Congrats to chef Kristina Liedags Compton and co-owner Rachel Sillcocks on getting their first brick-and-mortar breakfast restaurant open, HILDA AND JESSE, after popping up for months, fundraising, hand-delivering and selling their trademark Pancakes without Boundaries (a double stack of fluffy pancakes topped with delightfully smoky seasonal fruit) at Bi-Rite Market and Nighthawk…it has been a journey and a hustle. But now, their uniquely styled, retro-inspired diner (designed by Noz Nozawa of Noz Design) is open on the corner of Union and Powell in North Beach with an all-day menu, an international brunch tasting menu (three courses for $45), a list of sparkling wines, and low-ABV cocktails, including a fun spin on an espresso martini.
The menu is much more than what it seems at first glance: the “avocado toast” has a base of a tempura-fried sweet potato topped with sour cream and onion dip, finished with dill and horseradish, while the steak and eggs will feature dry-aged ribeye from Cream Co., served with herbaceous soft-scrambled eggs and finished with a tomatillo-mustard jus. Take a peek at sample menus on their site. There will also be fun vintage plateware, family portraits of Hilda (Compton’s grandmother) and Jesse (Sillcocks’ grandfather) created by artist Daisy Patton, and more unique touches.
The brunch tasting menu is available Saturdays, Sundays, and Monday nights (brunch for dinner!). À la carte is available on Fridays and for walk-ins Saturdays and Sundays. Open Fri-Sun 9am-2pm, Mon dinner 5:30pm-9:30pm. The space will also host future pop-ups and can be rented for community or private events in the evening. 701 Union St. at Powell.
The retro and vibrant style of Hilda and Jesse. Photo: Timofei Osipenko.
