There’s more change on the horizon for Ikea’s struggling Mid-Market food hall.
Saluhall, which recently parted ways with its operator, will lose one of its original vendors, vegan Puerto Rican restaurant Casa Borinqueña, and gain Filipino fusion tenant Izzy and Wooks (opens in new tab).
Casa Borinqueña’s last day will be Jan. 1, according to owner Lourdes Nau. A Saluhall spokesperson said the opening date for Izzy and Wooks, which will fill one of two empty kiosks on the second floor, is still being determined.
The news comes as Saluhall transitions from working with a third-party management company, U.K.-based Kerb Food, to Ikea parent Ingka, in an effort to streamline operations and cut costs. Since opening in April 2024, the multi-level dining complex has failed to maintain consistent foot traffic. While it debuted with primarily vegan offerings, a mix of vendor turnover and changing priorities brought in a wider range of options, including the popular burger pop-up Smish Smash.
Nau said she was unable to negotiate an acceptable lease with Ingka.
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“I’m very sad that Kerb left,” she said. “It was already hard surviving on Market Street, trying to get customers in the door, and [Ingka] wanted to raise the rent.”
She said Ingka proposed increases to both her base rent and the percentage of revenue she’d share with the food hall. “We were barely making do, and they’re not working with us,” she said. “I’m not happy with the outcome.”
A spokesperson for Saluhall couldn’t be reached for comment.
Izzy and Wooks (opens in new tab), which offers menu items like a tamarind hot chicken sandwich (opens in new tab) and an ube cookie-butter milkshake (opens in new tab), will be returning to brick-and-mortar after several months popping up at the Ferry Building and Stonestown farmers markets. It previously operated at the ill-fated SF Centre Mall, followed by a stint at the Metreon. The brainchild of Manuel and Cheryl Ramirez (opens in new tab), the restaurant aims to blend Filipino flavors with American staples like a smashburger. It gets its name (opens in new tab) from their daughter, Isabel, and their bulldog, Wookie.