The cashier was very lively. We loved her contagious positive energy The sisig had a lot of meat but it tasted more like adobo. Service is great. The owner was nice and told us that his business is among the 3 other small businesses/breakfast spots in Chinatown that survived after COVID pandemic. The space is small; ambiance is relaxed and casual. Giving this a 4/5 for good service and good portion but the sisig is not how it's supposed to taste. read more

Foundation Cafe - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

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What a cute establishment. They service breakfast items all day and have sandwiches, salads, bowls and burgers with a Filipino flavors. I ordered the chicken adobo bowl. Come visit and support this small business! read more

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Your classic downtown weekday salad/sandwich lunch spot with a decidedly Filipino spin. It's popular for lunch and has been on Kearny for a while now. Avoid lunch rush if you have to hurry. Takes a little longer here but there's more care to making your food to order. Besides the standard salads and sandwiches, the rice bowls are really great here. Filling and hearty without weighing you down. From sisig and chicken adobo to the lighter and healthful tasting grilled salmon bowl that's served with kimchi and pickles over a bed of brown rice. Foundation Cafe is a solid lunch spot on Kearny. read more

Foundation Cafe - Grilled salmon bowl - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

I go here several times a week for the salmon rice bowl. Great portions and super friendly staff. Highly recommend! read more

Couldn't recommend the place enough! They helped me choose between sisig and bistek for my morning's cravings and finally chose on the bistek! When it comes to actually eating it, reminds me of my Lola's bistek that she would make at home for me, the best. Really friendly people and the ambience of the cafe is really comfy and homey, just how I'd want to feel why eating my comfort food! read more

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

The food was amazing. The orange juice fresh squeezed and the people very friendly and upbeat love it here read more

Foundation Cafe - Is the place with the owner serving - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you haven't tried the Foundation Cafe, you're missing out. Missing! Out! The food is made with fresh ingredients and the vibe is right. I got the breakfast burrito. I ate it too fast for a photo. And I put the tater tots on the side as I was trying to keep the burrito healthy. Even the tots were crazy delicious! And I'm not one to eat those! The burrito is their best selling item and I know why. Delish! And Melanie manages and she's a riot! Best energy ever! This place is bringing life back to this street! read more

Foundation Cafe - Bob, is the owner. Say "hi" and chat if he's not swamped. Such a sweet man! - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place caught my attention because of the sign outside the door advertising Filipino dishes and my fiancé loves Filipino food so he walked in to look. I followed him in not really wanting to purchase anything from there and the lovely cashier Melanie started chatting us up with no pressure to buy so I began to browse the menu and to my surprise it wasn't just Filipino food and Melanie was offering to make us anything we liked if it was something relative to what they offered, which was a lot. We loved her vibe so much we wanted to support so I got the breakfast burrito, my fiancé got the broccolini egg and we were amazed with how delicious they both were. She even shared with us how to make the broccolini over egg at home so we could make for our kids. She went above and beyond! Thanks Melanie! read more

Foundation Cafe - Egg over broccolini - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

this cute cafe is such a nice breather from the busy city! the sisig burrito was amazing and i have no clue how they managed to keep the hashbrowns crunchy, it tasted so good! the calamansi cooler was also lovely, it was so refreshing! however, the best part was the service. every worker here is so friendly and you can tell they truly care about their work and customers. i'll be coming back!! read more

Foundation Cafe - calamansi cooler and sisig burrito - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ambiance: Cozy Service: quick staff: friendly food: delicious! Great place to have breakfast or brunch! I got the sisig rice bowl which was flavorful and filling, and I liked that the vanilla bean latte was not overly sweet. read more

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

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Wandered in here from my hotel - great food and sweet staff! Got the Donburri and it was really good.

Love this place! Great healthy food and the team there treat you like royalty. Try the Filipino dishes! You're in for a treat.

Early cozy morning in Sanfransisco. First and foremost the atmosphere and service in this place is welcoming. The outside seating is fair, accompanied by the indoor facilities. Nothing extreme, but well rounded for a busy cafe. I am unsure about the bathroom, or if they officer those facilities to the customer. However the front counter offers plentiful amounts of hand-sanitizer if needed. Now for the main event of course, their breakfast! They have a few speciality items that cater to their dynamic cuisine, but I went for something neutral and safe. I opted for the Breakfast burrito classic, with no tomatoes. Absolutely did not disappoint. They care about the quality of their food. You can normally tell right away the difference between food that is pre-made and freshly prepared to order. They do that here, freshly to your liking. I'd love to see a fresh house made tomato salsa to go with their dishes if they have the resources for it. Something a bit more robust. Other than that, zero complaints. They deserve this rating in my opinion. read more

