Delight in dinner and live music at Uccello Lounge, the lovely new restaurant from James Beard Award–winning chef Loretta Keller inside the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The SFCM has shaped young musicians into world-class artists and performers for a century. Uccello Lounge at 200 Van Ness Avenue
is now open
and only 0.2 miles from NEMA San Francisco. It’s not often that a music school plays host to a public restaurant, but SFCM’s partner Uccello Lounge isn’t typical. Here’s what to know about this exciting new live music venue. The new venue, on the first floor of the Bowes Center in the city’s Civic Center features fine dining, drinks, and free live music by SFCM musicians, Thursday through Sunday, from 5pm.
“New space will surprise you and spoil you with the highest caliber food, drinks, live music, and service. It's fancy and cool but not pretentious or too cool for school. I like to let the bartender pick my drink. He makes fresh juice!” – Elisa K. Yelp
From a happy hour visit with sharables to a formal dinner, the unique spot in the heart of the arts district aims to compliment San Francisco’s lively performance scene. 7x7 gives the scoop on the bites: Uccello’s menu has Keller’s signature Mediterranean influence interpreted through the lens of California cuisine. Uccello plays to its Civic Center location by offering a number of quick, sharable eats and celebratory, end-of-the-night sweets large and small for those going to or coming from the symphony, opera, or ballet. Small plates include soups and salads like the Uccello cappuccino, a soul-warming curried lobster-mushroom broth, and the toothsome Mt. Shasta morel mushrooms with fresh Brentwood yellow corn and fried misozuke ramp leaves. Among the large plates are slow-roasted pork shoulder with apricot ponzu and Wagyu flatiron steak with sunflower seed salsa seca.
“Service was exceptional. The menu has variety, and our "shares" were delicious. We ordered the beef tartare, buckwheat and ricotta cavatelli and shrimp and chips before attending a nearby event.” – Lyn G., Yelp
7x7 gives the scoop on the sips: The cocktails created by bar manager Ulysses Toimil are approachable crowd-pleasers but they are by no means pedestrian. He dresses up a classic martini with aquavit and preserved lemon, for example, and makes a boulevardier (a cousin of the Manhattan) with cold-brew-coffee-infused vermouth. He’s also crafted three zero-proof cocktails, including the Adriatic spritz made with fig leaf syrup, tarragon, lemon, and tonic.
“The location and floor the ceiling windows take advantage of the great location to see the City Hall, Opera and Symphony and be centrally located for a pre-show dinner.” – Inga W., Yelp
The vibe is modern, yet comfortable. Uccello Lounge integrated acoustic treatments into design elements. You can experience amazing live music performances, but still carry on a normal conversation with your companions.
“Great location in Hayes Valley. Staff and service are awesome and the food + drinks are delicious. Got the fried squid, penicillin and bee's balm which was all so good. Live jazz music sets the best ambiance too and is such a nice backdrop to this great new spot!” - Dorothy L., Yelp
Experience the future of music. See the Uccello Lounge calendar for details.
Image credit: Uccello Lounge on Instagram
Discover San Francisco Luxury Apartments @ NEMA
NEMA’s four apartment building towers and three landscaped terraces offer an amazing array of views overlooking San Francisco’s urban landscape and natural setting. Landmarks in the surrounding skyline include the iconic skyscrapers of the San Francisco Financial District, the dome of City Hall, Golden Gate Bridge, Russian Hill, Bernal Heights, Twin Peaks, and San Francisco Bay. Get social with us and follow our story on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Use #liveNEMA to share with our team.