This Week's Top Stories

food

Polk Street's Fall Food Wave Is Mostly Still Coming — One Counter Is Open, Four Are Not

As of early October, five food and drink projects have been announced along the Russian Hill and Polk Gulch stretch of Polk Street, but only one has opened its doors.

As of the first week of October 2026, five food and drink projects have been announced along the Russian Hill and Polk Gulch stretch of Polk Street, according to food writer Jeff Marples. One is open; the other four are at different stages of permitted, delayed, or slated — and the lineup skews heavily toward breakfast and lunch. The one spot already serving customers is Handroll Hawker, which opened September 29 at 2360 Polk St. at the corner of Union.

housing

A Humphrey Bogart Filming Location in Russian Hill Could Gain Eight New Apartments

City planners have published a pre-application proposal to add three stories of housing above the garage of the historic Tamalpais Apartments at 1201 Greenwich Street.

Plans surfaced this week for a potential residential expansion at 1201 Greenwich Street in Russian Hill — the Tamalpais Apartments, an 11-story tower with a film noir pedigree that predates this proposal by decades. San Francisco YIMBY first reported the filing on October 10; Hoodline followed the same day. The proposal, drafted by San Francisco-based Syncopated Architecture, calls for a three-story vertical addition above the existing garage section of the building.

chinatown

Chinatown's Him Mark Lai Library Prepares to Close for a 30-Month, $47.8 Million Renovation

Construction on the 1921 Carnegie branch is expected to begin this fall, with services relocating two blocks away to 950 Grant Avenue for the duration of the rebuild.

The Chinatown/Him Mark Lai Branch Library at 1135 Powell Street is preparing to close its doors for a major renovation this fall, with construction expected to run approximately 30 months, according to the San Francisco Public Library and SF Public Works. The project carries a budget of $47.8 million. The Public Works Commission approved the construction contract at its July 23 hearing, with the contractor selected through a competitive bidding process.

Upcoming Events

Weekends, October 17 through November 22

Bruma Fall Harvest Afternoon Tea — Weekends Through November 22

📍 Bruma at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, 600 Stockton St., Nob Hill · Various times · Verify · The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco

Saturday, October 17 (and October 24)

Chinatown Cleanup — Volunteer Community Service

📍 Kearny St. and Clay St., Chinatown · 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM · Verify · SF Station / Refuse Refuse San Francisco

Sunday, October 18

Unplugged: A Typewriter Event at Russian Hill Bookstore

📍 Russian Hill Bookstore, 2162 Polk St., Polk Gulch · 5:00 PM · Verify · Eventbrite

Sunday, October 25

Yoga in Francisco Park

📍 Francisco Park, 2445 Hyde St., Russian Hill · 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM · Verify · Funcheap SF

Saturday, October 31

12th Annual Chinatown Halloween Festival + Block Party

📍 Waverly Place, San Francisco Chinatown · 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM · Verify · Funcheap SF

More from the Community

FITNESS SF to Open 42,000-Square-Foot Polk Gulch Gym on November 1

FITNESS SF will open its newest location at 1600 Jackson Street in Polk Gulch on November 1, 2026, according to the company's website.

Broadway Tunnel Running at Half Capacity Through October 2027

Drivers should continue to expect delays in the Broadway Tunnel through at least October 2027, according to a July 20 press release from SF Public Works.

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