Liz Lindqwister

Kevin Truong

Dreamforce is a strange beast. If you’re not well accustomed to techspeak—what even is “SaaS” or “CMS”?—fake forests and waterfalls, a jarring amount of A-List celebs and tech’s elite milling around you in baby blue lanyards, you’ll be forgiven for questioning what on earth is going on.

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<p>Dreamforce is a strange beast. If you’re not well accustomed to techspeak—what even is “SaaS” or “CMS”?—fake forests and waterfalls, a jarring amount of A-List celebs and tech’s elite milling around you in baby blue lanyards, you’ll be forgiven for questioning what on earth is going on.</p>

And this year was no different—except that it was perhaps the strangest, most dystopian Dreamforce there’s ever been.

<p>And this year was no different—except that it was perhaps the strangest, most dystopian Dreamforce there’s ever been.</p>

ChatGPT’s boss essentially admitted he’d helped create the perfect breeding ground for an <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/12/sam-altman-dreamforce-2023/">advanced surveillance state</a>, while Dreamforce commander-in-chief Marc Benioff practically <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/12/dreamforce-2023-benioff-says-ai-could-destroy-us-unless-salesforce-steps-in/">begged attendees to trust his AI</a>—even erecting a cryptic sign outside the venue’s waterfall, which read: “In Trust We AI.” No one knows what it means, not even Benioff, probably.

ChatGPT CEO reveals his favorite movie. It’s exactly what you’d expect

Salesforce CEO says AI could destroy us unless his company steps in

<p>ChatGPT’s boss essentially admitted he’d helped create the perfect breeding ground for an <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/12/sam-altman-dreamforce-2023/">advanced surveillance state</a>, while Dreamforce commander-in-chief Marc Benioff practically <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/12/dreamforce-2023-benioff-says-ai-could-destroy-us-unless-salesforce-steps-in/">begged attendees to trust his AI</a>—even erecting a cryptic sign outside the venue’s waterfall, which read: “In Trust We AI.” No one knows what it means, not even Benioff, probably.</p>

On a mission to bring the weirdness of it all to readers, The Standard’s reporters compiled a list of the most dystopian and bizarre comments we overheard.

<p>On a mission to bring the weirdness of it all to readers, The Standard’s reporters compiled a list of the most dystopian and bizarre comments we overheard.</p>

Katherine Janca takes a selfie with Codey the Bear during Dreamforce in San Francisco on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. Marc Benioff made a commitment that if San Francisco does not address its drug and homeless problem, it might be the last time the event takes place in the city. AI tools had a significant presence at the event, and discussions revolved around Salesforce’s efforts to protect user data. However, despite the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in San Francisco, few COVID-19 protocols were observed, and many attendees remained unmasked.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DreamforceS-170.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-200360"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Katherine Janca takes a selfie with Codey the Bear during Dreamforce in San Francisco on Tuesday.</figcaption></figure>


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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DreamforceS-170.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-200360"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Katherine Janca takes a selfie with Codey the Bear during Dreamforce in San Francisco on Tuesday.</figcaption></figure>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gobbledygook"><strong>Gobbledygook</strong></h2>


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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gobbledygook"><strong>Gobbledygook</strong></h2>

As we wandered into the world’s biggest nerdfest on Wednesday morning, The Standard heard a keynote presenter demoing an AI product.&nbsp;

<p>As we wandered into the world’s biggest nerdfest on Wednesday morning, The Standard heard a keynote presenter demoing an AI product.&nbsp;</p>

&#8220;This is what I call productivity: Somebody else is just doing the work,” they said. “It&#8217;s amazing.&#8221;

<p>"This is what I call productivity: Somebody else is just doing the work,” they said. “It's amazing."</p>

<p>&#8220;This is what I call productivity: Somebody else is just doing the work,” they said. “It&#8217;s amazing.&#8221;</p>

In their quest to become the most productive, least hard-working among us, Dreamforce attendees came up with quite a few phrases that went way over our plebeian brains. At one talk from Salesforce AI boss Clara Shih, we heard her firing out the following words in quick succession: Workflows, integrations, metadata, copilots, model-builder, confabulations.

