Macellato the Sandwich

While I know this place is closed, I do believe that if this were once upon a time my restaurant, I may still check for new reviews or try to take in some of the constructive criticism from previous patrons. For that reason and the fact that I strongly believe all of the chefs involved in the following restaurants need to know that they did have serious fans out there, I’m going to update this review later on with a more thorough breakdown of my favorite dishes and what made these places not only favorites for me and my closest friends/​family, but also memorable long after they’ve closed their doors.
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: FOUR SADDEST CLOSURES OF 2012 – 2013 :
Three of the following four businesses are all 5* business that I am so devastated to say had to close their doors between 2012 – 2013. What makes it so sad is that they were all restaurants that I considered «favorites» for one reason or another. Not only were the beef cheeks at TXOKO something I craved frequently (along with other excellent items on their menu such as the scallops), they were also the only place that still served incredible foie gras in the city — complimentary. I still can’t believe the chef from Alexander’s was in that kitchen preparing that foie gras that I would’ve been more than happy to pay for but never had to. Both LAFITTE & BRUNCH DRUNK LOVE were quite literally two of my *all-​time favorite* brunch places, after trying most of the popular spots in the Bay Area & beyond including Mama’s, Dottie’s, Lime, Zazie, Stacks, Brenda’s, Olivia’s, Front Porch. the list goes on.
As a matter of fact, their closure was what brought me back on Unilocal after a long period of inactivity. I regret not having written a review sooner, or encouraged more people in my circle to go.
I can say with full confidence and intent that had I had access to the funds and knew what was coming for the first three of the following businesses, I would’ve most definitely offered to invest. If there was anything in my power to do to help revive these businesses, I would do it.
I will always respect these chefs and will follow them to whichever restaurant I discover they’ve moved to.
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1.) TXOKO (Dinner)
— [5/​5 — The only restaurant left where I could’ve gotten my foie gras fix. They were offering COMPLIMENTARY FOIE GRAS every Wednesday with the purchase of an entrée. In addition, the most delicious BEEF CHEEKS (⁵⁄₅) I had EVER tasted. (Really, it’s true.) Served with carrot purée, the balance of flavors and seasoning was impeccable. I crave that dish frequently. Even though they were never granted a Michelin star, their foie gras tasting menu was comparable (if not significantly better) than so many Michelin starred restaurants I’ve been to. Also, the last time I went — the complimentary foie gras was… so luscious. In fact, it was prepared by the chef from Alexander’s, who happened to be good friends with the chef at Txoko.]
2.) LAFITTE (Brunch)
— [5/​5 — They served the most delicious FOIE GRAS EGGS BENEDICT (4.5÷5) and BAKED EGGS w/​GRUYERE (⁵⁄₅). While I initially went there for the foie gras eggs benedict which did not disappoint, I seriously LOVED the baked eggs SO much I started looking up recipes for it. (P.S. I don’t cook.) I’ve been waiting to see where Russell Jackson plans to go next, and have a soft spot for his «Viva L’Evolution» campaign. I am so disappointed that this incredibly delicious place in a gorgeous location on the pier did not survive. If I had access to the funds and knew what was coming, I would’ve definitely offered to invest.]
3.) BRUNCH DRUNK LOVE (Brunch)
— [5/​5 — Quite literally one my top 2 all-​time favorite brunch places, after trying most of the popular spots in the Bay Area & beyond. The brainchild of Chef Ryan Scott (of Top Chef fame), this restaurant had the most exciting menu I had ever seen. From concept to execution, everything was incredibly memorable. I did not know at the time but I happened to go a week or two before they stopped service, because two weeks later I attempted to go and it was closed. My biggest regret was not going sooner. I still regularly rave and seek out places to fulfill my craving of the DUCK HASH [4/​5], PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING [5/​5], PUMPKIN PANCAKES [4.5/5], and the LITTLE PIGGY [4.5/5].]
* MACELLATO (Ultra-​Casual Lunch)
— [4/​5 — When I was involved in a social gaming mobile start-​up with a humble office with an incredible rooftop view in North Beach, Macellato was one of my favorite lunch spots. While I’m not usually much of a fish and chips person, their fish and chips won me over with how delicious they were. Not heavy on the batter which was seasoned well, it was crispy on the outside and perfectly flaky on the inside. At least Basa is still open.]

Cant believe they are closed! =(
I was so devastated when I realized that they were not «just remodeling»!!! I would have had a fishwich everyday for the week if I had known it was their last week!

These guys are AWESOME! Excellent food for the right price, employees are super chill and friendly and down to make a sandwich for you the way you like it, no problem! They also have impeccable tastes in music – every single song on their playlist was one of my favorites!
This place is great for me, as I commute from Napa and park in the Chinese Catholic Center around the corner, and this joint is right along my walk to the Transamerica Pyramid block! Stays open later than all those cafes that cater to the 6 AM crowd!

