Belle Cora Now Open in North Beach, Offering Wine, Beer and a History Lesson

Belle Cora, has sashayed into North Beach offering small plates, beer and wine in the former Dell'uva space.

Hoodline reports that the new spot is opened by owner Teague Kernan (also owner of nearby bar Tupuelo), alongside partner and GM Nils Marthinsen and chef John Kenner. The idea is to create a relaxed neighborhood restaurant, with shady outdoor seating and a small selection of dishes like shrimp ceviche and a crab tower with avocado, mango, jicama, seaweed and wonton chips, as well cheese and charcuterie boards. The small menu is partially the result of the restaurant's lack of a full kitchen (no gas oven, grill or fryer), as well as the chefs commitment to quality over quantity.

One of the main attractions will be the ample patio seating, including 32 seats under the willow trees along Green Street, where diners can enjoy a low-key glass of wine or beer. Paulina Krol (Tupelo) has crafted an Old World-focused wine list that includes 30 wines by the glass, as well as seven beers on tap and 30 in bottles, so there will be plenty of options for people-watching during the height of tourist season.

And offering a glimpse into San Francisco's colorful past, the restaurant is named after one of the city's most expensive and infamous madames, Belle Cora. She notoriously married Charles Cora, her gambler lover, hours before he was hung for the murder of a U.S. Marshall. They are buried together at Mission Dolores.

The kitchen is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m.Saturday and Sunday; the bar is open seven days a week until 2 a.m. Weekend brunch will go from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.