Sweet Joanna's Cafe — Restaurant in San Francisco

San Francisco is a shadow of it's former self. Where restaurants and cafe's used to have lines at lunchtime, now the few surviving places have to fight for the few patrons that are still left. Sweet Joanna's Cafe is a small restaurant that serves sandwiches and sweet treats at Breakfast and lunch time in San Francisco. I have happened in there several times when I was in the area, but the last time I was there I witnessed the owner's generosity as I never had before. There was a homeless person there with only $8 to his name, and wanted to buy some food from the menu. When his food was served to him by the owner, the owner told him to keep his money and take the food. With the restaurant having to fight for paying patrons, this act of generosity showed me that for the owner of Sweet Joanna's, it's not always about profit, sometimes it's about people. When you are in the area, I recommend that you patronize this establishment, the food is good and fresh, and the staff and owner has heart that is rarely...

Ok.. I just hit the jackpot with this Cafe'. I have been craving a hot pastrami sandwich for the longest time thinking the only place to satisfy my craving will be in New York until I gave Sweet Joanna’s a try. I was lucky to be there when one of the owners, Mr. Zaro, took my order and confidently assured me that their sandwiches are the best. He was not lying. I got the best looking layered sandwich of pastrami, cheese, pastrami, avocado, pastrami lettuce and tomatoes on a warm Dutch crunch. I had to take a photo of this master piece to post here. I was in heaven when I took the first bite. The bread, the cheese and pastrami were heated first, explained Mr. Zaro, then the other fixings were added. That way you get an amazing crunchy bread with warm pastrami, melted cheese and the fresh veggies. This place will be my first stop when I am in San Francisco. It is clean with friendly staff and a...

Bit of history: I used to come to Sweet Joanna's Cafe almost every day in the late 99s and early 2000s when my graphic design firm was around the corner. (In a warehouse building that no longer exists.) The food and coffee was always good, prepared quickly, prices excellent and the owner, his wife and family were sweet and super friendly. I sometimes would sit with the owner in front during lunch while he sipped his soup, apron still on. I don't know if it's the same owners, but it's a family name, so I'm hopeful. The entire neighborhood is physically different now of course, but in walking through via Google Maps Street View I'm heartened to see that Sweet Joanna's is still there making...