The recession: the impact on the Bay Area restaurant scene - Updated

Upscale eateries have scaled back their hours. Michael Mina is now closed on Sundays and Mondays, and Aqua has suspended lunch service. Jack Falstaff, Two and Manresa have also abandoned lunch.

Other businesses couldn't survive the economic downturn and closed earlier this year. A partial list of casualties includes Atrium, Azie, Baraka, Bong Su, Deep Sushi, Frisee, Gigi, Honu's, Lark Creek Inn, Lola's, Lou's, Mecca, Medicine Eatstation, La Vinoteca, Midpoint, Mustard's Grill, Pancho Villa, Pita Pit, Tansitaro Michoacan and Voda.

Another sign of the times is that many restaurants are running food and drink specials to draw customers. There are $9 dinners at Jovino, 5 for $5 at Two, half-portions with half-priced drinks at Zinnia, and so on. It presents an exciting, wide array of affordable dining options for those of us who enjoy going out.

Amazingly, the number of restaurants that have opened this year is greater than the number that have closed. Several newcomers include Heaven's Dog, Contigo, Midi, Pizzanostra, Cafe Altano, Picán, Adesso, Bar Lata and The Tipsy Pig. The Washbag reopened and Woodhouse Fish Company added a second, larger location. What does that mean? Restaurateurs and their investors are willing to take risks, betting that the Bay Area is still filled with die-hard foodies who will flock to the next soft opening, perhaps with slightly tightened pursestrings but the same zeal as pre-recession days. Many restaurant owners are demonstrating their flexibility and understanding of the market today by opening more relaxed spin-offs like Bushi Tei Bistro, Nopalito, La Folie Lounge and RN74 (Michael Mina's newest project opening Friday). Catering to people who continue to dine out, but on a more modest budget, seems like one of the smartest things to do.

And what is the most compassionate thing to do? Give. Many local restaurants have donated, and continue to donate food to the hungry during these hard times. Everyday, more than 150,000 people go hungry in the city of San Francisco alone. Since 1987, Mary Risley, founder of Tante Marie's Cooking School in San Francisco, started Food Runners to alleviate that hunger. Every week, Food Runners delivers 10 tons of food to the 300 soup kitchens, shelters, low-income residents, senior centers, childcare centers and group homes throughout the city. Restaurants like Aqua, Frisson, and Kokkari donate their surplus. In addition, participants in the Planned Overage Program including Amici's East Coast Pizzeria, Coco500, Delfina, Fog City Diner, Green's, Kokkari, Le Colonial and Piperade prepare weekly meals for 25-30 people for Food Runners to deliver to shelters.

Sources: San Francisco Business Times, San Francisco Food Bank, Eater SF, Thrillist, Foodrunners
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Update on April 19, 2009: Aqua has re-opened for lunch on Fridays, here is their menu. The above article misstates Manresa closing for lunch, they have always offered dinner only. Thank you, Greg, for alerting me. I have also learned that Enrico's suspended lunch service and has no future date for reinstituting it; they are open at 5:00 p.m., seven nights a week.