We were sorry to miss the pre-opening party of BIG CHEF TOM’S BELLY BURGERS last week, but we’ll be coming by for a belly burger soon enough! Tom Pizzica’s brand-new brick-and-mortar spot is now open in the former Taqueria Reina’s in SoMa. Congrats on moving on from pop-up status, Tom! (He was a contestant on The Next Food Network Star, and a host of Food Network’s Outrageous Food.)
As you can ascertain from the name, his burgers feature ground pork belly patties (although you can also get ground chicken thigh or a vegetarian patty subbed on any setup, and lettuce instead of a bun). The menu has all kinds of clever combos—I am a fan of the All-American, with rosemary mayo, sliced apple, and sharp cheddar cheese, but the Banh Baby, Banh is also damn tasty (Vietnamese caramel, sliced jalapeño, hard-boiled egg, and cilantro). You’ll find a number to choose from, plus some fried items on the side, like crispy onions and slaw; on the beverage side, Eater mentions beer will be available in a couple weeks. Hours are daily 10:30am-9pm. 1550 Howard St. at Lafayette (in between 11th and 12th Streets), 415-513-1331.
Big Chef Tom’s Banh Baby, Banh burger, from last year’s Outside Lands. Photo: © tablehopper.com.
