In September 2020, the Glass Fire tore through Napa Valley and took The Restaurant at Meadowood with it. Christopher Kostow, one of the youngest American-born chefs ever to hold three Michelin stars, lost the restaurant that had defined his career. What he built next surprised everyone.
Not another tasting menu. Not a fine dining comeback. A bagel shop.
Loveski opened its San Francisco outpost on March 5, 2026, at 499 Jackson Street in the heart of Jackson Square. It's the third location (after Napa's Oxbow Public Market and Larkspur's Marin County Mart), and it marks Kostow's first restaurant in San Francisco proper. The name is a tribute to his family's pre-Ellis Island surname.
The SF Chronicle's food team named Loveski's bagels the best in the entire Bay Area after a blind tasting. Resy put it on the 2026 Hit List. For a deli that's been open less than a month, that's a statement.
The Chef: Christopher Kostow's Path From Three Stars to Schmear
Christopher Kostow's resume reads like a greatest hits of American fine dining. He earned three Michelin stars at The Restaurant at Meadowood, making him one of the youngest American chefs to reach that level. Food & Wine named him Best New Chef. The James Beard Foundation awarded him Best Chef: Pacific. His cooking philosophy centered on the "singular beauty and bounty of the Napa Valley," creating dishes that were thoughtful, personal, and rooted in place.
Then the fire changed everything.
After the Glass Fire, Meadowood closed and has remained so, with hopes of an eventual return still a year or two away. Rather than waiting, Kostow pivoted. He had already opened The Charter Oak in St. Helena in 2017, a more casual Napa spot. In 2022, he launched the first Loveski at Oxbow Public Market, testing the concept of a California-style "Jew-ish" deli (their hyphen, not ours).
The hyphen matters. Loveski isn't a traditional New York delicatessen. It's Kostow's personal interpretation: California ingredients, fine-dining technique applied to approachable food, and a spirit that borrows from Jewish deli tradition without pretending to be an authority on it.
He has described the vision as "a lot more than a bagel shop" and "the world's coolest bodega." He drew inspiration from Japanese 7-11 stores, where grab-and-go food is treated with craftsmanship rather than convenience. That sensibility runs through every element of Loveski.
Martina Kostow and the Family Business
Loveski is a family operation. Martina Kostow, Christopher's wife and business partner, plays a critical role in brand strategy, marketing, and operations across their restaurant portfolio. An award-winning marketing communications professional with over 20 years in food and beverage, she brings a sharpness to the business side that complements Christopher's kitchen vision.
They're raising two daughters, Daisy and Lulu, while managing The Restaurant at Meadowood (in its eventual return), The Charter Oak, Ensue, and the expanding Loveski network. The Jackson Square opening represents a bet on San Francisco as the right city for their most personal and approachable concept.
The Menu: What to Eat
The Bagels
Let's start with what brought you here. Loveski's bagels are chewy, thoroughly seed-coated, and somewhere between Montreal-style and their own category entirely. The SF Chronicle's food team declared them the best bagels in the Bay Area after a blind tasting, and that's not a title handed out lightly in a city with serious bread culture.
They're substantial without being heavy, with a satisfying crust that gives way to a dense, flavorful interior. The seed coating isn't an afterthought. It's a defining characteristic.
Creative Cream Cheese Spreads
This is where Kostow's fine-dining instincts show up. The cream cheese program goes well beyond plain and chive:
- Miso-vegetable: Umami-rich and unexpected. This one converts skeptics.
- Yellow chive with fermented onion: Deep, savory, and genuinely complex for something spread on a bagel.
- Vegan option: Available for those who skip dairy, and reportedly not an afterthought.
Sandwiches and Bowls
- Whitefish salad on Josey Baker bread: The grab-and-go option that channels Japanese convenience store craftsmanship. Josey Baker Bread is one of SF's most respected bakeries, and the collaboration shows.
- Breakfast burrito with pastrami, smashed latke, and green onion: Already a neighborhood obsession. This is not a standard breakfast burrito.
- Roasted salmon bowl: Lunch option with Kostow's signature attention to sauce and seasoning.
- Chicken teriyaki bowl: Approachable, well-executed, and perfect for a quick downtown lunch.
- Chicken Caesar wrap: Simple and reliable for the grab-and-go crowd.
Coffee and Drinks
The Jackson Square location leans harder into coffee than the Napa or Larkspur outposts. Smoothies round out the beverage program. This is intentional: in a downtown neighborhood full of office workers and residents, the morning coffee run is a daily touchpoint.
