Bio Cafe

This place has saved me from hunger a few times when I’ve worked downtown and needed to find gluten free options. They can make a sandwich with GF bread and they also have GF quiches. The salad is the best part by far — super yummy. The sandwich falls apart and was just so-​so. It was mainly turkey and avocado without anything else on it. But at least I had something to eat so I’ll probably be back in the future. Hopeful they improve things.

I got out of my usual lunch-​path to try Bio Café. I had been wanting to go there for a couple days. Unfortunately, I find myself thinking that the place is really not worth the walk. I got a salmon quiche and some sort of banana-​pudding bread with chocolate on top. The quiche was served with a salad that I really did not enjoy (odd flavors) and the quiche itself was really mediocre. I hope this does not come out wrong but I am French and have tried way better quiches than that one. The banana dessert was fine, but nothing special, at all.
Nothing is really «French» at Bio Café except maybe for the baguette sandwiches? Or the wannabe quiches. But labeling it as French does not feel appropriate, to me at least.
I am truly disappointed, but willing to give it a second chance? –maybe.

Quaint café with helpful staff (they might be the owners). Sooo many gluten-​free desserts — think gluten-​free meets tempting chocolate. I especially liked the chocolate covered brownie & the French hot chocolate. I highly recommend the chocolate covered candied lemon. The gluten-​free bacon quiche with salad will bring me back for repeated visits. My friend had the homemade yogurt, thick & creamy, the perfect counterpoint to fresh blueberries. Outside seating allows you to people watch while savoring the excellent offerings.

The good, Homemade yogurt with strawberries, honey, and rose water was divine. Totally homemade and very thick. I added water to make it easier for my daughter to eat but she loved it. You can’t find homemade yogurt just anywhere so I appreciated that. Chocolates also looked amazing, haven’t tried the peach one we got.
The owner/​worker was really nice and sweet. You could tell he was passionate about the food, love that.
We had the GF veggie avocado sandwich and the veggie gf quiche. both used the same type of ‘salad’ in their mix and had the same flavors going on, which I didn’t love. The bread crumbled in the sandwich so we ate it with a fork but that’s a small price to pay for good quality food that won’t make you feel sick and heavy afterwards.

On my weekend trip to San Francisco I had been hovering Unilocal for all the go to vegan spots in the area. I found Bio Café appeared very nearby to the hotel I was staying at, and I decided to give it a try. The place itself I would not consider a restaurant but more like a grab-​n-​go sandwich spot. It is a very small hole in the wall place but it is very clean and organized. The ambiance wasn’t very welcoming as one other Unilocaler mentioned, but from the reviews and pictures I decided it was worth giving it a try. Being that it is a small place the menu isn’t very expansive, therefore there wasn’t many vegan options available. In fact there was only one option which was a brussel sprout sandwich. I tried it and… ummmm it was not what I was expecting at all. It was very bitter, and sour like. It was not pleasant at all. Definitely not my type of food but others seem to enjoy it very much so better to check it out and see if its good to your tastebuds. To be fair I’m only giving the two stars for the sandwich I ordered. All the other stuff seemed very good but since I am vegan my choices were limited.

We love this little café! We came here for lunch 2 days ago (our first day in SF) and had lunch. We had the vegan butternut squash soup, vegan butternut squash quiche, and my mother had the vegan French onion and the shredded chicken sandwich. We loved it so so much! And the workers understand the vegan concept and seem respectful of my concerning vegan intuition. Today we are eating breakfast. My mother had the homemade yogurt, which she swears is infused with flower and she had the salmon goat cheese baguette, she loved it and says it reminds her of when we ate in Paris. I enjoyed the hemp milk porridge with oats and quinoa and the turmeric kombucha is golden, literally and figuratively. Of course, I am taking a vegan truffle home with me because it’s the best vegan truffle I have ever had.

Never thought a Brussel sprout sandwich could taste so good! Plus, decently priced. I’ll be back!

