InterestMIX San Francisco

Julia Gleason: Any place that serves beer on tap for $2.50 is an automatic four stars in my book! Although, funnily enough I didn't have beer last night. I had their hot chocolate which was rich and creamy, a delightful treat. Oasis Cafe is a new little joint on Divisadero with a pretty darn good space. There's lots of seating and a big flat screen to watch sports or whatever else is going on. They serve a variety of things: fresh squeezed juice, sandwiches, beer and wine, coffee, and pastries to name a few. They're open late too so if you want a place to grab a few cheap beers with some friends this would be a great spot.

Julia Gleason: I've been passing by Mango's Cafe for almost a year now on a daily basis and have never ventured in. After a long day of marching in the Pride Parade, the BF and I wanted some hearty sandwiches. We decided to give Mango's a go which, seeing as how it was our first time, was a tad on the risky side; we were famished and had no idea whether we'd like it or not! We're both happy that we chanced it because our sandwiches were fantastic. I ordered the California Chicken Panini. The bread was delicious, crunchy on the outside and soft as I bit through. It was filled with plump white chicken breast, fontina cheese, bacon and a pepper sauce. I was so pleased with it that I ate the whole thing (I typically only eat half of anything I order - I have a small tum!). I'm looking forward to coming back here one morning and ordering something from their espresso bar.

Julia Gleason: The SF Soup Co. is one of my favorite lunch-time spots in the Financial District and that's not just because it's half a block away from my office. Their signature soups, I can live without, but boy-oh-boy when they have the Roasted Chicken and Corn chowder special, you'll find me stampeding down their doors and ordering the largest size possible. They rotate all of their specials so it's rare I get to indulge. I also really love their Chile Verde w/ pork special. It's mildly spicy and has large and tender pork chunks in it. The soup here is a tad expensive for what it is. I mean, let's face it, we can get a can of Campbells tomato soup at Walgreens for .99...but it wouldn't be nearly as satisfying.

Julia Gleason: I'll be the first to admit that I hated Focaccia up until a couple months ago. I took one look inside at the hoards of suites waiting in ridiculously long lines and thought, meeeeethinksnot. It wasn't until a couple of coworkers invited me out to lunch that I had no choice but to give it a go. First off, for any newbies out there who haven't figured out Focaccia's line "system" yet, listen up. There are three lines: one for hot food, one for salads and soups and one for the cashier. All three lines wrap around in to the back of the store so you need to pay close attention to which one you get in to. There's nothing (and I mean nothing) more annoying than wasting 10 minutes in a line for hot food when really what you wanted was a crisp salad. Once you've got the system down and are prepared to wait a few minutes, you're in for a real treat. I always order the salads here because they're reasonably priced and you get to choose your own ingredients. I always order romaine lettuce with chicken, avocado, corn, egg, kidney beans and raisins topped with balsamic vinegar. The best part is that after you pay you get to pick out a greasy, delicious piece of focaccia bread, free of charge.

Julia Gleason: Angel Cafe is my favorite neighborhood breakfast and coffee joint. I live just down the street so I frequently pop in for their breakfast sandwich and cafe ole'. Their bagel sandies are the best in SF (or at least that I've come across thus far) and their coffee is delicious. I typically get coffee with steamed milk but lately have been making my own at home because I've been drinking decaf. Today I tried their decaf ole' and it was delicious! Aside from Philz, I haven't had a decaf blend that tasty in a long time. It usually tastes burnt but with theirs I could barely taste the difference. The staff is super friendly, they make a point to know their regulars names and know their orders. Every time I walk by they wave. If you're in the hood or even if you're not (it's worth the bus ride) you definitely need to check Angel out.