One of the things they don't tell you about growing up is how wonderful brunch is, a misspent youth meant I rarely saw lunchtime on a weekend. You get a little older and a lot less single and find yourself spending less time hugging the bathroom floor on a Sunday morning; suddenly breakfast sounds like a great idea.
Finding a great brunch spot in a new city is often a gamble involving overcooked eggs and generous but doughy pancakes. Luckily for us it turns out that one of the best brunch spots in San Francisco happens to be in our building.Sweet Maple is a bustling cafe in Pacific Heights, at the corner of Steiner and Sutter Streets; often found with a large cult following queued up on the sidewalk outside. They only open for Breakfast and Lunch (9am - 3pm) and have a menu to match, but with this kind of business you can't imagine they need to open for dinner.
The waits can be long; being in our building we have the choice of pottering down at will but I would recommend coming before 10am or after 1:30pm on a weekend. The cafe caters well to the queue though with magazines, free coffee and water on hand as well as numerous chairs and benches.
Americano $2.75USD (milk based espresso drinks $3.75USD)
The coffee is easily the best I've had in San Francisco. They use all single origin coffees with a standard 2 shots per drink; delicious.
Big Hip French Toast - Millionaire style $12.95USD
Hass Benedict $13.50USD
I love the variations they have on classic dishes here; in this case I have ordered an eggs benedit with slices of roasted turkey, an entire avocado and a divine Chipotle Hollandaise. The sauce is delicious and the meat flavourful and moist, though I do not eat them I am assured that the side order of varietal potatoes is excellent.
The selections are endless though - all the meats are grass fed and delicious, the bread products are top quality (a notable a rarity in the US). Though pricey at $4.75 the homemade sausages, pork lime or chicken apple, are a definite must as a side for the protein lover. Fruit, pancakes, egg dishes and even lunch meals like salads and burgers are available. There's also a huge range of sides and additions for an extra on your meal, I can't imagine anyone not finding a dish they loved. Everything is delicious and the entire restaurant is filled with smug looking patrons.
What amazes me more than than the food is the service; despite being busy we are seated quickly and attended to graciously. The food comes within a few minutes of us ordering. What else can I say? This is almost the perfect brunch venue, much recommended and I look forward to taking visitors.
Sweet Maple
2101 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA
(415) 655-9169
Come early or late or expect to wait
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nice post
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