The Grove Hayes Valley Blitz Begins Today

Grid View

• Working stone fireplace on the left, white oak wainscotting on the ceiling
• Rock and roll portraits from owner Ken Zanzel's personal collection adorn the walls. On the right, multi-colored back-lit European glass lenses create a glow.

Ken Zankel, who already owns three Grove Cafe locations around San Francisco, calls the Hayes Valley branch that opened this morning his "most personal project yet." Ken's wife Anna designs all Grove interiors, and this one includes a working stone fireplace, white oak wainscoting, a Utah timber pavilion, and reclaimed items like a vintage seahorse bench from the Waldorf Astoria in New York, seats from a Napa Valley theater, old barn floors and a Mexican star light c. 1930.

Remember The Food Network's Jeffrey Saad has served as executive chef here for the past eight months and the menu is now 100% his. This time around there are new dinner specials available from 4 p.m. onward. They also serve Santa Cruz-based Verve Coffee, which they plan to offer it at all Grove locations eventually. As far as future Grove Cafe rollouts go, Zankel says, "after this, we're done." So now we're just waiting for Lers Ros and Nojo to fill things out at the new mixed-use development over there on Franklin and Hayes.

· All Previous Grove Cafe Coverage [~ ESF ~]