Adam Hubbell loves sandwiches, which is probably why he's at the helm of one of Hayes Valley's most popular spots for lunch, The Lunchpad.
Six days a week, Hubbell and his team take over the otherwise unused kitchen at Noir Lounge (581 Hayes St.) in the morning and afternoon, serving sandwiches and salads from 9am-2:30pm. Although that technically makes The Lunchpad a "pop-up", Hubbell prefers the term "shared space," since the Lunchpad has been a permanent daytime fixture at Noir since it debuted in April 2013. "We've been pigeonholed as a pop-up because people don't really know what to call us," he said.
On a good day, Hubbell estimates The Lunchpad sells over a hundred sandwiches. That tally doesn't include catering orders, where people have requested anywhere from five to 500 sandwiches on a given day. Considering the Lunchpad's team usually consists of just three people, it takes some ingenuity and planning to pump out such a high volume of sandwiches without interrupting Noir's evening operations.
"We can't prep during our off hours, because we don't have any," Hubbell said. "It's a matter of us getting here early, and finding the time while we're open."
The Lunchpad is very much a family affair. After the restaurant in Boulder, Colorado where Adam served as the general manager was bought out, his brother Mark, encouraged him to head west to start a food business. So Adam, who's been working in the food industry since he was 16, moved to the city in 2013 to join Mark and his wife, Mickey.
The brothers originally planned to launch a food truck, but the costs and permit obligations proved to be too high. But Mark still wanted to invest in his younger brother, so along with friend Chris Snowden, he put up the dough to get The Lunchpad off the ground. Mickey is also involved, running the company's marketing and pitching in wherever she's needed.
Working in Hayes Valley has been a plus for Adam. "We immediately got a good response from all the other business owners in the neighborhood. Businesses recommend us to people who are looking for a good sandwich, and we return the favor by sending people back to their establishments. Nabila's, Souvla, Patxi's, Brass Tacks, Suppenkuche, and Two Sisters are all great neighbors. Everyone pulls together here, and it's really cool."
Along with the strong community of merchants, Hubbell attributes his success to serving high-quality products. "We put out a consistently good product. I think they're elevated sandwiches. We sometimes get some flak about our prices, but I don't think we're outside of a reasonable cost. Everything is made from quality ingredients, and there's a premium to pay with that."
Hubbell creates most of the sandwiches himself, drawing inspiration from menu items he sees elsewhere and feels could use something more. A great example is his take on a turkey sandwich, The Turkey Drizzle ($12), which is one of the shop's most popular items. In addition to roast turkey, Swiss cheese, greens, and tomatoes, it features exotic additions like habañero candied bacon, cashew pesto, caramelized onions, giardiniera, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction.
The Turkey Drizzle. (Photo: Mimi Jones)
Daily specials are also offered, like the Chicken Run ($12), with fried buttermilk chicken, sweet & spicy slaw, Swiss, and garlic aioli. Hubbell is particularly proud of his pickles ($3), which are made in-house using a recipe from his grandfather.
Grandpa Kurtz's pickles.
In the future, Hubbell hopes to open his own brick-and-mortar space, serving breakfast and dinner as well as lunch. "I'm surprised there aren't more people doing three meals a day," he said. "There are a lot of places that aren't open during the day that could be doing more business."
When he does get his own spot, he's hoping that he'll be able to stay in Hayes Valley. "We love the patronage and the community feel of Hayes Valley. It's such a welcoming community of both merchants and residents alike. It's by far the most social and community-driven neighborhood. We'd really love to stay here if we can."
