Interested in exploring the newest food businesses to open in SoMa? From a Greek bakery to an upscale restaurant, read on for a list of the newest culinary hotspots to make their debuts in this area of San Francisco.
The Argentum Project
47 Sixth St.
The Argentum Project is a bakery and Greek deli, offering pita sandwiches, frozen yogurt, pastries and more.
The cafe features hot and cold coffee and tea, organic salads and sandwiches, authentic Greek sodas and an assortment of Greek honey, olive oil, dips, beer and wine. On the menu, look for the Greek grilled cheese with feta, green pepper and tomato, and the prosciutto sandwich with fig jam.
The soft-serve frozen Greek yogurt comes with toppings like cherries, housemade baklava crumbles, honey syrup and more.
Yelpers are excited about The Argentum Project, which currently holds five stars out of 16 reviews on the site.
"Such a wonderful addition to the neighborhood," wrote Yelper Alan H. "It offers sandwiches, espresso drinks, cookies, pastries, frozen yogurt, soft serve, prepared salads and Greek grocery items. My sandwich was good. It was served on pita bread and was full of flavor."
Yelper Charlotte H. added, "Got the fig and prosciutto sandwich and it was so good. You can tell they're using authentic high-end ingredients and the sandwiches are made from scratch."
The Argentum Project is open from 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. on weekdays. (It's closed on weekends.)
Mateo's
1455 Market St.
The Uber building recently debuted the second location of Mission taqueria Mateo's, known for its scratch-made vegan rice and beans, salsa and gluten-free chips. The eatery uses organic cage-free eggs, fresh local produce and hormone-free meat.
Look for Cali burritos filled with steak, tots, cheese and avocado; dirty tacos made with tots, bacon, cheese, pico and jalapeños; and beer-battered Baja fish tacos with slaw and aioli. Beverage options include caffeinated drinks, lavender lemonade, aguas frescas and horchata.
With a 3.5-star rating out of seven reviews on Yelp, Mateo's is still finding its way, but it's early days.
"The place is small and freaking cute," Yelper Patricia H. wrote. "The decor is alive and vibrant with decorative art pieces on the wall. The staff is super bubbly, sweet and welcoming ... The Cali burrito is so bomb. The meat was tender and juicy and the aioli brought it to the next level."
Yelper Urbina A. noted, "Great customer service and the cashiers were super friendly. I got the steak burrito and it was amazing, plus the horchata is the best. I can't wait to go back and order again."
Mateo's is open from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. on weekdays. (It's closed on weekends.)
Birdsong
1085 Mission St.
Birdsong is an upscale New American restaurant that aims to highlight the flavors of the Pacific Northwest, through regional ingredients like shellfish, wild game, berries and mushrooms.
Á la carte menu items include blue maize cornbread with grilled butter; fish and chips made from halibut with a side of tartar sauce; giant clams with buttermilk whey, smoked potatoes and celery; and wild boar ribs with eucalyptus, fennel pollen and pine needles. There's also a five-course ($125, Tuesday-Thursday only) and 13-course ($175) tasting menu.
Birdsong is off to a strong start, with 4.5 stars out of 68 reviews on Yelp.
"Incredible tasting menu that really made you feel as if you were kayaking, hiking and climbing through the Pacific Northwest," Yelper Kyle S. wrote. "With dishes such as oysters, duck and trout all presented in ways you couldn't even imagine, the chef takes you on a culinary journey that shows you how rich, fresh and authentic the Northwest region can be."
Yelper G M. noted, "Eating at Birdsong is not just a sensual experience, it's an event. This place seduces all your senses like a really good book. It's adventurous, creative and memorable. By far, one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco."
Birdsong is open from 5–8:30 p.m. on Tuesday–Thursday and 5–9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. (It's closed on Monday and Sunday.)
Bake Cheese Tart
865 Market St.
Bake Cheese Tart is a Japanese sweet shop located in the downstairs food court of the Westfield Centre, in the space formerly occupied by a Peet's Coffee outlet.
As we previously reported, this is the first U.S. location for the Hokkaido-based chain, which has outposts throughout Asia. The shop specializes in cheese tarts made with the bakery's own original blend of cream cheese, secret flour mix and twice-baked crust.
With 3.5 stars out of 296 reviews on Yelp, the newcomer is still finding its footing.
"I've had cheese tarts before, but getting freshly made ones is another story," wrote Yelper Jenny W. "This just blew my expectations: the crust is this thick, crunchy texture, but as soon as you bite into it, the cheese flows out ... Needless to say, these are very rich and filling."
Yelper Debby S. noted, "The taste itself was pretty good, but I'm not sure if it was worth the price. I've had less expensive cheese tarts from other bakeries before, and they taste just as good."
Bake Cheese Tart is open from 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m. on Monday–Saturday and 11 a.m.–7 p.m. on Sunday.
