Italian Fritatta made with three whipped eggs, spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and black olives, topped with marinara sauce & mozzarella cheese, served with potatoes and a bagel
Left: Hot Links, Mushrooms, and Onions Skillet made with potatoes and cheddar-jack cheese, served with two fried eggs and a bagel
Right: Savory "Carnitas" Pancakes made with sautéed carnitas and caramelized onions in an Apple Jack BBQ glaze and three plain pancakes
A couple weeks ago I visited Stacks for brunch with a couple of old friends. Stacks is a traditional American restaurant in San Francisco's Hayes Valley that specializes in breakfast and brunch.
Although I was attempted to order the Eggs Benedict, my friend urged me to try something different. I ordered the Italian Fritatta, which came with potatoes and a bagel. Since the portions are so large at Stacks, I only really made it through the potatoes and a couple of bites of the fritatta. What I tried, however, was pretty good. The potatoes were the kind you'd expect at a typical diner, but didn't feel as greasy and heavy. The fritatta satisfied my eggs craving thoroughly.
I also tried a bite of my friends' dishes. The Savory "Carnitas" Pancakes are a pretty ingenious creation. The carnitas are sautéed to perfection and their savory flavor balances the sweetness of the pancakes. The Skillet made with hot links, mushrooms, and onions was also very flavorful. The hot links have that Louisiana kick that'll wake you up on a lazy weekend morning.
Overall, Stacks is a must-try place for breakfast or brunch. It's priced relatively well for San Francisco and, given their portion sizes, you essentially get two meals in one. If you're visiting on the weekend, try to go before the brunch crowd arrives. If you're on the waiting list, you can always explore the neat boutiques Hayes Valley has to offer within the area.
Stacks
501 Hayes St., San Francisco, CA 94102
