SFGuide
The SF (Takeout) Dinner & A Movie Guide
We pick some of our favorite spots for takeout and delivery, and pair a movie with them.
Dinner and a movie is a timeless combination. And while you can’t exactly head to the theater, you don’t really have to - there’s still plenty to watch at home, and even more to order for delivery or takeout (how’s that for optimism?). So we’re here to make sure you’re doing dinner and a movie right. Below, you’ll find our picks for great delivery, and which movie you should pair it with. We’ll be updating regularly, but for now, here are 25 combinations to keep your quarantine nights feeling fun, and hopefully, just a bit more normal.
The Spots
Movie Pairing:Amadeus (iTunes)
“Something about tinkering on the piano recently reminded me of Tom Hulce’s obnoxious cackle in the 1984 period drama Amadeus. So I re-watched the film. Mozart’s laugh was as delightful and annoying as I remembered, and his wigs were so New Wave. Watch Amadeus for those two things alone. And watch it with a sandwich from Deli Board. Pardon the musical cliché, but the lunchtime spot in SoMa makes sandwiches that are the equivalent of a masterful symphony (I’m a mediocre music reader at best, so don’t hold me to that analogy). In any case, Deli Board’s deli sandwiches are perfect. Get anything with pastrami and prepare for lots of this.”
- Lani Conway, SF Editor
Movie Pairing:The Last Black Man In San Francisco (Prime)
“In The Last Black Man In San Francisco, Jimmie Fails tries to buy the Victorian home his grandfather built in the Fillmore. By the end of it, the quirky drama made me hopeful and sad - the film explores gentrification and the loss of SF’s soul, which certainly takes on a new meaning in the COVID era, as more people reportedly flee the city. The film puts me in a reflective mood (listening to the soundtrack’s moving version of “San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)” will do that to you) and reminds me to hug every restaurant and community space I hold dear. One of those restaurants is Golden Boy Pizza. As a kid, getting cheesy squares pies from the North Beach spot was always the final destination for my dad and I after we crossed the Bay Bridge and spent the day wandering around the city.”
- LC
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Moving pairing:Mandy (Prime)
“Mandy is a visceral, trippy experience, one that’s been described as watching a ’70s heavy metal album get brought to life. Nicolas Cage plays a reclusive lumberjack out for revenge after a cult leader murders his partner, the titular Mandy. The action-horror features a demonic biker gang, a cool chainsaw fight, and this great Nicolas Cage freakout. Before you go off thinking, “Wow, Lani, I can’t believe you’re into that,” just watch the film, and do it while eating something with as much fiery edge as Cage’s battle ax - a Nashville hot chicken sandwich from WesBurger ‘N’ More should do the trick.”
- LC
Moving pairing:Invisible Man (HBO Max)
“The fun in this psychological horror is that it feels more like a campy made-for-TV revenge thriller - that’s what happens when Elisabeth Moss, the Queen Bee of the emotional breakdown, spends most of her screen time fighting, stabbing, wrestling, and yelling at the eponymous invisible figure. Part of the film takes place in a sleek Tony Stark-like mansion overlooking Stinson Beach, so I’ll roll with a coastal theme and pair the film with one of the incredible seafood dishes from La Ciccia, like fusilli with sea urchin, tomato, and grated tuna heart, or the octopus stew.”
- LC
Movie Pairing:Mucho Mucho Amor (Netflix)
“Walter Mercado was an inspirational Puerto Rican astrologer known for his dramatic and mesmerizing horoscope readings on TV. And this uplifting Netflix documentary chronicles everything from his early life, the ups and downs of his career, and his eventual status as a gay and Latinx icon. But what I love about Walter Mercado, aside from his boundless optimism, were the colorful capes he wore while delivering his messages of hope. They were sequenced, bejeweled, and intricate. That’s why I’ve paired this documentary with the equally bright and mesmerizing takeout omakase from Oma Station in Japantown. For $99.25, you get 25 pieces of nigiri. Oma also has a 14- and a 21-piece pressed sushi set that comes with a combination of sea bream, mackerel, and ocean trout. Order here.”
