I stumbled upon this place while walking in Hayes Valley and I`m so glad I did. What a place !!! As somebody who has been to Denmark and Norway, this place is as authentic as it gets. I ordered a Herring Smorrebrod ( Danish open faced sandwich on rye bread) and a couple of sweet stuff like the Cinnamon Roll, Croissant and boy, it was super !!!! My friends ordered the cheese boards and that was amazing as well. The order numbers had the names of famous Scandinavian personalities like Tove Lo, Kaizer Orchestra, Jose Gonzalez and Lars Ulrich to name a few. Hayes Valley has an endless list of amazing restaurants and Kantine is definitely one of them. DEFINITE RECOMMEND. read more

Pros: good cookies Friendly service Big bathroom? Pretty presentation Good poached egg Cons: food takes too long. Our order took about 40minutes and the restaurant wasn't busy Ok food read more

Tasty with just right amount of portion. I had pick 7 and it was perfect. Specifically loved the yogurt and the rye bread + trout. Great spot for Sunday brunch and hang with friends. read more

Kantine - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wanted to give this place a try, a bit different than your average SF brunch fare, so fun to try! Order at the counter and then find a seat. We got the smorgasbord of five items (quite small, so would get the 7 actually). I tried the rye bread (dense), the trout salad (yummy), the egg in creamy spinich (ok), the shrimp (also ok), and harvati cheese. My latte was really good too! Nice place to enjoy a brunch on a nice sunny day, very warm and bright inside. Would return. read more

Kantine - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Food: Pretty good. Brunch board portions were generous for the price. Favorites were lamb meatballs, the runny egg, and the hummus. Wait: The wait for food was very long ~35 min. This was not mentioned to us until we followed up on our order. Several parties who arrived after us got their food before, which made it seem like the kitchen was disorganized. Ambience: Lots of natural light and very airy. Interesting Scandinavian art and decor read more

Just perfect in every way. 5-item brunch board with porridge bread, soft scrambled eggs, potato dumpling, havarti, and lentil hummus just made my morning. Everything was fresh and bursting with the perfect complement of flavors and textures. Gorgeous presentation and absolutely delicious to eat. read more

i found out on here! and was walking close by.so i tried the 7items plate (for brunch?)and i was very hungry .it was almost lunch time.staff recomended it was sooo cute !!!and my stomach was satisfied ^o^if you'r hungry must try it !! just onething ...if you sit bythe window/small counter table needs curtain. there was too bright morning - noon. read more

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Hours aren't maintained here -- now closed on Tuesday (as of 04/20/21). Otherwise I really like the place!

Food was great. Favorites included the runny egg, cauliflower, shrimp. It was all good. I would skip on the bread if you're doing brunch. The pick 5 or 7 brunch deal is great. Seemed very healthy, nice to have such a nice variety of food for low cost (for sf) Docking a star because seating is very difficult to find. What makes it harder is that a lot of people like linger after they're done with their meal. It would help if servers bussed tables and removed finished plates and cups to push people lingering to leave allowing more seats for the incoming flow. That being said, food was fantastic so I would come back, just not during the brunch rush. read more

I'm biased because I live around the corner from this place and I want it to succeed. I admittedly don't know much about Scandinavian food other than my brief experience in Stockholm and taking food breaks while being trapped in IKEA. However, I really enjoyed my experience at Kantine from the simplicity of the decor to the food. I think clean and simple seems to define everything Scandinavian and I would say the same about the food. Unlike other breakfast joints I actually felt clean and healthy afterwards. Speaking only about the brunch board, the food is definitely much lighter and fresh than what I'm normally used to, something you could eat every morning. I would hesitate to call the food bland, but definitely not very sweet or salty. I can't wait to try some of their pastries and whatever else will come out from their full menu. read more

Kantine - Trout smear on spouted rye bread - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The food was delightful. Specifically the lamb meatballs and beet hummus. Plenty of pastry options as well. I love that you just mark what you'd like on a sheet of paper, it totally eased my anxiety. The bathroom was clean and genderless. All the dishes were super clean as well. read more

Kantine - tebirkes! A almond past filled poppy seed topped croissant. Super delicious - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Wanted to try something different for brunch and chose this place, it was so good and satisfying that this is one of my go to's now. The grilled cheese has this amazing cheese crust on it, and it's so delicious with the sprouted bread (which you wouldn't expect it to ever beat white bread). Cinnamon roll, sausage roll, tomato soup, traditional bread so tasty. Very unique but hits all the regular beats you would want! Love love love read more

I got 8 items. Paids extra $3 for item #8 cuz so many things I wanted to try lol. Everything was really good. Must try: scrambled eggs, curried herring (my favorite), hummus (verry nutty), pudding (amazingly good) and hot rye porridge. read more

