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Eater
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
These Wes Anderson-Esque TikToks Are Love Letters to San Francisco Food and Drink
is the associate editor for the Northern California and Pacific Northwest region writing about restaurant and bar trends, coffee and cafes, and pop-ups. Kelsey Wu watched a lot of movies growing up in Cupertino. She'd revel in the purple- and pink-hued medium-tight shots in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Then she'd watch Wong Kar Wai's In the Mood for Love, drinking in all the vibrant colors and engrossing contrast. Whenever her dad, a photography nerd, would head to San Francisco for a shoot, she'd tag along to capture what she could. Now she's graduated Harvard and lives in the city, working as a project manager at Salesforce and exploring the Bay Area through a new lens. Her first foray has been 'Stories from San Francisco,' a catalogue of TikTok mini documentaries, just a few minutes long at the most, covering the city's cherished food and beverage industry. Her videos on Foreign Cinema, Baklava Story, and Chocolate Covered have racked up hundreds of thousands of views. Most importantly, the quality behind Wu's work is immediately apparent — no influencer vlogging tropes to be found. 'I loved the city as a kid,' Wu says. 'I was so excited to come back. Everyone has a unique story to tell.' Kelsey Wu working on her mini-documentary about Koolfi Creamery. Kelsey Wu The idea came naturally to her, as in it was not premeditated. After relocating to Duboce Triangle post-grad, she encouraged herself to get into the small businesses and cafes that made up her new home. WuShe says it's easy to get caught in a tech bubble, and she wanted to do her work to keep her feet planted in the San Francisco outside of all that, too. Her work lands somewhere between Chef's Table and those artful dramas from her youth. There's a heavy dose of PBS's Brief but Spectacular and Humans of New York in there, too. The cross-section is evident in each video, Wu herself entirely out of frame and dialogue while her subjects discuss the effort behind the curtain. The first documentary she put together was on Lombard Street's Kopiku. The owner, Adhi, is a vibrant, thoughtful character. Wu says she looks for these neighborhood pillars. Further, she advocates for Asian American workers and entrepreneurs with her work. 'It's good to reconnect with the people who really make this city San Francisco,' Wu says. 'I figured it'd be awesome to find some way to support them, be creative, and get back in touch with the camera.' She brings a Canon R6 Mark Two, equipping them with her dad's pricey lenses. A friend gifted her a DGI Mic set to set up conversations. So whether it's the husband-and-wife team at That's My Jam or the young gun combo at Paper Son and Tano, Wu says she plans to keep making her videos surveying all San Francisco has to offer and the tales behind those treats. 'I'm just enjoying it for now,' Wu says. 'It's that idea of sonder. I'm going to keep on making my videos.' Eater SF All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Axios
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
10 SF restaurants that will be open this Fourth of July
If you're planning to dine out this Fourth of July, look no further. Driving the news: While lots of eateries close for the holiday, many will open their doors to the masses when Friday arrives. Yes, but: It's best to make a reservation if you've been dying to try a spot. 🍔 Wayfare Tavern (201 Pine St.): This contemporary American restaurant features dishes inspired by local cuisine, ranging from prime beef tartare to Skuna Bay salmon. 🍷 Spruce (3640 Sacramento St.): Chef Mark Sullivan crafts seasonal menus, which include dry-aged duck and fava bean tortelloni, that are paired with an extensive wine list. 📽️ Foreign Cinema (2534 Mission St.): Enjoy California-Mediterranean cuisine and independent films at this unique restaurant, which is currently screening " Confidentially Yours" alongside dishes like summer biryani and grilled lamb rack. 🥩 John's Grill (63 Ellis St.): Celebrate the holiday at one of the city's oldest and most famous restaurants. Fresh seafood and great steaks are on the menu, which is a favorite among celebrities. 🌶️ Burma Love Downtown (8 Mint Plz.): This place is one of my favorite restaurants in the city, featuring dishes like mohinga, wok-tossed chili and the iconic fermented tea leaf salad. 🍕 A16 (2355 Chestnut St.): One of the most popular Neopolitan pizza places in SF, this restaurant offers a curated selection of local, organic produce and meats to craft wood oven-fired pizzas. 🥟 Harborview Restaurant & Bar (4 Embarcadero Ctr.): Savor a variety of traditional Cantonese classics, combined with original recipes, at this banquet near the Ferry Building. 🍸 Bar Shoji (140 New Montgomery St., suite 1200): Indulge in Japanese-inspired craft cocktails and bar bites at this SoMa staple. Reservations are limited to 90 minutes per seating. 🦪 Angler (132 The Embarcadero): This seafood-focused restaurant on the waterfront features expansive views of the bay and dishes cooked over a wood-burning hearth.