- LC
Movie Pairing:The Old Guard (Netflix)
“I’m a sucker for films about exceptional people with exceptional abilities. And aside from having just inadvertently revealed that I watch superhero films, I can also confirm it’s why I like Charlize Theron’s Old Guard. It’s based on a comic book, and Theron plays a centuries-old immortal mercenary who is out for revenge. Is the film predictable? Sure! Does that make Charlize Theron’s general bad-assery any less entertaining? Not a bit. While watching this movie, you need a fried chicken sandwich from World Famous Hot Boys in Oakland. You can get mild to painfully spicy, which would also accurately describe the Theron fight sequences.”
- LC
Movie Pairing:Call Me By Your Name (Prime)
“Call Me By Your Name makes me want to run away from my responsibilities to live on a gigantic ranch in the remote Italian countryside. The film is about a passionate love affair between a 17-year-old boy and a doctoral student working for his father, and it’s a beautiful ode to the intensity of first love and slow, warm summers. And if I close my eyes and imagine myself laying in the grass outside a cottage in Bergamo with Timothée Chalamet, I’d be eating a fresh fruit pie from this SF and Oakland-based pop-up. Their menu changes depending on what fruits are in season, but based on my recent order (a sweet and tart raspberry pluot pie topped with a brown butter shortbread crumble), I’d bet that everything is delicious.”
- Julia Chen, Staff Writer
Movie Pairing:Parasite (Hulu)
“Parasite is a hilarious and thought-provoking commentary on class that everybody needs to watch. And the chaotic scene where the Kims spend the night in the Parks’ massive home is one of my favorite scenes from a movie, ever. Right now, the closest I can get to the thrill of indulging in something fancy would be to splurge on a meal kit from Lazy Bear. They’re around $180 each for six courses, and serve two. The meal kits also change every week, but expect to see things like pork chops with an apple brandy glaze, cured salmon belly tarts, or coconut rice pudding with pickled huckleberries. Check their Instagram for the updated menu.”
- JC
Movie Pairing:Always Be My Maybe (Netflix)
“If I had my way, this guide would just be a list of my favorite Keanu films - and the order in which you should watch them. (The Matrix, Speed, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, then email me for the rest.) But I’ll settle for talking about the movie with the best Keanu cameo: Always Be My Maybe. In the now-infamous dinner scene, Keanu (as Keanu) is moved to deep introspection after he gets his meal and a pair of headphones playing the sounds of the animal he’s eating. If you, too, want to order from a spot that makes you feel emotional, Nari is the place. This exceptional Thai restaurant in Japantown is offering weekly dinner sets for takeout, which includes things like chicken soup, braised beef cheeks with massaman curry, and XO noodles. Sadly, Keanu isn’t included.”
- LC
Movie Pairing:What We Do In The Shadows (Prime)
“Taika Waititi is the master at bringing humanity to even the most monstrous of characters. In his 2014 mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows, three vampires grapple with mundane life by knitting, going to clubs, having house meetings and immature fights with rival werewolves. In other words, it’s exactly the kind of funny we all need right now. Without spoiling, there’s a memorable scene involving vomit, french fries, and a newly-minted bloodsucker. The scene gives me a strange yearning for fried potatoes, which is why I’ve paired the film with Nopa’s excellent burger and fries (they’re making it with chips, not fries, these days). Order it, watch the film, then turn to the TV adaptation, which is currently in its second season.”