<p>In their quest to become the most productive, least hard-working among us, Dreamforce attendees came up with quite a few phrases that went way over our plebeian brains. At one talk from Salesforce AI boss Clara Shih, we heard her firing out the following words in quick succession: Workflows, integrations, metadata, copilots, model-builder, confabulations.</p>

Across the way, in the main demo hall, tech company booths displayed banners boasting products that would “harmonize your data,” whatever that means. But we weren’t alone in our confusion.&nbsp;

<p>Across the way, in the main demo hall, tech company booths displayed banners boasting products that would “harmonize your data,” whatever that means. But we weren’t alone in our confusion.&nbsp;</p>

“They were talking about Einstein this and AI that. I really didn’t understand 80% of what they were saying,” said one attendee to her friend as they rode BART back to the East Bay Tuesday evening.

<p>“They were talking about Einstein this and AI that. I really didn’t understand 80% of what they were saying,” said one attendee to her friend as they rode BART back to the East Bay Tuesday evening.</p>

At Dreamforce, attendees participated in an API hack to enter a competition and win an iPad in San Francisco on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. Marc Benioff made a commitment that if San Francisco does not address its drug and homeless problem, it might be the last time the event takes place in the city. AI tools had a significant presence at the event, and discussions revolved around Salesforce’s efforts to protect user data. However, despite the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in San Francisco, few COVID-19 protocols were observed, and many attendees remained unmasked.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DreamforceS-131.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-200356"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">At Dreamforce, attendees participated in an API hack to enter a competition and win an iPad in San Francisco on Tuesday.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DreamforceS-131.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-200356"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">At Dreamforce, attendees participated in an API hack to enter a competition and win an iPad in San Francisco on Tuesday.</figcaption></figure>

“I’m not gonna lie. I can’t keep up,” whispered one attendee while Benioff delivered the keynote address at Dreamforce.&nbsp;

<p>“I’m not gonna lie. I can’t keep up,” whispered one attendee while Benioff delivered the keynote address at Dreamforce.&nbsp;</p>

Still, attendees could agree on one thing: Salesforce Tower is intriguingly shaped.

<p>Still, attendees could agree on one thing: Salesforce Tower is intriguingly shaped.</p>

“There’s Salesforce Towers all over the world—I’m sorry they don’t look like a huge phallic symbol like this one does,” said David Noe, a five-time Salesforce attendee. “With friends that I know, I’m honest with them: It looks like a freakin’ dildo!”&nbsp;

<p>“There’s Salesforce Towers all over the world—I’m sorry they don’t look like a huge phallic symbol like this one does,” said David Noe, a five-time Salesforce attendee. “With friends that I know, I’m honest with them: It looks like a freakin’ dildo!”&nbsp;</p>

Outside the event, one confused attendee asked what a large, gray, furry creature was doing at a tech conference.

<p>Outside the event, one confused attendee asked what a large, gray, furry creature was doing at a tech conference.</p>

“It’s a squirrel? Why does it look like that?” they said.

<p>“It’s a squirrel? Why does it look like that?” they said.</p>

Flo the Flying Squirrel is Salesforce's newest mascot. The creature poses with Lawrence Aljentera, Flo's personal security for Dreamforce 2023. 


