July 4th Nines special
Restaurant Rush, rooftops, power lunch, art galleries, Big Sur restaurants, jazz lounges, new school slice shops, oyster bars, brunch
WORK • You’re FOUND
It’s been 14 months since FOUND launched in New York City, and almost three since we planted a flag in San Francisco. Thanks for being early to the party.
We created FOUND to help smart and busy people like you get more out of their cities (and their lives, at the risk of overstepping!), and to do it in a way that’s entertaining, sharp, and straight to the point. No long articles, no extraneous detail, no lowest-common-denominator pandering.
The idea is that after you’ve read a FOUND dispatch, you know something useful you didn’t before you started — and you can take an action based on that information that makes life more fun, rich, and/or interesting.
The Nines are a FOUND signature, recommendations modules across a range of categories — restaurants, shopping, travel, services, more. They’re presented with need-to-know details and a quick FOUND take, and are meant to be easy to share, return to, screenshot for a friend.
And now, for your holiday enjoyment, a catchup on Nines to date. As with all we do at FOUND, subscriber feedback is greatly encouraged. Hit reply or email found@itsfoundsf.com.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Spring Restaurant Rush, San Francisco
Alora (Embarcadero), Mediterranean from ROOH Progressive Indian team, reserve
Four Kings (Chinatown), Cantonese gastropub from Mister Jiu’s alums, reserve
Z&Y Peking Duck (Chinatown), reservable Peking duck (w/caviar supplement), reserve
Quince (Jackson Square), reopened contemporary fine dining classic, reserve, one month out (or walk-in at the salon and bar)
Saluhall (Mid-Market), Ikea’s new vegan-centric food hall w/bakery from Noma co-founder Claus Meyer
7 Adams (The Fillmore, above), 5-course prix fixe from former Marlena husband-wife team, reserve
Bar Jabroni (Lower Height), lively wine bar from the Palm City crew w/ caviar-topped gnocchi, reserve
Elena’s Mexican (West Portal), buttoned-up Cal-Mex from the Original Joe’s family, reserve
Komaaj Mazze Bar (Bernal Heights), new Northern Iranian food and wine bar, reserve
GOODS & SERVICES • The Nines
Art galleries, San Francisco
Gallery 181 (FiDi), penthouse gallery w/extensive permanent collection
Heron Arts (SoMa), technologically-minded gallery with multisensory, multidisciplinary installations
Jonathan Carver Moore (Mid-Market/Tenderloin), scene-shaking gallery amplifying underrepresented voices
Glass Rice (Nob Hill), contemporary arts space focused on emerging Bay Area talent
COL Gallery (North Beach), project-based gallery heightening sense of exhibits (and a unique view of Alcatraz)
Foster Gwin Gallery (Jackson Square), specializing in Bay Area abstract expressionist and figurative painting from 1945-75
Canessa Gallery (Jackson Square), 50 year neighborhood fixture in historic brick building
Minnesota Street Project (Dogpatch), collection of distinguished galleries sharing sweeping three-warehouse space
Schlomer Haus (Castro), showcasing next-gen and mid-career queer artists in Upper Market location
RESTAURANTS & BARS • The Nines
Rooftops
El Techo (Mission), margaritas and fried pork shoulder tacos in the heart of La Mission
Chotto Matte (Union Square), indoor/outdoor Union Square digs for Nikkei cuisine and pisco sours
Cavaña (Mission Bay), diverse Latin American flavors and drinks with three different patios and weekend dancing
Rise Over Run (Downtown/TL), Danny Louie’s Thai-inspired cocktails and an unmissable fried chicken & biscuits in a birdcage
Good Good Culture Club (Mission), breezy Mission digs for chef Ravi Kapur’s Southeast Asian fusion
Kaiyo Rooftop (China Basin), Japanese and Peruvian bites with highballs and more near Oracle Park
Charmaine’s (Downtown/TL), uncompromised Mid-Market views, fire pit nooks and a reserve liquor list for the more adventurous
Fiorella (Inner Sunset), oasis amid the 9th Ave fog with famed burrata pizza
Shelby’s (SoMa), elevated cocktails and tapas perched adjacent to Moscone
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Power lunch
Holbrook House (Fidi), sleek barroom, chopped salad, caviar service
One Market (Embarcadero), enduring ‘90s icon now with smoked brisket sandwiches
Balboa Café (The Marina), good times gastropub from Gov Newsom’s hospitality group
Fog City (Embarcadero), wood-fired comfort food adjacent to Levi’s Plaza
Tartine Manufactory (The Mission), salads and sandwiches straight from the artisan bakery’s mothership