OK so as planned my friend and I went back today for their fishwich. We went halves on it because it’s was HUGE! After I bit into it, my mouth was filled with yummy fish and tangy, zesty colesaw. Yumm! The sandwich is really off the hook. I could eat the whole sandwich on a good sized appetite no problem. In fact, I should just dare myself next time.
The coleslaw isn’t just a boring mixture sitting on your fishwich giving you a faint reminder of its existence in your mouth, it’s goes bang! The zestiness adds a refreshing taste without overpowering the fish. Need to try another «wich» next time.
Still loving this place!

How can you not want to go inside Macellato and have a taste of that huge delicious looking sandwich displayed on their window? It really just shows that this spot really means business when it comes to their sandwiches.
The Chickenwich
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I’ve been wanting to try this sandwich for a long time when I saw an article on it from
. It’s a huge deep fried chicken filet with coleslaw in an Italian roll. Was it good? Yes it was but it didn’t exactly blow my mind like it had for other Unilocalers in their reviews. It’s still a very solid sandwich though, it all works and it’s a generous portion and well worth the $ 8. I would order it again if I had a craving for it the next time I’m in North Beach.
I will be making future trips to Macellato since everyone is also talking about how awesome their FishWich is. We’ll have to see if it lives up to the hype and I would love to try their other sandwiches as well.

I passed by this place on my way to Mrs. Ma to get my jeans hemmed. There was a short line of people waiting to put in their order. On my way back, I decided to stop by — no line by then — and the friendly guy behind the counter told me to try the crab sandwich. I did and it was good! The crab is fresh. No fatty mayo or thousand island or butter. Just fresh veggies, avocado, and aioli. Perfect crab sandwich.
They also have pulled pork sandwich — another customer told me it was really good too, oyster, fish, chicken, softshell crab…
The place is kinda small, but they also have outside seating. I like the ambiance and the service is super fast. Before I could even open an app on my phone, my order was ready.
When I go back to pick up my jeans from Mrs. Ma, I will definitely come here again.

Wondered about this place, thought it was an Italian deli until I started reading other reviews. We really wanted to try this place when I learn they serve beignets!
On Saturday night, we walked pass the over crowded bars and restaurants and the many green wearing drunks and made it safely into Macellato.
We started with a glass of chianti each (Every hour is a happy hour here — $ 3 wine and $ 2 beer) and a chickenwich ($ 8). Grabbed the corner table and enjoyed the warmth inside, a little people watching and the oldies that were playing. The sandwich took about 10 minutes? It’s cooked to order so be patient. Served in a soft roll with some homemade slaw, it was a lot better than expected. The chicken was tasty and crispy and the slaw really added to the texture and flavor.
We followed the chickenwich with an order of fish and chips ($ 8) — it was great! Unlike many places, the fish is not heavy on batter. It was crispy on the outside and flaky inside. The fries were crispy and delicious.
With another glass of chianti, we ended the meal with beignets. Each order ($ 2) gets you 3. It’s not Café Du Monde but it is quite good and takes care of the cravings until we can get to New Orleans again.

After our 3 hour «day after Christmas» shopping marathon. We were mighty famine from all that hard shopping. Decided to go by my old stomping grounds to see who was open. Drove by Macellato, who normally has a nice little line but no line on this day and parking nearly right in front too?! Oh it was on!
We got 2 Chicken Halfwiches which is still a nice size sandwich and it was DELICIOUS! My Argentina girlfriend said the chicken reminded her of chicken milanese and she is right. It’s just crispier. Oh and let’s not forget those salt n peppered fries! It was the perfect compliment to halfwich, like the Batman & Robin of sandwich combos.
Now that I’ve had it, I can say it’s well worth a line. Still I will try to avoid a line as much as I can.

I happened to end up at this cute sandwich place when I was desperately looking for a place that accepted plastic without having to stop at an ATM first. Let me tell you, I was glad I ended up here. The sandwiches are pretty good, you get a choice for how much fish you want/​how big and they don’t go cheap on fish. I mostly found the guys working here to be completely nice, hip, and what I like in my customer service. compared to other places like pizza, taquerias, and quick lunch places, this place is definitely worth it and doesn’t feel like you’re just eating a bunch of grease. They do fresh catch.
I recommend. Yum.

Awesome little place right by the Transamerican building downtown. I had the $ 8 fishwich, which is a nice fillet of whitefish (catfish?) sandwiched together with some tasty slaw. Very light tasting batter and with a generous slosh of Louisiana hot sauce, the sandwich was great for a cold (SF standards people, SF standards) night.
We also tried an order of beignets (Three for $ 2). Decent, decent.
Every hour is happy hour, as the sign declares. So $ 2 anchor steams and coronas!