- LC
Home Coffee Roasters
Movie Pairing:Arrival (Prime)
“When a sci-fi film stars two alien heptapods named Abbott and Costello, and Amy Adams as a linguist enlisted by the military to decipher their language, you know you’re going to put your brain to work. Watch this movie with coffee from Home Coffee Roasters - their Sunset, Chinatown, and Richmond locations of the neighborhood cafe are offering espresso drinks, matcha, and tea for takeout and delivery. Then prepare to have plenty of conversations about free will with whatever poor soul you’re stewing on the couch with.” - LC
Movie Pairing:The Farewell (Prime)
“I was reminded of my grandmother while watching The Farewell. Like Billi’s, mine lived an ocean away. She occasionally slipped me twenty dollar bills when my mom wasn’t looking, encouraged me to follow my intuition, and got on my case whenever I passed on her adobo and insisted I wasn’t hungry (what a true fool I was). This reminder is what made my eyes water up by the end of The Farewell, which I will not spoil. Whenever I want to feel this deep connection to my family, I go to Lucky Three Seven. The Filipino restaurant is family-run and makes daily specials, adobo, lumpia, and my favorite: tocino with rice and egg (which are currently available to go). If only I had my Iola’s recipes to make these dishes myself.”
- LC
Cam Huong Bakery
Movie Pairing:Booksmart (Hulu)
“In Booksmart, two best friends realize during their last few days of senior year that they missed out on quintessential high school moments, and try to fit four years of fun into the night before graduation. The film is a brilliant celebration of female friendship and adolescent joy, and it makes me nostalgic for my own high school days attached at the hip to my best friend Tasha. We always found a way to make it over to Cam Huong Bakery in Oakland’s Chinatown during free periods to get their delicious grilled pork banh mis, so I’d recommend ordering one to watch Booksmart. Be sure to grab a Vietnamese iced coffee, too.”
- JC
Movie Pairing:First Man (Prime)
“One of the most overlooked films of 2018 is First Man, also known as the Ryan Gosling eyelash movie, or the Neil Armstrong biopic that sent Noah Calhoun to the moon. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out. It’s an impressive movie (not just because it features the Gos singing a lullaby to a baby), and it needs something impressive to go with it. Go for Soba Ichi’s hand-cut soba noodles, which are made fresh each morning, and available Thursday to Sunday, 12-3pm.”
- LC
Movie Pairing:Legally Blonde The Musical (Youtube)
“First off, this musical is the definition of perfect casting. Second, if you haven’t watched it, cancel everything you have planned for tonight (which, please, is probably not much) and put it on immediately. Oh my god. This musical is flawless. I’ll probably watch it tonight. And for dinner, I’ll order something that makes me want to jump off my couch and sing as much as I do watching Legally Blonde: Burma Superstar. More specifically, their mango chicken and basil chili pork belly - both are the right amounts of salty and sweet. And, of course, their excellent tea leaf salad.”
- JC
Woodhouse Fish Co.
Movie Pairing:Venom (Amazon, Purchase Only)
“Let’s get this out of the way: Venom is not a good film. But it is a highly entertaining one. Which means there’s never been a better time to watch motorcycle chases through the streets of San Francisco, and a committed performance by Tom Hardy, who at one point jumps into a lobster tank and eats a live one in front of his ex-lover. The scene makes me laugh just thinking about it - and makes me want to order a lobster roll from Woodhouse Fish Co. They’re making them to. go out of their Market St. location.”
- LC
Movie Pairing:Wine Country (Netflix)
“We all wish we could travel right now. Especially with friends who are down to get into weird drunk adventures. We can’t do that right now, but we can live vicariously through Maya Rudolph and her friends on a weekend wine trip in Napa. The obvious takeout choice here is a bottle of wine, which I would grab from the exceptional wine bar Verjus in Jackson Square. They’re currently operating as a market featuring natural wines, pantry staples, books, and dried pastas from their sister restaurant Cotogna.”
- LC
Movie Pairing:My Life As A Zucchini (Prime)
“My Life As A Zucchini, or Ma Vie De Courgette, is a Swiss/French stop-motion film that will make you sob (I sure did). It’s about a boy named Zucchini who goes from an abusive home to an orphanage, and ends up forming close bonds with the other kids there. The story is equal parts sad and sweet, and will make you want to curl up in a huge blanket with a big plate of warm food from Brenda’s. My plate of choice is their crispy, juicy fried chicken, a side of collard greens with bacon, and their super-rich chocolate beignets for dessert.”
