SF 94117

NoPa is a perfect example of how a neighborhood can go from embattled to enlivened in a few short years.

In the white-hot housing market of, say, two years ago, a few brave souls resisted South Beach and Noe Valley in favor of a not-so-pretty pocket of the Western Addition, one of the city’s toughest neighborhoods. Now, thanks in part to the nightlife trifecta of the Independent (live music), Nopa (Cal-Med cuisine) and Little Star Pizza (killer deep-dish), this once-gritty stretch of lower Divis is fashionably known as NoPa—named after either the restaurant or its location north of the Panhandle, or maybe both. On the main strip—Divisadero between Haight and McAllister—young families, recent grads and urban wanderers can find everything from comics to cookware to truffles. And with last year’s return of SF favorite Falletti Foods at Broderick and Fell, it seems everyone is getting to know NoPa.

 

(LEFT): Brian Masterson pours at Poleng Lounge. (RIGHT): The little music venue that could. Neighborhood dive bar the Page attracts the bike-and-skater crowd with two pool tables, foosball and an Internet jukebox. Named after its address on Divis, Bar 821 prides itself on Champagne cocktails and strict rules: No one can enter after 11 p.m. (but they will let you leave). Happy-hour staple Fly Bar can get packed early, thanks to its famed half-priced pizzas and $3 draft beers. Fellow restaurant-bar hybrid Club Waziema adds to the mix with its authentic Ethiopian food,but it’s also becoming known for its after-dinner scene thanks to a full bar (a big deal in a neighborhood known for fighting off new liquor licenses), jukebox and pool table. Art gallery, poetry cafe, live music venue, dance club—all-in-one Madrone Lounge runs the gamut from high culture (infused vodka and experimental jazz) to low (board games and $2 well drinks on Mondays, if you can prove you live in the 94117). Now occupying the old Storyville/1751 Social Club space on Masonic, Poleng Lounge has been garnering buzz lately as a nightclub. Partyers pile into the Balinese-inspired Temple Room for live music and DJs spinning house and hip-hop—after, that is, sharing plates of Southeast Asian street food in the lounge/tea room.

 

"THE DIVISADERO STRIP IS LIKE THE YELLOW-BRICK ROAD — it takes you through so many different worlds." –NoPa resident Gil Hodges

 

DeLessio Market Bakery opened its second location (its first being at 1695 Market) inside the new Falletti complex, where locals stock up on the likes of Tuffy’s homemade pâté, decadent chocolate cakes and dinner to-go from more than 70 take-home items. Handmade truffles for 50 cents apiece? That’s what owners Santos Euan and Julio Quintanilla have been dishing out at 5-Star Truffles & Coffee since November, after learning the ropes at North Beach’s XOX Truffles. Vegans will want to try their soy-milk varieties. For great people-watching, try the weekend brunch at Le Métro Café’s garden patio, or go on Tuesday for BYOB night, sans corkage fees. Just up the street at year-old Ziryab, hipsters suck on hookahs on the covered, heated outdoor patio, while foodies enjoy Mediterranean dinner in the cozy dining room. At Tsunami Sushi & Sake Bar, chef Adachi Hiroyuki turns out what he calls “new-world concept sushi” like the Mt. Tam roll—maguro tuna, snow crab, cucumber and flying-fish roe—accompanied by more than 150 varieties of sake, all served till 1 a.m. on weekends. Next door, Café Abir has been serving sandwiches, coffee and beer to regulars for the past decade or so. The boho cafe also features an international newsstand selling papers and magazines in Arabic, Spanish and everything in between. The newest spot on Divis, Amina’s Pizzeria, is just the thing for a slice of thin-crust after rocking out at the Independent across the street. Fellow newbie Papalote Mexican Grill this winter staked its second location at Fulton and Masonic. It’s worth the trip for the fresh, made-to-order nachos, tacos and burritos, all of which can be ordered with whole-wheat tortillas and marinated tofu—not to mention the famous salsa. (TOP): Café Abir regulars catch up on reading. (BOTTOM): For half-a-buck each, 5-Star Truffles. (LEFT): Falletti: Lett's call it a comeback. (RIGHT): Delessio's temptations include a wide selection of salumi, cheese and nearly everything you need for an hors d'ouvres plate to die for.