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1875" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_8604.jpeg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-201038"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Flo the Flying Squirrel is Salesforce&#8217;s newest mascot. The creature poses with Lawrence Aljentera, Flo&#8217;s personal security for Dreamforce 2023.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_8604.jpeg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-201038"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Flo the Flying Squirrel is Salesforce's newest mascot. The creature poses with Lawrence Aljentera, Flo's personal security for Dreamforce 2023.</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_8604.jpeg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-201038"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Flo the Flying Squirrel is Salesforce&#8217;s newest mascot. The creature poses with Lawrence Aljentera, Flo&#8217;s personal security for Dreamforce 2023.</figcaption></figure>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dolphin-sounds-and-salesforce-socks">Dolphin Sounds and Salesforce Socks</h2>


Dreamforce’s liveliest day was by far on Wednesday, when celebrities like <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/13/dreamforce-2023-matthew-mcconaughey-changes-tack-on-presidential-run-reveals-bizarre-benioff-nickname/">Matthew McConaughey</a>, Will.i.am and Jane Goodall descended upon San Francisco to talk tech. Later in the evening, the Foo Fighters kicked off the Dreamfest benefit concert as <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/13/demi-lovato-appears-san-francisco-dreamforce/">Demi Lovato</a> took the stage back at the Moscone Center.

How Matthew McConaughey made Marc Benioff squeal like a dolphin

Dreamforce 2023: Demi Lovato to perform in downtown San Francisco

<p>Dreamforce’s liveliest day was by far on Wednesday, when celebrities like <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/13/dreamforce-2023-matthew-mcconaughey-changes-tack-on-presidential-run-reveals-bizarre-benioff-nickname/">Matthew McConaughey</a>, Will.i.am and Jane Goodall descended upon San Francisco to talk tech. Later in the evening, the Foo Fighters kicked off the Dreamfest benefit concert as <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/09/13/demi-lovato-appears-san-francisco-dreamforce/">Demi Lovato</a> took the stage back at the Moscone Center.</p>

“I love a little Matthew McConaughey in the morning, eh?” said Benioff in his opener for his keynote address on Tuesday.&nbsp;

<p>“I love a little Matthew McConaughey in the morning, eh?” said Benioff in his opener for his keynote address on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

The bromance between Benioff and McConaughey was palpable at their Wednesday talk.

<p>The bromance between Benioff and McConaughey was palpable at their Wednesday talk.</p>

McConaughey dubbed Benioff “Big Dolphin.” Benioff then did an actual dolphin impression to nervous laughter from the masses.

<p>McConaughey dubbed Benioff “Big Dolphin.” Benioff then did an actual dolphin impression to nervous laughter from the masses.</p>

Matthew McConaughey, left, sits down with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, right, to discuss topics from Uvalde shooting in Texas to the future of AI and how it affects the entertainment industry at Dreamforce in San Francisco on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MattyMcDreamforce-217.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-200852"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Matthew McConaughey, left, sits down with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, right, to discuss topics from Uvalde shooting in Texas to the future of AI on Wednesday.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MattyMcDreamforce-217.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-200852"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Matthew McConaughey, left, sits down with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, right, to discuss topics from Uvalde shooting in Texas to the future of AI on Wednesday.</figcaption></figure>

That evening, The Standard descended even further into the bizarre technocratic world, as backpack-wearing professionals in slacks and heels swayed to Lovato’s impromptu show in SoMa.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<p>That evening, The Standard descended even further into the bizarre technocratic world, as backpack-wearing professionals in slacks and heels swayed to Lovato’s impromptu show in SoMa.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

In between bites of elote-on-a-stick, one tech worker insisted that the party was here to stay: “No rest. No nap, only party,” he said.&nbsp;

<p>In between bites of elote-on-a-stick, one tech worker insisted that the party was here to stay: “No rest. No nap, only party,” he said.&nbsp;</p>

Lovato, too, acknowledged the strange scene in front of her. At one point, the singer paused to thank the attendees for coming to her show, even if they weren’t her usual fan base of dedicated “Lovatics.”

<p>Lovato, too, acknowledged the strange scene in front of her. At one point, the singer paused to thank the attendees for coming to her show, even if they weren’t her usual fan base of dedicated “Lovatics.”</p>

“You guys are such a great crowd. You’re just so happy to be here—I look out in the audience and see so many smiling happy faces,” Lovato said. “Even some of you who don’t know all of my songs, you&#8217;re like smiling, trying to sing along; it’s really cute!”

