San Francisco Black Book

I grew up in Burlingame, about 20 minutes south of San Francisco (right by the airport!), and my entire young adult life was focused on The City, where everything that mattered was happening. I lived there through college and then on and off for several years, until I moved to New York in ‘97. Luckily, I go back at least 3 to 4 times a year—it’s truly home for me, and putting this together has made me long for it. 

Besides making me deeply nostalgic, I also had several very satisfying full-circle moments putting this Black Book together. While writing about Bix, I had an urge to reach out to Tim Stannard, a busboy I befriended the first time I went there, when I was a sophomore in college. The supper club had just opened and, desperately wanting to be elegant and cool, I convinced my roommate we should go. We got dressed up, nervously ordered Kir Royales (a drink I’d heard my friend’s chic mom order once), and was served without being carded. As soon as I realized I wasn’t getting kicked out, I decided I wasn’t ever going to leave. I loved their jazz trio, the art, the sexy light, and the very cool maitre d’, Luigi. I think I was there every Friday night for several years, although I never did meet its legendary owner, Doug Biederbeck, until decades later, when friends introduced us. I’m particularly proud to count him as a contributor to this Black Book, as well as Tim, who grew up to be a great restaurateur. I can’t wait to go back to SF next month to see Doug at Bix and Tim at Spruce, although for a truly full-circle moment, Tim and I will meet up at Bix. 

This city completely shaped who I am—I learned about fancy restaurants here (Ernie’s and Stars!), real tacos (La Taqueria!), California cuisine (Zuni!), hotels (taking the outside elevator to the restaurant at the Fairmont!), designers (Ralph Davies’ epic store!), wine (PlumpJack!), clubbing (1015!), drinking proper cocktails (Bix!) and driving stick on hills. While its reputation may not be on the stellar side these days, it is such a soulful city, filled with great places and characters, and I really hope this list gets you as excited as I am to get back to it. —Yolanda

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

April Gargiulo – The founder of cult natural skincare brand Vintner’s Daughter comes from a Napa winemaking family (Gargiulo Vineyards), and is based between San Francisco and Napa. 

Aya Brackett is a photographer based in Oakland, who lives with her film director husband and two kids. She loves photographing food and travel and has received a James Beard Award and several James Beard nominations for her work. 

Athena Hewett is the founder of the skincare brand Monastery and owner of the Monastery spa in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood. She lives with her family in the Soma district of San Francisco. 

Christine Gaudenzi has lived in San Francisco for 30+ years, working in hospitality marketing for hotels in the region, and for the last 12 years overseeing marketing/PR/comms for Francis Ford Coppola and his Family Coppola Hideaways. A new hideaway in San Francisco’s historic Sentinel building will be opening in late 2025-early 2026.

Cindy Richter has been working with small organic family farmers in California, Mexico and beyond for over 25 years. Along the way, she co-founded an heirloom apple cidery in Eastern Washington, grew sprouts in Marin County, and served on a foundation board focused on hunger relief. When she’s not tending to her garden or cooking up seasonal preserves, you can find her and her daughter, Scout, hosting seasonal jam pop-ups in parklets around their San Francisco Bernal Heights neighborhood.  

Cristina Hudson, an alumna of Chez Panisse, is the co-owner of Hudson Ranch and Vineyards in Napa Valley, where she also opened the beloved Hudson Greens & Goods in Napa’s Oxbow Market. 

Doug Biederbeck is the owner of two popular restaurants in San Francisco: BIX in Jackson Square and FLORIO, a classic bistro, in Pacific Heights. An avid sportsman, he devotes his free time to flyfishing, shooting and other outdoor pursuits.

Heather Whitney Rosenfield is co-owner of the Poppy Stores, the chicest children’s boutiques in Marin, Montecito and Brentwood Country Marts. 

Katie Reicher is the executive chef of the iconic San Francisco restaurant Greens. Her debut cookbook, with 12-+ recipes celebrating globally-inspired vegetable cookery, Seasons of Greens (Weldon Owen), comes out in April 2025. 

Lauren Goodman is a stylist, creative and journalist based in the Bay Area. She served as founding fashion director of WSJ’s Off Duty section, Nowness, Domino and WIRED magazines.

Libby DeLana is an award-winning executive creative director, designer and art director by trade, who has spent her career in the ad world. She is the co-host of This Morning Walk Podcast with Alex Elle, has a 12-year daily walk practice and is the author of Do Walk: Navigate Earth, Mind and Body. Step by Step.

Maca Huneeus is an interior designer based in Sausalito, who has lived in San Francisco for 30 years. She is the founder of Maca Huneeus Design.

Maggie Wilson is the creative director of The Shelter Co. family of brands currently working on their first hotel project, The River Electric, coming to Guerneville, California in May 2025. A San Francisco native, she now lives between the woods and the ocean in Northern California with her husband, Tim Marvin, and their two dogs.  

Marissa Klurstein has always loved hotels. For a decade, she worked with top creative agencies and brands as a strategist and writer. Now, she’s the founder of Happy Hoteling, a curation of the most special hotels and places throughout the world, for Good People with Good Taste. She grew up in Mill Valley, 8 miles north of SF, then after living in NY and LA, had a pandemic year in Marin before moving to SF, where she’s been for 3 years. 

Marissa Thieriot owned the beloved Rancho Llano Seco with her husband and now runs MGT Architectural Color, which provides color direction for architecture, branding and product projects. 

Matt Hranek is the author of A Man & His Car, A Man & His Watch, A Man & His Kitchen, The Negroni: A Love Affair with a Classic Cocktail, The Martini: Perfection in a Glass, and founder of WM Brown Magazine.

Philippine Scali brings French sensibility to San Francisco as the creative director and founder of C’est Beau Chez Toi, her home styling business. Her diverse career spans styling, art direction, and luxury brand consulting for names like Cartier and Louis Vuitton. For over a decade, she’s been sourcing vintage treasures from French markets, creating a unique bridge between European elegance and California living. 

Rebecca Misner is the senior features editor at Condé Nast Traveler, where she’s worked since 2013. Prior to a career in publishing, she was a commercial litigator in New York City, where she gained perhaps too much insight into business travel but a keen appreciation for vacation days. She lives in San Francisco with her family and finds the hiking and tacos much better than in New York, but still longs for an East Coast fall and a decent slice after a night out with old friends. 

Scott Clark worked in San Francisco’s Michelin-starred kitchens Benu and Saison, where he developed a deep appreciation for the harvest of Central California, particularly of Half Moon Bay. He is now the owner and operator of Dad’s Luncheonette and lives in Half Moon Bay with his daughter.

Susan Greenleaf is an interior designer based in San Francisco, where she founded Greenleaf Design Studio in 2012 after living in London with her husband and twins. Before transitioning to design, she spent over 15 years leading PR, media, and special projects teams at San Francisco ad agencies and Gap Inc.’s headquarters.

Tim Marvin is the founder of GLOR and GLOR Consulting. He dropped out of politics during the pandemic to focus on a clothing line and to help local Bay Area businesses build their brands and online presence. 

Tim Stannard is the founder and president of Bacchus Management Group, a Bay Area hospitality company that owns some of the most awarded and beloved restaurants in Northern California, including Spruce, Selby’s, The Village Pub, Pizza Antica, La Connessa, Magic Donuts, Louie’s Original, The Village Bakery, and more.