New Mexican Restaurant Opens in San Francisco
A new restaurant, Maria Isabel, opened in San Francisco's Presidio Heights neighborhood this week. It is the second establishment from chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz, who also operate the restaurant Dalida. The menu focuses on New Mexican cuisine.
Maria Isabel is a deeply personal project for chef Laura Ozyilmaz, celebrating the coastal Mexican traditions of her native Guerrero and the Sinaloan roots of her father. The restaurant, a 56-seat establishment, is named for her sister Maria and mother Isabel and takes over the former Ella's American Kitchen space. The menu features dishes like aguachile, chilorio, and machaca, built with ingredients sourced from local purveyors and the chefs' own plot in the Presidio community garden. The beverage program, designed by consulting bar director Evan Williams, goes beyond tequila to include mezcal, sotol, bacanora, and raicilla. Chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz's first San Francisco restaurant, Dalida, has received significant acclaim since opening in June 2023. It was named one of Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America, Eater SF's Restaurant of The Year, and has been recognized by the Michelin Guide and the James Beard Awards. Laura, originally from Mexico, and Sayat, from Turkey, met at the Culinary Institute of America. Their impressive resumes include stints at renowned restaurants like Saison, Mourad, Eleven Madison Park, and Mugaritz. Before their brick-and-mortar success, they ran a popular pop-up called Istanbul Modern.