Kokkari Estiatorio (Fidi), classy purveyor of grilled fish and artichoke souvlaki
Wildseed (Cow Hollow), vegan trailblazer with a chic clientele and thin-crust pizza
Sam’s Grill (Fidi), tuxedoed servers, baked clams, booths with buzzers
John’s Grill (Union Square), political movers and shakers, Maltese Falcon connections, killer Tom Collins
GETAWAYS • The Nines
Restaurants, Big Sur
Nepenthe (Highway One), cliffside mecca with panoramic views, sneakily great Champagne list
Big Sur Bakery (Loma Vista), brilliant baked goods in a converted 1930s ranch house
Sierra Mar (Post Ranch Inn), floor-to-ceiling glass skybox adjacent to the waves
Big Sur Roadhouse (Glen Oaks), diner-esque hang serving California comfort fare
Coast Big Sur (Seal Beach), veggie-forward cafe and art gallery inside a trio of Redwood water tanks
Deetjen’s Restaurant (Rancho Grande Rd), reclaimed barn with knick-knacks and homestyle cooking
The Sur House (Ventana), open-air terrace with dramatic ocean views and on-site organic garden
Big Sur Taphouse (Loma Vista), beloved local pub for nachos, wings, and pints
Solstice (The Village), seasonal fish and produce-focused menu within a new-age compound
RESTAURANTS & BARS • The Nines
Jazz lounges
Dawn Club (Union Square), stylish reboot of historic 1930s jazz venue in Monadnock Building
Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio (Civic Center), artsy, laidback, spacious enough for dancing when the mood strikes
Bix (Jackson Square), classy supper club serving foie gras, caviar, and classic cocktails, with nightly jazz
Sheba Piano Lounge (Fillmore), jazz and Ethiopian food at cozy mainstay in historic Fillmore live music district
Black Cat (Tenderloin), swanky, subterranean lounge with weekly rotating musicians-in-residence
Keys Jazz Bistro (North Beach), quiet “listening room” showcasing local talent that once hosted biggest names in jazz
Local Edition (Downtown), upscale cocktail bar with speakeasy style and in-house jazz orchestra
Stookey’s Blue Room (Lower Nob Hill), low-key vibes with local musicians and a tightly edited cocktail list
Top of the Mark (Nob Hill), sweeping city views, plus a menu of 100 martinis, for impressing out-of-town guests
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Slice shops, new school
Flour + Water Pizza Shop (North Beach), fermented dough, aged mozz, natural wine to-go
Outta Sight (Tenderloin), NY-style slices from two Mister Jiu’s alums
Sunset Squares Slice Shop (NoPa), home of the bulgogi-topped “Bulldog” slice
The Good Life Pizza (Marina), for vegans and their pepperoni-loving pals, open late
Pizza Squared (SoMa): Sicilian squares baked in duck fat, plus cheddar-crusted Detroit slices
Il Parco (Presidio), maximalist focaccia with views of the Golden Gate
A16 La Pala (Embarcadero), pedigreed pizza al taglio in the Ferry Building
Joyride (multiple locations), rapidly growing chain with top-heavy squares
Pie Punks (SoMa), ‘roni-cupped grandma slices and tiki cocktails
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Oyster bars
Hog Island Oyster Co. (Ferry Building), first stop with out-of-towners for raw and grilled oysters, clam chowder, bay views
Anchor Oyster Bar (Castro), cozy mainstay, legendary cioppino
Leo’s Oyster Bar (Fidi), luxe spot known for two-tier shellfish towers
Popi’s Oysterette (Marina), excellent all-Pacific oyster lineup in stylish, airy space
Little Shucker (Pacific Heights), Fillmore favorite for Pacific and Maine oysters, raw or baked
Bar Crudo (NoPa), sleek spot with inflation-proof $2 oyster happy hour
Waterbar (The Embarcadero), upscale see-and-be-seen dining, great waterfront patio
Broad Street Oyster Co. (Fisherman’s Wharf), bright new location of West Coast chain (and good excuse to play tourist in Ghirardelli Square)
Swan Oyster Depot (Russian Hill), legendary counter, cash only, worth the wait
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Brunch
Kitchen Story (Castro), often-sunny and always buzzing corner famous for ‘Millionaire's Bacon’
Front Porch (Mission/Bernal), Southern staples with sneaky-great wine and cocktail list
Outerlands (Outer Sunset), Ocean Beach breezes over an epic Dutch pancake
Zazie (Cole Valley), for Benedict eight ways
Chloe's (Noe Valley), cash-only for classics made in spectacular fashion
Rose's Cafe (Cow Hollow), for breakfast pizza with ham, smoked fontina & eggs
Yank Sing (Soma), dim sum staple that takes reservations
Mama's on Washington Square (North Beach), long lines for a M'omelette
Foreign Cinema (Mission), ‘weekend picnic’ of farm-to-table fare, including oysters