How 10 Bay Area Restaurants Are Adapting in the Face of Coronavirus

Officially: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

March 17, 2020 9:11 am
RT Rotisserie will offer their whole menu for delivery and takeout
RT Rotisserie will offer their whole menu for delivery and takeout
RT Rotisserie

Talk about a moving target: literally while we were writing this, the entire city of San Francisco (and a whole bunch of the rest of the Bay Area) got a shelter-in-place directive. Yesterday’s history, tomorrow’s a mystery, etc. 

What that means for restaurants: basically, anything/everything. Lots of our favorites — including Dear Inga and Liholiho — have closed doors (but go buy those gift cards!). Others are keeping calm and trying to carry on. So order some Delfina (assuming delivery’s still legal tomorrow). And if you’ve been holding out for Atelier Crenn delivered chez vous, you might actually get it. 

Here’s where we are, for now.

Nari 
Japantown


Esquire’s best new restaurant of 2019, along with Michelin-starred sister spot Kin Khao, are both offering take-out — you’ll just have to pick it up. Perpetually disgruntled Instagram commenter: “It took COVID 19 to get a take away menu.” Times change; chef/owner Pim Techamuanvivit is changing with them. 

1625 Post St.
Website

Flatbread with yogurt-dill, piquillo-almond, and charred eggplant spreads at Mourad. (Mourad / Facebook)

Mourad
FiDi


Similarly, Marrakesh-born chef/founder Mourad Lahlou is keeping both Mourad and Aziza open for the moment, with takeout available now at (415) 660-2500. Go get some of those flatbread spreads! Also as many of the half-chickens are can fit in your fridge (without hoarding, obvs). 

140 New Montgomery St.
Website 

RT Rotisserie
NoPa and Hayes Valley


Dining in is off limits for now — both here and at big-sister spot Rich Table — but the full, chicken-y menu is available for delivery, including the rotisserie chicken, obviously, but even more to our liking, Sally Hurricane’s fried chicken sandwich with shredded cabbage and pickled onions. Go get those calories. 

Various
Website 

Off the Grid
Fort Mason and Lake Merritt


The two “destination market” locations above are closed — but the folks at Off the Grid still operate 14 “community/lunch markets” that are still, for now, open for business, though they’ve all moved to takeout only. 

Various
Website 

Delfina, Locanda, and Pizzeria Delfina
The Mission


The Delfina family of restaurants stayed open for business through Mayor Breed’s moratorium on non-essential venturing out — happily, all three are delivering; we’ll have one of the margherita DOPs from the pizzeria. 

3611 18th St.
Website 

Alaskan halibut, young ginger, scallion and tat soi in a summer squash broth from Mister Jiu’s (Mister Jiu’s / Instagram)

Mister Jiu’s
Chinatown


Look for Mister Jiu’s to show up on Caviar imminently — and if you like the food, now’s the time to support them, as Brandon Jew just talked to Bon Appétit about how reservations there have dropped through the floor and some staff have already been let go. 

28 Waverly Pl. 
Website 

Atelier Crenn
Cow Hollow


Thrice-Michelin-starred chef Dominique Crenn took to Instagram this weekend to talk through the nature of human resilience — and to promise fans that the Crenn “team is working right now on creating delicious items for you and your family,” with plans prospectively coming next week. 

3127 Fillmore St.
Website 

Liholiho Yacht Club
Nob Hill


Liholiho and Gen-Gen are both closed until further notice, but gift cards to both spaces are available at 25 percent off. Which means that what you want to do, if you can, is spend 20 percent more on that gift card, and tip extravagantly once this whole mess is behind us. 

871 Sutter St.

Website 

Dear Inga
Mission 


While you’re picking up gift cards, get one from Dear Inga right here. We’d spend $100 there in a half-second, on the potato and sauerkraut pierogi with borscht and cultured cream. (And for sure, we could eat five of those at $15 plus tax; they’re delish.) 

3560 18th St.
Website 

Señor Sisig
Mission


Filipino street food — like the burritos with adobo garlic rice, pinto beans, lettuce, pico de gallo and cilantro cream sauce — can cure a bad mood, so that’s something. Señor Sisig’s closed for dining, but they’re both delivering and offering food to-go. Grab it here, while we can. 

990 Valencia St.
Website

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.