We had the salmon, basil and cheese sandwich. Very good, coffee was decent and seating was two tiny tables outside. Outdoor seating would have been better if not for construction going on right next door. Good for a take and run type of thing.

I was in San Francisco for two days. Up early the first day, early enough that only a few places nearby were open. I saw this place on Unilocal,reviews are 3 ½ stars so I keep looking but I come back to read some reviews. I read the one grime the guy who said that the owners/​operators didn’t get up at first when he came inside, then jumped up and said «I thought you were a homeless» followed by a sharp «What do you want?» But then went on to describe great food. Made me laugh and I thought «well I gotta try THAT.»
I can only assume one reason for negative reviews that are keeping this place from a 4 or 5 star rating. Tourists. Tourist who are looking for a cute, comfy Disney-​food experience. The owner/​operators do seem very serious so you don’t get welcomed in with sunshine and rainbows but they are perfectly nice if you talk to them. Especially if you talk to them about their unfuckingbelievable good food. Sorry mom and dad. I learned that word in Boston at college and it applies here. You taught me to be honest. After just a few bites there was no doubt where I’d be eating breakfast on day two.
The salmon quiche was the best quiche I’ve ever had. Amazing. I also got this salmon breakfast sandwich. I know, weird to order both of those but it looked interesting and I went sure I was going to like one or the other. The sandwich had salmon, a generous amount of avocado, some kind of white vegan cheese substitute I think? I don’t know but it’s on this hearty wheat bread. First bite and I though «oh no. This is that heavy, crumbly wheat bread that has no h20 in it and leaves you feeling parched and dusty.» Then I realized, «hey, it’s a little moist or the avocado is helping or something but what is that? A little sweet and spicy.» I’m so sad I don’t know where to find this back in DC.
Other things to mention quick but cuz I gotta run but these deserve their own flowery reviews.
Granola balls!
Cinnamon bun!
Coffee!!!
A+++
All five of my stars are actually two stars each.
Love this place.

Amazing food. Had the turkey, Gruyère, jam baguette and a chocolate peanut butter disc for dessert. Delicious!

Yum is the final verdict. As a vegetarian bordering vegan, the financial district/​soma can be meh when trying to find a tasty lunch item that’s not just a boring salad. This place is modest in looks but the smell wafting from the kitchen says it all. The food is freshly made from real whole foods.
I ordered the veggie quiche and the vegan eggplant and avocado sandwich on walnut bread (note: I am not the biggest eggplant fan). And I loved both! The value was great ($ 4 and $ 5 flat with no change, respectively), the quiche came with a small but delicious side salad, and if I wasn’t dying of hunger, one of the two dishes would have certainly been enough for lunch. I do typically like smaller meals though.
I was severely tempted by their sweets section, multiple vegan offerings! So it is certain I will be back.

Sometimes I go to this tiny «organic French café» near my work in downtown San Francisco because I enjoy the attitude of the woman who runs it and the food is all homemade. BIO is a real small business – illegibly hand-​written signs and prices, disordered items crowded behind the deli counter and stacked on every surface, the feel of having stumbled into a cluttered kitchen through the back door where the chef is irritated by your uninvited presence. This odd little café sits right next door to another «French café», Madeleine’s, where there’s always a line out the door and pretty girls serving pretty pastries and sandwiches to happy lunch-​breakers, charmed by this Disney version of a Parisian bistro. At BIO, the food could be described as strange, unique, or surprising, but rarely pretty. Where customers relax and chat cheerfully in the bright openness of Madeleine’s, patrons of BIO order nervously and shuffle out the door with their heads down.
The first time I walked in, the owner jumped when she noticed me. «I thought you were a homeless,» she said gruffly, eyeing me up and down. «What you want?»
I ordered a pea soup that time and have ordered one every trip since. I’ll admit, I expected a split-​pea soup, but when I returned to my office and removed the lid, I was surprised by the bright green purée in the cup. It tasted like peas and only peas, blended and heated. «What in the hell is this?» I thought, but by the time I reached the bottom of the cup I was hooked. Another time, I ordered a gluten free cookie because it was the only kind of cookie they had and I was craving a sweet treat for after my pea soup. I was disappointed by both taste and texture – the overpowering saltiness was too much and the dough felt both under-​cooked and grainy. I had the actual thought, «This is the worst cookie I’ve ever tasted.»
But I finished it.
And then, 3 months later, I craved another.
Biting into it, I was reminded of my disappointment the first time.
«This isn’t a cookie!»
But by my second bite, rolling my tongue through the salty grains, I wondered if this might be my favorite cookie. And it might be.