<p>“You guys are such a great crowd. You’re just so happy to be here—I look out in the audience and see so many smiling happy faces,” Lovato said. “Even some of you who don’t know all of my songs, you're like smiling, trying to sing along; it’s really cute!”</p>

<p>“You guys are such a great crowd. You’re just so happy to be here—I look out in the audience and see so many smiling happy faces,” Lovato said. “Even some of you who don’t know all of my songs, you&#8217;re like smiling, trying to sing along; it’s really cute!”</p>

The Moscone Center was filled with thousands of people who attended Dreamforce in San Francisco on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. At this year’s Dreamforce event, Marc Benioff committed that if San Francisco does not address its drug and homeless problem, it might be the last time the event takes place in the city. AI tools had a significant presence at the event, and discussions revolved around Salesforce’s efforts to protect user data. However, despite the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in San Francisco, few COVID-19 protocols were observed, and many attendees remained unmasked.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DreamforceS-336.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-200372"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Moscone Center was filled with thousands of people who networked at  Dreamforce in San Francisco on Tuesday.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DreamforceS-336.jpg?w=2500" alt="" class="wp-image-200372"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Moscone Center was filled with thousands of people who networked at  Dreamforce in San Francisco on Tuesday.</figcaption></figure>

Lovato won the greatest prize of them all. In a lull during her Wednesday night set, a piece of merchandise went flying up to the stage.&nbsp;

<p>Lovato won the greatest prize of them all. In a lull during her Wednesday night set, a piece of merchandise went flying up to the stage.&nbsp;</p>

“I got Salesforce socks!! That’s amazing,” Lovato said. “I will cherish this forever!”

<p>“I got Salesforce socks!! That’s amazing,” Lovato said. “I will cherish this forever!”</p>

The weirdest things we overheard at San Francisco’s Dreamforce

Astrid Kane

The sweatiest my palms have ever been was about a quarter of the way up the spire of the Transamerica Pyramid, looking through a set of open metal stairs to the floor 50 feet below.&nbsp;

<p>The sweatiest my palms have ever been was about a quarter of the way up the spire of the Transamerica Pyramid, looking through a set of open metal stairs to the floor 50 feet below.&nbsp;</p>

From sidewalk level, San Francisco’s most famous building seems like any other high-rise—a different shape, sure, but a vertical cubicle farm all the way up. That’s not the case staring down from the summit. The elevators only run to the 48th floor, just below the top of the pyramid’s “shoulders,” those broad, blocky fins approximately 600 feet above the street.&nbsp;

<p>From sidewalk level, San Francisco’s most famous building seems like any other high-rise—a different shape, sure, but a vertical cubicle farm all the way up. That’s not the case staring down from the summit. The elevators only run to the 48th floor, just below the top of the pyramid’s “shoulders,” those broad, blocky fins approximately 600 feet above the street.&nbsp;</p>

The east shoulder contains an elevator bank. The west shoulder functions as a ventilation shaft. It’s an enormous void, a little like a chasm on the Death Star. When a team of three from The Standard got a guided tour that went all the way to the pyramid’s beacon, the railing next to that abyss was essentially base camp.&nbsp;

<p>The east shoulder contains an elevator bank. The west shoulder functions as a ventilation shaft. It’s an enormous void, a little like a chasm on the Death Star. When a team of three from The Standard got a guided tour that went all the way to the pyramid’s beacon, the railing next to that abyss was essentially base camp.&nbsp;</p>

