SF Bakeries and Brewery Temporarily Closed by COVID-19 Case

West side breakfast sandwich fans might have to go a bit further to find one of their best options, as both locations of Devil’s Teeth Baking Company — along with its sister restaurant, the Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company — were temporarily closed after a worker tested positive for COVID-19. According to the restaurants, the Devil’s Teeth shutdown is expected to extend through the weekend, but the restaurant-brewery will reopen on Thursday for takeout, with brunch (including those sandwiches) set to resume by the weekend.

The bakery, which is also known for its pastries, rolls, and distinctive shark cookies, announced its closure via Instagram Wednesday, saying that “we have decided to close for the next week or so for cleaning and to have all of our staff be tested for Covid-19.” According to the post, “We have NOT had any positive test results from our team however our sister restaurant has and we want to take all the precautions for your safety!”

That sister restaurant, craft beer destination the Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company, shut down on August 2, after an employee tested positive for the virus, it said in an Instagram post published last weekend. “We do our best to practice social distancing and maintain our personal protective equipment so we are optimistic that the virus has not spread to other members of our staff,” the restaurant said at the time.

The brewery will reopen for takeout today, as “we have had our facilities throughly cleaned and we have a few staff that have received negative test results,” it said via Instagram Wednesday night, once again serving up a limited menu of dinner tacos, burgers, and salads.

The spot also serves weekend brunch with a menu that includes Devil’s Teeth’s iconic breakfast sandwich, a house-made biscuit with eggs, bacon, and cheese that many say must be tried to be believed. So even though both locations of the bakery — in the Outer Sunset, and in the former Marla space in the Outer Richmond — will remain dark over the weekend, their line-prompting sandwich will still be within reach.

The three spots, which are all owned by attorney-turned-restaurateur Hilary Passman, are just the latest to close down for days (or more) after exposure to the virus. Michelin-starred restaurants State Bird Provisions and the Progress briefly closed last week after a worker there tested positive, Andytown Coffee Roasters closed all its locations for several days after a cafe staffer was infected, as did sandwich shop Deli Board and Mission pizza spot Square Pie Guys.

Of the rising ubiquity of these infection-related temporary closures, Passman tells SF Gate that “I’m very comforted by the fact that it’s not like this is my special punishment. It sucks but this is what everyone in the world is going through, and we just have to do what we can to stop the spread.” But as with all her spots forced to temporarily shutter, “It’s really bad. Revenue is so low anyway ... we’re already barely hanging on. To have to close for a week, and the deep cleaning, which was $1,600 or more at each place ... it’s brutal and devastating and terrifying.”