Levy sold his shares in Blums in 1952 and resigned as head, but the number of stores continued to grow under a succession of new owners. 1970s, 1980s, Italian American Cafe, San Francisco Little Italy from the Kinolibrary Archive Film Collections. San Francisco's Levi's Strauss helped popularize high-waisted, flared jeans for women in the 1970s (this is a Levi's model in 1971), and after years of giving way to low-rise jeans, they're back . The original Tenderloin restaurant was destroyed by a fire in 2007 but, four years later, the Duggan family moved the business to North Beach (pictured). The grill opened in 1979 drawing inspiration from more established SF classics like Tadich. It closed in 2003, but it left a lasting legacy: With its large bar area and eclectic menu from chef-owner Gordon Drysdale (featuring fried chicken, Brussels sprout salad and pepperoni pizza) it. Excellent hamburgers, open late for night owls and partiers, and family-friendly during the day. Not only is Greens a California classic, its a big and beautiful space, with views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. Restaurant-ing al fresco A chefs life: Charles Ranhfer The (partial) triumph of the doggie bag Early chains: John R. Thompson Anatomy of a restaurateur: Mary Alletta Crump Laddition: on discrimination Between courses: dining with reds Banqueting at $herrys* Who invented lobster Newberg? Another notable feature of the Pine Street murals were two works by a woman, painter and jewelry designer May Mott-Smith. California cuisine brought local ingredients to the forefront in the mid-1970s, and San Francisco restaurants became known for taking bold directions. Some of these places have been around for more than 100 years and are instant portals to the city's past. The same image was used on the cover of the restaurants menu at its final location, 241 Pine. Many of the Magic Pans stayed open as late as midnight as did many independent crepe restaurants. Years later, in a Poughkeepsie NY newspaper story of 1878, Mark Winn would blame the failure of his San Francisco restaurants on employees who robbed him. These are the San Francisco establishments long-known for their greasy fare or classic martinis. With its hard-to-missneon sign and colorful murals on the busy corner of Van Ness and Geary, Tommys Joynthaslong beenconsidered a gathering place for those in all walks of life. Here's a photo of the exterior, circa 1984. His San Francisco restaurants were the most successful of his enterprises, but despite their promise he held onto them only for about six years. It had been partially modernized. Ham & eggs by any other name Good eaters: Josephine Hull Name trouble: Aunt Jemimas Reflections on a name: Plantation Dining on a roof Restaurant-ing on wheels Dinner to go Drive-up windows Dining during an epidemic: San Francisco Good eaters: bohemians Dining during an epidemic Fish on Fridays Image gallery: breaded things Lunching in a laboratory Women drinking in restaurants The puzzling St. Paul sandwich New Years Eve at the Latin Quarter Chinese for Christmas Turkeyburgers Themes: bordellos Finds of the day Early bird specials Franchising: Heap Big Beef Bostons automats Coffee and cake saloons Women chefs not wanted Entree from side dish to main dish Anatomy of a restaurateur: Woo Yee Sing Lobster stew at the White Rabbit Restaurants in the family: Doris Day Almost like flying Eye appeal Writing food memoirs Anatomy of a restaurateur: Ruby Foo Soul food restaurants Effects of war on restaurant-ing Behind the scenes at the Splendide Take your Valentine to dinner Lunching at the dime store Square meals Tea rooms for students Christmas dinner in the desert Green Book restaurants Dirty by design Clown themes Basic fare: meat & potatoes Dining with Chiang Yee in Boston Slumming Picturing restaurant food Find of the day: the Double R Coffee House Delicatessing at the Delirama Restaurant design and decoration Dining on a dime Anatomy of a restaurateur: George Rector Catering Dining in a garden Sawdust on the floor Learning to eat (in restaurants) Childrens menus Taste of a decade: the 1830s Check your hat How Americans learned to tip Image gallery: eating in a hat The up-and-down life of a restaurant owner Dressing the female server The Lunch Box, a memoir Crazy for crepes Famous in its day: The Pyramid Dining & wining on New Years Eve High-volume restaurants: Hilltop Steak House Famous in its day: the Public Natatorium Turkey on the menu Getting closer to your food Between courses: secret recipes Find of the day: Aladdin Studio Tiffin Room Americans in Paris: The Chinese Umbrella No smoking! Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, No seriously, dont drive up to Tahoe this weekend, Horoscope for Saturday, 3/04/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, Oakland ransomware attackers leak 'confidential' data, Mochi muffin bakery closes SF cafe after just 4 months, Even Salesforces tower HQ isnt safe from office cuts, The Warriors broke Russell Westbrook, just like old times, The best fried chicken is at a San Francisco strip club, praise from the Chronicle's Michael Bauer, 6 Cabo hotels for your spring break vacation, 10 beach essentials to pack for a spring break vacation, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Expansion began in October 1953 with the opening of an outlet in the Stonestown Mall. San Francisco's Newest Restaurant Openings, Now on Resy Rintaro Returns In All Its Glory After Devastating Flood Now on Resy: Snail Bar, Trick Dog, Izzy's, and More Local Favorites Chinatown USA Chinatown USA As Chinatowns have been devastated by the pandemic, it has become essential to share reminders of how much these places matter to all of us. Your email address will not be published. We've heard it's better