This June, Dottie’s True Blue Cafe will have been serving breakfast and brunch in San Francisco for 20 years. Most locals will remember its original location, a tiny diner in the Tenderloin, cramped and cozy with a solid queue of people always waiting to partake in the hearty offerings. Zucchini cakes, black bean cakes, pulled pork, at least five kinds of hot sauce on every table, a steady rotation of daily specials, and always freshly baked pastries and breads. The chili-cheddar-cornbread with jalapeño jelly is something you probably won’t find anywhere else in SF.
A little over a year ago, chef/owner Kurt Abney closed up the TL location and moved to a new space (almost five times as large as the original) on 6th Street and Market. The building is delightfully old and full of character — exposed brick drenched in natural light — and Kurt wants to keep to the “worn-out shoe sort of atmosphere” but has added his own touches in honor of his first location. Old tin signage, vintage salt and pepper grinders, a collection of antique fans, and photographs of early-era jazz ladies are all to be noted. For those who prefer to dine alone, a long marble countertop with a view of the kitchen is available — you can saddle up and let the swirls of old-timey jazz fill your ears and watch Kurt as he cooks on the line and continues to dream up creative twists on brunch, making Dottie’s feel like home.
Note: We will be celebrating Dottie’s ’hood tonight at our second annual Mid Riff Microhood event. Be sure to come by!
Design: Angela May Chen
Photography: Myleen Hollero
