El Metate

One word: mole! There aren’t many places in SF where you can get great authentic mole, but El Metate definitely fills that void. When people try to describe what umami is, I think of this mole. It’s not overly sweet, nor overly rich. All the Mexican standbys here are also really well made, but it’s their mole that sets them apart! Try to come before or after the SF General Hospital lunch rush or you’ll definitely have to wait a bit. For takeout, call and place your order ahead of time for pickup—you’ll thank me later.