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10 Best Dishes in the Haight-Ashbury For Under $10

The pizza at Club Deluxe. Photo: Yelp/Luis C.

Last fall, we published the 10 Best Lunches Under $10 in Union Square. It was so popular, we figured why not do every neighborhood? So we asked Eater editor and 7x7 contributor Carolyn Alburger to give us her 10  favorite dishes under $10 found in her home turf, the Haight-Ashbury. Check out our other 10 under $10 features while you're at it.

In the Haight-Ashbury, it's much easier to score weed than a good bite to eat. Here, perfectly dingy, storied watering holes, tie-dye t-shirts, tattoo parlors and tourist-magnet Ben & Jerry's run the show. If you're hungry, here's where to go.

1. Giovanni's Pizza at Club Deluxe
Club Deluxe has delicious cocktails with fresh-squeezed juice, but they also have a sort-of-secret Neapolitan pizza maker hidden in the kitchen. When Giovanni and his mom are working, they'll approach your table to see if you're hungry. If you are, I suggest the Cippolina with mozzarella, prosciutto, caramelized onion, parmigiano, basil, roasted garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Stick around until 9 p.m. and you'll get a side of live jazz on most nights.  1511 Haight St., 415-552-6949

2. Hot and sour soup at Citrus Club
It's not the most authentic bite in town, but Citrus Club keeps delivering on its fun Southeast Asia-meets-hippie vibe, quick service and affordable renditions of Thai and Vietnamese favorites. For a healthy weeknight meal, I get the hot and sour soup with shrimp. If I'm feeling frisky, it's spicy lime and coconut noodles. My flatmate thinks Citrus Club serves one of the best peanut sauces in the city with the spring rolls. And it's really all about the sauce anyway, isn't it?  1790 Haight St, 415-387-6366.

3. The North Beach at Cole Valley Cafe
A welcome discovery just a block off Haight Street, Cole Valley Cafe has a friendly staff and above average made-to-order sandwiches for a coffee shop. The North Beach vegetarian sandwich has portabello mushrooms, feta, sun-dried tomatos, onions and spinach. I cheat and add turkey. Or get the new salmon avocado sandwich with capers and red onions on foccacia from Metropolis bakery. 701 Cole St., 415-668-5282.

 4. Mofongo at Parada 22
One of the only Puerto Rican restaurants in the Bay Area happens to be in —of all places— the Haight. After it was open a few months, so many people were asking for traditional mofongo, they had to add it to the menu. Their rendition with green plantains, garlic, shrimp and soffrito is pretty delicious for a Puerto Rican restaurant in the Haight. Full disclosure: it costs $11.50. 1805 Haight St, 415-750-1111.

 5. Locally-made prepared foods at Whole Foods Market on Stanyan
The prepared foods section on the left when you walk into the new Whole Foods is teeming with locally sourced goodness. There are colorful, raw delights from Lydia's Organics — they always make me consider becoming vegan for a few seconds — tamales from Donna's and Primavera and mini feasts from Hapa SF and Sukhi's. I tend to try something new every time, but a flaky, light Afghan bolani from East & West seems to be a perfect accompaniment to anything. 690 Stanyan St., 415-876-6740.

6. Piggy Special at Pork Store Cafe
People always talk about their gravy-doused 49er and the egg dish they serve in a hash brown "nest," but I always go for the piggy special: 2 eggs with 2 pancakes and bacon. It satisfies my usual ADD brunch desires to have something salty, something sweet and something with bacon for a mere $8.50. 1451 Haight St., 415-864-6981.

7. Duck hearts at The Alembic
"Just do it," is usually what I have to tell my friends. The combination of jerk-spiced tender (yes! tender!) heart meat and sweet grilled pineapple is something I could eat daily. I've never seen anyone spit it out. 1725 Haight St., 415-666-0822.

8. Deli at Haight Street Market
The Haight Street Market just expanded big-time into the old Massawa environs next door. Now there's a deli, bringing quirkily named affordable sandwiches and, my favorite, the "Wild West Pulled Pork" served with spicy coleslaw and BBQ sauce on a Dutch crunch roll. 1530 Haight St., 415-255-0644.

9. Deconstructed Samosa from Curry Up Now at Off the Grid
The Haight is lucky to have an edition of the genius Off the Grid food truck gathering every Thursday. I usually go straight to Curry Up Now and grab the deconstruced samosa with paneer, chickpeans, spicy pico de gallo, pickled onions, cilantro and mint chutney. It has vibrant, fresh flavors we don't often get to taste in this neck of the woods. Stanyan and Waller Sts.

10. Pepperoni Pizza from Escape from New York Pizza
As much as I hate to admit it, I've tried every quick slice joint on the block. In my humble opinion, Escape from New York has the best plain ol' pepperoni when the craving hits. 1737 Haight St., 415-668-5577.

Best pizza we ever had in our entire lives. When you can feed two people with one homemade lovingly prepared pizza for about 10 bucks each, we were in heaven. Roasted garlic, olive oil,sea salt,tons of basil, cracked pepper, shaved parm on every pizza and free jazz and fresh squeezed drinks.THAT'S A TON OF LOVE FOR A GREAT PRICE!!! This is without a doubt the number one deal on Haight Street by far. Great Pick!!! Other commentaries wouldn't know a good deal if it slapped them in the face.

all of these mean people! "Road rage with a keyboard" just enjoy her pick and be nice.

The only thing I can see on the menu of Club Delux for under $10 is the Cannoli. They should be removed from the list (no free marketing here if you don't meet the criteria).

Bought a tee shirt from on the corner for twice that. Girl at the counter was not nice ...you know who you are.

I want a t-shirt fro Escape From New York Pizza.

All You Knead on Haight is a good value for cheap eats!

Whole Foods? Ha ha ha.

I'll have to third, fourth and fifth the Blue Front. Best quality/deal/quantity/variety ratio on haight street.

I would add Ploy II to the list. One of my favorite Thai places. They have a killer lunch menu with just about everything on it for under $10.

I also love Giovanni's pizza, but didn't think there was a pizza less than $10 there.

Alembic...good luck with the long wait and overpriced everything else. They may have one thing on the menu for less than $10, but you'll be spending at least $50 by the time you are done.

Lastly, I have to say I've grown tired of these eat cheap lists with greasy fried stuff like Escape From NY pizza, and the Pork Store. It's way too easy.

you are not getting out of whole foods under $10!!!

I lived on Haight for over 5 years and Blue Front is where it is at! The chef salad (not on the menu) is beyond amazing and their fresh turkey sandwich is oh so good. Not to mention all their delicious wraps. Plus the owners and employees are soooo nice!

you forgot about " Blue Front Deli" home made soups
wonderful sandwiches, Middle Eastern Plates, all under
$10.00

Anyone who'd write an article about dining on Union Square probably has no business pontificating about anything on Haight.

Unfortunately, I don't think you can score a medium pepperoni pie at EFNY for under $10 either... I get 2 orders of the greasy stuff on mine though, so I'm not sure!

Hey Carolyn
Club Deluxe don't do pizzas under $10 don't they? I thought they are more like $20! Are the rest of the things listed here actually under $10?