The ladies at Lower Pac Heights’ GARDENIAS, Dana Tommasino and Margie Conard, have launched weekend brunch! The menu (go ahead, take a look) will shift up a bit weekly, but the recent version includes a soft scramble with tarragon, chives, and Fontina (um, heaven), and pork pozole verde with a fried egg. And then there’s the socca cake with hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, roasted fennel, tatsoi, herbed tahini, shaved Parmesan, and a poached egg, because that’s how they roll. Some toasts, salads, and sweeter options like a mixed grain porridge complete the story, and a grilled burger and even more light (low-ABV) cocktails will be coming soon.
They are serving Sat-Sun 10am-2pm, and don’t forget that lovely back patio with flowers and vines, a little oasis of peace and quiet. 1963 Sutter St. at Fillmore, 415-621-7122.
Hayes Valley’s THE LUNCHPAD—the lunch spot from biz partners Adam Hubbell, Mark Hubbell, and Chris Snowden inside of Noir Lounge—have zhooshed up their brunch service with booze and a dedicated bartender. Serving Sat-Sun 11am-2:30pm, there is a full bar, where you can snag The Brunchpad Bloody (complete with a piece of their candied habanero bacon). On the weekend brunch menu: huevos rancheros, a breakfast biscuit (a housemade cheddar jalapeño biscuit), and biscuits and gravy. You can also order their sandwiches, from their Green Eggs & Ham to their Teamster (roasted turkey, pastrami, Swiss, Dijon sweet and slaw, garlic aioli, and Grandpa’s pickles)—I could only finish half that monster when I took it to the beach. Football fans: there are big-screen TVs to watch sporting events (there’s also a private room available for rent with an oversize screen). 581 Hayes St. at Laguna, 415-522-6647.
BARZOTTO just started serving daily lunch specials, which includes a meatball sandwich on a crusty baguette with provolone and housemade giardiniera ($10), their porchetta on sourdough with peperonata and mustard ($12), a chicken sandwich on sourdough with Green Goddess dressing, pickled onions, and bacon ($11), and squash tartine on six-grain loaf with delicata squash, crescenza, and balsamic radicchio ($10). Lunch is served Mon-Fri 11am-3pm.
And now, on the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s worth noting that SAISON is now open on Monday evenings, 5:30pm-9:30pm (via Eater). 178 Townsend St. at 5th St., 415-828-7990.
Some of the brunch gorgeousness at Gardenias. Photo via Facebook.
