Michelin-Starred Chef Opens SF Bagel Shop
Loveski Deli, a new bagel-focused eatery from Christopher Kostow, the chef behind the three-Michelin-starred The Restaurant at Meadowood, has opened in downtown San Francisco. The opening brings a high-profile culinary name to the city's core, offering bagels and other deli fare.
The new Loveski Deli is the first San Francisco venture for chef Christopher Kostow and his wife and business partner, Martina. Their other restaurants include The Charter Oak and the recently acquired Ciccio in Napa Valley. The original Loveski Deli opened in Napa's Oxbow Public Market in 2022, with a second location following in Marin County Mart in 2023. Kostow was the chef of the three-Michelin-starred The Restaurant at Meadowood, which was destroyed in the 2020 Glass Fire. He is the third-youngest American-born chef to have received three Michelin stars. The name "Loveski" is a tribute to Kostow's family name before it was changed at Ellis Island. The San Francisco location at 499 Jackson Street takes over the space formerly occupied by Postscript Cafe. Situated in the bustling Jackson Square neighborhood near the Transamerica Pyramid, the deli aims to be "the world's coolest bodega" for a growing hub of venture capitalists and AI startups. While the minimalist interior remains, seating has been doubled to 40, and the space now features Loveski's signature red branding. Loveski's bagels, which the San Francisco Chronicle named the Bay Area's best, are made from a 30-year-old sourdough starter and are boiled in honey, in the Montreal style. The "Jew-ish" deli concept also incorporates elements of Martina Kostow's Thai heritage, featuring items like matzoh ball soup with lemongrass and Thai herbs alongside deli classics. The new location places a greater emphasis on grab-and-go items, including salads and a Japanese-style egg sandwich, and features a "larder section" with house-made products like everything bagel chili crisp.
