Lucinda's Deli & More

"Walk anywhere in the vicinity of Alamo Square and you’ll probably see a few people on a park bench, gazing lovingly at a tightly-wrapped sandwich from Lucinda’s Deli & More. The NoPa spot is SF sandwich royalty—their baguette sandwiches are stuffed with so much filling that they look like burritos, and each has expertly balanced levels of salt, sweet, and spice. Case in point: their spicy tuna melt masterpiece with rainbow layers of pickled jalapeños, cheddar, arugula, and tomato. It’s also our go-to order." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong

"A former Horsefeather chef opened this sandwich spot near Alamo Square because he likes taking a mortadella sub to the park with his pitbull. The sandwiches are simple, but the chef touches come through with lots of different spreads and toppings, from flavored mayos and housemade barbecue sauce to pickled and crispy onions. Drop by for a latte from the meet-cute team behind Third Wheel Coffee, too." - Dianne de Guzman

"The Park: Alamo Square Lucinda’s rules Alamo Square. Look around and everyone in your line of vision will be opening their precious, tightly-wrapped prize in the company of the Painted Ladies. The deli is on a corner right across from the park, so you’ll only have to travel 100 steps max before plopping down and sinking your teeth into a baguette sandwich (the colorful fillings make up about 85% of each one). Go for the spicy tuna melt with pickled jalapeños, or the BLTA with enough arugula to count as a side salad." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong

"This subterranean bodega on the border of Alamo Square offers some of the city’s best sandwiches, with an oft-changing menu of meat-stuffed monsters like a mortadella with a haunting hot pepper chili relish and a tuna melt made spicy with pickled jalapenos and Sriracha mayo. Lines get long at peak times, so order pickup online or stop by during off hours." - Lauren Saria, Justine Jones, Eater Staff

"This subterranean bodega on the border of Alamo Square offers some of the city’s best sandwiches, with an oft-changing menu of meat-stuffed monsters, like a mortadella with a haunting hot pepper chili relish and a tissue-thin-sliced soppressata with artichoke cream cheese. Lines get long at peak times, so order pickup online or stop by at off hours for a socially distanced experience." - Paolo Bicchieri, Caleb Pershan, Eater Staff