 

After 10 years in the ’hood, Gamescape doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. “We’re a part of the personality of the neighborhood,” says manager Eric Russell of the well-stocked shop, which carries everything from Monopoly to current bestseller the Settlers of Catan. Neighboring old-timer Comix Experience opened shop on April Fools Day of 1989, back when NoPa was “literally a slum,” according to owner Brian Hibbs. Between the two neighborhood staples lies The Other Shop, a vintage-home-design store run by owner Gwen Webster and 15 other dealers. Along with kitsch items from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, a small selection of designer vintage clothing (think D&G and YSL) lines the racks in back. At Cookin’, restaurant-industry folk sort through owner Judith Kaminsky’s hand-picked items, such as oyster plates, egg coddlers and cookie cutters. Use your new utensils to cook and serve what you buy at the resurrected Falletti Foods on Broderick. After losing its lease on Fulton Street in ’99, the gourmet market has made quite the comeback. The beautifully designed space offers locally grown produce, a full-service meat-and-seafood department and a generous selection of wines. Hayes Street women’s-wear favorite Backspace tried calling its second location, on Divisadero near Page, Queen of the Meadow. But fans wouldn’t hear of it, so look for one-of-a-kind pieces and standards (Splendid, Sass & Bide and Ella Moss) under its old name. Osso & Co., meanwhile, has been supplying trend-conscious four-leggers with custom-made Italian bowls, catnip cigars and bath products since setting up shop in October. Newcomer Mojo Bicycle Café is hard to miss with its bright-orange exterior. Its concept is new too: You can buy bike gear and accessories and grab coffee and pastries at the same time. (TOP): Osso & Co. is one more place to spoil Fido.(BOTTOM): Queen of the Meadow is now Backspace.

 

"BEAN BAG CAFE AT DIVIS AND HAYES has the best deal in town: $1.39 for a pint of beer until closing. It’s good beer too." —Page Street resident Genevieve Grant

 

SHOPPING Backspace 351 Divisadero St. 415-355-1051 Comix Experience 305 Divisadero St. 415-863-9258 Cookin’ 339 Divisadero St. 415-861-1854 Falletti Foods 308 Broderick St. 415-626-4400 Gamescape 333 Divisadero St. 415-621-4263 Mojo Bicycle Café 639-A Divisadero St. 415-440-2338 Osso & Co. 501 Broderick St. 415-447-8543 The Other Shop 327 Divisadero St. 415-621-5424   NIGHTLIFE Bar 821 821 Divisadero St., 415-596-3986 Club Waziema 543 Divisadero St., 415-346-6641 Fly Bar 762 Divisadero St., 415-931-4359 Madrone Lounge 500 Divisadero St., 415-241-0202 The Page Bar 298 Divisadero St., 415-255-6101 Poleng Lounge 1751 Fulton St., 415-441-1710

EATING 5-Star Truffles & Coffee 411 Divisadero St. 415-552-5128 Amina’s Pizzeria 655 Divisadero St. 415-441-4102 Café Abir 1300 Fulton St. 415-567-6503 De Lessio 302 Broderick St. 415-552-5559 Le Métro Café 311 Divisadero St. 415-552-0903 Papalote Mexican Grill 1777 Fulton St. 415-776- 0106 Tsunami Sushi & Sake Bar 1306 Fulton St. 415-567-7664 Ziryab 528 Divisadero St. 415-522-0800

In the white-hot housing market of, say, two years ago, a few brave souls resisted South Beach and Noe Valley in favor of a not-so-pretty pocket of the Western Addition, one of the city’s toughest neighborhoods. Now, thanks in part to the nightlife trifecta of the Independent (live music), Nopa (Cal-Med cuisine) and Little Star Pizza (killer deep-dish), this once-gritty stretch of lower Divis is fashionably known as NoPa—named after either the restaurant or its location north of the Panhandle, or maybe both. On the main strip—Divisadero between Haight and McAllister—young families, recent grads and urban wanderers can find everything from comics to cookware to truffles. And with last year’s return of SF favorite Falletti Foods at Broderick and Fell, it seems everyone is getting to know NoPa.

