In the latest developments from the food scene, a wave of changes is transforming dining options with new openings and closures across the San Francisco area.
Notable among these shifts is the upcoming debut of Regalito El Mil Amores on May 26, taking over the former Regalito Rosticeria location at 3481 18th Street.
Led by Andrea Becerra, the niece of the previous owner, the restaurant will introduce a menu rich with lunch and brunch items like enchiladas, cochinita pibil, and carnitas plates, alongside new dinner offerings including birria and pork chops in adobo.
Additionally, El Techo, located atop Lolinda at 2516 Mission Street, is making a comeback under the name Cubita.
Set to open on June 6, this Cuban-inspired eatery features a revamped outdoor space adorned with checkerboard flooring and palm trees, inspired by the ambiance of vintage Havana.
New menu highlights include small plates such as tostones and empanadas de ropavieja, accompanied by classic Cuban cocktails like the Mojito and Hemingway Daiquiri, with a unique clarified piña colada featuring Cognac.
In a stark contrast, the food landscape is also seeing significant closures.
The esteemed One Market, a power lunch fixture for 32 years in downtown San Francisco, is slated to close its doors on June 11, leaving its prominent location available for new concepts.
Not far behind, Orale Orale, a family-run taqueria on Sacramento Street, will cease operations next month, ending its 35-year run. Tablehopper informs that the decision comes after a difficult pandemic period, prompting the Aguilar family to close the beloved Mexican restaurant.
More news in the food world highlights a recent controversy involving prominent San Francisco dining.
Chronicle critic MacKenzie Chung Fegan made headlines after a peculiar encounter at the French Laundry with its chef-owner, Thomas Keller.
Keller expressed his reluctance to have her dine at his prestigious establishment, resulting in Fegan enjoying a lavish comped meal for herself and three friends that night.
However, the incident has cast a shadow on the renowned restaurant’s image, particularly with a similar experience recounted by former critic Soleil Ho, who found herself treated to extreme VIP services during her visit years prior, making her experience unsuitable for critique.
Additional troubling news manifests with the Italian mini-chain Fiorella, which operates four locations in San Francisco, as two of them have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to mounting debts.
The Richmond District location at 2339 Clement Street reportedly owes over $1 million to vendors, while the Sunset location at 1240 Ninth Avenue owes between $500,000 and $1 million.
Despite the filings, both locations will continue to operate while resolving their financial challenges, and the other two unaffected locations in Noe Valley and Polk Street remain open.
Finally, Niku Steakhouse, which faced a temporary closure in March due to a kitchen fire, is scheduled to reopen on May 30, as noted in their recent Instagram update.
This week has indeed been a rollercoaster of news in the culinary world, with closures making way for new and exciting dining experiences, even as some places face challenging times.
image source from：https://sfist.com/2025/05/23/beloved-mission-rooftop-bar-reopens-and-its-cuban/
