Esperpento Restaurant

SF Restaurant Esperpento Closed By City-Mandated Seismic Retrofit | Eater SF

"Currently closed as the building undergoes a months-long seismic retrofit to make it earthquake safe, Esperpento has paused its usual programming of paella and tapas; Carlos Muela, whose family runs the restaurant, encourages fans to visit its sister business Picaro on 16th Street and notes that some Esperpento staff have temporarily moved there. Plans are to return whenever the work is finished—Esperpento has weathered everything in the Mission since opening in the early ’90s, was called the most important restaurant to open in 1992 by former Chronicle critic Michael Bauer, and remains a vital part of the neighborhood with big pitchers of sangria and a lively atmosphere; Muela says some staff have been with the restaurant for over 25 years and it would be a heartbreak if they weren’t able to get them any work." - Caleb Pershan