‘Picture It’: ‘Golden Girls’ Pop-Up Kitchen Comes to San Francisco

The Golden Girls have long occupied a special place in SF’s heart. For years, annual drag reenactments of the popular 1980s TV show about four sassy, fabulous female retirees have lit up the Victoria Theatre. 

But now, a pop-up kitchen highlighting the iconic characters’ love affair with dessert lands in SoMa on April 26. The immersive, sweets-centric restaurant will give attendees the chance to nosh over cheesecake and dish about life, just like Blanche, Dorothy, Sophia and Rose—without having to endure a layover in Rose’s beloved St. Olaf. 

The menu features sweets and savories directly inspired by the show, including both meat and vegan versions of Sophia’s lasagna al forno, Blanche’s Georgia-style cookie, the Lanai (a “Miami-style” Cuban sandwich referencing the show’s setting) and the Say It Fast—a bacon, lettuce and potato sandwich that nods to Sophia and Rose’s harebrained scheme to sell tomato-less sandwiches at a local construction site.

But cheesecake—the Golden Girls’ dish of choice for digesting life’s woes—is the menu’s centerpiece. Choose from chocolate, strawberry, pumpkin or Oreo flavorings or go for the Spierheoven Krispies, a slice of strawberry cheesecake à la mode with a dollop of chocolate ice cream served up by Shady Pines waitstaff.

Guests will also have the opportunity to snap selfies for the’ gram in front of Golden Girls-inspired backdrops, like Blanche’s iconic banana leaf print wallpaper. Sidle up to Blanche’s favorite watering hole, the Rusty Anchor, for a selection of specialty cocktails, “Southern Belle libations” and mocktails. 

A recurring drag brunch featuring local performers will entertain guests throughout the run of the pop-up, which has tickets available through the end of July. Tickets for this timed, immersive restaurant experience start at $40. It’s a whole lot better than crawling under the covers and eating a whole box of Velveeta, like Rose.

The Golden Girls Kitchen San Francisco 

🗓 April 26-July 30 
📍1123 Folsom St., SF
🎟 $40+ 
🔗bucketlisters.com