Sears Fine Food   

439 Powell St
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-986-1160
www.searsfinefood.com

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Founded in 1938 by a retired clown, Sears Fine Food quickly became famous throughout the Bay Area for its little Swedish pancakes, from a family recipe, in a pile of 18 per order. Nothing much has changed, except the scale: Today the little cafeteria right on the cable car line goes through about 11,000 pancakes every day. The mess of hotcakes comes with warm, real-maple syrup and whipped butter, with the traditional lingonberries available for an additional charge. Sears is one of the few spots on touristy Powell that can lure even local breakfast snobs, most of whom like the prices and the bare-bones, old-timer atmosphere as much as the pancakes. The corned-beef hash is made fresh with a nice pan-fried crust, and the house-made sausage is also remarkably good. Pecan waffles and sourdough French toast are a little on the sweet side but nice nonetheless. Aside from the hash, lunch is less appealing. Skip the weak coffee; instead, grab a latte at a nearby cafe to sip while youre waiting in the often-long line. -- Julie Ross