The Old-School Ground Beef Breakfast Combo That Deserves A Revival

When you think of San Francisco cuisine, you probably think of sourdough bread and seafood. San Francisco is the birthplace of old-school cioppino, after all. While you're not wrong, there's one old-school San Francisco treat that many forget; and no, it's not Rice-A-Roni. For 100 years, lovers of greasy spoons have been partaking of a simple, delicious egg and ground beef breakfast dubbed "Joe's Special." If you like to start your mornings off strong, then you should give this meal the comeback it deserves.

To make this dish yourself, you only need a few ingredients and a single skillet. The recipes differ, but you'll need eggs, diced onion, ground beef, spinach, and Italian seasonings. Many people will also add Parmesan cheese and mushrooms. After heating oil in a pan, cook the onions and mushrooms over medium heat until they brown. Now add the meat and stir until slightly cooked, then add the spinach and all the other, non-egg ingredients, including salt and pepper to taste. Make a well in the center and add your eggs, then scramble everything until fully cooked. Top your final product with a little Parmesan cheese and serve it up hot. It's often plated with a slice of real sourdough bread from San Francisco.

The resulting Joe's Special is hearty, filling, and tasty for anyone who wants a substantial breakfast. It's high in protein but still gets you your veggies and involves little clean-up once you're done eating. Rather than making it themselves, people have been visiting San Francisco restaurants for years to enjoy this dish. However, there's one restaurant in particular that claims to be the original.

There are a few versions of this meal's beginnings, but all of them trace back to San Francisco. One claim says it was invented for empty-bellied miners on a budget, while another says it was created for a musician to eat after a long night of performing. A 1920s restaurant named New Joe's was likely the one to have concocted it, but the spot this breakfast dish belongs to now is Original Joe's, a Northern California restaurant that's a must-visit for foodies. Original Joe's is the place that popularized the special, and is often accepted as the originator.

The story goes that Original Joe's opened in 1937 in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. It was at first a simple venue that gained a reputation as a popular place for all walks of life. An Italian chef there supposedly thought up the Joe's Special and served it during World War II for just 75 cents. By the 1960s, the dish had become very popular, and even Joe DiMaggio considered it a favorite meal. The restaurant persisted over the decades, as did its specialty, even though the spot is a bit more upscale now compared to the diner it started as.

Original Joe's moved to North Beach in 2012 due to damage from a fire. To commemorate the move, then-mayor Ed Lee declared January 26 to be Original Joe's Day. The spot has remained a well-loved part of San Francisco, but now has a few other locations around the Bay Area. And yes, Joe's Special is on the menu even in the evenings.