I've lived near Fillmore and Sacramento in San Francisco for about six years. There are benefits to spending so much time in an area -- I know exactly where to shop, where to drop off my dry cleaning, and when the neighborhood Victorian gets a new paint job. But there are also frustrations -- shops and restaurants can bore me after a while. Don't get me wrong -- I love sitting at the bar at Florio when I'm feeling flush, and think that Ten-Ichi is a good neighborhood sushi place, but I was getting tired of the same old scene.

Things started to change on Fillmore last year when SPQR opened. The great food by the A16 group meant that Fillmore Street was becoming a destination for people who wanted to try A16's Roman counterpart. The hour-long waits and no-reservations policy of SPQR mean that people are often milling about outside, and the energy of the street has changed. A wine bar called Wine Jar has even opened up across the street and has been referred to as "the SPQR waiting room."

But one restaurant is not enough to sustain this food lover. That's why I've been so excited about the other changes in the area as well.

Two weeks ago, Pizzeria Delfina opened on California Street at Fillmore. It's the second pizzeria for the folks at Delfina in the Mission, and the pizza that I had on the second night they were open is as good as that at the 18th street restaurant. The spot is bigger than 18th street, and is already quite crowded. I'm loving the house wine they have on tap -- Segromigno from Unti Vineyards -- and the reasonable price of all the wines-by-the-glass.

Later this year, we are looking forward to a couple more additions to Fillmore Street. Dosa will be opening on the corner of Fillmore and Post, in the old Goodwill store. I've been peeking through the windows for months, and Eater has some photos of the design. Also, Woodhouse Fish Company is redesigning the space where Toraya was located, across the street from SPQR, and should be open within the next few months. Finally, we've been waiting about a year for our installation of Charles Phan's Out the Door to arrive on Bush street at Fillmore. Word is that may be a bit longer as Phan is busy with other projects around town.

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You'll notice that all the restaurants mentioned above are not original -- most are the second or third outpost for already successful restaurants around town. But at the moment, I will take what I can get and am looking forward to a much improved dining scene on Fillmore street in my immediate future.

SPQR
1911 Fillmore Street (at Bush)
San Francisco
415-771-7779

Pizzeria Delfina
2406 California Street (at Fillmore)
San Francisco
415-437-6800

Wine Jar
1870 Fillmore Street (at Bush)
San Francisco
415-931-2924

fillmore streetfillmore street

Changes to the Fillmore Street Food Scene