Kantine - Yummy - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Actually 3.5 stars This place is next to where I do my dry cleaning. Also, I love smorrebrod after having traveled through Copenhagen. And Belgium. Belgium had their own version I feel like, you know, the raw herring on top of bread. Anyways, I've always yearned for a place that made it in CA. And here we are. It was like $3 usd for one smorrebrod in Copenhagen and Kantine is a bit pricier. However, I got the brunch board (5 items for $15?) and their seasonal drink, which was strawberry lemonade. The strawberry lemonade was super good, with a strawberry preserve concentrate in the bottom. Not too sour or artificially sweet - just like the way I like it (thinking about you, Coachella strawberry lemonade of 2018!). I got the rye bread, shrimps, melon pieces with tarragon and mint, lemony broccoli spread, and scrambled eggs with herbs. The menu on their website is not what was at the store. The melon was super interesting. I made my own Frankenstein smorrebrod; rye bread, some butter, broccoli spread and then, shrimps. They give you these tags with the names of Swedish and Danish bands as your number. (Mine was M-The minds of 99). The person next to me had A - Army of love? Either ways, cute name. Oh right, the food. It's like a 7/10. Didn't have that pizazz. It took a while for the food to come out too. The rye bread was cut pretty thick so there's that for all you rye bread lovers. It's not bad but it's more like a once in a while brunch place. They seemed a bit understaffed as well so perhaps once they can hire more people, it might become more efficient. read more

Very rarely do you find a place that will expose you to Scandinavian or Danish cuisine in the USA. That's why we're fortunate to have Kantine in San Francisco. read more

Great Danish restaurant located in between in downtown SF and Castro area in Market street. They have a great breakfast/brunch menu with a variety of savory porridge, Danish pastries, brunch boards (salmon, eggs, fruits, yogurt, meats, others), salads and Open-faced Fried Pickled Herring Sandwiches. The restaurant is cute and gets super busy during brunch hours, service tend to be a little slower then but worth waiting and trying the food! read more

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Finally, a fantastic spot for Scandinavian brunch. Try the sets and the sandwiches. It might be the most refreshingly new cuisine for brunch in SF. read more

Kantine - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Excellent Danish open-faced sandwiches and other unique fare. Very innovative food choices and excellent coffee. read more

Kantine - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is a very cute place to go for brunch one fine SF morning with my friend. First, it's got such a relaxed and cozy ambiance. You can take a seat by the windows and people watch on the street, take a seat inside if you have a larger group, or even sit outside if it's not too cold. Love it for that reason. Food-wise, I LOVED the pastries. I had a cardamom morning bun and a cinnamon pastry. Both were great and I would 100% go back again. IN terms of the brunch board, it was pretty alright. As a lactose-intolerant vegetarian, there wasn't too much I could eat. Additionally, it's a pretty basic meal: things like eggs, spinach, bread, butter, etc, which is all good. But I eat that at home too, so it wasn't anything new. Definitely will come back for the pastries and the environment though! read more

I went here for a late bfast and had a yummy good time their employee pearl was so cute and kind - she was friendly had a bright face and made me feel so welcomed!! we need more servers like her, really just made my whole experience. I will be going back i highly recommend the yogurt but am not sure what kind of berries are on there, so many things to try at this scandinavian joint read more

Foods are good, just the wait time for food is a bit long. The drink(drinkable yogurt with fresh orange $4)is a little bit pricey but taste good. read more

Kantine - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great little cafe right in Market! I work around the corner so I stopped in for an oat milk latte this morning (took a little while, and not foamy enough, but still tasty!) and also picked up a cinnamon knot (so so so good--highly recommend). Came back in for lunch and ordered the creamer potato smørbrod and strawberry lemonade. The open-faced sandwich was AMAZING and I felt great eating it. Love this little place and will we back to try the highly-acclaimed porridge! read more

Kantine - Scandinavian Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food is pretty good, but the service is really bad. It takes FOREVER to get your food. Do not go here if you're hungry, or try to go on a weekday when it might(?) be better. I would probably give this place five stars if they improved their service. But for a cafeteria style place, the wait to get your food is unacceptable. Just for example: it was 40 minutes between when I placed my order for two meals at the counter and when the first of them was brought to my table. The second one was brought 10 minutes after that! The staff does not warn customers of the wait, or seem to be contrite about the wait. read more

Delicious brunch! Loved the bean dip, melon salad and homemade bread. Will definitely be back.

