The Top 7 Neighborhood Game Changers

We gave you Nine Big Deal Restaurants to Watch yesterday. As promised, here are this Fall's neighborhood game changers. Feel free to add the upcoming projects coming to your neck of the woods.

1) Hayes Valley
Where: Proxy from Envelope A + D; 432, 424 Octavia Street
The Situation: The Gav has commissioned the design firm behind the Delfinas to develop the area where the old Central Freeway used to run. Ritual Coffee, Smitten Ice Cream, Delfina Pizza, an undisclosed local food favorite and a rotating chef venue will share the communal seating area in the central courtyard with room for roughly 90. Add in the Suppenkuche guys' adjacent Biergarten and a new vortex of eating, drinking and shopping shall be humming before winter hits.
Projected Opening: Ritual Coffee and Smitten in late October; Biergarten the first week of November; Pizzeria Delfina, an undisclosed vendor and a rotating chef venue at unknown times in December.
Further Reading

2) Pacific Heights
Where: Long Bar, 2298 Fillmore Street
The Situation: Reza Esmaili is using his imagination to create a neighborhood staple with staying power at the formerly defunct Long Bar & Bistro he took over in June. He's hired Top Chef alum Erik Hopfinger to create an attractive and comforting menu "with twists." Pac White will know just exactly what's hit it when the fully-fleshed name and the fully-tweaked shtick arrive in a few weeks' time.
Projected Opening: November
Further Reading

3) The Sunset
Where: Pasión, 737 Irving Street
The Situation: Jose Calvo Perez already has local neighborhood followings in West Portal, Noe Valley and Pac Heights where he has Fresca outposts. Now, in his words, he's bringing some spice to The Sunset. It's true. Italian and Japanese spots dominate out there. So Latin-style cocktails and a menu with Spanish, Peruvian and other Latin influences will answer the cry for a date spot and a place with an ambiance to eat in the nabe.
Projected Opening: Late October
Further Reading

4) Sausalito
Where: Plate Shop, 39 Caledonia Street
The Situation: Nose-to-tail butchery fanatic and former Aqua executive sous chef Alter will bring Sausalito something a little less conservative than what it's used to when she and managing partner Matt Kahn open Plate Shop. Herbs and produce from Alter's on-trend 14 vegetable beds outside the kitchen door will set the tone on the plate and contribute to the restaurant's overall farm vibe.
Projected Opening: "Fall"
Further Reading

5) Napa
Where: Rotisserie & Wine, Main Street, Napa
The Situation: The second of Tyler Florence's Bay Area empire, Rotisserie & Wine brings a pedigreed quick service option with a full wine bar to the Napa Riverfront development. Remember this is where Morimoto Napa and Fish Story just opened; so we're needing something a little easier and breezier over there as of now.
Projected Opening:
Further Reading

6) Tenderloin
Where: Jones, 620 Jones Street
The Situation: Pete Glikshtern was instrumental in some big game changers of yore, like Liquid, Mighty and Club Six. Now he's enacting his vision for the 13,000 square foot space atop the Gaylord Suites on Jones Street: a solar-powered restaurant, bar and event space with an indoor-outdoor-rooftop as one of the major draws. This would be cool anywhere in the city, but -- making things interesting -- it's in an unfrequented stretch of the 'loin. Oola chef Ola Fendert will create a list of French-California brunch and dinner eats and Peter Strzebniok, whose latest projects include the renovation of the Academy of Sciences, is designing everything.
Projected Opening: October 15th
Further Reading

7) The Mission
Where: The Summit, 780 Valencia Street
The Situation: The whole shall be greater than the sum of its parts at ex-Poleng owner Desi Danganan's new "third space" concept. And those parts are a counter-serviced, brasserie-inspired menu; an art gallery, Blue Bottle coffee, a pastry program with rotating guest chefs and an event venue all wrapped in a designy space shared with business startup incubator i/o ventures. As you see, those parts ain't bad either. This will be a much-needed spot for work sessions, meetings and those who've mastered the art of free-style hanging out.
Projected Opening: Thursday
Further Reading

[Photo: Craig Stoll: Delfina Web site; Kim Alter: BunRab; Jose Perez: Vinos Unico; Desi Danganan: Facebook]