Looking for a new lunch spot to try in SF? Souvla is an authentic Greek restaurant with fast, healthy, delicious food that mimics casual souvlaki joints in Greece. With quick service and vibrant flavors, Souvla is a unique food joint that has it all. Staff photo: Eliza Crowder
By Eliza Crowder
When I’m super hungry and tired from a busy day exploring the city, I always want to eat somewhere casual, fast, and, of course, delicious. Souvla never fails to meet this criteria and I always come away from a meal there feeling satisfied with the food, service, and ambiance.
Souvla is a greek chain in San Francisco that serves dishes that mimic the style and flavors of the food in actual restaurants scattered throughout Greece. The first of the three Souvla locations opened in April 2014 in the Hayes Valley area in San Francisco. Since then, the restaurant has gained such a popularity that the owners decided to add two more locations: one in the Mission District on Valencia Street and the other in NoPa on Divisadero Street. Having three separate locations is a luxury for Souvla-regulars as it makes it easy to reach one of the locations from many different areas and districts within the city.
Souvla specializes in wraps, salads, and frozen greek yogurt. By roasting naturally-raised meats and wrapping them in warm, chewy pita bread or placing them atop fresh salads, Souvla combines flavors to make for unforgettable and natural-tasting dishes. The simple menu is based off of the type of protein you want. The options include pork, chicken, lamb, or vegetarian. From there, you choose how you want this protein to be served – either in a sandwich wrap ($11) or on a salad bed ($12). The pork, which is served with minted greek yogurt, cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions, cucumber, and feta cheese, is probably the restaurant’s most popular protein. However, you really can’t go wrong with the lamb, chicken, and vegetarian option. My personal favorite has to be the lamb, because I love how it pairs with Souvla’s yogurt sauce inside of the warm, fluffy pita bread.
Another aspect of Souvla’s menu are the sides you can choose from. Among the variety of options, the “Greek Fries” ($4) are a must-have. The fries are seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and Mizithra cheese. The crispiness of the fries paired with these extra few ingredients on top make for the perfect starter or side to your sandwich or salad.
Last but certainly not least…dessert! No good meal is complete without something sweet at the end, and Souvla serves up some one-of-a-kind frozen greek yogurt. Frozen yogurt is a dessert I treat myself to often, but nothing you can get around here tastes quite as authentic as Souvla’s perfected recipe. Instead of choosing from a variety of flavors, there is only one flavor (original), but there are four different topping options: sour cherry syrup, olive oil and sea salt, baklava crumbles and honey, and wildflower honey. For those of you with more sophisticated taste buds, I recommend the olive oil and sea salt option ($4). However, if you’re looking for something slightly sweeter and more filling, the baklava crumble topping ($5, pictured below) is right up your alley.
Arguably my favorite aspect of Souvla is the insanely fast service. After a long day of walking around SF with my mom two weeks ago, we were delighted when our food came out just two or three minutes after ordering. At Souvla, you order at the counter, find a seat, and wait to be served. So if you’re looking for somewhere new to try over the weekend or if you are in a hurry but still craving something satisfying, Souvla is the place for you! It’s relatively affordable menu options will have you going back for more in no time.
