I might not be vegan, paleo, or gluten-free, I definitely appreciate the options Kitava has accommodating these lifestyles. read more

Good spot for healthy food. Quite overpriced for what you're getting and not a lot of variety. If you want healthy millennial food like an avocado rice bowl, this is a good spot. read more

I was in SF this weekend and googled "eating paleo in San Fransisco" and this was the top hit. So I browsed the menu and Ubered over before the baseball game. Omg. So amazing. Real food that tastes fantastic. Vegans and paleos-anyone looking for healthy ingredients-this is your place. My husband is gluten free, but otherwise eats a normal diet, and he loved the General Tso's chicken. I had the chicken Cobb salad. The portions are huge. The prices are under $20 per entree. We loved it so much we grabbed the same meals to go the next day on our way to the airport. The atmosphere is very casual-the neighborhood is rough (a fight amongst the homeless across the street broke out while we were waiting for our driver). The staff was very friendly both times we went. This place was a remarkable experience! Kitava-consider franchising to Phoenix! read more

As someone who is allergic to both grain and dairy, I was beyond excited to find out about this place! Not only can all of their dishes be grain- and dairy-free (even the desserts!), but they list the ingredients of each dish (as well as nutrition facts, for some) on their online menu. Not having to worry about ingredients or settle for one of only three "safe" menu items because the others might give me problems? Sign me UP. This is more than I could ask for in a restaurant! I ate here for the first time with my non-food-allergy boyfriend yesterday and we were both very satisfied. My boyfriend had the meatloaf & sweet potato mash and felt that nothing was lacking. In his words, "If I didn't know it was grain- and dairy-free, I wouldn't have guessed it." I had a mix & match bowl with pork shoulder, kale slaw, and roasted sweet potatoes, and thoroughly enjoyed all of it. It came with chimichurri sauce, too, which went great with the sweet potatoes. Service was fast and friendly, and portion sizes were generous. When I've visited "health food restaurants" in the past, I've usually received somewhat small portions of food that, to me, don't quite measure up to the price. For what you get at Kitava, though, their prices aren't that steep. I came away yesterday with leftovers for today's lunch; not bad at all for the $13 cost of my meal. I am by no means a picky eater and would love to try a variety of food, but am often restricted by my allergies. At Kitava, though, I can be adventurous again and free to try anything! I really am so happy to have found this place. I will be back many more times to try each dish on the menu! read more

Chewed in to pieces of meat in my veggie dish - broccoli and sweet potato curry. I really liked this place and am sad to say I likely won't be going back there. If you're a strict vegetarian beware of contamination in your food! read more

Kitava - Unexpected pieces of meat in my vegetarian bowl (broccoli and sweet potato curry) - Gluten-Free Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ordered the food via grub hub a day early. On the day of the order leaves at the time of ETA delivery. An hour after the estimated delivery still nothing. Grub hub days to call the restaurant - but Kitava doesn't answer and the voicemail is full. DO NOT ORDER FROM THEM. I'll be claiming a refund via credit card. read more

100% free of Gluten, dairy, corn, soy, peanut, refined sugar and seed oils! They get me! I've never been in a restaurant that offers an AIP menu. If you have food sensitivities, this is the place for you! Plus the ingredients are pasture-raised, grassfed, etc! I can't tell you how excited I am about it. And it was delicious. General Tso's chicken was delish and the chocolate brownie... sooo chocolatey. Service was excellent too. Just a lovely experience. I want to come back everyday. I'll be by in the morning for some bone broth for sure! read more

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Ordered this as a healthy option but found everything was absolutely drenched in oil.

