CASSAVA SAN FRANCISCO FAQ
About Cassava San Francisco
What Kind of Café is Cassava San Francisco?
Cassava San Francisco is a Japanese-inspired café and catering brand located in the Jackson Square courtyard of downtown San Francisco. Founded by husband-and-wife team Kristoffer Toliao and Yuka Ioroi, Cassava blends Japanese flavors with California ingredients to create fresh, balanced meals for breakfast, lunch, and takeout dinner. The café offers courtyard-only outdoor dining surrounded by historic brick buildings and real gas lamps, making it one of the most distinctive outdoor cafés in San Francisco.
Catering
Does Cassava Offer Catering?
Yes. Cassava provides bespoke Japanese-Californian catering for offices and private events across San Francisco. We specialize in bento boxes, sandwiches, and salads prepared with the same care as our café menu.
Can You Accommodate Dietary Needs for Catering?
Absolutely. We offer vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options upon request.
How Do I Place a Catering Order?
Visit cassavasf.com/catering to view menus and request a quote, and we'll get back to you! If you need a quicker response, please text Yuka at 626-419-2190.
From Japanese Breakfast to Bento
Do You Still Serve Japanese Breakfast?
Cassava first became known for our Japanese breakfast back in 2012. We’ve since evolved it into our Poached Salmon and Duck Confit Bentos, which carry the same balance and care — rice, vegetables, and soup — now available all day.
Why Did You Change from Japanese Breakfast to Bento?
The salmon and duck entrées were signature dishes from our former three-course prix fixe dinner menu, which earned strong recognition. The bento format lets us serve those same high-quality entrées throughout the day — not just at breakfast — so guests can still enjoy the same Cassava classics as a quick lunch or convenient take-out dinner.
Menu & Food
What Kind of Food Do You Serve?
Cassava San Francisco serves Japanese-Californian dishes such as Po-Tama Onigirazu (rice sandwich), Hayashi Rice, Teriyaki Tofu and Chickpea Rice Bowl, and sandwiches on Japanese milk bread. Everything is made fresh with local ingredients from trusted Bay Area partners like Golden Gate Meat Co., Burroughs Family Farm, and Andersen Bakery.
Do You Offer Vegetarian, Vegan, or Gluten-Free Options?
Yes. Our Teriyaki Tofu and Chickpea Rice Bowl, Cream of Mushroom Soup, and Hayashi Rice are vegan and gluten-free. Market Greens and Sesame Chopped Salad can also be made vegan. Please note that we do not serve gluten-free bread, and our kitchen works with an open container of flour. Our kiosk also steams almond milk, and cashew nuts are part of the menu. For guests with severe or life-threatening allergies, we unfortunately cannot guarantee a completely allergen-free environment.
Do You Use Local or Sustainable Ingredients?
Always. Cassava San Francisco partners with Cooks Company Produce, who source from the best local farms across Northern California, and we use responsibly sourced fish and meats from Four Star Seafood and Golden Gate Meat Co. We also use eggs and regenerative almond milk from Burroughs Family Farm, who practice sustainable and humane farming for our drinks and dishes.
Matcha, Coffee & Tea
What Coffee Do You Serve?
Cassava San Francisco has partnered with Ritual Coffee Roasters since 2012, one of the pioneering craft coffee roasters in San Francisco and a woman-founded business. We serve Ritual espresso in drinks such as cappuccino, cortado, latte, and specialty seasonal lattes like the Holiday Spiced Latte and Brown Sugar Vanilla Latte. All of our syrups are made in-house using the same top local ingredients, including Marshall’s Farm Honey and Chef Kris’s own spice blend, crafted with care in our Jackson Square courtyard café.
Do You Offer Tea or Matcha?
Yes. We serve premium teas from Aroma Tea Shop and ceremonial-grade matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen Uji. Our Strawberry Matcha Latte uses our house-made organic strawberry jam.
What Milk Options Are Available?
Whole, 2%, oat, and regenerative almond milk by Burroughs Family Farm.
Visiting Our Courtyard Café
What Are Your Hours?
Cassava San Francisco opens at 8:00 a.m. on weekdays for coffee and light breakfast, with the full lunch menu available from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Last food orders are taken at 3:00 p.m., and we close at 3:30 p.m. Our rice dishes, including the Po-Tama Onigirazu and bentos, are designed to be complete, balanced meals perfect for lunch or an early take-home dinner.
Do You Take Reservations?
Cassava San Francisco is a courtyard-only outdoor café in Jackson Square with a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. Because the building features historic gas lamps, we cannot use outdoor heaters, but blankets are provided at every table. Seating is first come, first served, and we do not take reservations except for private events or large group bookings.