San Francisco has no shortage of eateries and bars to choose from — especially now that more are opening up as the city recovers from the pandemic. For November, there are at least three notable newcomers, one tried-and-true great, one recently revamped restaurant coming into its original vision…
These are five restaurants worth dining atthis month— ones that I’ve vetted, visited, or ordered from in the past.
Check themout, and always remember to support your local restos and watering holes.
The Vault Steakhouse
Hi Neighbor Group does right by their restaurants — as the delightful Vault Garden proves. Their downstairs revamp in the same towering Bank of America building is The Vault Steakhouse, which opened October 1st, making this former bank vault two very different experiences. Drink offerings are strong: their whiskey selection, Lucas Bierbower’s wine list and cocktails by Nicky Beyries (she’s now over the whole group; formerly running Foreign Cinema and Laszlo). Chef Ryan Cerizo developed the food menu with Hi Neighbor’s Jason Halverson and Joe Humphrey, one of numerous new steakhouses in SF (including Tyler Florence’s Miller Lux). Modern, dark, sleek design and cozy booths provide a soothing setting alongside a more casual bar room.
Highlights include The Vault Caesar salad prepped via tableside cart to your preferences (anchovies or no, etc.) with giant croutons from house bread; and certainly the steaks, whether Black Angus or silky A5 wagyu, decadent with an added topping of baked Dungeness crab “Oscar.” Crowd-pleasers abound, including silky scallop crudo dotted with pomegranate, finger limes, Meyer lemon and scallions; or a sausage “pigs in a blanket” accented with poppy seeds, pickled veggies and mustard. Save room for killer Baked Alaska filled with pistachio ice cream, topped with brandied cherries, its outer meringue shell flambéed tableside. Beyries’ cocktails are a highlight (can be enjoyed with bites in the roomy bar), including a pitch-perfect Vault Martini of Ford’s Gin, aromatized wines and a winning accent of olive and pickle brine and Castelveltrano olives, served up with a sidecar.
// 555 California Street; www.thevault555.com
La Vaca Birria
Open August 2021 in 24th Street’s vivid orange Discolandia landmark (which most recently housed Top Round Roast Beef), there are two important things you need to know about the new La Vaca Birria: their expertise is birria, the Jaliscan-Mexican dish of aromatic meat steeped in chiles, adobo, garlic, cumin, and quesabirria tacos, filled with brisket birria and melted cheese, both dipped in beef consomme. The other thing to know? This is halal birria, sourced from halal beef. Opened by Ricky Lopez off his popular San Bruno food truck, I am grateful to share that not only is this meat halal, this is damn good birria… and it comes in as many forms as you can stand: tacos/quesabirria, birria fries, birria ramen, torta ahogada birria sandwiches and a massive, utterly comforting Super Burrito for $12 that is an easy couple meals.
// 2962 24th Street, www.lavacabirria.com
Mediterranean Aroma
In Potrero Hill at the edge of China Basin, Mediterranean Aroma opened August 2021, immediately becoming a neighborhood favorite. I can see three reasons why: 1) they offer tasty shawarma, kabob plates and top-notch lavash wraps; 2) they don’t just make a couple wraps, but eight vegetarian and eight meat wraps, from eggplant or feta-forward to lamb or chicken shawarma; and 3) they are crazy affordable. These huge, burrito-sized wraps run mostly $11.99 for the meat versions and $7.99–8.99 for the vegetarian. Fluffy feta fills lavash with Jerusalem salad, pickles and tahini, while an even better shawarma wrap (chicken or lamb) is packed with grilled tomatoes, onions, pickles, garlic yogurt sauce and tahini — I prefer both “spicy” with hot sauce. This is a “cheap eats” Mediterranean delivery and takeout win.
// 900 16th Street, www.mediterraneanaroma.com
Trestle
Reopening September 29th, 2021, after existing as a pop-up in what is now The Vault Steakhouse (see above), North Beach/Chinatown neighborhood favorite Trestle is back in its original home. Chef Danielle LeFevre is crafting changing menus at $39 for three-course prix-fixe s(with an optional, well-worth-it $12 pasta supplement.
This is easily one of SF’s best values for the quality, remaining so since Hi Neighbor Group opened Trestle in 2015. Since pandemic, they installed a new HVAC system for air purifying, while reviving their thoughtful craft beer list and wines. It’s not just a value for the volume, but for the creativity. While influences ranging from Asia to the American South to Mexico may seem disparate, LeFevre has a deft hand with balance of key elements — salty, sweet, acidic, rich — and textural contrasts, which you’ll find characterize most of her dishes.
The menu changes every week. My husband and I order one of all four choices, then share, so it ends up being eight diverse courses. Recently, a chicory, persimmon, frisée, citrus salad tasted like California winter with an ideal contrast of housemade ricotta and candied pecans — it’s one of the best salads I’ve had all year. Shrimp fettuccine pasta was more exciting than it sounded, fettuccine noodles laced with lollipop kale, peanuts, brussel sprout leaves, pickled serrano chiles and tamarind, unfolding with flavor. Likewise, a blackened rock cod stayed lively with cornbread “croutons”, butter bean “chow chow” and jalapeño remoulade. Drink weaves from a perfect Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze lambic beer from Belgium, to a tart-salty Perennial Paloma Suburban Beverage Gose from St. Louis, to a lean, no-oak 2019 Crossbarn Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast.
// 531 Jackson Street, www.trestlesf.com
Pasta & Crudo: Itria
Open May 2021, I first reviewed Itria this summer when it was a takeout/delivery spot. It is now in full pasta and crudo form, true to chef Daniel Evers’ original vision. That’s one happy combo and with natural wines and friendly service, it’s a good neighborhood go-to. It was quite noisy the night we dined, with very uneven timing from the kitchen (our first plates swiftly arrived within minutes of ordering, with a very long wait for pastas).
A crudo trio allows you to try the range of the day, recent crudo highlights being silky dayboat scallops accented with preserved lemon and sea beans, or local halibut with gypsy peppers, sapphire grapes and mint. A peach, whipped ricotta, fennel and prosciutto salad showcased late summer/early fall California glories. Cavatelli pasta was bright with ruby prawns and escarole in a pomodoro tomato sauce, while carbonara vibes reigned over mafaldine pasta tossed with egg, pecorino cheese and black pepper. Wine highlights included Napa’s zippy 2020 Carboniste “Mackerel” Pétillant Naturel of Pinot Grigio, layered and earthy 2019 Kobal Bajta Haloze Belo from Slovenia, and Grenache/Carignan hit of 2018 Fredi Torres Classic from one of my favorite wine regions in Spain: Priorat.
// 3266 24th Street, www.itriasf.com
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