I had a few diners on my list that you all had recommended, but work schedules and conflicting plans made it difficult to find a time for us to grab a spot together for an epic diner date. So, I returned to Instagram with a call to action for anyone who hadn’t recommended a diner who would appreciate the experience all the same.
I was quick to lock a friend in, and then it was up to me to do some research to find a San Francisco diner that wasn’t booked with another friend, and that met my criteria of small, community-driven spots with that retro restaurant appeal.
St. Francis popped to the top of my searches with its 1950s feel, a retro ice cream shop that felt like the type of place one could go on a first date, hoping to snag a Moon Doggie who’d let you wear his pin.
St. Francis Fountain in the Mission
I arrived before my diner date, and was pleasantly surprised that there was ample seating available in this little shoppe.
The woman who asked if I was ready to be seated was a bit brusque, and told me that I should wait until the other person in my party had arrived, and then could find a seat.
I sat on the bench outside the shop and waited, colder than expected in the Mission that afternoon.
He arrived a few minutes later and we stepped inside, opting for seats at the counter rather than one of the little red booths that were lined against the walls of the cafe.
Aesthetics-wise, this will remain one of my favorite diners in San Francisco.
I truly felt like I had been transported back in time when milkshakes were as popular as cocktails for a date night. As mentioned in one of my fun fact Friday Instagram posts, diners boomed in the 1950s and that mid-century aesthetic speaks to the optimism of those times.
That’s not to say that the 1950s were not riddled with problems and socio-economic issues, but post-war attitudes were high, and you can feel that in the bold design aesthetic and casual-dining atmosphere of diners.
The plates and mugs were made from the thick ceramic you want for your hearty diner meal and featured the iconic checker print around the edges. A large red felt menu board with listed options in those classic plastic white letters.
Chrome milkshake machines were set up to the left and colorful striped straws were in one of those little holders that you lift to extract from.
St. Francis Fountain Menu
I was very pleased with the amount of vegan options that were available and ordered the eggs with vegan chorizo hash which arrived with two slices of sourdough toast and a generous helping of guacamole.
One of my most trusted good eats resources (one of the owners of Outta Sight Pizza) also shared his recommendation for any carnivores out there: the patty melt add bacon and egg.
After digging in, and happily accepting multiple refills of what I considered some of the best diner coffee yet, it was time for the diner date interview.
Hot Takes and Hot Cakes
First, I asked my diner date about his personal connection and experiences with diners. At first, he recalled his experiences with the larger chains like iHop, but then, perhaps as the second cup of dark coffee sparked some nerve endings, he remembered that growing up, he’d often gone to a unique diner that was located near a train station.
Considering some of the first diners were actually modeled after train cars, this made sense. That diner had also had the quintessential 1950s feel, which made it perfect that this is the spot we ended up at for this interview.
What he loves about diners?
As with my other diner dates, he appreciates the unpretentious atmosphere of these casual dining spots. You can slump down if you want to. You don’t have to worry. You know what to expect.
We nodded as the waiter, who had put our check down almost as soon as our food arrived, asked if we wanted another refill of coffee. Though I felt like he was ready for us to leave (we’d been there maybe an hour at this point), I appreciated his offering of another refill and gave a nod. It was way past my usual coffee cut-off point, but there’s just something about diner coffee that I can’t resist.
Speaking of… the next question I always ask on diner dates
How does he prefer his coffee?
The answer: black.
Booth or counter?
Counter.
Go-to diner meal?
Usually a breakfast burrito. However, at times (such as this one) he’ll try something that feels a bit more like a diner breakfast. You can get a burrito at a lot of places, but what can you only get here.
St. Francis Fountain Ratings
Overall, I’d rate St. Francis Fountain an 9/10
Coffee: 9/10
Style: 10/10
Food: 9/10
Promoter points -
Fun toy/sweets shop behind the counter +1
Detractor points -
Staff did not seem entirely pleased for us to be there -1
Felt a bit rushed getting the check almost as soon as we ordered -1
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