Some of these lower reviews are appalling. They didn’t have what I wanted so 3 stars. I couldn’t see the menu. The employees weren’t friendly enough. oh please. My favorite was when someone said the food was thrown together. Like do they know anything about cooking?
The food here is amazing and is a terrific value. The flavors are solid, the food is consistently fresh, and if you ever try their vegan desserts — they are to die far.
This is easily one of my favorite cafes. If you’re in the area definitely give it a try.

Very good spot for lunch and snacks. My favorite is the fresh yogurt with berries! The chocolate truffle is very good as well.

As seen by my check-in’s… I come here frequently for both breakfast & lunch (and the occasional afternoon snack). If you haven’t tried this place, below are my reasons for becoming a regular:
1) Price: Value
Almost everything they sell is reasonably priced and incredibly tasty! Some of my favorites are the jalapeño tuna w/​avacado (and side salad), salmon /​bacon quiche (side salad as well), and the prosciutto baguette sandwich. The prices are on the lower end of what to expect in downtown SF.
2) Freshness /​Consistent Quality
All the food they make is incredibly fresh and delicious. You can walk in and see them constantly making new batches of what is on display. I often order my favorites in a rotation, where the quality remains the same every time.
Check it out if you can!

Favorite bakery type of spot to stop in before work. It’s affordable and their vegan peanut butter chocolate is too good. They recently started making gluten free bread and it’s one of the best I’ve had. They have really increased the amount of gluten free baked goods. Super sweet staff, love this place.

The food is really great the staff is nice, pricing is very much affordable !
I highly recommend their brioche chicken sandwich !
The location is perfect right in the heart of downtown.
Maybe sometime the food is a bit fat other than that great place

Cute little café serving wholesome and tasty food.
I had the muffin sized veggie quiche and it came with a small salad all for $ 4. I’ll comeback and try some other items. They have an assortment of rustic looking sweets that look interesting. However many of the chocolate items don’t look freshly made so was hesitant to try these. Workers where helpful and made the recommendation. Nice to have a place like this in Union Square!

I’m only visiting SF and I desperately wanted a kombucha, so one quick search and Unilocal directed me to this tiny place tucked away amongst the behemoth department stores along this stretch. It’s miniscule but extremely French, down to the distinctive handwritten signs. At first glance it seems like everything is gluten-​free, so there’s that for you celiacs in search of a good pastry. But the kombucha, that’s the star. It’s a ginger tumeric blend that sounds potent but is really quite smooth, albeit just the slightest bit expensive for the tiny bottle. But it’s a glass bottle with no labelling, so reduce, reuse, recycle, you know.
The chocolate chip cookie needs a little work, it’s greasy but crumbly and a bit dry. For $ 3 I would hope for a bit more… je né sais quoi?

BIO is NOT concerned with many things… friendliness and customer service, menu clarity or visibility, food presentation, speed and efficiency, ease of purchase transactions, or ADA compliance. They just DONT care about these things. That’s a fact.
If you want PRETTY GOOD food at a decent price, and don’t mind the chaos and lack of everything I just mentioned, then come to BIO for lunch! Honestly, the food is pretty good. Not amazing, but good. You get that –French countryside, home-​cooking, a bunch of random things thrown in a bowl– type feeling when you eat their food.
Oh and budget yourself some extra time when you come here. They’re in no hurry and there is no sort of system or protocol in place, so you may have to wait a while

Really liked this place. There are so many options that I just wanted to stay all day and try everything. Healthy food too. Plus an abundance of chocolate goodies and drinks. We had a quiche and a saucisson sandwich… both were very tasty. Also had a couple of cappuccinos that were made spot on. There is nearly no seating, so this is a good choice to get food to go.

