Roxie Food Center

(second image from yelp)

Roxie Food Center, San Jose Ave & Havelock, San Francisco

Liquor store sandwiches are the new big thing in the Mission, but these guys have been making sandwiches in a little liquor store in the Ingleside/Outer Mission area for over 20 years. I had never heard of them until recently, but after reading their yelp reviews, I wanted to try it out. So today I stopped in on my way home. From the outside, this place looks like any other liquor store in the city, and a pretty small one at that. About a third of the store is given over to the deli. Lots of old 49ers memorabilia, old city college sports stuff, and signed pictures of local celebrities.

Their sandwich selection is classic and huge. Lots of different meat choices, lots of cheeses, and lots of breads, including both regular sourdough and extra sour sourdough (!). The people working there were really friendly, and didn't flinch when I ordered my veggie sandwich without mayo and cheese. There's three sizes of sandwiches here. They aren't as cheap as you might imagine from the humble exterior. The junior size was $6, I think the regular was $8, and the large somewhere around $10. I ordered the junior because I wasn't that hungry. But seriously, calling this thing a junior is kind of a joke. Do you see it? It's fucking huge! I can't imagine how big the large must be.

Anyway, on to the sandwich. Great sandwich. You could put just about anything on toasted extra sour sourdough bread and I'd be happy, but this was a really interesting veggie sandwich, not just a meat sandwich without meat. Mustard, pickles, tomatoes, jalapeño, onions, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, avocado and, most surprisingly, kidney beans! I used to dislike artichoke hearts, but I've been coming around to them lately.  The mushrooms were the briney, canned kind rather than fresh dry mushrooms.  Italian flavors.  Rich and tasty.


This place is definitely out there, but it's worth the trip.  Not much of a place to sit but Balboa Park is down the street.  Excellent. Ahhhhhhhhh I will go back.