I'm a student at the Aveda Institute on the corner, and this is my go-to lunch place! I almost always do their salmon bowl because they're one of the few places I've ever been to where the salmon is cooked PERFECTLY each and every time. However, lately I've been branching out a bit more, and I've never been disappointed. I leave every time feeling satisfied and glad that I tried something new. The staff is attentive, the food comes out fast without ever compromising quality, and Mr. Bob (the owner?) clearly cares about curating a space that feels wholesome, welcoming, and uplifting. That's no easy feat in the heart of the city. If you have time, I recommend dining in. People watching at their window seating is a fun way to spend your lunch break! read more

Spectacular food and service! One of my first go to places to have lunch with my co workers

I loved the sisig rice bowl and the staff is so friendly! Cute little shop. I will definitely come back. read more

One of the great joys in my life is exploring a city to find the best coffee and breakfast food. I've lived in SF most of my life, so I THOUGHT I had a decent idea of what I liked... this morning I got an early start to the day with a 5:30am gym visit, so my stomach was ready for a full lunch/dinner-size meal. My usual go-to spots for this type of portion were closed, so I begrudgingly stumbled into the first place I saw. Best breakfast burrito of my life. Think about that. When was the last time you had the BEST version of such a broad category of food?? My entire day is made right now. I am giddily typing this review from my office downtown, and I think my coworkers are growing concerned that I might have lost my mind overnight. But the more I reflect on that breakfast burrito, the more certain I am that it is unbeaten in my past. And the quality was met by quantity... I could barely finish it! On top of food quality, they had a super friendly staff and a nice environment. I sat down and read a chapter of the book I got for Christmas while I ate. I could not recommend this place enough! I can't speak to the coffee yet, so I will be sure to try it another day. read more

I'm so glad I found this gem for lunch. Deliciously designed tastes and warm and genuine hospitality. Highly recommended for a healthy and delicious lunch. read more

Had the most amazing Sisig rice bowl today! The staff are all super nice and friendly, and the tight-knit vibe just made everything better! Will definitely come back for more:) read more

Foundation Cafe - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Cute little place. Friendly upbeat service. Nice selection of breakfast items. Got breakfast burrito and egg broccolini. The burrito had a lot of flavor. Egg broccolini with a piece of toasted thick piece of bread was very good but also very greasy. I should've asked for no bacon because there was too much of it (some will say there is no such thing as too much bacon LOL) Coffee was also pretty good. They let us taste a sample first because we weren't sure if we would like it. read more

So so yummy. Fresh. Kind service. Delicious breakfast sandwich and breakfast burrito. Sandwich is kid approved. Would love to try lunch here. Cute cafe read more

Favorite meal downtown! Get the Filipino bistek bowl or the sisig rice bowl, but everything on the menu is great.

The food is amazing! I especially love the sisig rice bowl--I get it every single time I come here. The staff was also very welcoming which made the experience just that much sweeter. I'm Filipino, so I was really happy that the staff are also Filipino serving filipino food. I study here sometimes since they do have tables and it's not noisy! read more

Foundation Cafe - Sisig Rice Bowl - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

Cute and clean place. Friendly staff! Excellent tater tot breakfast burrito! We were happy to find this on our walk in the city.

Beautiful cafe with wonderful service! A great spot to get a quick bite to eat, grab a cup of coffee or empanada. read more

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

I did not try the food because I came here for a coffee but everything smell and looked so fresh and delicious. The coffee is delicious and the brownies are also made by them. The service is so sweet and kind, Robbie helped me with my requests. I love the ambiance , relaxing soft music in a modern set up. Will come back for sure to try the food in my next trip to San Francisco . read more

Foundation Cafe - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

I love this place! I work construction down town and whenever I am within walking distance I come here for lunch. Owners and staff are great very friendly and they put special care into the way they cook and even present the food. My favorite dish is the sisig rice bowl. So delicious the fried egg on top with the green onions sets it off! I always load up with a bunch of their homemade foundation hot sauce! Highly recommend this place! I always tell my coworkers about it and whenever I take someone new they love it too! read more

Foundation Cafe - Partially eaten sisig rice bowl, Lumpia and avacado toast - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

One of my favorite lunch spot, people are friendly, great food , my fav is foundation salad with bistek tagalog , or sisig salad a must try . read more

Foundation Cafe - Foundation salad with Bistek tagalog (filipino inspired ) - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wonderfully nice people and excellent food. Food is not overpowered with sweeteners, so you can add what you want to make it perfect. Coffee was excellent and the people are super nice and kind. read more