to go for drinks and the view than to dine. We didn't include this one in this "classics" slideshow when we first ran it, but quite a few readers reminded us it's one that we couldn't omit. Were taking a tip from a 1987 Chronicle archive that recommends a double hamburger, no onions, no lettuce and a glass of house red, for better or worse. Want another option? The atmosphere is ski-cabin-meets-San-Francisco-chic, and youll know the restaurant by the smell of fresh lemon and spiced lamb wafting through the room. To grow up in San Francisco in this prismatic era was. Red's was sold in 1990 and again in 2009 to SF native TiffanyPisoni. All in all, Blancos was a temple of art and beauty destined to become the envy of caterers around the world. Jeannette Etheredge took over Tosca Cafe in 1980 and kept her pledge of keeping the bar just the way she found it until 2014, when it was sold toKen Friedman and April Bloomfield of New York in a deal brokered by actor Sean Penn, who used to be a regular at the cafe. You can see our selection of the "true classics" in the above slideshow. 16th Street at Church, 1973 Eric Fischer/Flickr That closed in December 1939, marking the end of Joe Coppas long culinary career. Despite the abundance of eating places in the city, it rose to prominence rapidly due to its respectability, cleanliness, and relatively low prices. Its likely the photos were taken for use in an article by Mabel Croft Deering not published until June 1906 in The Critic, but written before Aprils destruction caused Coppas closure. Two of Blancos managers had previously been at Delmonicos restaurant in San Francisco, another victim of the fire. The first Magic Pan, a tiny place on Fillmore Street, was opened in 1965 by Paulette and Laszlo Fono, who came to this country in 1956 after the failed anti-Communist uprising in their native Hungary. After Uncle Johns came General Host Corp., then National Environment in 1968, shortly thereafter renamed Envirofood. The first, Owl/Rexall Drugs, was followed by the California-based chain Uncle Johns Pancake House. Gay Freedom Parade. Something went wrong. In 1970 surplus equipment and furnishings were auctioned at the original Blums on Polk. When a Magic Pan opened in Dallas North Park shopping center in 1974, it was called as delightful a restaurant as one is likely to find in Dallas., Among Magic Pan amenities (beyond moderate prices), reviewers were pleased by fresh flowers on each table, good service, delicious food, pleasant decor, and late hours. Open since 1947, Tommys continues to be a destination for meaty meals like carved-to-order hot pastrami sandwiches, an impressive selection of imported beers, and a lively late-night dining scene. The California hofbrau may soon be a lost tradition but for now, Tommys Joynt carries the torch on the corner of Van Ness and Geary. . Over the course of months in 1905 the murals were drawn in chalk crayon by artists who frequented the restaurant on Montgomery Street. Tosca may have new owners and fresh damask, but make no mistake: this more-than-100-year-old joint is still every bit as dimly lit and historic as ever. The San Francisco restaurant Coppas became legendary in the early 20th century as a gathering spot for bohemian artists and writers, especially after they decorated its walls with curious and intriguing murals. Apparently he didnt strike it rich, though, because after five years in Virginia City he filed for insolvency and the Winns returned to San Francisco where he began work on the invention of a shampooing device that was patented in 1871 [shown above]. This eatery and its "since 1908" sign has remained at the same location, on Ellis Street between Stockton and Powell, since the beginning. Its also one of the citys fanciest, as diners are required to remove their shoes before theyre led to low, hand-carved tables. She regularly assists with behind-the-scenes breaking news coverage, oversees article packaging, posts to social media and co-manages the SFGATE Instagram and Snapchat accounts. A few years later they opened another Magic Pan in Ghirardelli Square and Laszlo patented a 10-pan crepe-maker capable of turning out 600 perfectly cooked crepes per hour [pictured here]. Its candy counters in department stores such as I. Magnin, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, and others were not run by Blums. This was taken two months after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. At The Sale Hunt you will find all the information you need for whatever question comes into your mind. We all remember when La Taquerias carnitas super burrito, dorado style, was named the best burrito in the country by FiveThirtyEight. But from. A friend visiting San Francisco from Seattle recently had a request that initially sounded simple. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. The artists, along with poets and writers, contributed puzzling sayings and quotations that adorned the walls, fascinating and insulting customers (Philistines) who came to gawk at the bohemians. Free shipping for many products! In the 1970s the restaurant industry and the custom of eating in restaurants grew rapidly. The North Beach Original Joes interior emulates the first Joe's, complete with big red booths, but it also has a bit of a modern twist. Pictured: Customers peer in at the fresh Dungeness crab that sits on ice at Alioto's restaurant curbside stand at Fisherman's Wharf. The owners nearly shuttered the business in 2020, citing financial struggles related to the pandemic, but in March 2021 confirmed the restaurant would remain open at least for now. Fior opened its doors in 1886, making it the oldest Italian restaurant in the entire United States. With few buildings intact, its value rose and Coppas landlord raised the