Z Zoul Cafe

One of San Francisco's hidden gems 💎! We had just returned from visiting The Wiz in Emerald City. Tough trip, so we were hungry. We goggle nearby restaurants and saw that Z Zoul Cafe was only a ten minute walk away at 295 Eddy St. It was Super Bowl Sunday, so the streets were kind of empty. We found the place. The first thing we noticed was how small but quaint it was. We were greeted by one of the owners and seated right away. We were served hot and spicy tea that was delicious! The menu was small, but the choices were great! The four of us ordered different things so we could share. I decided on the Beef Kofta that came with a green salad, Basmati rice with Tahini sauce and hummus, which you could tell was freshly made. When the food arrived, we were shocked and pleased that the amount was huge! We were told they believed in making sure you had plenty. We did! The beef was very, very tender and tasty! None of us were disappointed with anything. I will say that when you go, try the Dalya Pudding. It's made with Egyptian rice and has the right amount of sweetness. We all had leftovers to take home. The price for all of us was far less than we would have paid at well-known restaurants and totally worth it! I know we will be returning to Z Zoul. It's five stars worth it ! By the way, the word Zoul means, 'friend'. Indeed.

Nice people quick service very friendly. Would be a nice experience of Sudanese food in California. I should say that the food tastes good for the most part but unfortunately nothing tasted fresh. The falafel was stale and old. The lamb was juicy and soft and didn't smell so that was the best part for me.

Fresh blended hummus was on another level. Owner was super chill and gave us a homemade hibiscus drink on the house.

Absolutely amazing food! I am Sudanese and have wanted to go here for so long. I finally had the chance and it was somehow even better than I expected. We had the Roasted Lamb Shank, Fuul Mosaleh, and Salatat Aswad. These are all Sudanese dishes that I've grown up with and Z Zoul Cafe knocked it out of the park. Everything was perfect; the vegetables in the Fuul, the consistency of the Salatat Aswad, the tenderness of the lamb shank, the hot sauce (shata) and the green chiles. Calling this restaurant authentic would be an understatement, every bite took me back to Sudan! Sudanese culture is known for its hospitality and any diner at Z Zoul will see this very clearly. Thank you Aref for this great experience.

DELICIOUS FOOD! It was so good we forgot to take pictures. The owner is also a lovely person. Definitely coming back to try other things from the menu. Lamb Shank was our favorite. Best lamb I've tried so far.