Healthy café located in Union Square. My boss took me here for lunch on my first day at work. There didn’t seem like too much selection left when we went after 1PM on a Monday. Lots of the baguettes have goat cheese in them, which I don’t care for anymore. I chose a chicken sandwich which was a good size. However, the chicken was a little on the dry side. It was a simple baguette, but nothing extra ordinary.
Doesn’t seem like they have any hot items for lunch besides soup. Perhaps I just need to get a quiche or breakfast here instead next time. The only seating are a couple tables outside. It was an ordinary baguette sandwich a la France, but they have fair prices for the neighborhood and serve organic, vegan and gluten free options, so a solid 3 stars.

When I worked close to here, my treat was something from Bio. The staff were cheery in the morning and a tray if quiche could last me the whole day. Since my office moved to Oakland, I miss this place the most. I love the tuna jalapeño sandwich and avocado and the Brussel sprout sandwich. While walking around for the holidays, I popped in for a sandwich and was pleased to find the same friendly staff, wonderful sandwich and homemade drinks and yogurt. Wish there was a Bio in Oakland to make my mornings a little bit easier to wake up to!

Real food, carefully prepared to high standards. No it’s not elegant but rather expedient! Lunch! Without going to a sidewalk truck, or chain mass produced sandwich shop. Great variety, surprising tastes. They know cheese and herbs and make great use of both. Menu changes– enjoy reading the chalk board and try a few different things. You’ll be well-​fed! The chocolate items will make you giddy! Eat your main food first haha!

I have been excited about trying this place for weeks. A friend recommended the Brussel sprout sandwich and I haven’t been able to get it off of my mind. I finally made the trek out to Bio and… No Brussel sprouts.
Very disappointing.
I didn’t want to feel like I had wasted the trip, so I ordered a veggie quiche and a cup of pea soup. The quiche was strange tasting and unsatisfying and the soup was not edible. Just terrible pea soup. I wanted to like it, I really did.
However, I will say that the location was small and charming and the staff were lovely. Very kind and helpful. That is the only reason I am giving this place more that 1 star. The staff were excellent.
Hopefully, the next time I venture here I will enjoy an amazing Brussel sprout sandwich and have a change of heart. :)

I crave fish on the regular (I think it must be a Welsh thing —
.)
Though I adore seafood — it can be challenging to find fresh fish dishes in the Financial District.
Today — when my seafood cravings kicked in — I remembered that Bio sells an extremely affordable tuna, jalapeño, and avocado stuffed avocado dish.
I sped walked over. Once there — I marveled at Bio’s blissful homemade dark chocolate covered fruits, their spicy strong homemade kombucha and their impressive gluten free leaning baked goods, which dazzled behind the glass counter — with moist goodness. I decided to stick with my stuffed avocado which was simple — but full of healthy fat and protein. It was perfect.
For a unique selection of decadent and healthy lunch items — which are made with quality ingredients and love — check out Bio.
Trust.

I must have been by this wee café hundreds of times without even seeing it, but one morning I did and I am so happy I stopped in one morning for brekkie to take to work. I was craving croissants or brioche or pan au chocolat (not realizing there may not be those options in a gluten free restaurant), but instead had their house-​made yoghurt and granola. How amazing and lovely it is: creamy, thick, rich and, what, rose flavored [note, it may not actually be rose flavored, but I do pick up a hint of delicate rose, which reminds me of locum, which makes me very happy]. I’ve enjoyed my weekly Bio brekkies since. Friendly staff, very reasonable prices for the quality of food on offer, yummy chocolate (break some into your yoghurt) — all of which add up to a perfect place to eat.

