Cockscomb Restaurant
American restaurant · South of Market ·
Nose-to-tail cuisine, signature pig's head, wagyu steak
Nose-to-tail cuisine, signature pig's head, wagyu steak
"There are a few kinds of people who might fall head-over-heels for the menu at Cockscomb: a time-traveling blacksmith from the Middle Ages, wild bears, adventurous eaters, or just people who dedicate their lives to finding and consuming meat in any and all forms. The menu at the SOMA restaurant is based mostly of offal and the biggest-possible cuts of meats. And these are some incredible meats. If this wasn’t clear already, this is not a spot for the health-conscious, vegetarians, or picky eaters. Nor is it a place you hit up regularly. (Unless you’re the time traveller, in which case, welcome to the future! Enjoy drinking things that aren’t mead.) The corner spot near Oracle Park has a fun, loud vibe, high ceilings, and the requisite taxidermied animals hovering over the cozy booths, awkward middle tables, and impressive bar (which is the ideal place to grab a drink and excellent burger for a more casual experience). Overall, it’s a scene, for sure. However, the atmosphere can feel a little sterile – we blame it on the mix of stone and cement covering the wall and floors, which makes the whole place feel like a medieval castle. You don’t so much feel like an honored guest at said castle, but instead more like a peasant who was lucky enough to sneak in. The food is heavy on the fatty meats and can be a lot to take in, so you should know what you’re getting yourself into here. On our last trip, we were sold very, very hard on the lamb heart special, with a key feature being that you could really see all the ventricles. Moving on. The full pig’s head is a signature dish, and comes replete with gold leaf and a full mouth of piggy teeth. The burger is awesome, the bacon chop is absurdly large and delicious, and the cornish game hen with a mushroomy gravy is a straight perfection. More on those later. We are also very into the wine and beer list, which is full of interesting options. Would a doctor recommend you rush to Cockscomb? No. But a doctor wouldn’t recommend most of the things we eat. This is a meal of full-on indulgence, and there’s no way to enjoy it other than reveling in every bit of it. If you’re on a carnivorous quest, bring your most adventurous friends and experience the meats of your wildest dreams. Just hope you get there before the bears. Food Rundown Bruschetta Great bread, and a seasonal topper that ranges from tuna confit – which tastes like mediocre tuna salad – to a pretty good crab or uni version when they have it. Arugula Salad Yes, it is green, but it still tastes salty and bad for you. Sensing a theme. “Ham”Burger Perhaps the best thing on the menu. A fatty burger, stocked with pig meats, accompanied by fried potato chunks. We’ve had this a few times at the bar, head down, writhing with hunger, and it’s an all-time hitter of spots. Cornish Game Hen Holy lord this is good. The gravy is a magic sauce. A little weird when served “tetrazzini” style, which seemed to basically mean “topped with dry spaghetti,” but we’ve had table jousts over who got the last bites of this. Bacon Chop This is not a drill: an entire pork chop that is a slab of bacon. The greens and grilled peaches are a nice touch, but you have to be down to eat a lot of fat or do a lot of knifework to get full bites of meat. Either way, it tastes amazing. Pig’s Head Are you serious? Medieval man is pumped. Gold leaf, teeth, and very tender pork jowls are what you get with this creature. Yes it is delicious, but it is an outrageous thing to order. You need at least two other people to share this with." - Taylor Abrams
"Few chefs are as dedicated to true nose-to-tail cuisine as Chris Cosentino, and his commitment to ethical butchery hasn’t changed since shifting his operation to Cockscomb To Go. Whole-animal dishes like Iberico Pork Jowl and Guajillo Chile Chicken are available for delivery and takeout, and Cosentino frequently highlights independent farms via social media. Cosentino has also participated in programs like Dine for Democracy, funding get-out-the-vote efforts in vulnerable communities, and advocates strongly for restaurant relief. The restaurant also donated 150 meals to three hospitals in San Francisco in early March. “Everyone is doing the best they can for the community at large, and cooking food is what I know how to do,” Cosentino says, adding, “it’s our little part of helping the big picture.”" - Vox Creative
"This SoMa meat-centric restaurant has joined Vans’ “Foot The Bill” small-business support program as well, offering an extremely spiffy slip-on style priced around $90 to help raise funds for the venue." - Eve Batey
"Chris Cosentino, the chef and owner of meat-centric SoMa spot Cockscomb, has temporarily closed his restaurant to help slow the spread of the virus, but he’s not staying home. Instead, KRON 4 reports, his staff and he have 'prepared 125 meals for emergency rooms across three hospitals — SF General, UCSF on Parnassus, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital,' with chefs from other restaurants expected to join in as the shutdown continues." - Eve Batey
"Chris Cosentino, the offal enthusiast, offers bites during Rap Cabaret by Boyfriend." - Caleb Pershan
