In January, the Westin St. Francis hotel on Union Square completed an extensive renovation of 50,000 square feet of meeting and event space in both the Landmark and Tower buildings. Designed by Whitespace Interiors, the renovation spanned 30 rooms and was inspired by a “new classic” aesthetic that respects the history of the iconic hotel. The color palette now includes cool silver and gray tones with bronze, cream, and gold, with custom patterned carpets, custom chandeliers, wall sconces, and new LED fixtures. The Grand Ballroom, at more than 10,760 square feet, is the hotel’s largest event space. It holds 1,500 for receptions or seats 1,100 theater-style or 980 for dinners.
Husband-and-wife restaurateurs Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz opened the Perennial in San Francisco in January. The restaurant is two years in the making and sets out to achieve new heights in sustainability, with food sourced from local farms and eventually from the its own 2,000-square-foot aquaponic greenhouse in West Oakland. With interiors by Paul Discoe Design, sustainable features include a dining room ceiling made from wood shavings and tiles, bar stools, and rugs made from recycled materials. The eatery seats about 70 in the dining room; it holds 100 for a receptions, with room for 110 standing at the L-shaped bar, as well.
Cocktail bar Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio opened in December, offering live jazz with craft cocktails and creative bar fare on the menu. The entire recording studio holds 80 guests for private events, and the Opium Den, an intimate lounge space, holds 15 people for semiprivate receptions. Located in San Francisco’s Mid-Market neighborhood, the bar has a speakeasy feel thanks to its backdoor entrance on a quiet side street.
Cadence, the sister restaurant adjacent to jazz bar Mr. Tipple’s, opened in Mid-Market in January. Jay Bordeleau, the restaurateur behind Maven, tapped chef Joey Elenterio to design the Californian-influenced menu. The 90-seat restaurant includes dramatic decor by G. Paoletti Design Lab with round booths and sculptural elements.
The team behind popular San Francisco restaurant Sens opened Barcha in the financial district in October. During the day, Barcha is a Mediterranean bistro, and in the evening, it turns into a wine bar with a menu offering Turkish, Tunisian, and Spanish fare. The 4,000-square-foot restaurant seats 140 guests total. The buyout capacity is 200 guests.
Restaurateurs Umberto Gibin and Staffan Terje opened Volta officially in January in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood. The menu pays homage to both France and chef Terje’s Scandinavian heritage. Designed by CCS Architecture, the space is inspired by modern European brasseries with materials such as concrete, patterned tile flooring, art glass, gray French oak, blackened steel, and brass accents. Events can be held in the upper-level Cornas space, which seats 36 guests or holds 55 for a receptions. An entire restaurant buyout seats as many as 140 or holds 170 for receptions.
The cocktail bar and lounge Barbarossa opened in North Beach in November. Located in a historic building that formerly housed Bubble Lounge, Barbarossa spans 6,000 square feet. It holds 500 guests, and there are several spaces for reception-style events. The main room holds 230 guests; the back room, called the Bubble Room, is 1,000 square feet and holds 125 guests. The Living Room holds 20 guests, and the Outlaw Lounge holds 125 guests; the two rooms together span 2,000 square feet.
In honor of its 10-year anniversary, Yountville restaurant Redd underwent a refresh in November. Richard Reddington’s casual Napa Valley restaurant features soothing gray tones and dark wood accents. A semiprivate room seats 24 people, as does a patio. The main dining room seats 60 guests and the bar and lounge area seats 20.
The Big Night Restaurant Group opened Leo’s Oyster Bar in January in the financial district. The 40-seat restaurant’s vintage glam decor is inspired by the 1950s and the golden era of cocktails. Design elements include Moroccan tile, floral patterns, bamboo bar stools, mother-of-pearl chandeliers, a hammered brass raw bar, and cozy banquettes. A patio and lounge have a slated March opening date.
Black Bark BBQ opened in January on Fillmore Street in San Francisco, offering beef brisket, pulled pork, and more meats and fixings. The restaurant seats 56 guests indoors and 15 guests on the patio.