The Space
Loveski took over the former Postscript Cafe at 499 Jackson Street, a minimalist 2,000-square-foot space that some locals called "the Erewhon of SF." The Kostows kept the clean, airy aesthetic largely intact, doubled the seating to about 40, and added Loveski's signature red branding throughout.
The result is bright, friendly, and functional. Indoor seating for those who want to linger, sidewalk tables for sunny mornings, and an efficient counter for the grab-and-go crowd. The design doesn't scream "three-Michelin-star chef runs this." It feels like a neighborhood deli that happens to make everything better than it needs to.
Practical Details
Address: 499 Jackson Street, Jackson Square, San Francisco
Hours: Open daily, 7am to 7pm
Reservations: None needed. Walk-in only. Lines can form during weekend mornings, so early arrival (before 8:30am) is smart for Saturday and Sunday.
Price range: Accessible. Bagels with cream cheese run around $6 to $10. Sandwiches and bowls are in the $14 to $18 range. Coffee and smoothies priced normally. A full breakfast visit runs $15 to $25 per person.
Parking: Jackson Square is a mixed bag. Street metering during business hours, or try the Embarcadero parking garages. The Montgomery BART station is a 10-minute walk.
Who Loveski Is Best For
Morning people: The 7am open makes this a genuine breakfast destination. Coffee plus a bagel with miso-vegetable cream cheese is a strong way to start any day.
Downtown workers: Jackson Square's location makes it perfect for the grab-and-go lunch crowd. The bowls and wraps are built for eating at your desk or on a bench.
Food-curious visitors: If you're in SF and want to experience what a three-Michelin-star chef does when he decides to make bagels, this is a genuinely unique stop.
Families: Casual, no reservations, bagels that kids will eat. Easy.
Not ideal for: Anyone expecting a formal dining experience. This is a deli, and it's proud of it.
What Critics Say
The press response to Loveski's SF expansion has been warm and genuinely interested in the reinvention narrative:
- SF Chronicle named Loveski's bagels the best in the Bay Area after a blind tasting
- Resy 2026 Hit List inclusion for the Jackson Square location
- Coverage from local media on the significance of Kostow's first San Francisco outpost
- The Glass Fire recovery story has attracted national interest, with profiles in major food publications tracking Kostow's pivot from fine dining to casual concepts
The story resonates because it's real. Kostow didn't choose the deli path as a branding exercise. He lost his restaurant to a wildfire, rebuilt with what felt right, and made something people genuinely love.
How It Compares to Other SF Bagel Spots
San Francisco's bagel scene has improved dramatically in recent years. Beauty's Bagel Shop in Oakland set a new standard. Schlok's and Boichik have devoted followings. Loveski enters this conversation with a different pedigree and a different approach.
Where most bagel shops focus on authenticity to New York or Montreal traditions, Loveski leans into California identity: local ingredients, creative cream cheese options that wouldn't exist at a traditional deli, and a grab-and-go format inspired by Japanese convenience stores rather than East Coast delis.
The Chronicle blind tasting gave Loveski the edge, but the real differentiator is range. This isn't just a bagel shop. The bowls, burritos, wraps, and coffee program make it a full-day operation with something for everyone.
FAQ
Do I need a reservation at Loveski?
No. Loveski is walk-in only. No reservations, no waitlist apps. Just show up. Lines can form on weekend mornings, so aim for before 8:30am on Saturdays and Sundays.
What are Loveski's hours?
Open daily from 7am to 7pm.
How much does a meal cost at Loveski?
Bagels with cream cheese run $6 to $10. Bowls and sandwiches are $14 to $18. A full breakfast visit is typically $15 to $25 per person.
Is Christopher Kostow actually there?
Kostow oversees the concept and menu development across all Loveski locations. You're more likely to see him at the Napa flagship than Jackson Square on a daily basis, but the standards are his.
What's the best thing to order?
The breakfast burrito with pastrami, smashed latke, and green onion has become the signature. For bagels, try the miso-vegetable cream cheese spread, which showcases Kostow's fine-dining instinct for umami.
Is Loveski related to The Restaurant at Meadowood?
Same chef, completely different concept. Meadowood was three-Michelin-star fine dining in Napa. Loveski is a casual "Jew-ish" deli. They share a commitment to quality ingredients and technique, but the experiences couldn't be more different.
Where can I park near Loveski?
Street parking with meters during business hours. The Embarcadero garages are nearby, and Montgomery BART station is about a 10-minute walk.
