Culinary Empires: Belinda Leong

San Francisco’s status as a culinary heavyweight makes it the perfect jumping off point for new cooks looking to make their name or established chefs wanting to solidify their standing. Successful concepts are expanded upon, pop-ups are given a permanent home, and talent flourishes as locals become regulars. These local empires are hiding in every corner of the city, and I’m excited to share their stories. Dig in:

Belinda Leong has a career that spans some of San Francisco’s most iconic restaurants, working as the pastry chef at Gary Danko for eight years before a stint across Europe, eventually returning to the bay to be the pastry chef at now-closed Manresa in Los Gatos, where she met future industry partner J.P. Carmona. Her work earned her multiple accolades from the James Beard Foundation including Outstanding Baker and Best Pastry Chef, and her roots as a star baker shine through the restaurants that crowd the corner of California and Divis.

🥐 b. patisserie / bpatisserie.com

b. patisserie was born out of a pop-up meant to introduce San Francisco to the kouign amain (pronounced queen aman), a pastry made famous at Dominique Ansel’s New York bakery. The bakery quickly earned a cult status and consistent lines out the door, par for the course at SF’s best patisseries.

Order This ⬇️

• Kouign amain

• Almond croissant

• Mushroom and cheese tartine

NOTE: the b. brand is also represented by outposts in Honolulu and Seoul

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🥖 b. on the go / b-onthego.com

Nobody in their right mind would look at the success of b. patisserie and say “well that was good but something’s missing”, but it turns out that yes, sandwiches were missing. b. on the go mercifully stayed open during the pandemic, serving as a rare culinary bright spot when things got a little crazy.

Order This ⬇️

• Porchetta sandwich

• Chicken grec sandwich

• Grilled cheese

NOTE: the baked goods selection is 95% on parity with the patisserie, so you can avoid the line as long as you’re not out for a kouign amain. They also have breakfast sandwiches that you should investigate.

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🇫🇷 Routier / routiersf.com

While an upscale French restaurant is seemingly a total left turn from the world of baking, the appeal of corner real estate next to b. was apparently too much to pass up. More bistro than brasserie, Routier was under construction for years while I lived down the block and boy was it worth the wait.

Order This ⬇️

• Chicken liver mousse

• Fennel salad

• Crispy Monterey squid

• Hen of the woods mushroom “au poivre”

• Farro and mushroom “risotto”

• Duck leg confit

• Roasted apple “Napoleon”

Eat Here 🔗 Reservations | Delivery & Takeout: N/A | Map