Came here last night for the first-time. Disclaimer: I eat fairly healthy, but nothing this health-focused generally. I usually eat lots of meat and I'm not afraid of carbs. So while everything on the menu here isn't necessarily for me, I can still respect it. Kitava is still a pretty cool concept, especially given the rising demand for vegan, allergy-friendly, and gluten-free options. I had the Spaghetti Squash Bolognese. It's a really nice dish, especially for pasta-lovers (roasted spaghetti squash noodles, bolognese sauce, fresh basil). If find yourself hungry and looking for a slightly heavier dish (relative to other stuff here), this is a good pick. The plaintains are also dope. Don't sleep on those!! The vibe in here is truly friendly and relaxed, almost in a coffee-shop sort of way. Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing, just an observation. It's differently different than your usual Mission dinner spot, but I found it to be a very chill place to eat. Only minus is that the seating in here is a bit sparse and hard to find. We had to wait a few minutes to get a table, and even then we seemed to get lucky with the timing. I'd imagine this means your ability to find a seat really boils down to luck more than anything else. So just be aware that if you're planning to dine-in during peak dinner hours, grabbing a table might be a bit tricky. But all-in-all great meal! Would certainly come back. read more

Got the general tso's chicken with white rice to go. I felt the rice was a bit undercooked I think. Chicken was tender and tasted good. Also got the brownie which was not overly sweet which I prefer. I'm definitely going back and will try the Cuban bowl and the bone broth and everything else on the pictures posted here on Yelp. This place reminded me of Little Gem in the Hayes Valley (from a fast casual dining perspective) but Little Gem's more expensive. read more

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This cuban bowl is the absolute bomb and best Brussel sprouts in the Mission. Staff is always friendly and it's a joy to eat there.

Edit: Thanks for reaching out Bryan. It's good to know you guys care. I'll bump the rating up just for that even if you didn't ask for it :) --- This review is for the catering option. Holy cows, did you guys have an off day or do you not care about your catering customers? Every dish was, at best, plain and boring. Chicken and meatloaves were dried chunks of leather. Roasted sweet potatoes were charcoal. Spaghetti squash were a mess of stringy mush. No one ate much of it, what a waste of food and time and money. read more

First time trying this place. I got the Cuban bowl with cauliflower instead of rice and side of salmon. Not sure what did it but within 10-15 min into the meal my tummy didn't feel great. It was tasty though. Plantains were the best part. Salmon was over-cooked/dry. read more

I am so impressed by their food! Clean and fresh and delicious. I love feeling comfortable feeding anything off my plate to my toddler, too! Extra bonus is that all their takeout containers are compostable. I am totally in love. read more

My health is a huge priority, and that starts with the food that I put in my body. San Francisco is a great place to find really healthy food, but Kitava has blown me away with their healthy and paleo options. Everything is tasty, and everything makes me feel good after I've eaten it. I've spent time talking to the founders of the place, and their philosophy about food and health mirrors my own, which means I'm eating the same quality food that they'd put in their own bodies. I also order their food delivery on GrubHub all the time. Sometimes you want takeout that's actually good for you. If you're looking for healthy fast casual food, try these guys out. read more

I adore Kitava. I came here to tell you why. Note that I hardly write reviews on Yelp anymore, but I have been singing Kitava's praises so much to friends in person that I realized I should get my voice on this platform as well. So here goes: If you are on a special diet like gluten-free, Paleo, Keto, or AIP, this is probably one of the only places you'll actually enjoy ordering food at. I've been on AIP (autoimmune protocol) for 5+ months and this is the only relatively affordable restaurant in the Bay Area that I find to be a joy to eat at. (Fancy places will cater to diets, but the meal will set you back 5x the money). Highlights include: - Entire menu is already gluten free, corn free, and soy free - Patient cashiers who answer your every question about the food - Ingredient lists available per dish if you ask the cashier - Cashiers are familiar with various special diets and one even guessed I was on AIP based on a few questions I asked, and then they pulled out a special AIP menu for me to peruse and simplify my ordering process (!) - Location is right outside of 16th/Mission BART station, so it's easy to ask friends to meet here for meals with relatively low friction. Since I cook most of my own meals, I end up offering this place as a dining suggestion to most people I eat out with and they have never said no. - The food tastes quite good! I wouldn't say it is excellent, but the food quality is solid for the price, the service, and the special menu they offer. I am always happy to eat here and genuinely enjoy my food. Things that you might not like: - The line can get kind of long at busy hours, but it moves pretty fast, and you know... It's partially a long line because the cashiers are taking their time with people to be sure the food they are ordering is exactly what they need and want. I am personally okay with waiting a bit longer to make the experience good for each person ordering food. - Hours are 11am to 9pm daily, so there's no breakfast available and I think it closes kind of early for dinner - It's not a vegetarian nor vegan establishment, but there are options where meat is not included in the dishes In short, you can tell that the people who run this place really care about getting you food that works for your diet, your body, and your health. I had first heard about it when a friend suggested that I eat there when I had a goal to eat more "real food" - and I think this place knocks that goal out of the park. read more

