The bustling city of San Fransisco can be overwhelming and super hard to navigate. The amount of restaurants lining every street can turn an easy question such as “where should I eat?” into a daunting decision. But I was able to find a place located on 690 Mission St., The Grove offers a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner foods along with fun drinks and desserts that will hit the spot for whatever mood you are in.

While headed back to the Journalism Education Association convention at the Marriot Marquis, I kept noticing a cute restaurant nestled between a coffee shop and an apartment building. It stood out to me because of the fun outdoor seating and its rustic complexion. The inside of the restaurant was very homey from the wooden tables and benches to antique decorations. Despite how busy the walls were, the restaurant was very open. There were even a few trees inside that were surrounded with lights that, at night, would add to the fun atmosphere.

The long line snaking outside the restaurant did not deter us. We were fully prepared to wait a while to order but only ended up waiting 10 minutes. In line, a nice man welcomed us, gave us menus and answered all the questions we had. The menu was very diverse and breakfast was served all day. Items on the menu ranged from omelets to a Cubano sandwich to chicken pot pie.

I ordered the Seasonal Vegetable Lasagna that was the perfect size, toasted and had the perfect ratio of sauce to pasta to vegetables. This dish was layered with roasted seasoned vegetables, 18 month Grana Padano cheese and creamy spinach sauce to make a nicely balanced dish. The house-made tomato sauce balanced out the cheese well and The perfectly crisped top, my favorite part, reminded me of the crispy corner piece of lasagna.

Others in my group got the hearty Berkeley Bowl that had diced tomatoes, marinated cucumbers, avocado, sliced radishes, shredded beets, garbanzo beans and sunflower seeds piled on top of an organic spring mix with the house made Green Goddess dressing. The dressing alone would have been amazing. It was that good. Another friend ordered the french toast, which was on inch-thick bread and was very sweet and buttery. The Grove also had really out of the box drinks such as the lavender lemonade, that was tart and sweet but very overpriced.

The only problem I had with the restaurant is the lack of service we received at the table. You ordered the food at the register then found a seat and someone would bring the food. The lady at the register said our waiter would be able to get me water but I ended up having to go hunt some down for myself. The prices were also a little high ranging from $10-$15 but nothing too outrageous for the area.

We ended the meal with a thick slab of red velvet cake. The cake had just the right amount of moistness and cream cheese frosting. This was definitely worth getting and was plenty to share among four people. Overall, I would give The Grove 4 stars for its fresh tasting food and lively atmosphere, despite the prices, it was a perfect pit spot between classes and I would definitely go back.