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    Viva Cafe

    4.8 (112 reviews)
    InexpensiveCafes
    Closed 7:00 am - 1:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Viva Cafe Photos

    VIVA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Chicken & rice, polenta & beans, lasagna
    Jennifer O.

    Phenomenal place. THE spot to get hearty, home cooked takeaway meals for a reasonable price: Baked salmon, chicken and rice, polenta, BBQ pork and more. The entrees are deeply flavorful and full of perfectly cooked fresh vegetables including carrots and cabbage. They use a heavy hand with garlic in their chicken and rice dish that made it especially savory. I ordered two Too Good To Go boxes that gave me a day off from cooking. I'll definitely return to choose entrees from their extensive carousel of items; one of us is definitely getting the chicken & rice! Super friendly service, welcoming atmosphere as if you're family. FiDi spot so open weekdays until 2 or 2:30. You gotta try this spot!

    Too Good to Go Box
    Amy L.

    Location instruction! Enter through the revolving door or the door to the left of it. Hug the left wall and walk alllll the way to the end. You should see their menu sign as soon and you walk in door. Also look for their little sign on street to mark where they are! I always do a Too Good to Go box because the portions is so generous! It's definitely enough for 1 meal but for my tiny stomach it's a meal and a half. The sides are usually the same with veggies, rice or couscous, black beans, macaroni salad all drizzled with the chimichurri sauce. The protein changes daily so I'm always excited to see what it is for the day. I've gotten it maybe 5-6 times already (usually salmon!) and it tastes good and consistent every single time! The chef is so welcoming and really takes care of you!

    Darlene A.

    Tucked away inside the 601 Montgomery building, Viva Café is a hidden gem if you're looking for a grab & go lunch. They serve hearty, flavorful meals at a fair price point. I first found out about them through Too Good To Go, but after trying it, I'll definitely be back to try more of their menu. My box came with a generous portion of salmon, yellow rice, beans, veggies, and mac & cheese. Everything was seasoned well and cooked perfectly ; the salmon was tender (not dry!) with a tasty sauce, rice was flavorful, & even the vegetables were crunchy and delicious. If you're in the area and want a quick but satisfying lunch, this little spot is worth checking out!

    Salmon with Chimichurri and balsamic greens
    Dalilah K.

    Amazing hidden gem. This spot is tucked away in building 601 on Montgomery but just keep walking a little bit once you enter the place and you won't miss it. The food is exquisite at a fantastic value. I got my salmon with chimichurri sauce atop a bed of greens with delicious balsamic. I was able to sample the mac and cheese, and chicken stew, which were equally delicious. The chef who owns the place is awesome, really great service. This is a grab and go spot but you will be made to feel at home. I will definitely be back for more!

    David K.

    Viva Café is a tiny eatery on the ground floor of an office building, squeezed into a narrow alleyway next to an elevator. This unassuming cafe offers one of the most affordable hot lunch deals via Too Good To Go. My hot entree came with a fillet of salmon served with salsa verde along with yellow rice, black beans, mac and cheese, cabbage, and zucchini. Each element was tasty (though nothing too outstanding), and this daily selection was definitely worth the price. The service was quick and friendly

    Too Good to Go Surprise Box
    Kathleen P.

    This café is located inside an office building and can be a bit tricky to find due to the lack of visible signage. I picked up a Too Good To Go meal and was impressed with the experience. Despite arriving at 12 p.m. on a Monday, there were only three people ahead of me, and I waited just five minutes. My meal was pre-prepared, and the process was efficient--simply swiping on the app, and my box was promptly handed to me. Cutlery and napkins are conveniently placed near the security desk. The meal itself was delicious, featuring couscous, salmon with chimichurri sauce, mixed vegetables, and rice with beans. There's a small seating area in the lobby with room for five, though only one table suited for an individual diner. It appears that customers can select items they'd like, with generous portions provided. The employees gave off a warm and welcoming vibe despite it being a grab n' go type place.

    Pear pastry

    Amazing home-style food made by some of the nicest people you'll meet. Totally unexpected from its location - a small stall in the back corner of a corporate office building. Everything is fresh and made from scratch. The baked goods are exceptional as well. Almost hesitant to post a review to keep it low key since they tend to sell out at lunch.

    Roasted Salmon, wild turkey Mac and Cheese, veggies
    Stacy T.

    Love this place! It's the perfect intersection of value and quality. Portions are hearty and served with enthusiasm! I personally go for the salmon every time and that chimichuri green sauce takes to the next level. It's a restaurant quality entree packed in a to-go box for lunch. All of their sides are super flavorful and you can't go wrong with anything they serve. Even the rice is packed with flavor! You can tell they are proud of the product they are putting out. Owner run and operated. Go and support small businesses!