Michaela Neville climbs to the top of the Transamerica Pyramid building on Montgomery Street in San Francisco on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Michael Shvo's renovation of the Transamerica Pyramid is proceeding and we're going on a tour to the very top, specifically to see the light and learn what's coming.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_32.jpg?w=2500" alt="A person is leaning over a white railing at the top of an industrial staircase, looking downwards." class="wp-image-272955"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michaela Neville climbs to the top of the Transamerica Pyramid&#8217;s spire, via a set of 10 stairways and two ladders that contain 236 steps in all.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_32.jpg?w=2500" alt="A person is leaning over a white railing at the top of an industrial staircase, looking downwards." class="wp-image-272955"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michaela Neville climbs to the top of the Transamerica Pyramid's spire, via a set of 10 stairways and two ladders that contain 236 steps in all.</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_32.jpg?w=2500" alt="A person is leaning over a white railing at the top of an industrial staircase, looking downwards." class="wp-image-272955"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Michaela Neville climbs to the top of the Transamerica Pyramid&#8217;s spire, via a set of 10 stairways and two ladders that contain 236 steps in all.</figcaption></figure>

Buildings can be seen from a hole in the pavement of where the light at the top of the Transamerica Pyramid building is kept, on Montgomery Street in San Francisco on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Michael Shvo's renovation of the Transamerica Pyramid is proceeding and we're going on a tour to the very top, specifically to see the light and learn what's coming.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_27.jpg?w=2500" alt="Aerial view of city buildings through a rough-edged hole in a structure." class="wp-image-272954"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Renovation work on the pyramid is very much active, as this hole through a floor hundreds of feet above downtown San Francisco reveals. </figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_27.jpg?w=2500" alt="Aerial view of city buildings through a rough-edged hole in a structure." class="wp-image-272954"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Renovation work on the pyramid is very much active, as this hole through a floor hundreds of feet above downtown San Francisco reveals. </figcaption></figure>

To get to the top, we climbed 10 terrifying sets of stairs—and then a ladder that’s followed by another ladder. The spire’s “walls,” we learned, are translucent plastic cladding that’s more or less open to the elements. That means on foggy days, the steps and railings become slick with moisture.

<p>To get to the top, we climbed 10 terrifying sets of stairs—and then a ladder that’s followed by another ladder. The spire’s “walls,” we learned, are translucent plastic cladding that’s more or less open to the elements. That means on foggy days, the steps and railings become slick with moisture.</p>

“Wear comfy shoes,” our guide, a rep for pyramid owner Michael Shvo, had instructed us. “And don’t be afraid of heights.”&nbsp;

<p>“Wear comfy shoes,” our guide, a rep for pyramid owner Michael Shvo, had instructed us. “And don’t be afraid of heights.”&nbsp;</p>

I don’t think of myself as having a fear of heights, but that was before my stomach itself started sweating. Aside from the time I went hang-gliding in Brazil with a guide who didn’t speak English, I can’t remember a time when I was so acutely afraid of losing my grip on a metal bar and plummeting to my death.&nbsp;

<p>I don’t think of myself as having a fear of heights, but that was before my stomach itself started sweating. Aside from the time I went hang-gliding in Brazil with a guide who didn’t speak English, I can’t remember a time when I was so acutely afraid of losing my grip on a metal bar and plummeting to my death.&nbsp;</p>

Eventually, we made it to the space that houses the beacon. Like everything else about William Pereira’s modernist 1972 masterpiece, that dazzlingly intense, bluish light is set to undergo a major overhaul as part of a $400 million renovation. Luxury developer Michael Shvo is reimagining the building from top to bottom, installing amenities like a spa and a sky bar, as well as an all-new lighting scheme that will announce the Transamerica Pyramid’s presence by night the way its distinctive shape already does by day.

<p>Eventually, we made it to the space that houses the beacon. Like everything else about William Pereira’s modernist 1972 masterpiece, that dazzlingly intense, bluish light is set to undergo a major overhaul as part of a $400 million renovation. Luxury developer Michael Shvo is reimagining the building from top to bottom, installing amenities like a spa and a sky bar, as well as an all-new lighting scheme that will announce the Transamerica Pyramid’s presence by night the way its distinctive shape already does by day.</p>

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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-office-as-resort">Office as resort</h2>


Even though the Transamerica Corporation vacated the building in 1999, Shvo has no plans to rename it. Pretty much everything else about it is going to change, though. The guiding principle, of “office as resort,” will bring a vibe associated with luxe tech campuses into downtown San Francisco.&nbsp;

