This 13-Year-Old Mission District Pizzeria Is Closing Soon

San Franciscans will say goodbye to a popular Mission District bar and pizzeria in the coming weeks. SFGATE reports that 13-year-old Pi Bar, a restaurant and bar located on Valencia Street between 25th and 26th streets, will close by the end of February. The owners coyly announced the impending closure on Instagram, sharing a photo of a public notice of application for transferring the business’s liquor license to a new owner. “Hopefully will be seeing many of you in the next few weeks while we wrap things up!” the caption reads.

Co-owner Rich Rosen and his wife and co-owner Jen Garris tell SFGATE that the decision to close comes from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rosen says that the couple has been running the restaurant without help from any additional staff for the past three years. “We have opened every day and worked the shift, and it’s me in the kitchen and her on the floor and that’s it,” he told SFGATE. “It’s just gotten real old.”

Much-anticipated East Bay bagel shop opens this week

Almost a year after self-taught bagel master Ressa Kashuk announced plans to open up shop in Oakland, it’s finally time to get the hand-rolled bagels baking. The San Francisco Chronicle reports Poppy Bagels will open on Thursday, February 2 at 5004 Telegraph Avenue.

More changes to come with Dominque Crenn’s restaurant empire

In tandem with the news that she would be hosting a limited-run pop-up at her restaurant Petit Crenn comes further news that star chef Dominique Crenn has closed her three-Michelin-star restaurant Atelier Crenn for a month-long overhaul. A post to the business Instagram teases changes to “the space, the story, and the menu.”

Design District pizzeria gets backlash on social media and Yelp

The San Francisco Standard has a story about a social media-driven conflict between Pizza Squared and the SF Police Officers Association, the union that represents the San Francisco Police Department. In a post on Twitter, SFPOA alleges a restaurant employee told officers they were not welcome. Despite the restaurant apologizing, the restaurant’s Yelp page shows six one-star reviews posted on the day of the incident.

High-profile local pop-up rotates through Turnable at Lord Stanley

This month it’s Immi, a several-year-old pop-up run by State Bird Provisions alumni Kevin Law and Rumpasri Chicharoen, that will take over the kitchen at Turntable at Lord Stanley. The residency runs from February 1 to March 4 during which time the chefs will offer both a tasting menu and takeout options. Reservations for both are available on Tock.