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Tucked away in a South San Francisco shopping center, Sofra Grill is a new fast-casual eatery serving up a fusion of Turkish and Syrian cuisine. Diners will find flavorful meze dips, hearty wraps, grilled meats, fresh baked flatbreads and homemade desserts on the menu. Chef-owner Azad Sinjary has been a Peninsula resident for over 20 years and chose to open in South San Francisco to provide the community a new go-to spot to enjoy traditional Turkish cuisine.
Sofra, a Turkish word that translates to “a table prepared for serving food and eating,” captures the cozy ambiance of the restaurant. The eatery has five tables for indoor dining and is decorated with custom art from Turkey and Egypt in earthy tones. Tableside service is available, and diners on the go can order at the counter.
Diving into the menu, diners will find a dedicated section on baked breads. Turkey is renowned for its bread culture, which is on full display at Sofra Grill. Try the lahmacun — Turkish pizza — featuring a crispy manaeesh (flatbread) topped with minced beef and veggies. Other flatbread variations include sujuk (Turkish sausage) and cheese, zaatar and cheese, or one topped with musakhan — roasted chicken baked with sumac and onions. Diners can also keep it simple with an order of their signature Sofra bread to accompany their entrees, baked with sesame and Nigella seeds.
Other Turkish specialties on offer include beyti, seasoned beef and lamb wrapped in flatbread topped with tomato sauce. Customers can also order the lamb shank, complete with a tableside presentation unveiling tender braised lamb shank and rice beneath a homemade baked dough.
Vegetarian diners can opt for tawa, eggplant stewed in a tomato sauce, one of four signature salads, falafel and eggplant wraps, and more.
As far as sweets, kunafa topped with vanilla bean ice cream is a favorite among online reviewers. The dessert balances sweet and savory flavors, featuring layers of shredded fillo dough filled with a sweet cheese and topped with syrup and pistachios. Warbat, filo dough stuffed with cream and syrup, homemade baklava and rice pudding are also available.
Diners can explore the flavors of Turkey and more at the eatery, open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.
Sofra Grill, 132 Hazelwood Drive, South San Francisco; 650-763-1156, Instagram: @ sofragrill.ssf. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m.