    Vinny is incredible, good is just as good. Highly recommend. Got the bbq. It wants more words but that's all I've got to say. Pretty happy

    Priscilla L.

    I happened to be in the neighborhood and used the TooGoodToGo App for this pickup of random food item during this weekday lunch time pickup. This cafe is pretty much a hidden spot that only tenants in this big building complex will know about. It is basically a takeout location where you order food from I think it was only one lady working there. I felt kind of bad waiting in line with other workers in this building and seeing one lady worker take my order and also fries up my food all at the same time. A line of 5 people including myself. I had no idea what she was making and still don't know what I ate. I think made everything on the spot with polenta, beans, chicken and shrimp dish that she threw together into take out paper container. Surprisingly It was heavy and lots of food in there! I was pretty impressed because if you hungry, you can easily get two or 3 meals out of it. It doesn't look pretty, but it's better and more healthier than those evil fast food places out there! People working here will never starve with this tiny place here that gives good portion side. I call it the "Mashed up box"where they seemed to mix everything together in a box and tastes pretty natural. Like many others mentioned earlier, it is a hole in a wall like other reviewers have mentioned. Even I walked passed this building and walked in circles before I went inside cautiously and walked around in another circle to find this place on the corner literally (a hole on the corner wall). My tummy was pleased with no issues and had feeling of being healthy with polenta because i normally don't eat that stuff.

    chicken, polenta, beans, cabbage, rice- all delish

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    This place is a bit hidden. The food is fresh and delicious. I will definitely go back.

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    Kiss Of Matcha - Matcha Coconut

    Kiss Of Matcha

    4.3(243 reviews)
    0.3 miNorth Beach/Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill
    $
    Locally owned & operated
    Women-owned & operated

    Stopped by Kiss of Matcha on Broadway the other day. Honestly wasn't expecting much but it…read moresurprised me. Ordered the double matcha latte. It actually tastes like matcha, not just sweet milk. Strong but smooth, not bitter. You can tell they're using good quality powder. Service was fast and pretty easygoing. No wait when I went. If you're picky about matcha, this place does it right. I'll come back next time I'm in the area.

    This is a really good matcha spot, I love matcha and this place doesn't have the grainy matcha feel…read morethat a lot of other places have when pre batched. The color, magnificent honestly, the dango is good to try for the first time, but I wouldn't get again. As for the lattes, the mango one is pretty good, super mangoey and sweet, so just remember to stir it pretty well before sipping. Strawberry was pretty good, also pretty sweet. The earl grey was my fave, easy to control the sugar level and very fragrant. The earl grey and matcha does not over power each other which I really liked. The soft serve, is suuuper good. It's like a thick matcha icecream, and it's sweet but not too sweet. I would visit this place again if I'm in SF! Service is a bit slow but that's understandable because they're always busy.

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    Kiss Of Matcha - Matcha Marshmallow Latte

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    Kiss Of Matcha - Matcha with whipped cream, matcha with strawberry puree

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    Matcha Cafe Maiko - Maiko Special

    Matcha Cafe Maiko

    4.6(337 reviews)
    0.2 miChinatown
    $

    I'm no stranger to Matcha Maiko but this was my first time trying it in SF Chinatown. There was a…read morebit of a line on a Friday afternoon. Service was quick and efficient. The place is small with simple decor and while there's a small counter seating area it'll get crowded very quickly with people ordering and waiting. We got a boba sundae (matcha + vanilla) and a matcha coffee. The matcha coffee was surprisingly smooth and well mixed. The soft serve was perfect. The chewiness of the boba was satisfying and the ice cream was creamy. Definitely recommend stopping by for a sweet treat as you walk the streets of Chinatown.

    Lovely matcha cafe and ice cream spot! I typically don't *love* sweets, but I was super impressed…read moreby this spot. I came by for dessert after grabbing dinner with a few friends in Chinatown, and it certainly lived up to all their recommendations. I got their matcha ice cream, which was super creamy and smooth, and it had a lovely matcha flavor without being either overly sweet or bitter / herbal. I think I would've preferred even less sweet, but this seemed like a great balance for the average set of tastebuds. If you want it to be a little extra sweet, you can get it swirled with their vanilla. Very randomly, they also have the best waffle cone I've ever had -- it's super crunchy and crispy, has a good amount of sweetness, and is remarkably thin for how good its structural integrity is. They also have a fun rotating duo of seasonal flavors -- jasmine and ube for our visit -- that the staff is more than happy to let you sample before you order. The ube didn't have a particularly strong ube flavor, but I loved the refreshing and floral flavor of the jasmine -- if I could've swirled the matcha and jasmine together, I absolutely would have.

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    Matcha Cafe Maiko - Strawberry calpico soft serve

    Strawberry calpico soft serve

    Matcha Cafe Maiko - Black sesame latte - has a nut taste! Yum!

    Black sesame latte - has a nut taste! Yum!

