What to eat near the Hall of Justice

In late October, I received a jury summons for the County of San Francisco. I had to report to the Hall of Justice, located at 7th and Bryant St.

When they took attendance, my ears perked up. Soleil Ho, the food critic, was in the same jury pool as me. She ended up like me having to show up for the selection process the following week. As if inspired by her, I had jokingly thought that if I got picked, I could chronicle my meals. I ended up getting picked, so here’s my recommendations for things to eat within half a mile of the Hall of Justice.

Lunch

AK Subs

AK Subs has some of the best warm sandwiches in the city. If you factor in the price for what you get, AK Subs is a clear winner. As someone who went to college in Pittsburgh, I’m also swayed by the yinzer paraphernalia.

My order: Tony's Hot Pastrami or Philly Cheesesteak with American Cheese

Dinosaurs

It’s a straightforward Banh Mi shop. It’s located perpendicular to the Hall of Justice on Beekman. It’s the closest place you’d actually want to eat at.

My order: The Special or Pork Meatball

Pizza Squared

Pizza Squared offers both Detroit and Sicilian square slices perfect for lunch.

My order: Slice of Caramelized Onion

Beyond Cafe

Beyond Cafe is a HK style cafe. Hearty and filling, it reminds me of a meal that I might have in Asia.

My order: Tendon and Brisket Noodle

Breakfast

Les Gourmands Bakery

Beautiful, technically perfect pastries. You get a free coffee with a pastry purchase on Wednesdays.

My order: Pain au Chocolat or Chocolatine :)

Sightglass Coffee

Sightglass serves pastries from my favorite bakery in all of SF, Neighbor Bakehouse.

My order: Curry Potato Puff Turnover

Honorable Mentions

Deli Board

I know a lot of prospective jurors come to the Deli Board. On the first few days of voir dire, I recognized a lot of people who were also in my batch. The sandwiches are high quality but sometimes you don’t really want to cough up $20 for a sandwich. I think their salads are not very good for the price.

Turtle Tower

Pho at Turtle Tower is the northern style and has a lot of differences from what you’ll see at southern Pho places. The broth is less assertive; mung beans and basil are absent as well. Other critics will say their Tenderloin location is superior. Save it for the quiet days where you can dine inside at Turtle Tower.

My order: Grilled Pork Patty Vermicelli

Trader Joes

I understand that not everyone wants to spend a lot of money on lunch. Trader Joe’s has plenty of prepared sandwiches and salads for a quick nosh. Sadly, the Jury Assembly room does not have a microwave so frozen meals are out.

My pick: Chicken Tarragon Salad Wrap