If you love travel and food, as I do, you would have spent nearly every Uber ride in the last year talking with drivers about where they come from (an overwhelming number of them are immigrants) and, amongst other things, where they go to get a taste of home when they’re away from home.
What follows is my compiled list of restaurant recommendations from countless Uber drivers. Every establishment here was recommended by someone from the country of origin of that cuisine who regularly patronizes the business.
Korean
Han IL Kwan, 1802 Balboa St (at 19th), San Francisco
(415) 752-4447
Arang, 1506 Fillmore St (at Geary), San Francisco
(415) 775-9095
Turkish
A La Turca, 869 Geary St (at Larkin), San Francisco
(415) 345-1011
Pera, 1457 18th St, San Francisco (at Connecticut), San Francisco
(415) 796-3812
Moroccan
El Mansour, 3119 Clement St (at 32nd), San Francisco
(415) 751-2312
Cafe Zitouna, 1201 Sutter St (at Polk), San Francisco
(415) 673-2622
Yemenese
Saha, Hotel Carlton, 1075 Sutter St (at Larkin), San Francisco
(415) 345-9547
Indian
Mehfil, 2301 Fillmore St (at Clay), San Francisco
(415) 614-1010
Golden Gate Indian Cuisine & Pizza, 1388 46th Ave (at Judah), San Francisco
(415) 564-5514
Cafe Chaat, 320 3rd St (at Folsom), San Francisco
(415) 979-9946
Amber, 25 Yerba Buena Ln (at Market), San Francisco
(415) 777-0500
Japanese
Kirala, 2100 Ward St (at Shattuck), Berkeley
(510) 549-3486
Tibetan
Potala Organic Cafe, 1045 San Pablo Ave, Albany, CA
(510) 528-2375
Scandinavian
Plaj, 333 Fulton St (at Franklin), San Francisco
(415) 294-8925
Ethiopian
Addis Ethiopian Restaurant, 6100 Telegraph Ave (at 61st), Oakland
(510) 653-3456
Sheba Piano Lounge, 1419 Fillmore St (at Ellis), San Francisco
(415) 440-7414
Asmara, 5020 Telegraph Ave (at 51st), Oakland
(510) 547-5100
Café Eritrea D’Afrique, 4069 Telegraph Ave (at 41st), Oakland
(510) 547-4520
Nicaraguan
Las Tinajas, 2338 Mission St (at 19th), San Francisco
(415) 695-9933
Brazilian
Espetus Churrascaria, 710 S B St (at 7th), San Mateo, CA
(650) 342-8700
Minas Brazilian Restaurant & Cachaçaria (formerly Canto do Brasil), 41 Franklin St (at Market), San Francisco
(415) 626-8727
Cleo’s Steak House, 446 San Mateo Ave, San Bruno, CA
(650) 615-9120
Puerto Rican
Sol Food, 903 Lincoln Ave (at 3rd), San Rafael, CA
(415) 451-4765
Pakistani
Chutney, 511 Jones St (at O’Farrell), San Francisco
(415) 931-5541
Armenian
Royal Market Food & Bakery, 5335 Geary Blvd (at 17th), San Francisco
(415) 221-5550
Cantonese
R&G Lounge, 631 Kearny St (at Clay), San Francisco
(415) 982-7877
Peruvian
Limón Rotisserie, 1001 S. Van Ness Ave (at 21st), San Francisco
(415) 821-2134
Fresca, 24 W. Portal Ave (at Ulloa), San Francisco
(415) 759-8087
Palestinian
Old Jerusalem, 2976 Mission St (at 26th), San Francisco
(415) 642-5958
Nepalese
I was told about a food truck, Everest, that frequents Off the Grid at Fort Mason, but couldn’t find anything about it online.
I was also told about Curry Without Worry, a nonprofit founded by Nepalese chef Shrawan Nepali that runs a food truck, free of charge, for the poor in downtown San Francisco and Kathmandu, Nepal. The organization and its mission certainly qualify for an honorable mention.