Little Gem

Little Gem Is Now Open in Cow Hollow | Eater SF

"I found a gluten- and dairy-free restaurant opened by two Thomas Keller Restaurant Group alums that brings Little Gem’s Hayes Valley concept to Union Street as a second location. Eric Lilavois (former TKRG chief operating officer) and chef‑partner Dave Cruz (former chef de cuisine of Ad Hoc) built the concept to be scalable and “all inclusive,” serving diners with restricted diets from dairy‑ and gluten‑free to keto and paleo in a health- and lifestyle‑conscious neighborhood. Taking over Umami Burger’s former spot allowed Studio BBA to complete a quicker buildout into a warmer 70‑seat space with a marble bar, skylights, Douglas fir tables and shelves made by Cruz, a small outdoor seating area, and a much larger prep area below that gives Cruz room to expand the menu. That extra space has enabled plans to bring back the much‑missed fried chicken—brined thighs coated in his potato‑and‑rice flour mix seasoned with gochugaru and fried to a shattering crisp—plus an “LG Pantry” of toasted oat crumble, jams and preserves, and seasoned nut-and-seed mixes for take-home. I also learned they may introduce sheep and goat milk cheeses or ghee in the future, that the Union Street outpost will be full‑service at all times (unlike Hayes Valley’s counter service at lunch), and that it will offer wine, beer and kombucha on tap, low‑ABV cocktails, Culture Counter Coffee, Song tea and other non‑alcoholic drinks; the restaurant is open for dinner now with lunch and weekend brunch coming (current hours Tue–Thu 5–9, Fri–Sat 5–10)." - Ellen Fort