New Mexican Restaurant Opens SF
Maria Isabel, a new Mexican restaurant from acclaimed Dalida chef couple Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz, opens next week in San Francisco's Presidio Heights. The venue promises a fresh take on regional Mexican cuisine. In Minneapolis, Afro Deli's owner is launching Martiya, an upscale East African restaurant at Lake and Nicollet opening in July with a halal butcher and event space.
Maria Isabel, opening March 3, is located at 500 Presidio Avenue, the former site of Ella's American Kitchen. This location is strategically just 1.4 miles from Dalida, the chefs' other acclaimed restaurant, allowing them to oversee both establishments. The new 50-seat restaurant aims to fill a niche for mid-range, elevated Mexican fine dining in the city. The restaurant is a deeply personal project for chef Laura Ozyilmaz, who was a fourth-place finisher on Top Chef Season 21. The menu bridges the coastal cuisines of her family's roots in Guerrero and Sinaloa, Mexico. The name "Maria Isabel" itself is a tribute to Laura's sister and mother, and the restaurant's interior design is split into two distinct sections reflecting their personalities. Diners can expect a robust masa program with corn nixtamalized in-house for fresh tortillas, alongside a family-style tasting menu option for $90 per person. The beverage program will showcase a wide range of Mexican spirits beyond just tequila and mezcal, including sotol, bacanora, and raicilla, with a wine list highlighting selections from California and underrepresented Mexican regions like Baja California and Querétaro. In Minneapolis, Martiya represents a significant step for owner Abdirahman Kahin, who was named the 2023 National Small Business Person of the Year. Kahin, who immigrated from Somalia in 1996, founded the popular fast-casual Afro Deli in 2010 and has since expanded it to four locations. Martiya marks his first venture into full-service, upscale dining.
