September 17, 2024 (San Francisco)—Since the Gold Rush, San Francisco has been reinventing itself through booms and busts. It is a city where the past, present and future meet. Nowhere is that more apparent today than in the city’s Financial District, which is evolving into a hub where business, culture and community intersect.
Last Thursday, the Transamerica Pyramid Center unveiled its new public areas and an expanded Transamerica Redwood Park. This week, the first-of-its-kind entertainment zone in California will debut in the district. And next month, the Financial District will welcome a contemporary art museum.
The Financial District’s ongoing transformation includes new restaurants, bars, hotels, festivals and more. Below, find more information and details on what’s new and noteworthy in one of the largest and oldest financial districts in the Western United States.
Transamerica Pyramid Center ‘Remastering’ Ushers in a New Era for the Icon
When erected in 1972, the modernist Transamerica Pyramid instantly became a globally recognized San Francisco landmark. Now the icon has been transformed into a welcoming destination following the completion of the first phase of Transamerica Pyramid Center’s $400 million renovation by owner and real estate development company SHVO. Previously closed to the public, the reimagined ground floor features a publicly accessible lobby with a reading area, exhibition space, a florist shop and a coffee bar from local favorite Sightglass Coffee. The Center’s Transamerica Redwood Park, home to over 50 majestic redwood trees, has been restored and expanded and is an urban oasis in the heart of the city open to the public from dawn to dusk.
Paying homage to the district’s history as a magnet for artists and creatives, SHVO’s Pyramid Arts, a new arts programming initiative, will feature two public exhibitions each year. The arts program launched in September with an exhibit featuring more than 20 sculptures by French artist duo Les Lalanne. These sculptures will be exhibited in the Transamerica Redwood Park and inside the Transamerica Pyramid lobby through January 28.
Located in the Financial District’s historic Jackson Square, the Transamerica Pyramid Center encompasses the Transamerica Pyramid, the park, and two adjacent building: Two and Three Transamerica. This fall, culinary offerings led by acclaimed chef Brad Kilgore will open on the ground floor of Transamerica Three. Kilgore, who is making his West Coast debut, will open Café Sebastion, a casual bistro, and Ama by Brad Kilgore, a Japanese-Italian restaurant and bar with ’70s-style hi-fi lounge surroundings.
New Museum and Galleries Reignite FiDi’s Creative Spirit
Before the neighborhood became known as the “Wall Street of the West” and long before the Transamerica Pyramid was built, the area was a magnet for artists, writers and creatives. The Montgomery Block building, now the site of the Transamerica Pyramid, housed several artists and Beat writers. One block away, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo took up residence in a studio while Rivera completed murals at the San Francisco Stock Exchange and the San Francisco Art Institute.
This October, the Institute of Contemporary Art San Francisco (ICA SF) will move into The Cube, at 345 Montgomery St. The ICA SF, which opened in 2022 in the Dogpatch neighborhood, will more than double its exhibition space in the new location and remain free to visit. The reopening is set for Oct. 25, when ICA SF will debut a group show curated by Larry Ossei-Mensah, “The Poetics of Dimensions,” a solo project from Bay Area ceramicist Maryam Yousif, and a solo project from sculptor, Kathleen Ryan.
Independent artists and curators have also found inspiration in the neighborhood. In recent years, Jackson Square has attracted San Francisco art galleries, including Rebecca Camacho Presents, Gallery Wendi Norris and Scott Richards Contemporary Art.
California’s First-Ever Entertainment Zone
Brought to life by the Gold Rush, the Financial District encompasses parts of the old Barbary Coast, which was once filled with dance halls, bars and jazz clubs. In a fitting nod to its past, the district is the site of the first entertainment zone in California. On Front Street, between California and Sacramento streets, brick-and-mortar establishments received permits through recently approved state legislation to sell alcoholic beverages for outdoor consumption on the street during special events and programs.
The first event in the new Front Street Entertainment Zone is Oktoberfest, which will take place on Front Street from 2 to 10 p.m. on Sept. 20. Schroeder’s, Harrington’s Bar & Grill and Royal Exchange are participating, and the free-to-attend event will feature live music, beverages and bar bites specials, themed beer games, costume contests, and more.
Night Markets, Light Installations
Back for its second year in 2024, the Bhangra & Beats Night Market features South Asian Bhangra and popular Bay Area music, street food, cocktails, and local artisans spanning three downtown city blocks. The fourth and final night market of 2024 will take place on Nov. 15.
Let’s Glow SF, the country’s largest holiday projection event, will return to downtown San Francisco for the 2024 holiday season. From Dec. 6 to 15, the free outdoor holiday event will use high-tech projectors and lasers to showcase large-scale pieces of animated art across the facade of four iconic SF buildings from 5:30 to 10 p.m. nightly.
