A report by Dana Massey-Todd. Thanks to a tip from a reader, we caught word that there’s a new place for artisanal pizza coming to the Mission, called RUSTIC. The new spot is in the former location of Pizza de Mano and Popo’s Pizza, and comes from a team of partners helmed by Tom Elliott, who will also be serving as the restaurant’s pizza master. The space is divided into three areas: the front room, which has limited seating and a counter, will be for to-go orders and slices. Then, in the back, there’s a small dining room that opens out onto a large patio that seats 40 people. They’ll be installing two bocce ball courts back there in the coming days, plus umbrellas and heat lamps. The patio is also protected by the wind, which is a great bonus in this town. The patio backs up to a major construction project at 24th St. and Mission, but once the project is done they’ll be able to enlarge the patio further.
The menu is decidedly pizza-focused, and the pizzas are cooked napoletana-style in a 600 degree oven from a sourdough-based dough. There is a full list of specialties, plus the option to “build your own pie” from a list of ingredients. They’ve also got salads and appetizers that will change seasonally, and a weekend barbecue that’s available after 4pm Fri-Sun. Take a look at the full menu here (the top got a little cut off; their menu is bigger than our scanner). They’re waiting on a beer and wine license, but they’ve got their lists all worked out, with four red wines, four whites, one rosé, and one prosecco, all available by the glass or bottle. They’ve got eight domestic beers on tap, like Mirror Pond Pale Ale, plus 12 more by the bottle; take a look at the choices here. They’re hoping to open in the next couple of weeks, but it will depend on when the ABC license comes through. When they do open, hours will be 11am-11pm daily, with a to-go counter open Thu-Sat until 3am. 3331 24th St. at Mission, 415-800-8266.
The patio at Rustic. Photo: Dana Massey-Todd. © tablehopper.com.
