You awake yet? We are. Just barely. And while we cannot recall much of New Year's Eve, we can tell you that, right now, we need some medicinal food to cure our hangover. Not a brunch, mind you, but some quick grub to grab before taking on the new day and the new year. Following are our top five hangover eats that are great anytime of the year. Be sure to check with the restaurants to be sure they're open and serving.
The Patty Melt at The Grubstake - This stalwart diner just off Polk Street serves until 4 a.m., and is well known as a pre-hangover, pre-sleep, drunk-eating spot. We'd say it's still a solid bet for the greasiest of hangover remedies. We especially recommend their old-school, griddled patty melt on sourdough. And one of their Portuguese beers to wash it down will probably make that headache pass quicker. — Jay Barmann
The Grubstake: 1525 Pine Street, 415-673-8268
The bacon chive bagel at Epicenter Cafe: When we're down and troubled and in need a helping hand we turn to Epicenter Cafe in SOMA. Simply put, they smear a hefty amount of cream cheese onto a bagel (we prefer onion) and top it with four strips of good bacon and chopped chives. Chase it with an espresso and our headache and shame are knocked into submission. — Brock Keeling
Epicenter Cafe: 764 Harrison, 415-543-5436
El Bagel Grande: The best hangover foods are borne of someone else's still-drunk morning concoction. Case in point: El Bagel Grande from Vinyl Café and Wine Bar on Divisadero. This unholy offspring of a breakfast burrito and a bagel sandwich contains sausage and bacon because any hangover breakfast needs a hearty base of protein. The egg comes scrambled with green onion — just enough to remind you that you still need to brush your teeth later, but not enough to offend your fellow hangover-nursing customers. But the real kicker lies in the generous smear of cream cheese holding it all together and slathered in life-affirming Tapatio. We prefer to order it on a everything bagel, mostly because we can be really indecisive when we're hungover. Throw in a cup of Blue Bottle Coffee (or locally made House Kombucha, if that's your thing) and your total will be less $10 — cheaper than two of those pints of beer that got you here in there first place. — Andrew Dalton
Vinyl Café and Wine Bar : 359 Divisadero St. at Oak Street near the Panhandle, 415-621-4132
Smoked and fried potatoes at Bar Tartine. (Photo: Jay Barmann)
The smoked and fried potatoes at Bar Tartine - Chef Nick Balla tops these amazing, smoky, lightly greasy potatoes with house-made ramp mayonnaise, and they kind of can't be beat in the high-end fried potato camp. Sure, you could just go for some Burger King French fries, but c'mon. That hangover deserves some special loving care. And you may as well top it off with some fried potato bread and goulash while you're at it. — Jay Barmann
Bar Tartine: 561 Valencia Street, 415-487-1600
The Monglian Beef Cheesesteak Sandwich that put HRD on the map. Photo: Brock Keeling/SFist
Mongolian Beef Cheesesteak Sandwich at HRD Coffee Shop: We've reviewed this once before, but it needs repeating: this sandwich right here, full of cheese and mongolian beef, could be the cure all for almost any ailment. Wash it down with a Diet Coke (what?) and you're good. — Brock Keeling
HRD Coffee Shop: 521 3rd Street, 415-543-2355
Bacon chive bagel at Epicenter Cafe. (Photo: Brock Keeling)