- JC
The Butcher Shop by Niku Steakhouse
Movie Pairing:The Queen of Versailles (Hulu)
“Like Tiger King or Love Is Blind, it’s hard to look away from The Queen Of Versailles. The documentary follows one couple’s quest to build one of the largest homes in the United States, modeled on the Palace of Versailles. This is a rags-to-riches story that also explores the sacrifices necessary to achieve champagne wishes and caviar dreams - and that means you’re ordering something extra, extra fancy to go along with it. In the old days, we’d head to Niku Steakhouse (or wish we could head to Niku Steakhouse) for a $420 Japanese A5 tasting flight. Now, you can head to The Butcher Shop by Niku Steakhouse and stock up on some incredible wagyu cuts - or their new Butcher Burger - to prepare at home.” - LC
Movie Pairing:The Parent Trap (Disney+)
“I cried a lot the last time I watched The Parent Trap. In it, twin girls find each other after being separated at birth and then try to put their family back together. It makes me nostalgic for childhood summers - but unlike Hallie and Annie, I never went to sleepaway camp. If I did, I imagine it would involve lots of friendship bracelets, campfire songs, and spaghetti. Which is why the proper pairing here is a heaping plate of spaghetti and meatballs from Emmy’s Spaghetti Shack. Something about crafting the perfect bite of spaghetti (with just the right amount of meatball) is comforting to me, and reminds me a lot of growing up. Order yours here.”
- JC
Movie Pairing:Sorry To Bother You (Hulu)
“Local celebrity Boots Riley delivers true WTF-ery in Sorry To Bother You, a satirical film about why capitalism sucks and why telemarketing sucks even harder. Sorry To Bother You also happens to take place in Oakland. Many recognizable city landmarks, like the triangle building in Uptown Oakland, serve as this movie’s backdrop, which is why you should be watching it while eating at Shan Dong - an Oakland landmark in its own right among others. And ordering from an essential spot requires an essential order - handmade noodles doused in sesame paste, pork dumplings, and green beans that are crispy every time.” - LC
Movie Pairing:John Wick (Prime)
“John Wick marks an important turning point in Keanu’s career: The action franchise is New School Keanu. It is his McConaissance. It is seminal. It is the film in which Keanu transforms into the human embodiment of Hina Yakitori’s excellent binchotan-grilled chicken skewers - meticulous, precise, and perfect. The restaurant is serving the skewers to go as part of a $20 bento box.”
- LC
Tacos El Novillo
Movie Pairing:BlacKkKlansman (Prime)
“BlacKkKlansman is based on a true story about a black police officer and his white colleague going undercover to infiltrate the KKK. It’s clever, poignant, and relevant. What I enjoy most about the film are the all-around excellent, subtle acting performances by the cast - so watch it while eating something you can continuously eat without needing to take your eyes off the screen, like a carnitas burrito from my favorite taco truck, Tacos El Novillo in Fruitvale. Their tortillas are perfectly chewy, and the carnitas are tender and crispy. And as a bonus, it comes with a bunch (like a literal bunch) of green onions to eat with your burrito.”
- JC
Movie Pairing:Train to Busan (Prime)
“Forgive me in advance for causing irreparable damage to your psyche, but f*ck it, you should watch Train To Busan - an emotionally taxing and excellent zombie film. At the heart of this survival story is the relationship between a disinterested father and a daughter who just wants love. This film will wreck you. If you decide to watch it, make sure you have a pint or two from Bi-Rite, or a sundae from Fentons if you’re in Oakland, handy. You’re going to need them.”
- LC
Viridian
Movie Pairing:The Guest (Netflix)
“In the horror-comedy The Guest, Dan Stevens is a sociopathic soldier on a murder streak. You will love the synth soundtrack, and you will wonder what happened to Matthew Crawley from Downton Abbey. If you’re like me, it might also make you think about, Viridian in Oakland, a neon-tinged bar I cannot wait to get back to after this is all over. They’re currently serving bottled cocktails for two ($20), wine, and a variety of snacks and desserts, like yuzu osmanthus cake.”
- LC