rent, leading Coppa to vacate and open another Black Cat on Pine Street in November. It ended badly, California snowpack hits highest level this century for March, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Maybe Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge. On one occasion he was arrested as a public nuisance, wandering the streets of New York wearing armor and a tin helmet (possibly the shampooing device?) Also in 1949 a Blums Confectaurant opened in San Franciscos Fairmont Hotel [shown above]. In 1955, Red's was bought by brothers Tom and Mike McGarvey. The 1970s San Francisco was beautiful, flamboyant, and alive. It opened in 1949 and went through several owners before current owner Joe Betz (pictured here in an unbelievable room of meat at the restaurant) took over in 1985. Many credit him with making House of Prime Rib the SF institution it is today, catering to high-profile regulars as well as a healthy mix of locals and tourists. Catherine Bigelow/Special to The Chronicle. In 1956, in addition to Blum's four San Francisco locations (Polk St., Fairmont Hotel, Stonestown, and Union Square), there were stores in Carmel, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Westwood, and San Mateo and three more planned to open soon in Palo Alto, San Rafael, and San Jose. Toddle House Truckstops Champagne and roses Soup and spirits at the bar Back to nature: The Eutropheon The Swinger Early chains: Baltimore Dairy Lunch We burn steaks Girls night out 2013, a recap Holiday greetings from Vesuvio Caf The Shircliffe menu collection Books, etc., for restaurant history enthusiasts Roast beef frenzy B.McD. The must-order item at the no-frills, yellow-walled restaurant is the tea leaf salad, a textural delight made with fermented tea leaves, fried garlic, dried shrimp, sesame seeds, lemon, green pepper, and roasted peanuts. Fish, obviously. Jessica is a member of the Gate's homepage team and has a nerdy obsession with poring over the site's real-time analytics. Despite the uneven contours of his career as a restaurateur, Winns Fountain Head has become a subject of interest, often mentioned positively in a number of books and articles that tell of San Franciscos early history. Many of our other favorite eateries have been lumped into two other pillars -- the "new classics" and the "only in SF" eateries. The Fountain Head was not fancy. Next he went to New York City where in 1843 and 1844 he manufactured and sold a cure-all product called Winns Irish Vegetable Relief Candy, good for weakness of the chest and lungs, liver complaint(s), asthmatic affection, impurities of the blood, dyspepsia and all bowel complaints.. When you think about San Francisco, you probably envision tech companies filled with optimistic 20-somethings and restaurants with fancy food. And the house cappuccino, of course. The restaurant also has a series of banquet rooms, such as the 'Godfather room,' available to hire. The menu changes daily, but stick to the seafood, especially since they never serve frozen fish here. Many locals love to eat at this San Francisco institution before attending the symphony, opera or another event near the Civic Center. This was in the depths of the Depression when few could afford candy and Blums was close to failing. Naturally it classed itself as a French restaurant, French cuisine being synonymous with the good life and the only kind that could command a high price then. Poodle Dog: Not only was the French food at this five-story 1800s restaurant hailed as the best in the city; there were dining rooms with beds, so stuffed customers could sleep off their wine-drenched meal. Yes, that's a toucan flying around Walnut Creek. [Des Moines, 1974]. In 1896, Adolph Sutro, then the Cliff House owner and mayor of SF, built a new Cliff House modeled after a French chateau. And a florist in Napa CA was still selling boxes of Blums candy for Easter in 1991. The menus got over 100 items, so savvy diners ask the white-jacketed waiters whats good tonight? to make sure they get the kitchens best and brightest. An alternative explanation is that Coppa asked the artists to draw on the walls and that he chose red as a good backdrop. View community ranking In the Top 5% of largest communities on Reddit. This North Beach establishment was recently reincarnated into a restaurant, earningpraise from the Chronicle's Michael Bauer. Numbers of couples made a quick exit from the back door. Order up some petrale sole, chicken Jerusalem, or the Sam Spade special (chops, baked potato, sliced tomato) and soak it all in. As Quaker opened Magic Pans, they invariably received a warm welcome in newspaper food pages. Pictured: Former owner of Red's Java House Tom "Red" McGarvey stands in front of the port side cafe during the latter years of ownership. San Francisco Chronicle Archives/The Chronicle 1880. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Three Italians originally opened Tosca in November 1919. 17 San Francisco Restaurants With Spectacular Views, 17 Fresh Seafood Restaurants in San Francisco. fisherman's wharf and restaurants / pier and fishing / fishermans wharf on august 20 . Reds Java House is not to be confused with the similar, equally historic Java House, which is also worth a visit. See all favourite Restaurant in San Francisco Bay Area. His family sold it last year, but the new owner, SF native Chris Henry (who also owns Barrel House in Sausalito), A setting in author Dashiell Hammetts "The Maltese Falcon," John's Grill has walls covered in SF memorabilia and photos of famous dinner patrons (the lengthy list is proudly displayed on the restaurants. . Levy brought innovations, switching to machine production of candy in 1949 and, a few years later, introducing a successful 10-cent candy bar for sale in vending machines.