what’s cookin’
Greetings from Lake Tahoe, where it’s feeling like Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, Sierra Nevada edition (and I’m your host, Marcialin Perkins). I’ve had almost daily bear sightings (here’s a video of a mama bear and her cub cruising through our family cabin’s back lot), and Fortuna is currently being courted by a young chipmunk (Chip), who, to be honest, seems a little off to me. (I always joke about watching Chipmunk TV up here, and this is more like Chipmunk Telenovela.) I keep waiting for Jim to bust through the ferns carrying a snappy marmot. (No anacondas, please.) The birdwatching has been entertaining, with sightings of common mergansers squabbling over a fish, squawky Steller’s jays and ravens, and DD-breasted robins hopping about.
We had a couple days of rain up here (falling rain in the woods produces the most calming sound and smell, I wish I could bottle it), but since the sun has returned, I’m back to my daily cold plunges into the cool and clear lake (I got a kick out of reading this recent piece on cold plunges in The New York Times).
Since I’m not going out at night, I’ve managed to catch up with a few movies on my watchlist, including an online screening of the can’t-miss Ask E. Jean documentary...
This weekend is all about watching the final matches of World Cup, and more birds, and hopefully another episode of Fortuna and Chip—I love my Tahoe lineup.
I enjoyed working with summer intern Francesca Gasparini on a few stories for this week’s column, including her first archivist post, featuring Il Trovatore in North Beach (great job!). And don’t miss the sugar mama giveaway to enter to win a pair of passes to next weekend’s UNFILTERED wine festival in Berkeley. It’s a hot ticket to hang out with the indie wine community, taste (and buy) local wines, listen to some inspiring panels, eat tasty food, and more.
Cheers! 🥂
~Marcia
the chatterbox
The Glam Leo’s Oyster Bar Has Softly Closed Its Oyster Shell
Pasta Supply Co’s Next Location, a New Gelato Shop, and More
Here are a few quick notes on new projects—a couple of these tidbits are supporting subscriber exclusives:
Congrats to Lil’Alijo Catering & Events on becoming a permanent vendor at the Foodwise Ferry Plaza Farmers Market! You can find Alisha Wilson’s stand towards the back by Primavera every Saturday from 8am–2pm; here’s the menu of her Creole-Caribbean eats and treats.
I enjoyed reading this story in SFGATE on the return of Fresca (one of SF’s first Peruvian restaurants) to Noe Valley in early August, thanks to the next generation of the Calvo-Perez family. 3945 24th St. at Sanchez.
Super Duper News For Burger Buffs
By Francesca Gasparini
Commonly known as the over-achiever amongst burger chains for their “fast food burgers made with Slow Food values,” Super Duper Burgers announces the opening of their latest location at the corner of Fillmore and Post (formerly a Burger King). Tuesday July 14th marked the new location’s debut, bringing their classic burgers (made with freshly ground, vegetarian-fed Brandt Beef), free-range chicken sandwiches, fries (and garlic-cheese fries!), milkshakes (made with Straus Family Creamery organic soft-serve), and, of course, their housemade pickles, to the intersection of Lower Pacific Heights and Japantown.
Founded in the Castro in 2010, this is the 23rd location of Super Duper Burgers in the Bay Area. Operating hours are Mon–Thu 10am–11pm, Fri–Sat 10am–12am, and Sun 10am–11pm. 1701 Fillmore St. at Post.
Attack of the Killer (Delicious) Tomatoes
While I’m eating my body weight in peaches right now, a close runner-up is tomatoes, every day, in all the ways. Here are a few dishes and events where you can celebrate the rosy nightshade as it rolls into its prime season.
Pizzeria Delfina is serving their annual cherry pie, topped with marinated Sweet 100 and Sungold cherry tomatoes, plus basil, mozzarella, and a shaving of ricotta salata. Available now through peak tomato season (end of September).
The Bix summer tomato cart is pure genius. Instead of serving their famed steak tartare, a cart rolls up tableside so you can watch a California caprese salad of your dreams be assembled, with stunning tomatoes from Dirty Girl Produce, Zuckerman’s Farms, and Balakian Farms. The sliced tomatoes are served with a chiffonade of basil and a decadent scoop of creamy basket ricotta from Bellwether Farms, finished with a hearty glug of olive oil. Enjoy while it lasts.
Every year, I wait for the tomato-anchovy toast at The Anchovy Bar, with their housemade, lime-pickled “boquerones” and heirloom tomato vinaigrette on toast, a zhuzhed pan con tomate.
Bosco just launched a four-course, prix-fixe, heirloom tomato menu ($55), featuring peak summer tomatoes in every course, like tomato and stone fruit gazpacho; housemade tomato and goat cheese scarpinocc; and green tomato and eggplant parmigiana, with heirloom tomato sorbet for dessert.
If you want to truly enjoy a taste of summer, Little Saint and A16 are collaborating on a dinner in honor of a tomato sagra, but instead of a village festival of pomodori, it will be a plant-based dinner celebrating the Southern Italian tradition and Sonoma’s peak tomato season on Saturday August 15th (which is also Ferragosto in Italy). Imagine dishes like cold-cured olive misti with pickled cherry tomatoes, oven-dried cherry tomatoes on the vine, A16’s signature Neapolitan pizza, and more, all featuring ingredients sourced from Little Saint’s eight-acre regenerative farm. Reservations from 5pm–9pm; $125 per person, gratuity not included. Little Saint, 25 North St., Healdsburg.
If you want even more inspiration to go stuff yourself on tomato dishes, be part of the GGRA’s (Golden Gate Restaurant Association’s) 2026 Tomato Month, happening now through August 15th. Restaurants throughout San Francisco are offering tomato-focused dishes (like I mentioned above!), and all you need to do is log your dining experience at any five San Francisco restaurants or farmers’ markets using a QR code (see above), and you’ll be entered into a raffle to win one of three staycation prize packages.
