I have quite a lineup of coming soon news for you, so let’s rip through it. More news from the CHE FICO team, who are opening their project in a former auto body shop on Divisadero this fall. James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Angela Pinkerton will be opening a pie shop and dinette in the ground floor space next to Boba Guys (the restaurant, Che Fico, will be upstairs). It will be called THEORITA, in honor of her grandmother. There will be sweet and savory pies, plus a grab-and-go counter for breakfast and light lunch. In the evening, there will be a dinette, with seating at the counter or in a dining room area. On the menu: Che Fico’s David Nayfeld will be offering a spin on diner food around the U.S. (one can hope for some Greek diner love!) and some of Pinkerton’s childhood favorites from growing up in northeastern Ohio will be repped as well. There will be natural wine and beer from California and the Midwest as well. I’ll keep checking in on this one since it’s literally around the block from me, yay. 834 Divisadero St. at McAllister.
There is some ABC license transfer activity for Rose Pistola’s recently closed location, listing a DBA of Cantina di Liguria (considering Rose Pistola’s Ligurian focus, it’s hopeful). The new partners are Bonnie Fisher and Boris Dramov of Roma Design Group. Scoop reached out to them and received this tidbit: “We are looking forward to creating a new sociable gathering place that will build on the identity and traditions of North Beach but takes advantage of the innovations and evolution of the food culture that have occurred since Rose Pistola was first established 20-some years ago. We are taking the opportunity now to renovate the space and developing our concepts further.” Stand by for more. 532 Columbus Ave. at Green.
There’s a project called BERBER coming to the short-lived Killer Shrimp (and previous TAPS) on Broadway in Russian Hill. Here’s a little teaser we found online: “Berber is an exotic North African fine dining establishment and opulent nightlife venue that offers world-class cuisine, blending the traditions of the Mediterranean with the best and brightest of California. Our guests are invited to an experience of elegant cuisine, impeccable service, and a unique ambiance of art presented in a modern context, while enjoying Berber culture and entertainment at its fullest joyful vibration of community.” The executive chef is Ali Dey Daly from Tunisia, and it sounds like there will be quite the lineup of entertainment. I’ll fill you in with more soon. 1516 Broadway at Polk.
Dallas chef John Tesar is potentially opening one of his KNIFE steakhouses in SF in the Metreon at the end of 2018, according to Eater. The deal isn’t 100 percent confirmed, but it may take over the food court. Stand by for more.
Coming to the Waterfront Plaza this May is NORCINA, an Italian café and delicatessen from Kaitlynn Bauman of Levi Plaza’s Parlor 1255. Breakfast includes frittata, pancetta and cheese cornetti, and bombolini (think: Italian doughnut filled with pastry cream), plus coffee service by local Sausalito roaster Cibo. Lunch will have tigelle (a kind of Italian flatbread) sliced and filled with options like prosciutto cotto, stracchino cheese, and artichoke hearts (sounds like something I’d make at home, so yesssss!), plus salads and housemade gelato. Hours will be Mon-Fri 7am-5pm. 50 Francisco St. at Montgomery.
The folks behind THE GROVE said they were looking for another location after closing their location on Chestnut a few years ago. It looks like they found a spot in Showplace Square, and it will be opening this summer. 65 Division St. at Rhode Island.
A slice of pie from Angela Pinkerton. Instagram photo by @iampinkerton.
