This week’s tablehopper: wings ’n’ things. (free)

what’s cookin’

Comfort me with tonkatsu. (I will tell you more soon, but for now, I previously wrote about the opening of Kawanoya here.) Photo: © tablehopper.com.

Howdy, friends. Wow, what gorgeous days we’re having (so I see from my window—it’s time for me to go for a walk). Grateful to live here in SF. Where to begin? Let’s start by wishing you a happy Black History Month. I’m fired up to see the exhibit of Sylvester ephemera and more at Dark Entries Records during this week’s First Thursday art walk (Thursday February 5th)—check out the participating Tenderloin/TenderNob galleries here (the list will go live on Thursday, and keep in mind that Rosebud Gallery is on break until March 5th). Hope to see you out and about in the neighborhood!

I was also thrilled to see The Castro Theatre release their upcoming movie calendar; I can’t wait to see a film there and hear David Hegarty hittin’ the keys on the new organ (one of the world’s largest symphonic organs)! I bought my ticket for A Deeper Love: The Story of Miss Peppermint (legendary Black trans performer and activist Peppermint will be there), and upcoming films include Showgirls (with Gina Gershon in person), so campy.

Another flick: I’m looking forward to seeing Join the Club at The Roxie Theater this Saturday February 7th as part of SFIndieFest—the documentary uncovers the queer history of cannabis legalization in America by profiling our city’s beloved, pioneering cannabis activist, Dennis Peron, who opened the Cannabis Buyers’ Club in response to the AIDS crisis. (Enter to win tickets here, thanks to 48 Hills.)

The City is going to be downright cuckoo this week with all kinds of Super Bowl events, including concerts and Bad Bunny tribute nights and barbecues and block parties leading up to Sunday’s Big Game. Take a look at planned street closures and strategize your plans and public transpo accordingly—FYI, there’s going to be a private event at the Ferry Building from Thursday to Saturday, so while the Foodwise farmers markets will be happening per usual, parking is going to be extra-tight. (Read more about what to expect here.)

Side note: I’m happy to see Marla Bakery is back in the front plaza on Saturdays, with their market-inspired breads, pastries, and more (pray their new pizza bialys come to the market soon!).

I can’t even imagine how many chicken wings will be consumed this weekend. (Fortunately, the City is full of tasty flappers.) For subscribers, here’s my short list o’ wingz I love:

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Hey reader, you’re on the free plan, which means you get the newsletter a day later than the paid version, and you miss out on special content, like this list of my favorite wings (and another 2,000 words of today’s stories). The future of tablehopper depends upon having enough subscribers to keep me type type typing. Subscribe today, thanks!

Have fun winging it!

A little PSA: after last week’s general strike, please remember to show support to the many local restaurants and small businesses that closed in solidarity. You can look at a bunch in my I🧊E OUT Instagram Highlight—these independent businesses would love to see you this month. Yeah, in person! (The folks at SF Gazetteer also made a list.)

Thanks again for another week of positive notes and high-fives from all of you rad subscribers who are renewing your annual subscriptions right now (and giving me LIFE!).

Happy 20th Marcia!! You make our city a better place and bring so much joy to so many by spreading the news and details that make life worth living :)

Love your weekly musings and recommendations! Thanks for everything! We need your uplifting of the city!

Marcia! I have been a faithful follower and now happily a member of Tablehopper for a long time....Thank you for all that you do for this amazing city of ours – your newsletter is one of only a handful that I read right away.

Meow! I so appreciate having a sense of our strong community, which is what I/we need to get through these times. And then there’s the music, which always helps. This funky Dicky Trisco mix (from 12 years ago!) gave me such a boost on my deadline. Shake it.

So, I gotta send this thing before my Pages app crashes yet again—I already lost a couple hours of writing, nooooo, and SHE HAS HAD IT. (Did you hear my scream last night?) Time to call Apple Support (again) before next week’s newsletter.

See you next week, take care, keep each other safe, have fun.
~Marcia

the chatterbox

Get ready to say “arrivederci” to the gluten-free cacio e pepe at the Alice pop-up at Montesacro Marina. Photo via Instagram: @Montesacromarina. — Prepare to say “arrivederci” to the gluten-free cacio e pepe at the Alice pop-up at Montesacro Marina. Photo via Instagram: @Montesacromarina.

The Montesacro Team’s Gluten-Free Pop-Up, Alice, Is Going Permanent as Clementina (Replacing Bettola in the Inner Richmond), While Montesacro Marina Is Shuttering

I was hearing some buzz about upcoming changes at Montesacro Marina, where owners Gianluca LeGrottaglie and Viviana Devoto have been running their gluten-free pop-up, Alice, for the past few months. It ends up they have news that involves both Montesacro Marina and their rosticceria and tavola calda on Clement Street, Bettola; here’s their personal statement about what’s coming:

After many meaningful years serving our community, Montesacro Marina will be closing, and Bettola on Clement Street will reopen as Clementina, the next chapter in the evolution of the Montesacro brand. This decision comes from a deeply personal place. After our youngest daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease, our family began rethinking how we cook, how we gather, and how we share meals together. What started at home eventually became a creative and culinary exploration within our kitchens, one that surprised us in the best way. Through that process, we discovered that Italian food, when made with care, technique, and the right ingredients, can be 100% gluten-free without losing its soul.