OMG! I love this place. Three dog friendly tables outside. Hubby has to eat gluten-​free while I try to eat healthy. This place accommodates us both. We like to come here for a mid-​afternoon treat when we work from home. We get coffee, sit outside and split like 4 different little desserts. My fave is the granola ball thing made with honey. Hubby loves the home made peanut butter cup. The only downside is that there is never enough staff to clean up the outside tables or restock the coffee bar area.

I really like this little café. I’m not quite understanding why there are so many negative reviews; no small, independent, family run café can be perfect 100% of the time. I would hope that reviewers would see that some «rough around the edges» qualities are consistent with independent businesses. If you want perfect consistency, just go to Starbucks you whiners. Cut independent small business some slack — it’s hard out there!
This café is really unique. It’s a nice break from the sterile environment that the Blue Bottles, Viva La Tartes, and Rituals have to offer. I don’t find the things that Bio serves, the way they serve it, anywhere else in the City. The stuff here is actually really inventive.
So what if the owners aren’t giving you 100% of their undivided attention! They’re in the back hustling and making really unique, healthy and yummy food around Union Square. And the food is great! It’s all delicious. It’s made from whole foods — mostly organic. It’s the stuff you want to put into your body. Support your true local businesses. Go to this café.
Whiners go to Starbucks.

Yummy, freshly prepared food without the lines.
I’ve had the pesto tuna sandwich (pesto wasn’t as pungent as I would have liked) and the sweet pea soup and salad (arugula + roasted eggplant /​peppers). The salad was massaged and warm, which I really enjoyed.
At noon, there are only 2 – 3 people at a time max.
The chocolate looked so divine, if it weren’t for pesky diabetes…

I like doing Unilocal searches for businesses within 4 blocks of places. Home, work, etc. Bio kept showing up within 4 blocks of work, so I decided to finally check them out. It was Tuesday, August 25^th around 11am. I grabbed takeout for lunch since I was hungry!
*Saucisson gruyère ($ 8)
I was originally looking at the avocado and tuna sandwich. But I wanted something fattier and more satisfying. Decided on the salami and cheese sandwich. They are nice enough to heat it up for you and it’s a good size. But the filling to bread ratio is a little off. It was hard getting equal bites of filling and bread. The baguette is a nice crusty bread that will cut the roof of your mouth if you’re not too careful. The saucisson and gruyère had nice flavor, but I wanted more of it. Or at least more of it to be evenly distributed. Due to the way the bread was cut, the filling stayed on the top parts of the sandwich.
I’ve also eyed their smoked salmon sandwich, so I may be back. Looked like a nice substitute for a bagel and lox if I’m too lazy to walk far.

Food: ⁵⁄₅
Service: ⁴⁄₅
Ambiance: ⁴⁄₅
Found this gem of a spot after a long day of shopping around Market St. We walked past it and got a whiff of the most amazing scent of baked cheese-​y goodness and had to do a «double-​smell-​take» and backtracked to enter. They have the most amazing selection of sandwiches, quiches, and sweets. I wish we could’ve have sampled a bit of everything.
Narrowing it down, we tried the bacon cheese quiche with a side salad, butternut squash muffin, chocolate covered prune, a coconut ball. The bacon cheese quiche was delicious and came with a small side salad — what a deal for $ 4! The sweets were also decadent.
Our eyes are obviously bigger than our stomachs as we had to wrap up most of it to go. They are counter service with a few tables available outside. Self-​serve water is available in the fridge and the glasses are near the cash register. I would definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat along these busy streets. Too bad we didn’t try the soup… next time!

