Stones Throw, a Russian Hill Favorite, Will Close January 1

Stones Throw, a five-year fixture of the Russian Hill dining scene, will close on January 1, 2019. The culprit: The restaurant’s building at 1896 Hyde Street must undergo a seismic retrofit, a city-mandated construction project that would shutter the restaurant for untold months. Rather than wait idly, the Hi Neighbor Restaurant group has sold its business there.

But Stones Throw won’t be going quietly: A major New Year’s Eve party is in the works. And until then, still newly-appointed chef Robin Song (Hog & Rocks, Gibson) will serve a farewell fixed price menu (below).

The “very nice silver lining,” as Hi Neighbor partner Ryan Cole puts it, is that the group — whose restaurants are Trestle, Corridor, and Fat Angel — recently announced a new project; The Vault, a large upscale restaurant bound for the Financial District. Chef Song will lead the Vault’s kitchen, and the whole Stones Throw team will find a home at the group’s other restaurants as they prepare to open the Vault.

“The biggest thing was [considering] what we’ll do with our staff,” says Cole. The new restaurant, with 160 seats at at 555 California Street, will answer that question.

“You rarely get to open a restaurant with a team that knows how to work with each other and are already part of the culture,” Cole adds — giving the Vault a potential advantage.

In addition to Cole, Hi Neighbor’s partners are Jason Kirmse (beverage director), Tai Ricci, and group executive chef Jason Halverson. Stones Throw/Hi Neighbor pastry chef Tara Lewis will also fuel desserts at the Vault — and, until then, is behind sweets on Stones Throw’s farewell menu: Peanut butter and Jelly doughnuts and chocolate pralines. For the New Year’s Eve party, expect her frozen white chocolate mousse.

Future projects notwithstanding, Hi Neighbor appears sad to say farewell to Stones Throw. “We’ll miss our neighbors,” says Cole. “There’s just something about having a neighborhood spot...”