Perbacco Team Is Most Likely Moving Into 'wichcraft's SOMA Space

Staffan Terje and Umberto Gibin's Italian spot Perbacco spun off next-door casual spot Barbacco back in 2009, but they've stayed mostly silent until now. Turns out the duo have been conspiring to expand their empire away from California Street's restaurant row—and from Italian food. As Inside Scoop reports, the Perbacco gang has signed a lease to take over the lone SF location of 'wichcraft, the sandwich spot from Top Chef's Tom Colicchio. Interestingly, 'wichcraft outright denied the location's closure, saying they had no plans to vacate, and that their lease technically runs through January 2016. However, Gibin said the deal is done, and the Westfield San Francisco Centre, which serves as landlord, refused to comment in either direction.

Provided that Terje and Gibin do indeed secure the space, they plan to turn it into a "modern European brasserie," influenced by French fare and Terje's Scandinavian roots (though he's exclusively cooked Italian food until now at his restaurants, Terje's actually from Sweden). The space is a sizable 7,200 square feet (and seems even bigger when it's empty, as it often is), and should be able to accommodate around 130 diners downstairs, with a private dining room upstairs. They plan to use a strategically placed bar, and/or some frosted windows, to obscure the less-than-prepossessing views of the adjacent alley, not to mention neighboring sex-toy emporium Good Vibrations. If all goes as planned, expect the still-unnamed project to debut next summer.