<p>Even though the Transamerica Corporation vacated the building in 1999, Shvo has no plans to rename it. Pretty much everything else about it is going to change, though. The guiding principle, of “office as resort,” will bring a vibe associated with luxe tech campuses into downtown San Francisco.&nbsp;</p>

An aerial drone night view of TransAmerica Pyramid and buildings in San Francisco on March 15, 2024.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="2500" width="1938" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/transamerica-pyramid-2.jpg?w=1938" alt="An aerial night view of a brightly lit, pyramid-topped skyscraper amid a grid of city streets." class="wp-image-272948"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An aerial drone night view of TransAmerica Pyramid and buildings in San Francisco on March 15, 2024.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/transamerica-pyramid-2.jpg?w=1938" alt="An aerial night view of a brightly lit, pyramid-topped skyscraper amid a grid of city streets." class="wp-image-272948"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An aerial drone night view of TransAmerica Pyramid and buildings in San Francisco on March 15, 2024.</figcaption></figure>

San Francisco Standard Social Media Editor Michaela Neville, Photography intern Estefany Gonzalez and Senior Editor Astrid Kane pose for a selfie in the space at the very top of the Transamerica Pyramid’s spire in San Francisco on April 18, 2024.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1875" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_7007.jpg?w=2500" alt="Three smiling people are taking a selfie, with metal beams and netting in the background, suggesting an outdoor setting." class="wp-image-273396"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">San Francisco Standard Social Media Editor Michaela Neville, left, Photography intern Estefany Gonzalez, center, and Senior Editor Astrid Kane pose for a selfie at the very top of the Transamerica Pyramid’s spire.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_7007.jpg?w=2500" alt="Three smiling people are taking a selfie, with metal beams and netting in the background, suggesting an outdoor setting." class="wp-image-273396"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">San Francisco Standard Social Media Editor Michaela Neville, left, Photography intern Estefany Gonzalez, center, and Senior Editor Astrid Kane pose for a selfie at the very top of the Transamerica Pyramid’s spire.</figcaption></figure>

The ground level has already been redesigned to feel more welcoming. Having bought the pyramid for $650 million in 2020, Shvo enlisted Norman Foster, the British architect best known in the Bay Area for Apple’s spaceship-like headquarters in Cupertino. Foster + Partners raised the Transamerica lobby ceiling by about 4 feet, revealing K-braces and other geometric details that opened it up to the sunlight. Quartz, sourced from the same Mexican quarry as the building’s facade, was mixed with mortar to give the space some extra sparkle that concrete can’t provide. Overall, in the words of one Shvo representative, it was like ripping up tired shag carpet to reveal a parquet wood floor beneath.

<p>The ground level has already been redesigned to feel more welcoming. Having bought the pyramid for $650 million in 2020, Shvo enlisted Norman Foster, the British architect best known in the Bay Area for Apple’s spaceship-like headquarters in Cupertino. Foster + Partners raised the Transamerica lobby ceiling by about 4 feet, revealing K-braces and other geometric details that opened it up to the sunlight. Quartz, sourced from the same Mexican quarry as the building’s facade, was mixed with mortar to give the space some extra sparkle that concrete can’t provide. Overall, in the words of one Shvo representative, it was like ripping up tired shag carpet to reveal a parquet wood floor beneath.</p>

The renovation extends outside the building, too. The redwood plaza behind the pyramid—one of the city’s many <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/08/25/downtown-san-francisco-popos-privately-owned-public-open-spaces/">privately owned public open spaces, or POPOS</a>—is set to reopen to the public later this year. With less concrete hardscape and a more organic feel, it’s intended to make the building, still San Francisco’s second-tallest after Salesforce Tower, feel like less of a monolith.&nbsp;

Downtown San Francisco is full of secret spaces. Here are the best, worst and weirdest

