Years after acclaimed chef Michael Mina partnered with Ayesha Curry on San Francisco’s International Smoke restaurant, he’s teaming up with the other Curry on a hospitality venture.
In October, the pair will debut a new Bourbon Steak restaurant from Mina and a bourbon-driven bar from Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry inside the Westin St. Francis Hotel at San Francisco’s Union Square.
The news was announced Tuesday in a triple release by the hotel, the Mina Group and Curry’s Gentleman’s Cut, the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey he launched two years ago.
Mayor Daniel Lurie responded with optimism to the news. “San Francisco is seeing real momentum, and the opening … will contribute to our downtown comeback and add to our city’s vibrant food scene,” he said in a statement.
The project represents a return to Union Square for Mina, who opened his eponymous first restaurant inside the St. Francis in 2004. In the intervening years, Mina has opened and operated dozens of other restaurants, with 18 “concepts” on the website representing 30 restaurants and pubs from the Bay Area to the Middle East.
This Bourbon Steak will be the 12th. There are 11 others from Orange County to Miami to New York. The Mina Group expects to hire 150 employees for the new enterprise.
San Francisco is also home to his Pabu Izakaya, Pabu Chan, Bourbon Pub and the aforementioned International Smoke.
Wit & Wisdom is located in Sonoma, and The Bungalow Kitchen in Tiburon.
For years Mina operated two restaurants in the South Bay, a Bourbon Steak at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and Arcadia in downtown San Jose; both are now closed.
Curry’s bar will be called the Eighth Rule. “Named for the seven official rules of bourbon production, the Eighth Rule invites guests to define their own ‘rule’ on how and why they gather over a glass,” the announcement said.
Look for menus and an opening date to be announced soon.
