Joe's Special is a dish that originated in San Francisco. It always includes eggs, spinach and ground beef. Other common ingredients include onions, garlic and sometimes mushrooms, and various spices. It is a scramble. [1]
Although the dish has been served for decades at many restaurants throughout the San Francisco Bay Area including several with "Joe's" as part of their names, [2] [3] it was popularized by Original Joe's, a restaurant in San Francisco's Tenderloin District. [4] During World War II, a serving cost 75 cents. [5] When Original Joe's relocated to the North Beach neighborhood following a fire, San Francisco mayor Ed Lee issued a proclamation calling the Joe's Special "famous". [6]
As a dinner entree, the dish can be served with slices of toasted sourdough bread spread with garlic butter, or on a bed of rice or pasta. [7] It is also sometimes served as a breakfast dish. [1] Ketchup or Tabasco sauce are common condiments. [8]
Variations include Italian Joe's, which includes Italian sausage as the meat component, and Mexican Joe's, which includes chorizo instead of ground beef. [8]
Joe's Special.