Causwells, the casual and stylish restaurant and bar from Partners Alvin Garcia and Tom Patella in San Francisco's Marina District, today announces that it will make its official public debut on July 2, 2014. The menu at Causwells has comforting American cuisine with European influences created by Executive Chef Adam Rosenblum, formerly of Flour + Water. 

Located in the Presidio Theater building in the bustling Marina district, the design and remodel of the former Bechelli’s Restaurant space is by The Bon Vivants Design Build team. A welcoming and affordable neighborhood bistro, Causwells will initially serve dinner seven nights a week, with weekend brunch and lunch starting two weeks after opening.

The kitchen at Causwells is led by Chef Rosenblum, previously the sous chef of the renowned Flour + Water restaurant in San Francisco. General manager/partner Alvin Garcia will be overseeing the front-of-house at Causwells, and wine director/partner Tom Patella will run the bar and curate the wine program.

Chef Rosenblum has an impressive culinary career under his belt, including studying at the Culinary Institute of America in New York City from 2000–2003, and training in New Orleans with renowned Chef Donald Link of the French Creole restaurant Herbsaint. Following Hurricane Katrina, Rosenblum moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, and opened his own restaurant, Imagine, after which he worked as a chef instructor in Arkansas and a restaurant consultant in New Jersey. 

In 2009 he headed back to his home state as executive chef and general manager of Growlers Brew Pub in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Prior to joining the team at Causwells, Rosenblum was the sous chef of Flour + Water, in San Francisco’s Mission District, a position he held since moving to San Francisco in the summer of 2013.

With Chef Rosenblum running the kitchen at Causwells, the menu will be organized by snacks, small plates, large plates, and sides to be shared and crafted using the best products available. Almost everything is made in-house, from the bread, including the not-to-be-missed Rye Parker House Rolls, to dairy products such as house-made ricotta cheese and cultured butter, to their smoked meats and salumi. 

This comforting American bistro will also feature fun seasonal twists and European influences such as Deviled Eggs with smoked trout; Grilled Octopus with garbanzos, fennel, watercress, and chili; Grass-fed Steak Tartar with garlic, capers, shallots, and quail egg; and Smoked Brisket with onion jam, rye crumbles, and spicy mustard. For dessert, the Donut Bread Pudding is a must-order and uses day-old donuts from local Marina purveyor, Allstar Donuts.

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Under the direction of Garcia, service at Causwells is team-oriented, friendly, attentive, and accommodating. After more than 18 years of working in the hospitality industry, the multitalented Garcia has worked in some of the most popular restaurants in the Bay Area, including Balboa Café Mill Valley, Delarosa, Lolinda & El Techo, and Don Pistos, and has developed a deep passion for customer service.

Causwells’ vibrant and social bar is one of the focal points of the restaurant, where guests gather to share affordable and impressive beers and wines along with snacks from the menu. Partner/wine director Patella has created an eclectic wine list with many small-production purveyors with whom he has forged relationships over his last seven years as bartender and wine club manager at California Wine Merchant. 

The 20 wines by the glass are value-driven and primarily California wines, as well as some stellar European bottles including labels from Spain, France, and Portugal. In addition to leading the front of house staff, Garcia is curating the beer list with help from bartender Erin Vogel (currently studying to be come a Certified Cicerone), which will feature an often-changing list of their personal favorite representations of the world’s best beer varietals.

Causwells’ dining room and bar accommodate approximately 66 guests, with 40 seated in the main dining room, 10 seated at the bar, and room for 16 seated at the outdoor tables.

The renovation of the space was overseen by The Bon Vivants Design Build team, a newly formed arm of the Bay Area restaurant and bar consulting firm also known for designing Trick Dog and 15 Romolo bars in San Francisco and the new Shakewell in Oakland. The team drew from Art Deco influences including the design of the building itself and from the surrounding neighborhood to create a contemporary interpretation of America’s golden era.

Teak, antiqued mirrors, handmade light fixtures, natural stone, and a confident but subtle use of color and fabric come together to create the design aesthetic. The bar tops are made from dramatic quartzite while the concrete floors are creatively stained with wine and coffee.

Dramatic lamps hang throughout the space resembling Art Deco belladonna flowers, made out of the former Bechelli’s cast-iron bar stool bases. The front façade of the restaurant is home to a beautiful Art Deco panel by Colby Thompson of The Bon Vivants. The design of the panel is inspired by San Francisco, using the colors and geometry of the Golden Gate Bridge, the classic spirit of art deco branding, and a wreath as a welcome proclamation to passers-by.