The October Hit List: Popoca, AltoVino, Copas, and More

Anthony Salguero’s highly anticipated Popoca opened last month, where he’s doing Salvadoran fare with flair. You’ve likely never encountered pupusas quite like his — lovingly made from corn nixtamalized in-house, stuffed with cheese and beans and whatever else is in season (we’re looking at you, Jimmy Nardello peppers), then cooked over the wood-fired grill. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg — snag your Resy stat to see what else he’s cooking up. (Have we mentioned that Oakland openings are on fire right now?)

Did you know the wonderful Sylvan Mishima Brackett — the quiet and powerful force behind the beloved Californian Izakaya Rintaro — has a forthcoming cookbook? We’d probably order one, and also, revisit one of our favorite restaurants in The Bay. Sit at the counter — preferably closest to the yakitori station — and watch the masters expertly grill chicken parts until smoky and charred. If you ask nicely, they may have some off-cuts that they’ll present to you — gizzards, hearts, tail, and more.

The stunning 18th Street destination is worth a visit every month, especially when the sun is shining upon its one-of-a-kind rooftop. But this month, there’s an added draw: On Sunday, Oct. 8, Good Good is hosting an all-star cast of food folks for a Maui fundraising party. On the menu: Sheldon Simeon, Abaca, Prubechu, Anchovy Bar, Hog Island Oysters, B Patisserie, Garden Creamery, Ocean Malasada, and more. Tickets and details here.

Chile en nogada — the stuffed chile poblano smothered in a white walnut cream sauce and garnished with pomegranate seeds — is widely considered to be the national dish of Mexico, and is prepared throughout the country in September to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day. It’s less common in Bay Area restaurants, but find chef Lorenzo Caamal’s version at Merkado, where he places his chile in a pool of sauce so you can dip at your leisure. His version is also stuffed with a plant-based chorizo, so it’s vegetarian friendly. It’ll be on the menu through the middle of October.

Wife and husband team Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz have opened their modern Mediterranean restaurant Dalida in The Presidio, and it’s a banger. The duo draws from the ingredients, dishes, and flavors found throughout the Eastern Mediterranean; it’s a little bit Turkish, a touch of Greek, with Jewish and Arabic, and Persian influences as well. Octopus and sujuk. California tahdig topped with uni and caviar. Duroc pork cheek souvlaki. Short rib/sweetbread kebabs. It goes on and on. Find more info here.

The beloved flagship location of Turtle Tower on Larkin has closed. It’s heartbreaking: Steven Pham’s comforting bowls of Northern-style pho have warmed the hearts and souls of San Franciscans for the last 23 years. There’s now just one location left — the SoMa location. Support the restaurants you love, because if you don’t, they can disappear. Find more info here.

If you don’t know about the hottest new pop-up in The Bay, we’ll let you know: It’s chef Spencer Horovitz’s California-Jewish pop-up, Hadeem. Here, he examines and reimagines the food he grew up with through the NorCal lens. At a recent pop-up at WesBurger, he did a mustard-griddled pastrami sandwich on rye with fried pickles and sauerkraut mayo with a side of za’atar tots, and it was insanely delicious. The next pop-up is in collaboration with Flowers Winery at Octavia, and if you can’t make that, check him later in the month at Bar Gemini in The Mission. Details will be posted on Instagram.

Downtown’s Dawn Club might be our favorite new watering hole. From the same folks that brought you the beloved Bourbon & Branch, Rickhouse, Pagan Idol, and so many more, their latest is part jazz club and features a nightly rotating roster of live musicians. Pair with excellently crafted cocktails, and you’re in for a real good night. Like so many other wonderful businesses, this place gives you another reason to head downtown.