This place has great food including salads. A healthier option.

This is an update from a previous review. In my previous review, I gave them four stars, after having tried two of their meals: Baja Bowl and Cuban Bowl. I had mixed feelings about the food, but was pleased there was a paleo/gluten free place to go to in the Mission. I went back this Friday to give Kitava another chance, since it had such good reviews on yelp. I ordered General Tso's chicken (best reviewed) and was sorely disappointed. The rice was undercooked and the chicken was not filling or particularly tasty. I was also underwhelmed by the chocolate brownie for dessert. In sum, I would say Kitava is not worth it for the price, but if you're in the area in a pinch, the food will do. read more

DoorDash brought me a Cuban bowl with jasmine rice and chicken. I was pretty damn impressed as I was trying to go the healthy route (after gaining the holiday pounds) but the healthy alternative did not disappoint. I really dislike kale but they were able to dress it in a flavorful tangy sauce that also went well with the shredded carrots. Chicken breast pieces were tasty and not dry at all. Plantains provided a nice sweetness and counter-texture. Highly recommended. read more

I probably eat Kitava at least once or twice a week and have never had a bad experience. The food is super filling and tasty, which is hard to find with healthy food. The staff is also super friendly and Bryan (the owner) is the man. I highly suggest you chat to him about his career as well as any questions you have around food in general. He's super knowledgeable and you'll be inspired by his story. Lastly, I'd recommend the general tso chicken and Brussels sprouts. You can't go wrong! read more

This place is a lifesaver for anyone with dietary restrictions! As someone with Celiac who is also on the AIP diet, I feel so safe eating Kitavas for! The staff is super nice and friendly, the food is delicious, and the ambiance is really cozy! read more

My first time here and it was delicious I would definitely recommend this place to anyone and there meat is grass fed thats a plus love it here thanks Kitava read more

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I ordered the mushroom bolognese with zucchini noodles with a piece of wild salmon. The zucchini noodles were a very generous proportion. They came out in a huge white bowl. The bolognese had fresh roma tomatoes, tons of mushrooms, and was seasoned well. The salmon was cooked to perfection...seared on outside and a little medium rare on the inside. Definitely coming here again! read more

I was doing an autoimmune paleo protocol and needed some flavor, and this is one of the few places in the city that I could go to without modifying everything I ordered. They have an AIP menu that's only slightly limited compared to their regular menu. The servings of yuca chips plus avocado dip were very generous! I got the general Tso's chicken, it was delicious! Fried chicken is not something I get to eat often... I've also tried the pulled pork and meatloaf before. No symptoms afterwards, so all a good sign! I would advise against the cauliflower rice because it gave off a weird noxious smell. read more

So good!!! Clean food that tastes amazing! These guys also started a program that helps feed the poor and special workers during these crazy times. I want to give all of the workers and owner a hug for doing what they're doing! read more

Lots of vegan and vegetarian options. Just. In addition to whole30. Staff is friendly and conveniently located in the mission district right next to 16th street Bart station. read more

I love this place!! I have never been in person but I order all the time from DoorDash and it's amazing!! It's surprisingly hard in SF to find a place that's paleo and where you can really trust everything on the menu. I love that they don't use seed oils and have high quality meats. And the food tastes incredible!! read more