St. Francis Fountain

Cool little throwback diner with all the charm of the fifties without the problematic memories. The food was exceptional with many vegan options across all food groups.I shared a 3 vegan pancake plate, which was quite enough to share being filling and delicious. Also had the vegan nebulous potato thing, which was so good like a rustic home style nacho fries.Was gladly surprised by the soy milkshake that we added strawberries to and made an excellent topper to a superb breakfast.Quick service, flavorful creative menu items and the classic aesthetic make this a must return place in San Francisco.

Blondie is not a fan of tacos, burritos, etc. That's pretty tough if you're on 24th Street and hungry. Fortunately, I knew that there is an old school diner, so we walked down to St Francis.The vibe is right out of the 50s. But the food is much fresher. I ordered huevos rancheros, which came with an interesting black bean side covered with cilantro. There's also a side of chopped tomato with queso. The egg yolks were plenty runny, which was great. There were also two tortillas, if you want to package your food, so to speak. But they got soggy fast. Oh well, it still tastes great.Blondie's grilled cheese looked excellent, and disappeared fast. The French fries looked fresh cut. Service was fast and friendly. A nice alternative on the street, if you want it.

San Francisco's oldest diner is still serving up amazing food in the year 2024. I had the Vegan Thing and it was ridiculously delicious. It's quite literally a delectable mess - soft tofu - serving as sort of mock eggs, Soyrizo crumbled into every bite, hearty hunks of potato, gooey, sliced mushrooms (I detest mushroom but it was more than tolerable as it was just a small amount), silky vegan cheese melted all throughout - topped with beautifully fresh guacamole. A hearty vegan meal. My brain says this is breakfast food but honestly - I could go to town on this at any time of day. We were a large group - EVERYONE loved their food! Everyone also commented that their fries were "real fries" - thick but not too thick - perfectly cooked - flawless. This is a legacy business. I yearn for the days of the old St Francis Fountain - that had heart and felt like a home away from home. As it is now - we were ushered into the side/attached room that smelled old and damp and funky - and had a cafeteria vibe. I don't know - the charm of the St Francis Fountain I used to frequent is all but gone. At least they still have some very sparse holdovers in some original decor on the walls - that's about it. We mostly dealt with the manager - I forget how to spell his name but apparently it's pronounced like "Ronny" I think. He was okay. He seemed to barely tolerate us from the get-go. Maybe it was an off day - I'll give him that. He was disconnected - disinterested - almost dismissive. No, we didn't slip in just before closing. No, the place wasn't slammed. We were all happy, quiet and respectful - not sure what rubbed him the wrong way. We weren't impressed. The bathroom. It's not very clean. I had to clean pee off the toilet seat, there was pee on the ground, it smelled like pee, etc. A bit gross - but! Not the grossest public restroom I've used. Still, I expected a little more from a food establishment. It can be awkward if you're pee-shy - it's basically *very* near a booth - facing the booth, to be specific. You go there making eye contact with someone on one side of the booth and come out making eye contact with someone on the other side haha. No biggie. The door was too loose for my comfort. I peed while leaning forward and holding tightly to the doorknob. There's a flimsy slide lock to keep the door closed and it's hanging on for dear life. It's also loose enough that it seems like the door will flap open, just enough, for the restaurant to see you sitting on the toilet. It would take someone 10 minutes max to break out the drill and re-align the lock. Just putting that out there. So do I recommend this place? Yes - for the food! For the history! The atmosphere is lacking (yes, even for a diner). The service was bare minimum. The bathroom is gross and a bit strange. But seriously - the food is top tier and the location truly is magnificent.Updating the menus was a wonderful and strategic move! This keeps them competitive and will turn diners into loyal customers. They should consider leaning into their history a bit more, tho. The history is what keeps us coming back - generations of our family have eaten there. It's sad to see a little less of that history each time we return. Having a conversation with a local who's been there for decades - I learned we weren't alone in that thinking. We moved a long time ago but return to the old neighborhood to see how the Mission is getting along. St Francis should print up some historic photos, frame and hang them. Print up some of the articles written about them. Add some throwback decor. Right now, it just seems like a rundown building that's seen better days. If they remind people of why it's a little rough - it would be embraced and not unfairly judged..... Just my two cents.Go to St Francis Fountain. Eat the incredible food they're serving up - put money into the owners hands to keep the place going. If you have a little time, familiarize yourself with that location and then go eat there with fresh eyes. It's pretty cool. We don't want to lose this place like we lost Roosevelt Tamale Parlor (another location - right there - that was rich with storied history). Go. Eat. Tip. Keep it alive.

One of the best places to get vegan breakfast/brunch in SF!St. Francis Fountain is an old-school diner-style brunch restaurant. They have old-school booths inside and they even sell old-school candy at the counter! You already know they make delicious milkshakes diner-style.Their menu includes a bunch of diner classics such as eggs, pancakes, and more, but the best part is that they have vegan options for every category!They make tofu scramble instead of eggs. They have vegan sausage and vegan pancakes. They make this thing called The Vegan THING, which is just a giant boal of their house potatoes topped with guac, salsa, other toppings.Wait times can get very long on weekends, so I would recommend going early or later than standard brunch times.

One of my favorite breakfast spot that open early. I always forget to snap a picture of the fabulous food, so I remember this time. It's the basic breakfast items with its own unique flavors, every plate I tried on the menu did not disappiont . Go early because they fill up fast and close early.

Quaint and cozy diner with an impressive vegan selection. It was crowded but no wait for the counter.

Get the veggie mess! Get the banana bread! Went to this place years ago and was so delicious to return today. Super cute inside and love their veggie options and the fact that they have banana bread as an option for the toasts. The soyrizo was so good! Service was okay, could've been a little warmer but it's okay. Waited a bit for coffee refills and for the check but regardless loved it all.

Okay, I've only been here once, but I gotta say, it's a really cool spot. Once you're in, it's like you're back in the 1940s-50s. Very old-school, classic feel to the decor and everything. I mean, it's been around since 1918, and I assume not too much has changed from the looks of it.I love that they have vegetarian/vegan/lactose intolerant friendly menu choices. I got the "Veggie Mess" and freshly squeezed OJ. It's basically a very thick omelet. Scrumptious and a generously filling portion for a reasonable price. I am certainly stoked to come back and try more of the menu.They have a vintage candy counter which is definitely an interesting browze and includes old trading cards.

A couple of friends ans I came here for Saturday brunch because they had a decent amount of vegan options. Parking.... Street parkingAmbiance.... It felt like old run down diner-soda-fountain vibes. Not very inviting and I would not have felt drawn to it if I was just walking down the street.Service... AWFUL. The waitress asked if we were ready and when we said no, she looked upset and never came back. The other waitress who served us looked like also had a bad attitude and seemed like she didn't want to be there at all. It was intimidating just to ask for a Togo box. They don't come and check if you need anything and don't make you feel welcomed.Food... just fine. The corn beef has was nothing special. My friend ordered the vegan mess and it came with bread toasted with butter. Overall the food was heavy, oil, and not memorable.I don't think I would return.

when I got there my expectations were low but Man what a delicious vegan breakfast, there is many different options for vegan, the portions are great and the service is very nice and kind. The ambience is pretty cool, decoration at the restaurant takes you to the past. I'm very satisfied with this restaurant. Thank you.