I haven’t had pupusas in about 4 years (WTF is wrong with me) yet it is a food that I do crave and wish I could get easily in the east bay but I haven’t found a good spot yet (any suggestions?).

El Zocalo has a very special place in my foodie heart, because this was the first restaurant I ever ate at when I moved to San Francisco. I flew from JFK to SFO with my friend and my 2 cats in the airplane, and this was the first place we went to after we got to my new apartment and dropped everyone off.  It actually her favorite restaurant from when she used to live here years ago, so it was cool to go back there with her.

Anyway, here it is. It’s on the border of the mission and bernal heights. Most places classify it as bernal but I always think of it as just far out there in the mission.

I ordered my old regular… 2 pupusas with beans and crema and an order of platanos con crema (plantains and sour cream). I get the “revueltas con frijoles” pupusas, pork with cheese and beans.

Here’s the food, ain’t it lovely? Couldn’t wait to dive face first right into that plate… it comes with a side of slaw that you put on top it’s a tangy vinegary slaw…

I never had pupusas before I moved to San Francisco. Boy am I glad I tried them, they are up there on my list of most perfect foods (and in good company with other stuffed/pocket favorites, lol). Basically it’s a corn tortilla stuffed with meat, cheese, beans, etc and patted flat into a disc and cooked on a griddle!

OMG NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM. Cut a row into little squares. Put it on your fork with the slaw and dip it in the beans and sour cream = SO FREAKING GOOD!!

Here’s the platanos con crema. They are so good too!! It’s hard to go to this place without ordering both things… of course the chips and salsa are free, and the chips are house-made, so they’re super crunchy and sometimes come out warm.

This place is very popular, especially on the weekends after parties end down the street at at El Rio – the BEST time to go is in the afternoon after the lunch rush… between 2-4 pm is perfect! When it’s busy it takes a long time to get your food… just an FYI, don’t go there if you’re in a hurry. It’s really worth the wait.

El Zocalo has made me into a pupusa snob. The only other place I’ve had them is Balompie in the mission which is also very good (but kind of sports bar like)… but I prefer the nostalgia of “the ZOC”!

El Zocalo
3230 Mission St
San Francisco, CA 94110

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