After many long years of searching for freshly made Karelian pies in the Bay, Kantine has become the answer to our prayers! The owner(?) explained to us that they've stopped making them regularly for now due to COVID changes in supply/demand, but very generously offered to make a custom order for us which became the absolute highlight of our weekend. The accompanying traditional egg butter is on the buttery side which I am not at all opposed to. We will definitely be ordering again to get our handmade Finnish breakfast fix :) read more

Cute brunch spot that's lighter than your standard heavy American breakfast. I often can't decide between savory and sweet at breakfast and the breakfast boards are a great option to try a bit of everything. The savory and sweet porridge are also excellent. I almost always get the drinkable yogurt drink since it's not too sweet. The open faced sandwiches and pastries are also delicious. Okay...I've almost everything on this menu! Great brunch place with friends or just on your own! Only knocked off one star since service can be pretty slow. read more

Went to the Poutine popup. Waited over 30 minutes for our poutine and it cost $18. We also got a tiny bowl of pork rinds for $8. The pork rinds had hard pieces in them and they were difficult to eat. Extremely overpriced and very slow service. Isn't poutine supposed to be fastfood? read more

Service was bad and very long wait. They have very few staff, so there are no clean tables, also they kept messing up our orders. First they forgot our lattes, after going back after 30 min, they brought us the wrong milk, we asked for non dairy milk, gave us regular milk, then after we got the right milk it was not even warm. This place is very hectic and disordered. Food was mediocre - salty creamy/oily raw food. read more

Loved the brunch boards! Great way to try different items on the menu, each beautifully prepared. Also couldn't help but buy some pastries on the way out. The ambiance is super welcoming, glad to have this place in my neighbourhood! read more

The food is delicious and this place is super committed to it's Scandinavian theme. Nice interior design and appropriate menu items (don't come here expecting eggs benedict). I just went here for brunch and got the 7-item board and the shrimp sandwich. Everything was amazing; I particularly enjoyed the muesli and the broccoli hummus. read more

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So lucky to have this in my neighborhood. The daily pastries. The delightful (and seasonally updated) menu keeps me coming back in to see what's new! This is a great place to bring yourself, friends for a casual brunch date or parents from out of town with a sweet tooth. Cool vibes and even cooler waitstaff! read more

Kantine is a slice of heaven in what has become an insane world. I discovered their sublime rye bread at Rainbow Grocery and now order pickups at their place on Market St. Besides the baked goods... they make the most incredible grilled cheese sandwich I have ever had. Who thought a room temperature grilled sandwich may be better than one just off the grill. Can't wait until we will be invited to sit down inside again. Love this place. read more

Scandinavian breakfast, whaaaat?! The smoked trout salad and curried herring were amazing. I was disappointed that Karelian Pies weren't available, but overall very happy with this breakfast. My wife had the savory porridge and it was fantastic. read more

LOVE KANTINE!! great team working and awesome coffee. their cardamom morning buns are to die for and are a great pair with their cappuccinos. definitely recommend. read more

I have been waiting for this to open after enjoying the open faced sandwiches at the Farmers Market and a pop up. I came in the afternoon and couldn't decide what to have so I went for the brunch board. Everything was delicious! The smoked trout was fantastic and the lentil hummus was garnished with crispy shredded carrots for a nice contrast and the watermelon was great with the seasonings. Ordered an Americano which was delish - Heart coffee from Portland I hadn't tasted before. Looking forward to a weekend brunch to grab some sparkling wine with my meal next time. The porridge was perfect and I wish I could be creative in the kitchen to think of these interesting flavors and pairings. Perfect spot in the corner to watch the world go by on Market street on a padded bench. I'll be back! read more

Visited Kantine with our Danish exchange student. He vouched that the food is authentic. If you are iffy about trying the food, I recommend the breakfast sandwich with ham and havarti cheese. It is larger than you expect and had generous portions of ham. The board brunches are literal, they are served on a board. My vegetarian wife really like the selection of choices for brunch. Also, the rye bread was thick and heavy, as you would expect proper European bread to be. Overall, this place is a recommend for someone looking for a light European brunch. read more

I go to Kantine for brunch from time to time -- I generally like the food and ambiance. Today, though, they abruptly shut down the order line for food at noon, after I had already been waiting for several minutes, along with many other people. Supposedly there was a "fire safety issue", but they didn't explain what was going on, and as anyone who's eaten there knows, a lot of menu items don't even require any kind of stovetop cooking, baking, etc. at the time of order. The situation was really poorly handled and meant my friend and I had to find a different restaurant, new parking, etc. read more

This review is long overdue! I love Kantine. Delicious pastries, coffee, and food. It is a gem in the neighborhood that I would go to every weekend when I lived around the corner, and ever since I moved out of the neighborhood I haven't found another cafe/bakery I like as much! My favorite baked goods are the Tebirkes (it is a buttery, flaky pastry with almond filling and poppy seeds on top--a perfect balance of buttery and sweet with a hint of earthiness from the poppy seeds) and the Swedish Cinnamon Knot (soft and not too sweet). My favorite savory item is the Grovbirkes with ham and havarti cheese (get both, you'll thank me later!). If you don't want to wait in line, you can order ahead and pick up an hour later. Beyond being a wonderful cafe, the owner and staff are lovely and they have started hosting baking classes that are super fun and great for community building! I cannot recommend Kantine enough! read more

I have to say that that i miss this place so much. Best food best vibe . so happy you guys Re ipen for pickup it is the best breakfast ever.

Love everything about this place! Reminds me of the dishes I had in the Nordics and the ambience definitely has a Hygge vibe.