Tomato dishes are encouraged (bring on the BLT, or even a pizza), but if tomatoes aren’t your jam, corn, peaches, and other seasonal produce count, too, but it has to be in SF! An additional prize drawing will be available for those who use the hashtag #SFTomatoMonth on Instagram. Have fun on your tomato quest! 🍅
the sugar mama
Enter to Win a Pair of Passes to the Coolest Indie Wine Event This Summer: UNFILTERED on July 25–26th
🎉 GIVEAWAY BELOW! 🎉 Since you subscribe to tablehopper, you’ve likely seen my posts about the upcoming UNFILTERED wine festival, a weekend (July 25th–26th) of extraordinary wine, food, music, and conversation at Donkey & Goat Winery in Berkeley.
Not only will there be 2 days of 60+ of California’s most compelling indie winemakers—from the pioneers to the latest visionaries—pouring their craft wines (check the lineup of wines here!):
Take a look at who’s pouring each day at UNFILTERED (July 25th–26th).
And the panel programming is so cool, with topics I’ve never seen before, like: From Chad Hinds’ Psychic Terroir to Vinyl Listening Bars: Recentering the Experiential Value of Wine Through Music, and The Lodi Effect: How Did Lodi Become a Hotbed for Creativity in Wine?.
Add in delish food from local makers, music, and great people, and this isn’t just a tasting—it’s a full-on wine community gathering over the entire weekend.
You’ll be able to purchase many wines that aren’t even available in stores, so you’re saving yourself the shipping cost from the wineries with your ticket.
tablehopper subscribers get 20% off tickets with code TABLEHOPPER20 (tickets ➡️ donkeyandgoat.com/unfiltered), but we’re also giving away one pair of weekend passes to one lucky winner. Here’s how:
Thanks for sharing this post and spreading the word to your wine lovin’ friends so they don’t miss this stellar event. 🥂 By combining educational seminars with the largest gathering of independent wineries in Berkeley’s history, UNFILTERED seeks not merely to educate consumers, but to reshape demand—giving independent producers the visibility they deserve and inviting restaurants, retailers, and wine bars to champion the extraordinary wines being made in their own backyard.
July 25th–26th, 2026
Donkey & Goat Winery
1340 5th Street Berkeley
Day pass: $65; Weekend pass: $95
tablehopper subscribers receive 20% off early-bird tickets with code TABLEHOPPER20
For tickets, participating wineries, and the full schedule, visit: www.donkeyandgoat.com/unfiltered.
the socialite
A Day of Gluttony and Gluten: SF’s Pizza, Bagel, & Beer Festival Returns on August 15th!
By Francesca Gasparini
It’s that time of year again, when the City delivers carbs, brews, music, and entertainment until you can’t even eat one more bite. On Saturday August 15th, the annual SF Pizza, Bagel, & Beer Festival returns for its fourth rendition as North Beach’s most anticipated food festival. Hosted by the renowned Tony Gemignani (13-time World Pizza Champion and owner of various esteemed pizza shops and bakeries)—in partnership with the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club—the festival promises the best the Bay has to offer in pizza, bagel, and beer.
The killer lineup features both returning and new pizzaioli from over 36 places, such as Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, Capo’s, Slice House, A16, DAMNFINE, Flour + Water Pizzeria, Il Casaro, Rose Pizzeria, Square Pie Guys, and Terún, along with a group of women in pizza, featuring Gabacool Pizzeria, PizzaLeah, and Pizzeria da Laura.
The bagel department is covered by names like Cafe Brusco, The Laundromat, and Dago Bagel, among others, while the beer selection will be provided by local breweries like Enterprise Beer, Fieldwork Brewing, and Standard Deviant Brewing, along with some cider and hard kombucha.
These talented vendors will be shutting down Stockton and Filbert Streets from 12pm–4pm, with neighboring bars and restaurants continuing the fun into the evening with live music and special offerings.
This year, the entertainment is leveling-up with a new live music stage celebrating Bimbo’s 365 Club centered in Washington Square Park. Artists are expected to perform swing, jazz, and rock all throughout the afternoon to enjoy alongside or in between your bites and brews.
What’s more, the San Francisco Ooni Pizza Championship—moderated by celebrated pizzaioli Eidref Laxa and Adam Sachs—will return, where attendees will be able to watch 18 home chefs and pizza enthusiasts compete to make the best pie. This event has grown to become one of the headliners of the festival, drawing pumped-up crowds of pizza-loving locals and visitors.
Tickets are on sale now and have a tendency to sell out. The festival offers a limited VIP ticket ($275), which includes pizza and bagel tastings, unlimited beer tickets, one-hour early entry (at 11am), and access to a private lounge at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club featuring an open bar, Columbus Craft Meats charcuterie bites, and an abundant gift bag of Italian specialties; Ages 21+ tickets ($90) get you pizza and bagel tastings, plus 4 beer tickets; Youth tickets offer pizza and bagel tastings with price varying with age: Ages 13+ tickets ($60), and Ages 5–12 tickets ($30); kids under 5 receive free entry.
Over the last three years, the event raised over $225,000, with proceeds benefiting local causes; a portion of the proceeds from this event goes towards supporting local non-profit organizations, including the Salesian Boys & Girls Club, San Francisco Italian Athletic Club Foundation, Saints Peter & Paul School, Friends of Washington Square Park, Next Village, the North Beach Business Association, and the John Arena Foundation.
the starlet
the archivist
Il Trovatore Proves Signage Leaves Legacy
By Francesca Gasparini
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