Midtown Lunch

After visits to the Bay Area last year, Zach came back first with five and then another three lunches that Midtown really needs to have. I was out there for most of last week and found even more delicious lunch goodness that I would love to see Midtown borrow from the left coast.

First thing we need is an amazing food court like they have at the Westfield Mall, San Francisco Centre. With more than 20 eateries in ML range, there’s Chinese, pasta, Korean Barbecue, Tri-tips, fish shacks and more to wade through. It’s enough to explore for weeks. See what I had and some of the other points on my wishlist after the jump.

At San Francisco Centre, I had Jody Maroni’s, a sausage shop that hasn’t been in Midtown since that one branch in the old 42nd Street food court closed years ago. I skipped over the kielbasa and Italian sausages that looked good, but I felt like I could get elsewhere. Instead had a smoked chicken special. I usually expect pork to make the best sausage, but this was surprisingly good.  Westfield Mall, San Francisco Centre, Dining Concourse. 845 Market Street.

The second thing we need are the hand held pot pies sold at The Cravery just across the street from the Westfield in SOMA. They sell flaky pockets filled with different flavors of beef or chicken, including traditional, cracked pepper spiced and barbecue. I never managed to get the Tuck Shop meatpies that used to be in the Cyber Cafe on 49th Street, but these are a little saucier than most Australian-style pies. The Cravery, 829 Mission Street. 415.882.7300

Lastly, what we absolutely need is more Filipino food. There’s not nearly enough of it in New York and with Bayan Cafe gone, none in Midtown. Kusina ni Tess was right across the street from my hotel, just on the border of Union Square and the Tenderloin. I didn’t have lunch there, but I had a great breakfast of garlic fried rice, a fried egg and two small, sweet longaniza sausages. The rice wasn’t particularly fried, but deeply garlicky. I could have used another egg, just to have more runny yolk to soak into it all. Kusina ni Tess, 237 Ellis Street. 415.351.1169

As a bonus, I have to add another taco topping that is nearly impossible to find in Midtown. Last year, Zach wanted more lengua. Even now, El Rey del Sabor is about the only place I know in Midtown that serves that. But, I don’t know any place that’s got cabeza tacos like I had at Taqueria Cancun. Meat from the beef head is a mixture of textures… some of it is soft and tender, like lengua, while other parts are thicker and meatier.  Yes please. Taqueria Cancun, 1003 Market Street. 415.864.6773

Related:
3 More Lunches Midtown Needs from SF: A Roli Roti Porchetta Truck, Meat Cones, & Tongue Tacos
5 Things Midtown Needs From San Francisco