At long last, the Russian Hill location of CRAFTSMAN AND WOLVES is opening this Friday December 4th. It’s conveniently where a bunch of neighborhoods intersect: Nob Hill, Pacific Heights, and Cow Hollow are all close, so folks on that side of town no longer need to trek to the Mission for chef-founder William Werner’s inventive creations.
The café and pâtisserie will serve breakfast items like their frittata breakfast sandwich (you should really try that amazing thing) and pastries, while lunch will include sandwiches, salads, and savory tarts. You can pick up baguettes, other breads, and of course, desserts like caramel-walnut-mandarin tarts. Plus, some holiday treats will be available this month, such as smoked ginger molasses and shortbread wreath cookies; bûche de Noël with hazelnut, gingerbread, and toasted hay buttercream; and panettone with candied Buddha’s hand and Meyer lemon, pistachios, and cocoa nibs. Gah, commence the cravings! It’s also a great place to pick up some gifts from their retail section, like their matcha milk jam.
Coffee service is from Oakland’s Highwire Coffee (plus you can order their Howling Wolf nitro cold brew), and tea lovers will find a variety of quality Taiwanese oolong teas from Naivetea. And then there’s Valrhona sipping chocolate and warm salted butter caramel when it gets chilly outside.
The space is dark and dramatic—yet full of natural sunlight. MAK Studio is behind the eye-catching and minimal design, which includes a 20-foot pastry case made of “flamed and bush hammered stone” inside a bleached wood paneled box lined with blackened steel. And then there’s the 1950 Triumph Thunderbird motorcycle that Werner dismantled and suspended on a main wall. It’s time for rugged pastries! There is seating for 18 at both high- and low-top tables.
Open Mon-Thu 7am-6pm, Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 8am-7pm, and Sun 8am-6pm. 1643 Pacific Ave. at Polk.
Two more exciting notes: CAW will also be opening a smaller shop and café out in Bayview, next to their commercial kitchen, called THE DEN. It will be grab and go, providing breakfast and lunch items for neighbors and neighboring businesses, plus coffee and tea. Look for a late January opening on this one. Corner of Yosemite and Keith.
Lastly, CAW Valencia is hosting a cookbook launch party for chef-owner Zachary Golper of Bien Cuit this Friday, with treats, bubbles, and talk. 6pm, tickets here.
Exterior of CAW Pacific. Photo via CAW’s Instagram.
