Irving Cafe and Deli is my favorite cafe for Vietnamese sandwiches and tapioca desserts. There are many other cafes that try to do what they do, that is to make yummy Vietnamese sandwiches, but they don’t come close. I have been coming here for over 15 years for their sandwiches and noodle plates. I usually get their BBQ chicken sandwich, which cost $4 now due to inflation but is still cheap in the world of sandwiches. What you’ll get is a crispy French roll filled with warm BBQ chicken, a slice of cucumber, and shredded carrots, finished with their special sauce and mayonnaise. Heavenly!

Irving Cafe and Deli also has pork, pate, sardine (yum!), among other flavors. If you don’t feel like a sandwich, you can get a cold noodle plate, spring rolls, or their yummy tapioca desserts displayed in their fridge. Today I tried the young coconut pandan dun dan, which is a coconut flavored cold custard. Delicious! When you’re on Irving Street in San Francisco, check out Irving Cafe and Deli for an inexpensive, yet deliciously satisfying meal. Note: It’s a teeny tiny cafe so most people buy to go.

Irving Cafe and Deli
2146 Irving St
San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 681-2326