The Tailor's Son

"While Corzetti, the coastal Italian restaurant near Union Square, might be the newest Italian spot from Back of the House restaurant group, this Fillmore Street spot remains the crown jewel. It’s a personal project for founder and owner Adriano Paganini, who grew up outside of Milan. Look for Northern Italian dishes such as risotto alla Milanese served in a sleek space decorated with white tiles and black accents." - Eater Staff, Flora Tsapovsky

"The Tailor’s Son attracts the kind of Fillmore St. elite who considers food a secondary part of the dining-out experience. Most people at this modern Italian spot in Lower Pacific Heights are smize-ing at the camera while “candidly” eating mediocre (but pretty) risotto. This spot isn’t a destination restaurant, but more of a convenient place to look hot in a chair after dropping a good chunk of change at Le Labo down the street. That's a good way to do it, because the food is just fine. But you care about spending money on food that’s better than just fine—so look to the more impressive pasta options in the city.  The menu at this spot covers Northern Italian dishes that range from bland to forgettable, yet serviceable. Nothing is outright terrible. And, yes, they do photograph nicely against all the seafoam blue tables, berry spritzes, and espresso martinis. Pastas and seasonally changing risottos are the focus, but, like a beat that builds and builds and never drops, they lack oomph. The same can be said for the shareable appetizers—like the prosciutto served with taleggio and gnocco fritto that’s a bit too dense, or the undercooked broccolini.  There is a bright spot: the crostini. They’re smeared with duck liver mousse or tender salt cod and will repeatedly be the high point of your night. Still, the majority of the meal involves wishing for more flavor, and eavesdropping on people in blazers passionately discussing diamond cuts.  If you’re one of those people (or aspire to be one), by all means, enjoy the well-lit, manicured space, which could double as the backdrop for a Campari-sponsored photoshoot. Stopping in for a glass of wine and a crostini at the bar is the path to a good time. But if you want to remember your meal 24 hours later, hit up the pasta pros over at , , or .  " - Julia Chen

"Further along Fillmore Street lies the Tailor’s Son, and one of San Francisco’s most slept-on happy hours. If you’re searching for something sans spirits, try the Cucumber Soda or Seamsters Spritz, both of which are sweet, shimmering drinks that won’t cost an arm or a leg." - Paolo Bicchieri, Camper English

"The aperitivos at Tailor’s Son are worth a spin but if you have a soft spot for negronis — but don’t want the denseness of that drink — opt for the Paganini Spritz. This drink is made with Campari, rather than Aperol, and includes Meyer lemon cordial and Aranciata, along with sparkling wine." - Dianne de Guzman

"Tailor’s Son opens its doors today, March 31, on a tony stretch of Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights, the newest in the continuing expansion of a prolific SF restaurant group. The restaurant is an aptly named personal project from Back of the House’s founder and owner Adriano Paganini, a remembrance of his childhood as the son of tailors in Northern Italy. The restaurant’s opening is a bright moment in what’s been a year of seemingly endless closings and delays for restaurateurs throughout the Bay Area; Tailor’s Son has been on hold for over a year due to the constraints of the pandemic. For Paganini, now is the ideal time to put something simple and substantive out into the world as diners begin to feel comfortable venturing out and restaurants increase their indoor dining capacity. The menu is a collaboration between Paganini and chef Freedom Rains (also the chef at Back of the House restaurant A Mano) that includes recipes from his mother. Like the food she prepared for him in Solbiate Olona, the small village outside Milan where Paganini grew up, there is less meat on the menu — in her recipe for Risotto alla Milanese saffron and parmesan are the stars, though ossobucco and bone marrow are both rustic optional add-ons. That means seafood and vegetables are a focus, though dishes like the rotolo with braised rabbit and rigatoni with lamb ragu can still be found. The entire first section is devoted to verdure (vegetables), including a fritto misto of spring vegetables with tarragon aioli, and a spinach sformato with truffled pecorino and hazelnuts. Meanwhile, the cocktails are Italian in nature with spritzes, negronis, balsamic-infused martinis, and the like. The Tailor’s Martini adds balsamic vinegar to the classic gin and vermouth combination, while a Negroni Tropicale uses pandan in tandem with rum and pineapple gomme to level up a classic. The wine list is all Italian, with the majority of bottles organic and biodynamic. Interior designer Hannah Collins of ROY joined the project to create a playful, clean interior that calls back to Paganini’s tailor roots in the details. Overall, it’s a casual space with an inviting bar (that neighborhood regulars will surely claim immediately), leather bench seating, and various patterns and shapes of tile throughout. The facade of the restaurant has maintained a bit of its original vibes from 38 years as Elite Café, though with some upgrades, including a new neon sign hanging above the entrance. Starting today, Wednesday, March 31st, Tailor’s Son will open for dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m." - Ellen Fort