Isla Vida

"Isla Vida opened last fall in San Francisco’s historically black Fillmore district, serving chef and co-owner Jay Foster’s Afro-Caribbean cuisine. Since then its struggled to stay open, even starting an Indigogo campaign to cover operating costs and rent. Now comes news that it quietly closed at the end of July." - Ellen Fort

"Juicy chicken spun 50 abreast on a massive rotisserie, jerk-seasoned or Cuban-style; tender spare ribs doused in a smoky-sweet guava barbecue sauce; a thick meaty Cuban sammie with manchego served on crusty bread; housemade mango hot sauce with a finishing slap of habanero. As the jaunty, joke-cracking server piled dish after steaming dish onto my already crammed table, it became clear that Isla Vida was not just here to meet expectations, but to exceed them. From the crispy ribbon-shaped fries to the crackly blooms of churro sitting in a pool of chocolate, eating at Isla Vida was a just-about-perfect dining experience." - ByHilary Cadigan

"Isla Vida is a new restaurant opened by Jay Foster, serving Afro-Caribbean cuisine in the Fillmore District." - Caleb Pershan

"An Afro-Caribbean restaurant with ties to the popular Tenderloin soul food spot Farmerbrown is fundraising the final steps of its move into the Fillmore District. The new black and woman-owned business, Isla Vida, will take its place in the historic African American neighborhood at 1325 Fillmore Street, occupying the space where Black Bark BBQ closed this spring after two years in business. To create their restaurant, Foster and co-owners Matthew Washington and Erin Traylor researched cuisine of the African diaspora in New York, Miami and Cuba. At Isla Vida, 'expect wood-fired meats, tostones, Cubanos, great music, and a good vibes.'" - Caleb Pershan