Stones Throw, a California/American restaurant and bar situated in the heart of San Francisco in the renowned Russian Hill neighborhood, is pleased to announce its grand opening to the public on Tuesday, November 5. The talented Jason Halverson, formerly of Michael Mina San Francisco, will lead the kitchen and partner and acting general manager Ryan Cole, who most recently oversaw West Coast operations for Mina Group, will oversee general management.
“We are incredibly excited to announce the grand opening of Stones Throw and officially solidify our team of exceptionally talented and like-minded individuals,” says Ryan Cole, partner of Stones Throw, and acting general manager. “Each one of us brings a diverse hospitality background and wealth of knowledge in the food and beverage industry. We are all connected, either through previous work experiences together, or our mutual respect and passion for the industry.”
Along with Ryan Cole, partners Jason Kirmse and Cyrick Hia, of Fat Angel, Front of House and Operations partner Tai Ricci, formerly of SPQR and Michael Mina, and executive chef Jason Halverson, create a sum bigger than all of its parts. The team strives to go back to the basics, establishing a restaurant and bar that will highlight the simple things in life: great food, undying hospitality and a fun, carefree environment where everyone feels welcome. They plan to not revolutionize the business, but instead create a place the neighborhood can call home and where visitors are always welcome.
At Stones Throw, Halverson presents an approachable menu of innovative snacks, starters and mains. Featured items include seasonal interpretations on classics such as crispy pork chicharrones with vinegar powder, chili pepper salt, squid ink conchigle with spicy capers, clams, calamari, sunchoke soup with confit egg, green apple, black walnut, grilled flat iron steak with crispy potatoes, Bloomsdale spinach, horseradish vinaigrette, chestnut ravioli with Hen of the Woods mushrooms, roasted Brussels sprouts, truffle sauce.
A unique and interactive dessert menu will play to childhood favorites and include guests’ submissions of their favorite childhood desserts. One dessert item suggested by a guest will be featured on the menu and will rotate with new suggestions bi-monthly. Desserts will include chef Halverson’s take on the Oatmeal Cream Pie, Not Your Grandma’s Apple Pie, and Handi Snacks.
The bar menu, curated by Fat Angel’s Jason Kirmse, takes a similar, yet even deeper-dive approach to eclectic and surprising palate-pleasing beers from around the world. The program will feature an extensive beer list with a balance between large-format, hard-to-find beers, and familiar namesakes. Four draft beers will be offered nightly, and craft beers from around the world offering a variety of flavor profiles will be emphasized. Guests will enjoy perusing the beer list, which is broken into categories including An Apple a Day, Thirst Quenchers, Funky Farmhouse, Smoke without Fire, Sour Patch, Bitter Beer Face, and Asking For Trouble.
The wine menu at Stones Throw is all about value, along with a careful balance of eclectic and adventurous wines, interspersed with familiar finds. The engaging wine list will rotate with a ‘buy a case, then try something new’ approach. Reading through the list will be half the fun as you choose between wines from the Left Coast, Organic & Biodynamic, Bizarrely Unique, Classically Trained, Crowd Pleasers and Sense of Place categories. Stones Throw will offer 11 wines by the glass.
A cozy, 11-seat bar serves as a gathering space to enjoy a beer or glass of wine. The restaurant seats up to 49 guests and includes a semi-private dining space perfect for hosting small groups and special events.
Conceptualized by the Stones Throw team, the streamlined design is inspired by the turn-of-the-century building and straightforward, classic cuisine. The restaurant evokes a lively gathering place with a detailed, hand-carved bar and lounge area, large-scaled windows to draw natural light, and clean design elements, including comfortable banquets and hanging pendant barn lights to set the mood.