Reimagined Historic Alleyways
Two historic alleyways at the crossroads of the Transamerica Pyramid, Embarcadero Center, Chinatown and the Financial District were transformed into the Landing at Leidesdorff. Launched in fall 2023, the pedestrian-friendly space offers a variety of programming, including outdoor dining and cocktails, live music, and cultural programs. The Landing features a pair of new murals honoring the rich history of Captain William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr., a founding father of San Francisco and one of the most prominent Black and biracial citizens of early California. His successful business ventures made him one of the first Black millionaires in America.
Where to Stay
- The Jay Hotel: Opened in late 2023, The Jay sits on the edge of the historic Jackson Square neighborhood. The 360-room property redesigned by AvroKo, features textured textiles and warm tones that offer an abrupt departure from the historic brutalist frame by original architect John Portman. The hotel’s Third Floor features a garden terrace and serves food and drinks, and the property houses the new Prelude restaurant, a southern-inspired concept from the Omakase Restaurant Group.
- Four Seasons Embarcadero: Opened in 2022 and awarded Two Michelin Keys in the inaugural Michelin Guide hotel awards, the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco is San Francisco’s premier sky-high urban retreat featuring dramatic city views from every spacious guestroom and suite. Representing iconic urban luxury, the 155-room boutique hotel is located atop the 48-story landmark building in the Financial District and ushers in a distinct hospitality experience defined by intuitive service, luxury amenities, stylish interiors, and a unique residential vibe that pays homage to the history of San Francisco.
- Hyatt Regency San Francisco: Renovated in 2022, the property’s newly renovated guest rooms and suites offer a sophisticated urban-modernist haven in downtown, steps away from the Ferry Building and Embarcadero. The hotel sits at the intersection of the California Cable Car line and historic F line street cars.
- 1 Hotel San Francisco: Located near San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building, 1 Hotel San Francisco opened in 2022. The 200-room urban retreat embraces the beauty of Northern California through reclaimed woods, native greenery, and organic textures and materials. It features a wellness spa and restaurant with expansive outdoor seating along the Embarcadero.
Culinary & Cocktail Experiences: From Historic to Michelin-Starred
The Financial District’s culinary scene offers a mix of some of the country's oldest institutions alongside new and diverse dining experiences—encompassing everything from bakeries to Michelin-starred restaurants.
- Old Ship Saloon: Established in 1851 and built on the ruins of a Gold Rush-era ship, the Old Ship Saloon is the city’s oldest bar. The institution survived the 1906 earthquake and has served patrons through every boom and bust since.
- Prelude: Opened in August inside The Jay Hotel, Prelude is a new Southern-inspired restaurant concept from the Omakase Restaurant Group.
- Quince: To mark the 20th anniversary of the celebrated three Michelin-star restaurant, Quince underwent a yearlong renovation and reopened in late 2023.
- Tadich Grill: A neighborhood landmark, Tadich Grill is the oldest continuously run restaurant in California and the third oldest in the United States.
- Verjus: A casual spinoff from Michael and Lindsay Tusk of Quince, local favorite wine bar Verjus is slated to reopen in October after a four-year closure.
- Local bakeries: Bay Area favorites Devil’s Teeth Baking Company, Rosalind Bakery and Boichik Bagels have all opened locations in the Financial District this year.
- Holbrook House: This sophisticated throwback to a gilded era opened last year to acclaim. Anchoring the expansive century-old Conservatory at One Sansome, Holbrook House features a jaw-dropping bar and sumptuous environmental design.
- Heartwood: Opened by the team of industry vets behind FiDi’s The Treasury in 2023, the bar’s name refers to the innermost part of a tree and the nearby Transamerica Redwood Park.
- Bar Sprezzatura: A bustling lunch spot by day and an aperitivo and cicchetti bar and restaurant at night, Bar Sprezzatura was inspired by the casual elegance of coastal Italy. It features a stunning design inspired by mid-century Venice and a collection of Italy-inspired drinks and menu items to match.
- The Vault Piano Bar: An extension of the swanky, below-street-level, high-end The Vault Steakhouse, this ode to the classics features a moody interior and bites and plates designed to pair well with cocktails.
- Dawn Club: The art deco-inspired design of the Dawn Club evokes a historic and glamorous 1930s jazz club. The bar features an extensive drinks menu and live music.
- Terrene: The signature restaurant of 1 Hotel San Francisco focuses on seasonal, small plates that reflect the refinement and natural simplicity of 1 Hotels.
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