Clementina is the result of that journey: a neighborhood Italian restaurant rooted in authentic tradition, designed to be fully celiac-safe, and welcoming to everyone at the table. Clementina honors where Montesacro has been and where it’s going next. It reflects our commitment to thoughtful hospitality, high-quality ingredients, and creating spaces where families, friends, and communities can gather without compromise. We’re grateful for the love and support shown to Montesacro Marina and Bettola over the years, and we look forward to welcoming guests into Clementina very soon.

The inspiration for the Alice pop-up at Montesacro Marina. Photo: Montesacro Marina.

Speaking with Gianluca, he shares he’s heartened by this opportunity to raise awareness and understanding about celiac disease with Clementina, and to be able to provide a safe and trusted environment for the celiac community, where guests can eat without fear of exposure to gluten or cross-contamination. Since running the Alice pop-up for the past three months, the team has been able to practice their protocol, which they take extremely seriously—for example, employees and guests can’t bring in outside food.

The Montesacro team has been researching gluten-free products for the past two years, and is committed to using healthful, well-made, nutritious products and ingredients. For Clementina, they’re bringing on a new chef: Giorgio Brunella, from Sestri Levante in Liguria. He has been in San Francisco since October, and both of his daughters are also celiac, so it felt fated that these Italians all met and are able to work together on this project. What’s even more kismet-y is one of Brunella’s daughters is named Clementina!

The team will be evolving beyond a Roman-focused menu at Clementina, so the cacio e pepe and carbonara will be replaced by new dishes with a Ligurian influence, like farinata, risotto with saffron, and fish. Stand by for more details soon; Clementina will open in mid-March.

As for Montesacro Marina, which opened in June 2022, the last night of service will be February 14th—they will be saying farewell to the neighborhood with amore. (The team will be coming over to Clementina.) The last night of service at Bettola, which opened in May 2024, is also on Valentine’s Day (February 14th). Baci! A presto! 343 Clement St. at 5th Ave.

La Cocina Entrepreneur Kayma Algerian Eatery Opens a Brick-and-Mortar Location at Fisherman’s Wharf

Kayma’s Wafa and Mounir Bahloul when they opened their kiosk at Saluhall. Photo: © tablehopper.com.

Thanks much to tablehopper reader Stephanie L., who made sure I knew that Kayma Algerian Eatery just opened a new brick-and-mortar location at Fisherman’s Wharf. Executive chef Wafa Bahloul is a La Cocina entrepreneur, and with her husband, Mounir, they originally ran a Kayma stall at La Cocina Municipal Marketplace, a food truck, and then a kiosk at Saluhall, and now they have their own standalone, casual restaurant.

Some of Kayma’s soulful Algerian dishes. Photo courtesy of Kayma via Yelp.

The menu features Algerian dishes with all their housemade touches, like hearty lentil soup, dobara (spicy garbanzo beans), a big serving of spiced fries coated with their house ras el hanout (you can get them loaded with meats or eggs), grilled skewers (including their housemade merguez)...

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2640 Mason St. at Beach.

This Summer, SF Will Be Clamoring for Cake from Butter & Crumble

Get ready for The Cake Shop by Butter & Crumble. Instagram photo by @butter.and.crumble. — Instagram photo by @butter.and.crumble.

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Additional Upcoming Openings Around Town, From Bagels to Modern Korean Barbecue

The view of Fisch & Flore from the patio. Photo: © tablehopper.com.

There’s a new taker for the iconic Cafe Flore location in Duboce Triangle (it most recently got a big upgrade as Fisch & Flore, which closed last July). Due to open by this June (in time for Pride) will be Parasol at Flore, “A California BistroBar with a touch of the Mediterranean” from Akop Jacob Paronyan, a partner-GM at Boulevard and the owner of Roaming Goat wine bar in Cow Hollow, which highlights Armenian and Georgian wines. Parasol will reportedly offer daytime counter service, weekend brunch, and full service in the evenings. Stand by for more. 2298 Market St. at Noe. [Via SF Standard]

Coming to the former Postscript Cafe in Jackson Square will be a location of Loveski Deli from chef Christopher Kostow (The Restaurant at Meadowood) and his wife and co-founder, Martina Kostow. The modern “Jew-ish” deli will open in about a month with bagels, sandwiches, bowls, and pastries, plus grab-and-go items, house-roasted coffee, and smoothies. 499 Jackson St. at Montgomery. [Via the SF Chronicle, which didn’t include a link to their story from 2020, with multiple accounts from employees about the allegedly toxic workplace under Kostow at The Restaurant at Meadowood]

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East Bay Openings Include a New Location of a Fairfax Favorite for Porchetta

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A Service Update from Tommaso’s (Which Has a New Private Event Space)

The historic Tommaso’s in North Beach. Photo: © tablehopper.com.

I have an update to share from Maureen Donegan, the new owner of our 90-year-old friend in North Beach, Tommaso’s Ristorante Italiano: “Like many Legacy restaurants, we’re navigating escalating costs and the realities of operating sustainably in today’s environment. To protect the future of Tommaso’s — and the people who make it what it is — we’re making thoughtful adjustments to our menu and operations. Starting Tuesday February 10th, we will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. This gives us a chance to start baking our own bread and doing a 24-hour ferment on our pizza dough, as well as start our wood-oven braises a day earlier. We will be incorporating house made pastas, and adapting them to follow the seasonal produce that we shop for every week at the Marin Civic Farmers Market.” Keep up with menu items and more on their new Instagram account.

And: did you know Donegan has been busy putting together a private event space upstairs? Your group can hang out in a lounge area and host a private dinner in The Bird’s Nest. 1042 Kearny St. at Broadway.