There is nothing fancy about this bare bones spot in Bayview, but you’re not going for the decor—you’re going for San Francisco native April Spears' authentic and affordable soul food. Spears learned how to cook soul food in her grandparents’ kitchen before cooking at a Bayview restaurant owned by her godparents just down the street. So when it came to opening up her own place, it only made sense to do so in a familiar neighborhood, one where she serves up some of SF’s best chicken and waffles. The price point is fantastic: a couple pieces of crunchy fried chicken on top of buttery waffles (choose from original, cinnamon or buckwheat) will only cost you $9. Add a sweet tea to wash it down and then order a piece of pecan pie to go—you’ll be too full to enjoy it there, but will regret it for days if you go without.
Peanut butter and jelly, burgers and fries, wine and cheese—some things are just better together, and chicken and waffles are definitely two of 'em. It’s a tricky dish to master; more often than not, one part of the equation far outshines the other. And yet, once you’ve taken a bite of a well-executed chicken and waffle dish, you just get it. While it can be hard to find fantastic chicken and waffle iterations so far from the south, these nine San Francisco restaurants all serve up versions that are utterly crave-worthy.