(LEFT): Brian Masterson pours at Poleng Lounge. (RIGHT): The little music venue that could. Neighborhood dive bar the Page attracts the bike-and-skater crowd with two pool tables, foosball and an Internet jukebox. Named after its address on Divis, Bar 821 prides itself on Champagne cocktails and strict rules: No one can enter after 11 p.m. (but they will let you leave). Happy-hour staple Fly Bar can get packed early, thanks to its famed half-priced pizzas and $3 draft beers. Fellow restaurant-bar hybrid Club Waziema adds to the mix with its authentic Ethiopian food,but it’s also becoming known for its after-dinner scene thanks to a full bar (a big deal in a neighborhood known for fighting off new liquor licenses), jukebox and pool table. Art gallery, poetry cafe, live music venue, dance club—all-in-one Madrone Lounge runs the gamut from high culture (infused vodka and experimental jazz) to low (board games and $2 well drinks on Mondays, if you can prove you live in the 94117). Now occupying the old Storyville/1751 Social Club space on Masonic, Poleng Lounge has been garnering buzz lately as a nightclub. Partyers pile into the Balinese-inspired Temple Room for live music and DJs spinning house and hip-hop—after, that is, sharing plates of Southeast Asian street food in the lounge/tea room.

DeLessio Market Bakery opened its second location (its first being at 1695 Market) inside the new Falletti complex, where locals stock up on the likes of Tuffy’s homemade pâté, decadent chocolate cakes and dinner to-go from more than 70 take-home items. Handmade truffles for 50 cents apiece? That’s what owners Santos Euan and Julio Quintanilla have been dishing out at 5-Star Truffles & Coffee since November, after learning the ropes at North Beach’s XOX Truffles. Vegans will want to try their soy-milk varieties. For great people-watching, try the weekend brunch at Le Métro Café’s garden patio, or go on Tuesday for BYOB night, sans corkage fees. Just up the street at year-old Ziryab, hipsters suck on hookahs on the covered, heated outdoor patio, while foodies enjoy Mediterranean dinner in the cozy dining room. At Tsunami Sushi & Sake Bar, chef Adachi Hiroyuki turns out what he calls “new-world concept sushi” like the Mt. Tam roll—maguro tuna, snow crab, cucumber and flying-fish roe—accompanied by more than 150 varieties of sake, all served till 1 a.m. on weekends. Next door, Café Abir has been serving sandwiches, coffee and beer to regulars for the past decade or so. The boho cafe also features an international newsstand selling papers and magazines in Arabic, Spanish and everything in between. The newest spot on Divis, Amina’s Pizzeria, is just the thing for a slice of thin-crust after rocking out at the Independent across the street. Fellow newbie Papalote Mexican Grill this winter staked its second location at Fulton and Masonic. It’s worth the trip for the fresh, made-to-order nachos, tacos and burritos, all of which can be ordered with whole-wheat tortillas and marinated tofu—not to mention the famous salsa. (TOP): Café Abir regulars catch up on reading. (BOTTOM): For half-a-buck each, 5-Star Truffles. (LEFT): Falletti: Lett's call it a comeback. (RIGHT): Delessio's temptations include a wide selection of salumi, cheese and nearly everything you need for an hors d'ouvres plate to die for.

After 10 years in the ’hood, Gamescape doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. “We’re a part of the personality of the neighborhood,” says manager Eric Russell of the well-stocked shop, which carries everything from Monopoly to current bestseller the Settlers of Catan. Neighboring old-timer Comix Experience opened shop on April Fools Day of 1989, back when NoPa was “literally a slum,” according to owner Brian Hibbs. Between the two neighborhood staples lies The Other Shop, a vintage-home-design store run by owner Gwen Webster and 15 other dealers. Along with kitsch items from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, a small selection of designer vintage clothing (think D&G and YSL) lines the racks in back. At Cookin’, restaurant-industry folk sort through owner Judith Kaminsky’s hand-picked items, such as oyster plates, egg coddlers and cookie cutters. Use your new utensils to cook and serve what you buy at the resurrected Falletti Foods on Broderick. After losing its lease on Fulton Street in ’99, the gourmet market has made quite the comeback. The beautifully designed space offers locally grown produce, a full-service meat-and-seafood department and a generous selection of wines. Hayes Street women’s-wear favorite Backspace tried calling its second location, on Divisadero near Page, Queen of the Meadow. But fans wouldn’t hear of it, so look for one-of-a-kind pieces and standards (Splendid, Sass & Bide and Ella Moss) under its old name. Osso & Co., meanwhile, has been supplying trend-conscious four-leggers with custom-made Italian bowls, catnip cigars and bath products since setting up shop in October. Newcomer Mojo Bicycle Café is hard to miss with its bright-orange exterior. Its concept is new too: You can buy bike gear and accessories and grab coffee and pastries at the same time. (TOP): Osso & Co. is one more place to spoil Fido.(BOTTOM): Queen of the Meadow is now Backspace.

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