<p>The renovation extends outside the building, too. The redwood plaza behind the pyramid—one of the city’s many <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2023/08/25/downtown-san-francisco-popos-privately-owned-public-open-spaces/">privately owned public open spaces, or POPOS</a>—is set to reopen to the public later this year. With less concrete hardscape and a more organic feel, it’s intended to make the building, still San Francisco’s second-tallest after Salesforce Tower, feel like less of a monolith.&nbsp;</p>

A vestibule at the rear will become a space called the Court Club, and in September, it will house an exhibition of Foster’s work plus a history of the Montgomery Block, the hub for writers and bohemians like Jack London and Mark Twain that once occupied the site. An alley that runs for half a block immediately behind the pyramid, Mark Twain Street, has also been planted with western redbuds, transforming it from its prior incarnation as a loading dock for Recology trucks.&nbsp;

<p>A vestibule at the rear will become a space called the Court Club, and in September, it will house an exhibition of Foster’s work plus a history of the Montgomery Block, the hub for writers and bohemians like Jack London and Mark Twain that once occupied the site. An alley that runs for half a block immediately behind the pyramid, Mark Twain Street, has also been planted with western redbuds, transforming it from its prior incarnation as a loading dock for Recology trucks.&nbsp;</p>

Bullish on the return to physical offices, Shvo is among those who see artificial intelligence as the city’s path out of its prolonged, post-Covid slump—and he’s keen on leveraging the pyramid’s status to lure AI’s funders to become his tenants.

<p>Bullish on the return to physical offices, Shvo is among those who see artificial intelligence as the city’s path out of its prolonged, post-Covid slump—and he’s keen on leveraging the pyramid’s status to lure AI’s funders to become his tenants.</p>

Caution tape covers an open gap currently under construction at the Transamerica Pyramid building on Montgomery Street in San Francisco on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Michael Shvo's renovation of the Transamerica Pyramid is proceeding and we're going on a tour to the very top, specifically to see the light and learn what's coming.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1668" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_18.jpg?w=2500" alt="A cityscape viewed through a window with &quot;CAUTION&quot; tape across the foreground." class="wp-image-272957"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Caution tape covers an open gap that&#8217;s currently under construction in the Transamerica Pyramid, with Nob Hill visible at left and Russian Hill at right.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_18.jpg?w=2500" alt="A cityscape viewed through a window with &quot;CAUTION&quot; tape across the foreground." class="wp-image-272957"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Caution tape covers an open gap that's currently under construction in the Transamerica Pyramid, with Nob Hill visible at left and Russian Hill at right.</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_18.jpg?w=2500" alt="A cityscape viewed through a window with &quot;CAUTION&quot; tape across the foreground." class="wp-image-272957"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Caution tape covers an open gap that&#8217;s currently under construction in the Transamerica Pyramid, with Nob Hill visible at left and Russian Hill at right.</figcaption></figure>

“Now that there&#8217;s a general consensus that San Francisco is not going to get wiped off the planet,” Shvo said of the economic climate. “We’re the benefactor of that, because we&#8217;re doing deals at the VC level or at the private-equity level that cater to these AI companies.”&nbsp;

<p>“Now that there's a general consensus that San Francisco is not going to get wiped off the planet,” Shvo said of the economic climate. “We’re the benefactor of that, because we're doing deals at the VC level or at the private-equity level that cater to these AI companies.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Now that there&#8217;s a general consensus that San Francisco is not going to get wiped off the planet,” Shvo said of the economic climate. “We’re the benefactor of that, because we&#8217;re doing deals at the VC level or at the private-equity level that cater to these AI companies.”&nbsp;</p>

The bet appears to be paying off, and not just for AI. Law firm Baker Hostetler recently renewed its lease, and overall, the pyramid commands impressive sums.&nbsp;

<p>The bet appears to be paying off, and not just for AI. Law firm Baker Hostetler recently renewed its lease, and overall, the pyramid commands impressive sums.&nbsp;</p>