So my coworker offered this place up for lunch and I hesitated because I wasn’t feeling like a fried and heavy lunch. But I sucked it up and went anyway… Super glad that i did! Got the halfwich fishwich, which is the full roll with half the portion of fish compared to the normal size.
Delish and it wasn’t too heavy at all. And the fries are to DIE for. They are called crispy fries and they are. So good! We spent the meal trying to figure why they were so good. Still not sure but it’s yummy.
The beignets were huge! Good!
Will be back for sure!

Everyone’s right, the service is great here. Came here with a $ 20 kgb voucher planning to order 2 sandwiches, but since each sandwich only cost $ 8, the cashier suggested that we get an order of beignets and 2 bottled waters ($ 4 total) to maximize our coupon value.
I had the Fishwich and man, was it tasty! The bread was fresh, the fish was fresh and only lightly battered so you don’t just get a mouthful of batter, and it was fried to order and perfectly crisp. As others have mentioned, the slaw was not particularly flavorful but it fulfilled its role in the sandwich which was to provide a little extra crunch and freshness.
My friend ordered the fried chicken & fries. The chicken was thin but juicy (probably tenderized?). The fries were superb — crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.
The beignets were fine, but not amazing — definitely not as good as Just For You Café.
Since all the prices are tax included, think of your sandwich as being $ 7.38+tax. Pretty reasonable.
Lastly, check out the upstairs dining area, what a neat ambience!!! The low ceilings made me feel taller. ;)

More like 4.3 stars.
Fishwich — Large and in charge! There is a sandwich in the window for you to see and plenty of people posted pictures on here. $ 8 and no tax. Pretty good value. That being said, I’m not dropping $ 8 for a sandwich all the time.
Anchor Steam $ 2 — You CANNOT beat a $ 2 beer, especially in this area and in the surrounding area. If you can, please tell me where.
Service was A+. The guys working there are not unhappy to be at work and if they are, they are damn good actors. They were cool, laid back, polite, and had great attitudes.
There was a constant flow of people, but there was not much of a line which was great.
I will be back to try the Chickenwich.
I passed this place on my way back from an Indian Buffet nearby a few weeks ago. Then a deal came up on groupon or KGB or one of those sites, so I promptly snapped one up. I should have had my friends buy them as well. This place is great!

Currently preggos with a food baby. and Macellato’s is the baby daddy.
My food baby is ½th Fishwich, ¼th Baby Back ribs, and ¼th Slaw.
I have had their Fried Chicken sando before… but it pales in comparision to Naked Lunch’s fried chicken sando… so I thought I should give the FishWich a try.
The fish filet itself was thick and perfectly the same size (if not bigger) as my bread! I hate eating tail end of my sando, to only get bread ends! The fish was soooo crispy on the outside, and moist in the inside!
The slaw in it, was JUST how I liked it. No, it not your typical mayo based slaw. But it has that refreshing, a lil tangy and a lil spicy kick, that melds really well with the Fried Fish!
To be honest, the slaw KINDA reminds me of Vietnamese chicken salad? Maybe the cilantro reminds me? Either way, I would def prefer this slaw over the traditional.
The baby back ribs were the special of the day… got sold on «Its been slow cooked over 20 hours». Ribs were OK? I’m not realllly a ribs kinda gal, but I ate a LARGE portion of the side of slaw that came with it =) The meat was FALLING off the bone. I mean I tried to pull a rib off by the bone, and the entire bone came off leaving the meat still attached to the rest, LOL.
Ill be having more food babies with Macellato’s!

Ich habe diesen Sandwichladen bei einem Stadtbummel durch San Francisco entdeckt. Er liegt in unmittelbarer Nähe der Transamerica Pyramid in Downtown. Von außen macht der Imbiss einen sehr netten Eindruck und die Waren werden ansprechend präsentiert. Ich habe mich bei meinem Besuch für einen Fischsandwich (Fishwich) und einen Coleslaw entschieden. Das Sandwich wurde frisch zubereitet und hat wunderbar geschmeckt. Das Fischfilet ist superfrisch, lecker und optimal fritiert. Als zusätzliche Beilage kommt noch etwas Soße und Krautsalat drauf. Das Brot ist ebenfalls lecker. Den Krautsalat kann ich aber auch als zusätzliche Beilage empfehlen. Es handelt sich hierbei um einen Coleslaw, der mit Öl, Essig und etwas Zitrone angemacht wird. Deshalb ist er nicht so mächtig wie die Varianten mit Mayonnaise. Pommes etc. konnte ich nicht mehr probieren, da die angebotenen Portionen sehr groß sind und auf jeden Fall satt machen. Preislich finde ich das Angebot ebenfalls sehr fair. Eiskalte Limonaden und Bier gibt es selbstverständlich auch.
Macellato ist mein Tipp, wenn man in Downtown San Francisco auf der Suche nach einem leckeren Essen ist oder z.B. eine Stärkung für einen Besuch der Golden Gate Bridge sucht. Eine uneingeschränkte Empfehlung von mir!

