Soft serve is coming to Civic Center and just 0.2 miles from your doorstep at NEMA! As part of an ongoing project to revive Civic Center Plaza and the surrounding area, Bi-Rite Cafe will start serving sandwiches and swirling soft-serve and at 52 Grove Street, at the corner of Larkin in Civic Center Plaza on October 24, 2018.
Bi-Rite Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch with menu items including breakfast sandwiches, Sightglass coffee drinks, baked goods from the Midwife and the Baker (croissants and their cardamom twists), quinoa based bowls, sandwiches, and salads—and soft-serve ice cream, of course. There is no actual interior space at the Cafe. All ordering will take place at a window and seating will be outside, true cafe-style for a casual and fun eating experience.
“We’re also really excited to unveil our coffee program, in partnership with Sightglass Coffee, something that’s brand new to the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses. Learning the art of pouring a perfect cappuccino has been a lot of fun!” – Sam Mogannam, Founding Partner of the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses
EaterSF reports, ‘After the Helen Diller Family foundation donated $10 million to build two new playgrounds on Civic Center Plaza, they threw in another million for the cafe project. Bi-Rite’s Sam Mogannam, the second-generation owner of the business, says he was “honored” to be chosen by the Civic Center Community Benefit District to operate the kiosk space. The metal structure was designed by WRNS Studio — the firm the behind the Hayes Valley Playground playground and Airbnb’s SF HQ.’
Sam Mogannam, Founding Partner shares Bi-Rite’s approach to building community in the Civic Center neighborhood:
“The Civic Center is such an important, iconic part of San Francisco and we’re proud to bring our fresh, healthy, and delicious food to this neighborhood. The way we approached this expansion is similar to how we opened our Divisadero Market in 2013. We’ve been in conversation with members of the neighborhood from the very beginning, focusing on building relationships and establishing an open dialogue with our future neighbors. Rachel Kiichli, our Community and Social Responsibility Manager, is actively involved in shaping those relationships, as am I, along with our broader leadership team and Cafe team, led by Marika Fleeger, a longtime Bi-Rite leader. I’m really looking forward to a partnering with the SF Main Library as well, having them across the street will make it convenient to collaborate. And we are committed to hiring from the community, keeping the surrounding area clean and safe, and supporting the Civic Center community in any other ways we can.”
What is Sam Mogannam, Founding Partner, most excited for with this expansion?
“As a native San Franciscan, I’m excited and proud to see a liveliness at Civic Center and for the Plaza to be used in a new, positive way. It’s been so uplifting for me to see hundreds of kids playing at the Helen Diller Civic Center Playgrounds every day. I hope to see even more families come out, spend the afternoon at the playground, sipping espresso, eating a healthy salad and enjoying some of our delicious soft serve ice cream. It is going to be so rewarding to see our Civic Center Plaza thriving in a new way, where all San Franciscans and visitors can share a destination and, together, create community through food.”
Staring October 24th, Bi-Rite Cafe’s hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7am-5pm and 10am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
New San Francisco Luxury Apartment Rentals
Efficient, engaged, and fully wired for seamless access to everything you need – this is the NEMAapproach to San Francisco’s tech-savvy lifestyle. NEMA is a next generation luxury residential community at the forefront of San Francisco’s dynamic Mid-Market neighborhood renaissance. Find your San Francisco apartment at NEMA. Get social with us and follow our story on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and Instagram. Use #liveNEMA to share with our team.