Holy moley! By chance I took a slight detour before going to my lunch destination and saw a bunch of people sitting out in a couple of tables eating soup on a hot day. I thought to myself that it must be a pretty darn good soup to be eating in 80 degree weather. I took a step inside and was immediately mesmerized by beautiful looking baguette sandwiches. I would never have guessed by the name of the place that they would have French sandwiches. Having lived in France I even noticed the writing was French.
The menu was full of choices that there were at least 7 – 8 things that I had to have and was suggested either the salmon or prosciutto baguette. I chose the Prosciutto with herbs, goat cheese, and house jam on a slim olive baguette. It was love at first bite and immediately became my favorite sandwich in the neighborhood. I can imagine eating it once a week.
The next day I came back looking to try the salmon, but the owner (Sophie?) suggested I try the brioche sandwich with avocado and turkey and apple jam! I could eat only half! The brioche bread was amazing! A filling sandwich can you believe it inly cost $ 5!!!
This place advertises organic, vegan and gluten free meals and Although my choices don’t fall in that range I find it amazing that I find so many alternatives. They have some great breakfast choices with yogurt and granola that I am going to have to try as well
Try not to look at the cookies or you will walk out of there with a dozen! Oh and the fact that they are gluten free is the perfect excuse to get 2 dozen!
So now back for 3^rd and 4^th visits I have eaten the Saucisson baguette and the Salmon baguette and my first gluten free dark chocolate and peanut butter cookie! Holy smokes! I need to go gluten free!
Wait! But there is more. I am not a soup person… but pea soup? Yes Pea Soup! I can’t believe it, but this must be the best soup ever! Run, don’t walk, to try some of the most interesting tastes you’ve ever had!

I came here for lunch while in SF for a conference, knowing that it was an all gluten-​free place. I didn’t know that the sandwiches were premade, thus making them inaccessible to me, though my cousin certainly liked hers. Why the four stars if I can’t have the sandwiches? It’s the yogurt. I had the yogurt and granola, and the yogurt is perhaps the best I have ever had in my life, and I say that as someone who gets yogurt at home from the local farmers market. Bio’s yogurt is flavored with rosewater, which is perfect. The granola is very good and has a lot of seeds in it. It is soy-​free.
My little cousin had a sandwich she liked very much and also a piece of the gorgeous chocolate-​covered fruit.

Lovely little place with all organic and many GF options. Had the yogurt with strawberries and it was divine. There was rose petals in it, making it extra delicious. Everything else ordered by us was very tasty…
I wish there was a bigger seating area, possibly even inside to hide away from the cold.
I’ll definitely go back when I’m in that neighbourhood…

Bio SF is a petite, order-​at-​the-​counter, breakfast, lunch and after-​work kind of place in the Financial District. This cute French style bakery where everything is homemade Order at counter and sit outside at a sidewalk table, or take your food to Union Square park.
What to try:
Breakfast:
~French Toast Brioche, Maple Syrup, Seasonal Berries it was simply delicious
~Waffle and berries, healthier option when you are craving waffles
~GF Breakfast coconut, oats & quinoa cake
Lunch:
Sandwiches I loved:
~Free-​range Chicken, Herbs, Cheese
~Prosciutto, House Jam, Goat Cheese
~Tuna, Jalapeño, Herbs
Salad and other stuff to try:
~Kale Salad with Quinoa & Brussel Sprouts
~Gluten-​free quiche
~Avocado & spicy tuna
Sweets:
Try their house chocolates, one piece is huge!
~Coconut ball — a little too sweet, but for coconut lovers what a treat
~GF Oatmeal cookie
~GF chocolate sea salt brownie, generous size as well
~GF Chocolate chip cookie
~Agave banana pudding
A great place for vegans and people who are trying to eat healthier. Who knew that healthy food can taste so good. Even their sweets were such treats! Bio has a simple yet creative menu of healthy, delicious food from fresh, organic ingredients. I give Bio a thumbs up, four stars!

It’s a sad day, world.
Though I’ve tried most of Bio’s offerings, it’s the thick, just-​sweet-​enough rose honey yogurt that inspires most of my visits. Whether it’s topped with a generous smattering of in-​season strawberries or a spread of cranberry compote, this yogurt has always tasted like a luxurious treat (and it should at $ 6.50!). But recently, the owner decided to change up her famous recipe and the new version is only a shell of the original. It’s thin, and not at all sweet. That exquisite rose honey flavor? Gone. An unmistakable made-​from-​scratch taste? AWOL.
I’m hoping that they bring the yogurt — the real McCoy! — back.
Ciao for now,
The Duchess