A hot SF corridor gets a new restaurant inspired by Original Joe’s and Wayfare Tavern

A long-vacant spot on one of the city’s hottest dining corridors is scheduled to get a major new tenant next year, when two experienced restaurateurs bring it back to life.

Scott and Caitlyn Morton, the husband-and-wife team who own the Oracle Park-adjacent bar and grill Momo’s, have taken over the former Social Kitchen & Brewery in the Inner Sunset. They plan to turn the two-story space near the corner of Ninth and Irving streets into a New American restaurant called Maggie & Mac’s, in honor of their young daughters.

According to Scott Morton, it will look different from Momo’s, which since the late 1990s has been serving fish tacos, wood-fired pizzas, and “better than the ballpark” garlic fries across the street from the stadium. There, hordes of Giants fans throw back pregame drinks and happy-hour snacks in a lively, churn-and-burn atmosphere. By contrast, Maggie & Mac’s will be a relaxed, neighborhood-centric spot. Morton describes it as “somewhere in between an experience at Wayfare Tavern combined with Original Joe’s,” adding, “I would love to lean into a bit of seafood.”

A liquor-license transfer is pending. They Mortons plan to open next spring for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

Social Kitchen & Brewery closed in March 2020. Although some brewing equipment was left behind, Morton says he doesn’t plan to produce beer. Instead, everything will be removed, and that area will be converted to additional seating. “I stick to what I know,” he says. 

Due to its location two blocks south of Golden Gate Park and easy transit access, the commercial area centered on Ninth Avenue and Irving Street has long been a densely packed foodie mecca. In recent years, newcomers like French bistro Caché and upscale grocer Luke’s Local have joined heavy hitters like Fiorella, San Tung, Um.Ma, and Tartine. The Inner Sunset Farmers Market takes place every Sunday in the parking lot adjacent to the forthcoming Maggie & Mac’s.