Canela Bistro Is Open in the Castro

New Spanish-style bistro Canela opened quietly and quickly on Market Street two nights ago. The space, formerly Capri Pizza, looks quite different now, re-painted in new fall-like colors and hung with a hefty dose of earthy, natural-looking plant life. The owners, Matt Schuster and Francisco Cifuentes, are partners in business and life, who've made every effort to infuse their new restaurant's all-day menu with organic, local ingredients. Schuster is the chef, and right now we're looking at his early creations: 11 tapas, all priced under $10 and available as larger plates, plus gazpacho, several Spanish-inflected salads, and three authentic-style coca flatbreads made with sofrito and farmer's cheese.

They've also put some energy into a mostly Spanish and Californian wine list, proprietary wine blends made locally from Spanish grape varietals, and four draft beer selections. Of course, there is brunch. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday. Here's their website. If you go, drop those early reports in the tip jar.

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