By: Kyrie Sismaet By: Kyrie Sismaet | February 3, 2023 | Food & Drink, People, Restaurants, City Life, Culture, Best of the Bay, Local, Community, List - Restaurants, Apple News,
Melty cheese, succulent meat, and a crisp but fluffy exterior that holds it all together for convenient portability- what more could you want from a snack? Pupusas are the national dish for El Salvador and are a traditional treat typically made with cornmeal or rice flour, stuffed with the richest cheeses and meats, and finished with generous toppings of curtido, or fermented cabbage slaw.
These handheld delights make for the perfect to-go choice for something fast, affordable, and irresistibly comforting, and so here is a list of some of the best ones in San Francisco for the next time you're out exploring.
See also: Unwrapping The Stuffed History Of San Francisco's Distinctly Original Mission-Style Burrito
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3091 16th St / (415) 431-4232 / Website
Panchita's is perhaps the most well known of trusted local pupuserias, being a family-run staple in the Mission since 1989! Charming, cozy, and a can't-miss just off of the 16th Street Bart station, their vibrant sign will definitely entice you in for their $5 pupusas available in several different combo specials, as well as their other specialties all under $15.
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2815 Mission St / (415) 285-2131 / Website
Located near the 24th Street Bart station, La Santaneca truly feels as though you've walked right into someone's snug home. You'll truly feel comforted and revitalized with their kind service, relaxed scenic interior, and endless menu of Salvadoran favorites- particularly with their $3.50 pupusas. We love their popular Revueltas with mixed pork and cheese, or their Chicharron option, and definitely upgrade it with rice and beans on the side all for only $10!
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3349 18th St / (415) 648-9199 / Website
Balompie Cafe is a fun, playful, and casual hangout in San Francisco, having three different locations to fully provide their delectable Salvadoran cuisine and convivial gathering space. With a cute fútbol theme in their airy and bright 18th Street cornerstone, this is the perfect lowkey stop for a meal, offering 15 different regular and specialty pupusas with their other full plates and soup offerings. The Shrimp & Cheese or their Spinach Mushroom and Carrots Specialty pupusas are unique choices all topped heavily with salsas and curtido.
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2278 Mission St / (415) 864-6668 / Website
With a name like El Salvador Restaurant, you know you're in for an authentic treat. As a true hidden gem in the Mission, this homestyle spot is tight and no-frills, with the food coming out fresh, hot, and truly wallet-friendly. They deliver all of the classic pupusa flavors with perfectly crisp exteriors that will draw you in just from the fragrant toastiness itself.
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1028 Potrero Ave / (415) 550-8313 / Website
Warm, inviting, and lined with elegant tablecloths, La Paz is a fantastic choice for pupusas when in Potrero. With over 10 different pupusas all $4 each, as well as an ndless menu of other Salvadorian entrees, you'll definitely want to try everything! The classic Loroco Flower and Cheese, or Zucchini and Cheese pupusas are intriguing options that will definitely impress and refuel you in this equally sky-high neighborhood.
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2128 Mission St / Website
At $2.95 for each of their eight distinct pupusas, you truly won't want to miss this long-standing Mission hotspot. Revered for their expansive meat options, banana leaf tamales, Oaxacan mole, and divine offerings of various cakes and pastries, La Oaxaqueña has unequivocally been doing it all since 2008. We recommend sampling three of their pupusas for only $7.95- their Sundried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese, Zucchini Basil Pesto with Mozzarella, and the Oaxacan Quesillo and Epazote.
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2399 Folsom St / (415) 647-3716 / Website
El Faro may be known as the Home of the Original Mission Burrito, but they are also popular for their pupusas! Opened in 1961, El Faro has since become a city institution, in both their original location, and other expansions. This is the ultimate breakfast spot, where you'll get quick pupusas, a super burrito, or both!
Hopefully this scrumptious has turned you onto your new favorite quick bite, whether it be for breakfast, an afternoon pick-me-up, or for the post-club midnight snack!
See also: Where To Get The Best SF Taco Tuesday Specials
Photography by: Courtesy of Victor Huang/Getty Images