Iconic Fog City Diner To Close and Transform

By Meesha Halm

The clock above the entrance says “Don’t Worry” and the sign on the front door warns “No crybabies”, but it looks like the owners of the city’s most iconic restaurant, Fog City Diner, have decided the worry-free days are over. After 28 years of business, the globally inspired Americana diner housed in a shiny chrome faux vintage railway car that was immortalized in a 1990 VISA commercial has run its course. According to the Inside Scoop, owners Bill Higgins tells The Inside Scoop that he’ll be retiring the “diner” concept and name but plans to reopen the plum Embarcadero space with an entirely redone design, menu and name: Fog City.

Higgins has tapped Bruce Hill, who is already a partner with Real Restaurants (which owns space) at Bix, Zero Zero and Picco to head up the new American-style food program. Higgins tells The Scoop, “When we opened, Fog City was revolutionary. We - and especially Bruce on the food - intend to do that again.” Indeed the menu then, under founding chef Cindy Pawlycyn (Mustard’s, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen) reads like a round up of what you'll currently find at a typical Off the Grid - pork satay, coconut curry chicken wraps and Indonesian duck stew all jumbled together next to American comfort food classics such as burgers and Buffalo wings. Fog City Diner's last day will be March 15, so there is still time to get your last licks of its grown-up mac ‘n cheese, hoisin pork steam buns and root beer floats (1300 Battery St; 415-982-2000).