San Francisco’s Richmond District — best known for its fresh-air playgrounds, Golden Gate Park, the Presidio and Ocean and Baker Beaches — has never been one of the city’s trendiest places in which to eat. But it’s always been one of its best and most diverse.
For decades, this foggy northwest corner of SF has offered excellent places to dine. Take Clement Street, a dim-sum utopia often referred to as the “real Chinatown.” Or all the family-run Burmese, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Thai joints, which are as plentiful and common as taquerias in the Mission.The neighborhood also has deep Irish and Russian roots, with authentic pubs serving as a boozy counterbalance to heavily curtained, mysterious Muscovite banquet halls.
This eclectic culinary ecosystem has remained steadfast and relatively unrattled for many years—that is, until now. Thanks to changing demographics and intrepid restaurateurs willing to take a risk, a seismic shift is in the works, with the Richmond’s evolving food scene welcoming newcomers who may just make it the city’s newest hotbed of culinary innovation.
We’ve rounded up the most recent openings that have captured our attention to prove that now more than ever, you should be eating in this neighborhood.
Heritage Restaurant & Bar
In what was perhaps the most emblematic moment of the Richmond’s restaurant transformation, Heritage moved into a space previously occupied by Clement Street Grill — a neighborhood favorite that was in dire need of a revamp—last December. The mastermind behind the spot is chef Cameron Lewark, who spent 22 years with the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, which culminated in his opening Spago’s Hawaiian outpost in Maui.
The venue’s dated décor has been tossed in favor of a minimalist and sophisticated, yet laid-back, permutation of cozy with a fireplace that beckons on foggy days. Most importantly, the chef has the blessing of the former owner and his loyal following. “The owner was very selective,” Lewark told TBI. “He loves what we’ve done with the place and how we have honored the legacy.”
The menu is a testament to the restaurant’s reverence for Northern California ingredients, and judging by the always-buzzing crowd—especially for the 3:00–6:00 p.m. happy-hour deals—this address has become a hit with a new generation of gourmands.
Fiorella
You know you’ve made it when the Michelin Guide takes notice. And the guide’s glowing write-up of Fiorella, which opened in January 2016, has not been the only source of buzz about this instantly popular pizzeria. Much ado has been made of the wallpaper, which sets the tone for a fun and unfussy experience, with illustrations of cool local luminaries (like rappers Too Short, E-40 and Humpty Hump, as well as culinary icon Alice Waters, Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana and political activist Angela Davis).
The menu will satisfy traditionalists, who should get the margherita pizza ($15), and the more adventurous, who should try the Commodore Sloat Pie ($17) with spinach, cheese, garlic, chili and lemon. The brunch menu is also fun, with dishes like polenta with poached eggs and wild mushroom frittata.
Owner Boris Nemchenok, himself a homegrown local who returned to SF after 20 years of honing his restaurant skills in New York City and elsewhere, says that most of the customer base is made up of folks who reside within a 10-block radius. “A lot of families and [restaurant] industry people live out here,” he said. “The Richmond is overlooked and underserved.”
Violet’s
The Fiorella team is also behind Violet’s, a swanky spot that opened in June of this year and was born out of owner Nemchenok’s and his colleagues’ craving for a place in which to unwind and enjoy a post-shift drink and bite to eat.
Evidently, they weren’t alone in longing for a grown-up getaway. The place is consistently packed, and the late-night happy hour invites guests to linger over craft cocktails and sophisticated snacks, such as the the Shrimp Louie Roll ($18) or the Tavern Burger ($16). In a neighborhood with so few options, this casually luxe standout is a siren call for night howls, and it’s still a lone outpost. “Not much has changed since I grew up here,” Nemchenok mused.
But with heated outdoor seating on the horizon and potentially later hours, things are looking up for Outer Richmond nightlife. Overall, the runaway success of Fiorella and Violet’s initially alarmed some longtime Richmond residents with gentrification anxiety, but Nemchenok argues that “gentrification of Clement Street will take much more than a pizza place and a cocktail bar.”
Pearl
Opening this past May, this retro reinterpretation of a classic corner drugstore is the brainchild of the tight-knit team behind tiny Pizzetta 211, already a neighborhood favorite for the past decade, which is just down the street. Pizzetta 211’s Jack Murphy provides support and mentorship to the new hotspot and attributes a lot of the success to local roots. Several members of the team were born and raised in western San Francisco, which “contributes to the feel of the restaurant, which really has a pre-tech SF feel.”
This philosophy has paid off. The throwback-themed restaurant has caught on as a bright and airy casual spot in which families can gather and bond over a meal, with many sharing the Family Supper ($120, serves four people) with beef tomahawk chop, asparagus, chili-cheese polenta, cipollini onion and Béarnaise sauce.
The Pearl team also values independence. As Murphy explained, “The restaurant is 100 percent self-funded, so we can do things the way we want them done, including keeping pricing affordable for people other than rich folks and tech workers.”
Hey! The Bold Italic recently launched a podcast, This Is Your Life in Silicon Valley. Check out the full season or listen to the episode below featuring Hunter Walk, investor and former head of product at YouTube. More coming soon, so stay tuned!