    Matcha Cafe Maiko - Matcha soft serve + Ube with Thai Tea swirl

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    JOE & THE JUICE - Spicy Tuna

    JOE & THE JUICE

    3.2(386 reviews)
    0.2 miFinancial District
    $$

    The Nutty tastes like a Ferraro Rocher. The chocolate one was really good. I wish they made…read moresmoothies in a thicker texture though. I don't know if it's healthy but it tastes good so I'll be back.

    FOOD. SERVICE. AMBIANCE: It's been about 8 months since I…read moreboycotted JOE & THE JUICE because of awful business practices I go into in previous reviews. Today I thought I'd give J&J another chance. 8 months to read citicisms and get its act together. SERVICE: JOE & THE JUICE gained a bad reputation in the Bay Area pre-covid for flagrantly disregarding city law that prohibits retail businesses from going strictly cashless. For good reason: Refusing paper and coin currency is defacto segregation against Black and Brown folks and the working poor and those on a fixed income who are more likely to be restricted to cash transactions. This is an unjust policy, refusing to take "certain people's " money and in my book equals BAD SERVICE. FOOD & BEVERAGES: Upon my return to the large JOE & THE JUICE location in San Francisco's Financial District - which I used to frequent most days of the week for years before the boycott - I ordered my signature drink, Americano + extra shot of espresso with milk. Now although J&J is wildly overpriced compared to other espresso bars and snack joints, the Danish (J&J is a Denmark import and not locally owned, so maybe they don't understand how we do here in the USA) ownership refuses to provide the paying customer options between 1/2&1/2, Whole Milk, 4% Milk, etc. It carries only 2% milk which is just above lightly flavored water. I always have 1/2&1/2 with my cofffee but not at J&J, despite the high prices customers pay. I used to stock this location myself with 1/2&1/2 out of my own pocket from the Walgreens across the street, which a customer shouldn't have to do. BEVERAGES: Well my Americano, honestly, was awful. Tasted like dirty dish water. Old stale coffee bean flavor only slightly diluted luke warm water. BAD PRODUCT. SERVICE: It appears JOE & THE JUICE ownership and management are back to their old tricks again refusing cash payment. I told the manager it's city law thay accept cash payment - payment equality - and he conceded he knew this is the law. I was given the excuse the cash register just happened to be broken and they were waiting repairs, but trust me as one who knows J&J very well this is just BS: they're told to tell customers or city inspectors this and cynically keep going on with their segregationist policy. BAD. BAD. BAD SERIVICE!

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    JOE & THE JUICE - Interior

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    JOE & THE JUICE - Matcha Latte 16oz @colorful.eats

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    JOE & THE JUICE - Big fan of the interior design.

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    Caffe Trieste - Ciao! Cappuccino! Italian style! Caffé Trieste, Little Italy!

    Caffe Trieste

    3.9(852 reviews)
    0.3 miNorth Beach/Telegraph Hill
    $

    I had my first espresso drinks in San Francisco, at Caffe Trieste, back in 1977. I'd grown up in an…read moreArab household, so I wasn't surprised by strong coffee, but the creamy, startlingly rich flavor of Italian coffee made me grateful. The place had history, but it wasn't my history, and the hippie/poet thing was lost on me. I did, however, dig the opera à la minute, and knowing that people before me had found the place important helped to make being there seem important, or at least, valuable, to me. These days, the Caffe is a little shopworn, clouded with a sluggishness that we old-timers recognize in ourselves. And sometimes, it's overrun by tourists, or worse, by ostentatious poseurs who write there because someone they've read about used to write there. No matter. The coffee is still good, and there's still music on the weekends. Try to visit, and try not to think of yourself as the star of the show happening around you.

    This place is a beloved landmark of North Beach. It's been around since 1956, it was a hangout for…read morethe artists and writers of the "beat generation", and it kick started the "espresso movement." This was the first of now many espresso shops in the city. And after all these years, the same family still owns and runs the place, passed down through generations. I've been coming here for some 50 years since the 70s, and I love to stop here when I'm in the city. Today, I had a café, Fantasia, which is a mocha with almond syrup. I also had a slice of the apricot pastry. They have a good selection of pastries. The coffee was deep and rich, and the pastry was flaky, and very good quality.. The price was reasonable. They are cash only, so hit up the ATM before you come here, or, they also have their own . They also have an annex next-door, where they sell, souvenirs, bulk, coffee, little coffee, pots, etc.. as long as they are here, I will keep coming back. I hope they keep going for a long, long time. Grazie tante...

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    Caffe Trieste - Eclectic spirit, meeting of coffee, free thinking, art, and a jukebox that plays free tunes.

    Eclectic spirit, meeting of coffee, free thinking, art, and a jukebox that plays free tunes.

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    Viva Cafe - cafes - Updated May 2026

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