sf rec: suppenkuche

Image from suppenkuche.com

Since I can remember birthdays have always been difficult for me. Upon my mother’s request we, my siblings and I celebrate the entire month of our birthdays, and for me being a double Leo,I have no qualms for this. For example, my born day is August 15th so the celebrations conclude September 15th. The main purpose for this is because it’s difficult to get all the loved ones together for one day to do everything you desire for that special day you came into this Earth and can really make your special day feel fleeting and frankly, insignificant. So, this leads me to another great San Francisco recommendation that was the finale for celebrating my birthday month of August.

I knew that I wanted to get some authentic German food for my final birthday dinner. I curated a group of my best friend Dylan, my Uncle Jami, Uncle Marty, my mom and my Auntie Maureen. The dinner was dubbed,”The gays, the gals and the Germans. Half of my guests including myself were German and there was an equal ratio of gays and gals and so it was. It was small and intimate so I chose Suppenkuche on Laguna Street in San Francisco. The atmosphere is very dim and moody and. really replicates the. feeling of stumbling into a traditional restaurant with wooden buffet tables and pew like benches. The staff is authentically German, complete with accents and determined demeanor and all. They really have the talent of making you feel uneducated about German cuisine which I absolutely loved. I know that most of my guests ordered schnitzel but I’m gluten-free so I ordered the fish and a side of potato salad, gravy and of course, my favorite, red cabbage and it was superb.

Suppenkuche was great for large parties, large portions and their commitment to wholesome and hearty portions. What I felt that the good itself was certainly above average but their red cabbage had too many whole peppercorns and the schnitzel could have been seasoned more? Maybe it was just their blend of seasonings and the way it was prepared, I felt the meat could have been more tender as well. As for the fish, which is what I ordered, I loved the capers sauce combined with the potatoes. Would definitely return for that dish alone. Any good recs for German food in the Bay Area. Comment below, don’t be shy. Danke.

Now the atmosphere was great for a large group setting. I loved the lighting mood and the impatience of our server, seriously not a backhanded compliment. I like quick, to the point service and that’s what we received. In my opinion it was way more formal than Wilkomen on Market Street and much larger than Cafe Europa on California St. The wine selection was extensive and as was the beer menu, but that’s to be expected of an authentic German spot. I feel like I wouldn’t recommnd this place for a date but for group of four or more. Plus, it’s located in the heart of Hayes Valley and there are lots of bars and other spots to stop by for dessert and to do some shopping. For me the atmosphere counts just as much as the meal. There were lots of other guests but I felt as if me and my party had no trouble conversing and catching up. Out of all of the German food I’ve tried in the Bay thus far, my rating is a. 7/10.

I tried my best attempt at documenting some meal shots but here are some photos from that night.