We went to the Foundation Cafe for breakfast and everything was super good and tasty. Excellent service and a really nice spot.

amazing pastries!! insane service, heavily recommended the mint tea. place is beautiful

This is a small but mighty location, perfect for breakfast (I had the Belgian waffle with egg), but to take care of any small work tasks while you eat. The wait staff talked up a great game, and said waffle confirmed it. Solid and no amount of syrup make it any different; the eggs are fluffy and complemented the meat (btw, the hot sauce is perfect - not too hot and definitely not mild). You've got to check this out whether or not you're working remotely or visiting. read more

Sisig rice was amazing, staff and service was very welcoming -- nice spot to stop by for lunch!

Foundation Cafe is a favorite. Everyone who works here is incredibly friendly and welcoming, the food is consistently brilliant, and portions are generous. Definitely stop by if you want a great breakfast or lunch! read more

i go to foundation all the time. it's the best spot on kearny and it's not even close. best sandwiches and salads. i get the broccoli wrap with tofu or the banh mi with tofu usually. so insanely satisfying and fresh. nothing corporate about it, made with love always. and while the food is always on point, the service is even better. everyone who works here is a gem. that's why it's my go-to. it's the foundation of a great day. read more

Really impressed by this place. It's clean, hip, and energizing to be here. The service is very friendly and helpful. The food and menu is a nice combination of the familiar and innovative. I tried the Grilled Salmon Rice Bowl. It was excellent: brown rice, kim chee, marinated soy cucumbers, pickled ginger, sesame seeds, and then a ginger-soy vinaigrette served on the side (so you can put as much or as little as you want on it). Fantastic flavors. Filling but healthy too. There are many lunch items I want to try on the menu: Fried Shrimp Po'Boy wrap, Shake Your Banh Banh, Sisig Fried Rice, and so many things. Also, the breakfast burritos and morning items sounded good. The place is small (not a lot of seating). A lot of to-go orders were heading out in the short time we were there. This is an excellent spot. read more

So it does feel a bit excessive to pay $16.24 (including mandatory service charge + tax) for a bánh mì, especially as a grab-n-go office lunch. But it was a step above the sandwich place just a block away that churns out very mediocre sandwiches for about $2 less, so I suppose you're paying a premium for quality. All the items definitely felt a bit fancy for a FiDi lunch, so a nice indulgence to break up the workday. Avocado Toast w/ Spanish Jamon: I don't care if it's a cliché, I still love a good avocado toast. Especially when the avocado rests on a delicious thick grilled piece of ham with ricotta underneath. With the addition of meat and cheese, it's getting very close to sandwich territory, which might be why I enjoyed it so much. Shake Your Banh Banh: Easily the most expensive bánh mì I've ever had. But I did love the generous amount of fried chicken on it. Thin and crispy, kinda like chicken schnitzel. The deep fried crunch played well against the pickled veggies, which had the nice vinegary tang and a little sweetness. Sisig Fried Rice: Not crispy like sisig, but the pork chunks did hold a lot of nice marinated flavor. A lot more personality than the rather generic "rice bowl" you'll find at sandwich/salad places in the FiDi nowadays. I liked the garlic rice, but I kinda wish they used white rice instead of brown rice because is anyone ordering fried rice trying to be healthy? read more

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Stopped by here the other day and was happy to a good variety in the menu. I was delighted to see some Filipino food. I ordered the Bistek and it did not disappoint. The meat was thinly sliced and so flavorful. I know that the Sisig is a popular dish so I'm coming back for that! The staff are so friendly too. Found myself a new favorite! read more

amazing!!! loved the buffalo wrap so good sooooooo goood great options and everyone was nice

*Celiac review* Went out of my way to grab to-go breakfast here, because they're one of the very few eateries around Market street I'm aware of who serve gluten-free breakfast options. This particular restaurant serves gluten free bread (I think from Mariposa bakery?) so I requested it for my breakfast sandwich with bacon. While the ingredients in their own tasted delicious and good quality, the bread was so stale and dry (not to mention it was a sourdough baguette type roll - too tough for the cooks to cut in half, thus too tough for a customer to realistically eat as a sandwich) so eating it was a chore and definitely not enjoyable. Also ordered an iced latte and I was disappointed at how bland it was. So bummed about this, but for two sub-bar items for $25.... Will be crossing this off my list. read more

Foundation Cafe - Breakfast sandwich with bacon on gluten free baguette - Salad Near Me - San Francisco, California