The Chatterbox

Last week was an important one for business incubator La Cocina: they celebrated a “bread breaking” at their future LA COCINA MUNICIPAL MARKETPLACE in the Tenderloin, with Mayor London Breed, Supervisor Jane Kim, La Cocina executive director Caleb ZIgas, and members of the community (La Voz Latina, Central City SRO…

What kind of a San Francisco is one without The Tamale Lady? Last Friday, the city was distraught over the terrible news that our dear lady of the tamal, Virginia Ramos, has left us at the far-too-young age of 65. She was a magical and mythical figure, who would appear…

Some big news on Hyde Street: after being open since 1994 (as long as I have lived in San Francisco!), Andy Debbane and Lucas Gasco’s beloved Spanish stalwart ZARZUELA will be closing soon for a new project and ownership that is taking over. Executive chef Michael Pawlik—who has…

The last time we heard about Union Square’s Hotel G, the Tartine team was planning a café project with April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman, but we know why that fell apart. The replacement concept is AYALA, and the new operators are LA’s Cast Iron Partners (who were part…

Last week, I had the opportunity to swing by the newly updated MAGNOLIA DOGPATCH, formerly Smokestack, and the new team has made some significant changes to the restaurant look and concept, adding a beer garden and neighboring 5,000-square-foot event space. Hannah Collins Design did quite the makeover, adding dove…

Now open in Union Square is FREDS AT BARNEYS NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO. It’s a corner restaurant and bar on the sixth floor of the store, offering a dramatic urban view from the historic windows. The décor is chic and very ladies who lunch, with an inviting lounge with…

Some changes over on Polk: after six years in their location, Will and Karen Gioia are moving GIOIA PIZZERIA to Hayes Valley, and opening a slice shop in the former Two Sisters Bar & Books space in early 2019. They are closing the pizzeria this Saturday October 6th (come by…

Some great news regarding our dear ~GREENS~, which has been closed for four months after suffering a kitchen fire before dinner service on June 20th. It’s going to reopen on Monday October 15th, just in time for its 40th birthday in 2019. The kitchen has been repaired, and the…

I hope you don’t have too many plans already for next weekend (October 13th-14th), because there’s a lot going on. First, Saturday October 13th is the ninth year of La Cocina’s San Francisco Street Food Festival, returning to the Powerstation in Dogpatch. There will be 30-plus chefs…

Due to open this Friday September 21st is BARBARA PINSERIA & COCKTAIL BAR in the former Panta Rei in North Beach from Il Casaro’s Francesco Covucci and Peter Fazio (they are also behind Pasta Pop-Up). The approachable menu is veering more into a Roman-influenced direction, with California seasonality playing…