SAN FRANCISCO, California – Fort Point Beer Company, San Francisco’s independent hometown brewery, unveils a brand new food concept: SF style seafood. Inspired by the classics but with nuanced twists, the new food concept celebrates San Francisco’s culinary traditions, while building on Fort Point’s position as the beer of SF. Concepted by co-founders Dina Dobkin and Justin Catalana, and brought to life by the company’s new Culinary Director, Cecile Macasero, the new menu is available at Fort Point’s Valencia Beer Hall and Ferry Building Beer Garden beginning today, Thursday, August 25th.
Fort Point’s taprooms have always been a portal into the brand, with unique design elements, warm hospitality, and its entire beer lineup on tap. Now, Fort Point is taking that immersive experience a step further. “San Francisco has always been a strong influence for us, from the type of beers we create to the stories we tell through each of them. Similarly, all dishes on the new menu are those that SF locals know and love,” explains co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Dina Dobkin. “Our goal is to deliver on what makes the original dishes great, but also surprise and delight through excellent ingredient sourcing, high level of execution, and twists that take each dish from ‘familiar’ to ‘special’ without being fussy.”
Fort Point Valencia offers a robust menu including raw bar items, shareable snacks, and main dishes. Some standouts include:
- Dungeness Crab Roll — piled with 1/4 lb of fresh-picked crab on a butter-toasted bun
- Big Cup-a-Cioppino — a take on SF’s famous Italian-style seafood stew with fully-shucked seafood in tomato broth (single serving in an enamel mug)
- Swan Style Sashimi — inspired by Swan Oyster Depot with yuzu-citronette, red onion, and capers
- Rice-a-Roni Arancini — inspired by the San Francisco treat
- “Not-Exactly-It” — based on hometown favorite It’s-It with tahini oat cookies, vanilla bean ice cream, and Dandelion chocolate.
The final menu is the result of months of deep research and testing – both in homage to the dishes that inspired the menu, and also to ensure it fits right in at Fort Point’s casual Ferry Building Beer Garden and Valencia Beer Hall. “First and foremost, our locations are places to enjoy our beer, so while the food is going to be really good, it’s also our take on bar food. It’s meant to be fun and playful,” said co-founder and CEO Justin Catalana.
The Ferry Building will offer a more concise version of the menu, with the Dungeness Crab Roll and a fresh take on a classic Louie Salad, along with a recreation of the fan-favorite Ferry Building hot dog — using a Cream Co. 100% grass-fed beef dog in an Acme bun, topped with house-fermented sauerkraut, mustard made with Villager IPA, and a special sauce.
Taking Fort Point’s SF style seafood idea from concept to full execution, Culinary Director Cecile Macasero pulled from his distinctive seafood pedigree as Chef de Cuisine at The Whale Wins, a Seattle seafood restaurant operated by James Beard award-winning Chef Renee Erickson, as well as his time at Kin Khao. But his love of seafood goes deeper. Born and raised on a small island in the Philippines, some of his fondest memories are of hanging out on the beach while his cousins and uncles cooked whole fish over coconut coals. He approached Fort Point’s new menu by adding a twist to dishes people love. “I wanted to capture the spirit of classic dishes, while making them fresh and new — through the ingredients, flavors, textures, or plating,” says Masacero, “It was also a really fun challenge to create food that is both approachable and really exciting.”
To ensure high quality and responsibly-sourced ingredients, Fort Point is focused on seafood that is wild-caught, sustainable, and local, partnering with notable SF-based companies TwoxSea, Aloha Seafood, and Water2Table. One particular point of pride is tracking down year-round fresh Dungeness for the Crab Roll through Fathom Seafood’s small boats that trap seasonally from California up to Alaska.
Fort Point Valencia’s beverage menu is still anchored by Fort Point’s year-round classics such as NorCal Beer Hall of Famer KSA Kölsch Style Ale and Animal Tropical IPA, Limited Series Beers and Pilots released as part of Fort Point’s innovation program, and a guest beer program of top Bay Area breweries. Joining the menu are new beer cocktails like a Sfizio Italian Style Pilsner Spritz, a Cioppino-inspired Michelada featuring Yuzu KSA Radler, and our take on classic SF Irish Coffee, with Westfalia Nuremberg Style Red Ale as the base. Rounding out the offerings are a selection of thoughtfully-produced wines and non-alcoholic beverages.
At Fort Point Valencia, everything from the colorful spaces, atmospheric soundtracks, counter service, playful plating, and all day menus contribute to a fun, vibrant environment that makes the location perfect for a quick lunch, before-dinner drinks, or a leisurely dinner that leads late into the night. Meanwhile, Fort Point’s Ferry Building Beer Garden has doubled its seating area, expanding beyond the building’s arches into the sundrenched sidewalk beyond.
About Fort Point Beer Company
Fort Point is an independent, San Francisco beer company made up of people who believe the simple things in life can be a whole lot better. Committed to making “good beer for everyone,” Fort Point insists on making beers that are easy to like, easy to find, and easy to pair with any occasion. Known for its distinctive can design, drinkable beer styles, and a dedication to quality, Fort Point Beer Company is proud to be San Francisco’s hometown brewery.
For More Information:
https://www.fortpointbeer.com