Ooh, you Little Gem. Somewhat of a prized treasure on the San Francisco food scene, this relaxed diner — order at the counter and find your own seat — has some experienced jewels in its crown: Eric Lilavois is the former COO at the Thomas Keller Group, Dave Cruz worked alongside the noted American chef at his Ad Hoc restaurant (co-writing the Ad Hoc at Home cookbook), and business acumen comes in the form of ex-Wall Street man John DiFazio.
Together, the trio have taken the honest, meticulously-sourced dining trend to the nth degree, presenting a concept that obsesses over provenance — whilst architects Boor Bridges keep things traceable; all of the wood used in the dining room’s bar, shelves and ledges is reclaimed American elm from a single tree sourced in Marin County.
The rest of the design fits with the Little Gem ethos too, muted green hues and plants hark to the farms and ranches where naturally sustainable ingredients (free of additives, preservatives, harmful chemicals, and modification) are sourced. The food continues through the day — breakfasts like scrambled egg with avocado, and almond and quinoa flour pancakes are followed by broth-based soups, salads etc. for lunch, more extravagant fare like roasted pork shoulder and flat iron steak round things off on the dinner menu.
