Souvla

Souvla is fast-casual royalty. If they had a castle, their throne would be made up of cups of frozen yogurt, and the walls would be constructed of fat, juicy chickens that spin on rotisseries endlessly. Unfortunately, no such castle exists, but you can—and should—go to this Greek spot for excellent wraps and salads.

Souvla helped to popularize the fast-casual concept in SF when it first opened in Hayes Valley in 2014. They’ve since expanded with multiple locations across the city, and also gained a following so loyal one couple literally got engaged on one of their back patios. We attribute this mildly cult-like following to many things, the first being that the food is really good. Another is that a meal at Souvla has range—you can come here for a date and stay a while with their fun selection of Greek wines, or just swing by for a quick lunch to-go.

Ordering is a simple choose-your-own-adventure type of deal here. In terms of mains, you can either go salad or wrap, and get them with vegetables, or one of three meats: lamb, pork, and the aforementioned rotisserie chicken. All the proteins are flavorful and well-cooked. One non-negotiable, though, is ending your meal with a cup of not-too-sweet frozen Greek yogurt. It’s perfectly tangy, and so thick that you could hold it upside down and it wouldn’t fall out. Make sure it’s topped with honey-soaked baklava crumbles.

Souvla is usually packed with families, friends grabbing a midweek lunch, and people dressed in every matching athleisure set you could imagine. Make your way to the register, order, join them with your big spread, and enjoy. After all, you’re in the presence of fast-casual greatness.

Food Rundown

Chicken Wrap

The first thing you see when you walk into Souvla is a wall of rotisserie chickens being slowly cooked into juicy goodness—and they might just tempt you to order the chicken, which is always a great option here. Get it as a wrap in their beautifully chewy pita and you can’t go wrong.

Pork Wrap

You could throw Souvla’s tender pork shoulder on the floor of a high school gym and we’d probably still eat it. It’s especially good in wrap form, with minty Greek yogurt and pickled red onions.

Lamb Salad

All of the meats are great with the salad, but we gravitate towards the lamb. Also, we want to eat the harissa-spiked yogurt this salad comes with by the ladleful.

Greek Fries

If they started serving these instead of garlic fries at sporting events, we wouldn’t be too mad about it.

Juicy Potatoes

These are made with rotisserie drippings, so they’re extra soft and buttery. If you usually get fries, consider mixing it up by ordering the potatoes instead.

Frozen Greek Yogurt

Not too sweet, super thick, and topped with baklava crumbles and honey syrup. You must end your meal with this.