Tadaima Mission — Restaurant in San Francisco

Tasty & Frightening

Take a look at the people frequenting this business. Now, take a walk down Mission Street. What do you see? Lately, we’ve been watching the slow creep of “progress” inching its way from Valencia Street to Mission. This is gentrification.

That’s not to say you’re wrong for going here—by no means. It’s all quite tasty. Yet, I urge you again to take a walk down Mission Street. The customers you see here are rarely found elsewhere (unless, of course, you walk down Valencia). There are no muted, soft colors. No noise-canceling headphones and pensively journaling visitors. Instead, you’ll find the community who works and lives in the Mission.

This reflects the third (3/4) wave of gentrification, where new businesses reshape the cultural identity of a neighborhood. While some local spots remain, their survival is increasingly uncertain as trendy spaces draw in a wealthier crowd. The changes aren’t inherently bad, but they mark a shift away from the Mission’s rich, historic roots toward something more curated and homogeneous.

Historic, small family-owned places are closing because their customers are disappearing. And instead of working to preserve these spaces, we choose spots like this—comfortable, with the warm embrace of lattes that offer no challenge.

I walk by this place every day, and the cognitive dissonance of this city is frightening. The storefronts went empty because the people who once relied on them disappeared—they could no longer afford to live here. The businesses vanished alongside them. These empty spaces are now filled by newcomers who can afford them.

So, by all means, visit this place. But also explore the others. Grand Coffee, just down the street, actually serves sparkling water with espresso. If you’re lucky, you’ll hear locals talking politics, disagreeing, and still being friends. If you’re brave, join in. Go to Jim’s, have a coffee, and sit in awe at this time capsule of Americana. Eat at Pete’s.

When I asked to speak to the manager here, they were...

Another TikTok flop. I was ecstatic to discover a Hojicha Latte cafe within walking distance with what appeared to be the fluffiest Japanese egg sandos. Expectations were high, so we ordered $70+ worth of items we immediately took home to devour. (Unfortunately, I didn’t take photos.) When we arrived around 11:20 AM on Sunday, we waited about 30 minutes to order, 10 minutes for our drinks, and another 20 minutes to receive our food. Service was efficient and friendly.

Hojicha Latte: 3/5—As a self-proclaimed hojicha latte connoisseur, I was disappointed. If it’s your first time, you’ll probably love it, but as a veteran, I found it overly sweet and didn’t find they blended the hojicha well, so it left a gritty aftertaste.

Sandos: 3/5—We had the chicken and egg, and both Sandos had an offsetting bread-to-filling ratio. The bread wasn’t the buttery, fluffy Japanese version I was expecting; thus, despite it looking fluffy, the bread ratio was significantly higher due to the density. The egg sando had a highly concentrated chive flavor and lacked the golden yolk I was awaiting. I also felt the egg salad was mushy, like mashed potatoes, instead of the chunks you would typically see. The chicken karage sando was fine and probably the best thing I ate there - still, I felt like it lacked the delicate crunch and juicy white chicken I was anticipating. I also felt the honey mustard sauce was overly abundant and overpowering the karage.

Omurice, Spam, and Pork Floss: 2/5 - I can only say I felt like I was eating a spoonful of salt. From the overly seasoned rice to the salty egg that wasn’t contributed from the pork floss, this was not it.

We also bought a matcha latte with cheese foam and two musubis. The musubi is sitting on our kitchen counter because I am reluctant to eat it.

Is this an ok place to try? Sure. Would I...

One thing about me is that I will always try an onigiri, so when I heard about this spot that not only served onigiri, but also served matcha and sandos, I knew I HAD to come.

I've seen this place a lot on social media, so I was concerned about the crowds. I went this past Sunday a little after one. There was a short line, but it eventually became no line. I probably just caught the end of the lunch rush. The line moved pretty fast. The inside is clean and small, but it was a little crowded because everyone was waiting for their food. There are a few small tables lining the side and a few tables outside. I imagine that when it's more crowded, you're better off taking your food to eat at the park.

I decided to order an iced matcha latte with oat milk and two onigiri, yuzu salmon and snow crab. Note, the alternative milk coated extra and you're not allowed to order just one onigiri.

I didn't have to wait long for my drink. It was pretty sweet, so if I were to come again, I would see if I could order unsweetened. Despite that, the matcha seemed like good quality.

The onigiri were ready about 10 minutes after my drink. Unfortunately, they weren't my favorite. I appreciate the unique filling, but I don't think they were worth the price. They were small and the yuzu was a little overpowering. Maybe I just prefer the no frills onigiri that I can get at places like Kissako Tea in Japantown.

That being said, everything seemed like it was high quality and crafted with care. I will come back to try their sandos and other onigiri fillings. This place isn't the cheapest or quickest, but it's a cute spot for a fancier snack...