This Gelato Cruiser Is Headed to the Mission and More A.M. Intel

SoMa’s Coletta Gelato arriving on Valencia

Coletta Gelato opened this spring on Harrison Street, bringing San Franciscans a taste of authentic Italian gelato from alumni of an actual, honest-to-goodness Gelato University in Bologna. Now they’re expanding their reach with a permanent Valencia Street space. Tomorrow, Thursday, Coletta’s team will pedal their gelato cruiser over to the Mission, parking in a 300 square foot pop-up space in Harrington Galleries (Valencia at 17th Street). There, Coletta will start serving classic flavors and some newer experiments from their SoMa gelato “lab” such as black sesame-charcoal, beet and apricot, and rosemary fior di latte. Initial daily hours are 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Once they settle in with a sign and their own decor, they’ll be open till 10 p.m.

Robbery at Oakland’s Kebabery

Kebabery owners Russell Moore and Allison Hopelain are looking for the thief who hit their restaurant at 4201 Market Street in Oakland. The duo, also behind Camino in Oakland, opened the Kebabery in April in a mostly residential North Oakland neighborhood. Undeterred, the restaurant is open for business as usual.

Mission bar Dear Mom reopens as Darger Bar

Dear Mom has erased its maternal elements and revamped itself at 16th and Harrison as Darger Bar. Named for the reclusive Chicago artist Henry Darger, it’s intended as a haven for artists — expect some new mural art — and it boasts a new food menu of mostly $10 items. Owner Paul Bavaro (Thieves Tavern, Blind Cat, Whiskey Thieves), who opened Dear Mom in 2012, is still onboard, with new manager Tracy Tanner behind the Darger theme.

Westside Café changes hands, menus

After 31 years, Westside Café chef Janice Chaplin-Wilcox said goodbye to customers, and following a brief closure, new owner Randa Ammsso has reopened with a different look and a new menu of mediterranean dishes.

March brings Sqirl jams to Pac Heights

Culinary supply store March (Sacramento and Baker) has a new line of preserves made in collaboration with Los Angeles jam phenomenon Sqirl Café. This month they’re selling blood orange hibiscus, seascape strawberry, and boysenberry jams. In September, they’ll have black mission fig and sumac jam and peach and lemon verbena jam. And in December, expect Gravenstein apple butter and quince and honey butter.