It’s so hard not to compare Macellato’s fried chicken sandwich with the Naked Lunch’s. It’s really a non-​starter but since the latter’s only available on Tuesday, Macellato’s might be a decent alternative.
But they are actually very different sammies. The fried chicken here is decent but not a standout. If you’re craving fried chicken it will suffice but I found it pretty average. The coleslaw is not of the creamy variety — think a vinegary Carolina-​style slaw. I actually appreciated the slaw for its crisp freshness. It would actually be a nice counterpoint to the fattiness of some fried chicken, but the chicken here is pretty lean so that point is mute. That plus the sheer amount of slaw they pile on is overwhelming and honestly, just a tad messy to eat.
Macellato is a decent lunch spot. The folks here are friendly and nice who try to push sandwiches out quickly for folks who have to rush back to their cubes. If that’s you, Macellato is worth the shot but fried chicken pilgrims might otherwise be dissapointed.

Everyone raves about their sandwiches here, the chickenwich was just okay. However, their beignets are super tasty. Of course I’m biased because I’m a fan of any place that carried beignets and chicory coffee. But they really are good here! And big too. That said, if you like beignets as much as I do you won’t want to share any of them.
The sandwiches are pretty big. You could probably split them for a light lunch.
chickenwich + beignets + chicory coffee + fishwich + coke = $ 21
PS If you’re looking for an amazing fried chicken sandwich try Naked Lunch just up the street on Broadway.

(See pics)
More of 3.5 stars but the beautiful service rounds up to 4.
Bright red and yellow are the signature colours of this small spot with only 2 choices of sandwiches.
The battered chicken sandwich was fairly delicious and was so much food I had only half and finished the other half for dinner. The accompanied coleslaw is a must.
Service was super nice. The guy over there was super sweet and smiled the whole way and was happily chatty.
They also serve bottled Coke and a few other drinks. No coffee as I was kinda thinking it would be an excellent place to enjoy an espresso there.

They only have two sandwiches, of which I tried one, the Chicken one that turned out to be decent. I did like the chicken, it was deep-​fried perfectly. I didn’t like the cole-​slaw in the sandwich, it took away from the taste of the chicken. The price of the sandwich was about $ 10.
As or the staff, there are two guys working at the counter and they friendly and provided good service. The place has very limited seating, I imagine it can hold about a dozen people. The sandwiches can be ordered either inside or through the outside counter.
Although the chicken was really good, I’m debating whether I’d go back because I can get better sandwiches elsewhere for the same price.

New sandwich shop in North Beach area, replaces Caffe Macaroni (sister restaurant to Macaroni Sciue Sciue, across the street). Same owners, only switched trattoria concept to a lunch spot.
Only 2 sandwiches on the menu ($ 8.22 each + tax = $ 9):
— battered fried chicken breast with cabbage & fennel slaw
— mortadella (Citterio), salami (Fra’Mani), hot coppa (Fra’Mani) and provolone cheese (Belgioso Caciocavallo)
Plus bags of chips (Miss Vickie’s, my favorite) and assorted drinks.
For now, it’s just okay. It doesn’t make much sense to walk all the way from the FiDi for such a limited menu. I might revise my rating when they decide to add more items. The chicken sandwich at Naked Lunch is better.
Hours: daily 11am-​6pm

Saw this place on Eater and was glad to see that something new and interesting moved into this shuttered space at the foot of Columbus.
They do two things and two things only (at least right now): an amazing buttermilk-​battered fried chicken sandwich, and an Italian combo sandwich that looks equally amazing (but I have yet to try). Accompaniments include Ms. Vicky’s chips, pickles, and a selection of bottled and canned drinks (including beer).
The chicken sandwich is worth the nine dollars. The chicken is so moist and tender, it’s almost like good fish and chips. The batter is tasty and warm with just the right amount of crispiness. Pair it with a Peroni and you are good to go.
The place is small, so take-​out may be a better call, but don’t be deterred by the lines, since they only have the two options, they get your order ready fast.
$ 9 is a tad pricey for a sandwich, but it’s still under that magic $ 10 level for lunch in the FiDi/​North Beach. You should absolutely try this place out.