“We&#8217;ve signed multiple leases over $200 a square foot. That makes the pyramid the third-most expensive building in the United States,” Shvo said, adding that the other two are both in Midtown Manhattan. “It’s also the only building [of the three] that’s 50 years old.”&nbsp;

<p>“We've signed multiple leases over $200 a square foot. That makes the pyramid the third-most expensive building in the United States,” Shvo said, adding that the other two are both in Midtown Manhattan. “It’s also the only building [of the three] that’s 50 years old.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We&#8217;ve signed multiple leases over $200 a square foot. That makes the pyramid the third-most expensive building in the United States,” Shvo said, adding that the other two are both in Midtown Manhattan. “It’s also the only building [of the three] that’s 50 years old.”&nbsp;</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A beacon to rival the Eiffel Tower’s</h2>


The renovation will leave no element of the Transamerica Pyramid untouched, and that includes the beacon, set to become a 5,600-watt dynamic theatrical LED lighting system. Sharp-eyed observers may have noticed that it has been illuminated somewhat randomly over the last few months—that’s because design firm L’Observatoire International is running occasional tests.

<p>The renovation will leave no element of the Transamerica Pyramid untouched, and that includes the beacon, set to become a 5,600-watt dynamic theatrical LED lighting system. Sharp-eyed observers may have noticed that it has been illuminated somewhat randomly over the last few months—that’s because design firm L’Observatoire International is running occasional tests.</p>

The company’s lighting designer Hervé Descottes, who has worked on New York’s High Line and the Fondation Louis Vuitton Paris, compared the new beacon to his forthcoming knee replacement, calling it “new blood in an old body.” It’s a delicate operation, installing technology that didn’t exist in 1972 without changing the relationship of the pyramid to the city. He refers to the top of the building as a shrine, and the light as a jewel.

<p>The company’s lighting designer Hervé Descottes, who has worked on New York’s High Line and the Fondation Louis Vuitton Paris, compared the new beacon to his forthcoming knee replacement, calling it “new blood in an old body.” It’s a delicate operation, installing technology that didn’t exist in 1972 without changing the relationship of the pyramid to the city. He refers to the top of the building as a shrine, and the light as a jewel.</p>

The light at the top of the Transamerica Pyramid building on Montgomery Street in San Francisco on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Michael Shvo's renovation of the Transamerica Pyramid is proceeding and we're going on a tour to the very top, specifically to see the light and learn what's coming.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_26.jpg?w=1335" alt="Colorful vertical glass panes within a metal enclosure, with a label &quot;PHOEBUS MANUFACTURING.&quot;" class="wp-image-272960"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The beacon at the pyramid&#8217;s very top is housed in a tiny room and encased behind gem-toned plastic panels.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_26.jpg?w=1335" alt="Colorful vertical glass panes within a metal enclosure, with a label &quot;PHOEBUS MANUFACTURING.&quot;" class="wp-image-272960"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The beacon at the pyramid's very top is housed in a tiny room and encased behind gem-toned plastic panels.</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_26.jpg?w=1335" alt="Colorful vertical glass panes within a metal enclosure, with a label &quot;PHOEBUS MANUFACTURING.&quot;" class="wp-image-272960"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The beacon at the pyramid&#8217;s very top is housed in a tiny room and encased behind gem-toned plastic panels.</figcaption></figure>

It’s “almost like the beam of light on the Eiffel Tower,” he said of his project. “A dancing jewel that can change color.”

<p>It’s “almost like the beam of light on the Eiffel Tower,” he said of his project. “A dancing jewel that can change color.”</p>

The beacon isn’t the only lighting element, either. The sides of the spire will soon be outfitted with LED technology of their own, similar to the crown of the Salesforce Tower or the upper floors of the Empire State Building.

<p>The beacon isn’t the only lighting element, either. The sides of the spire will soon be outfitted with LED technology of their own, similar to the crown of the Salesforce Tower or the upper floors of the Empire State Building.</p>

“We are full-speed ahead,” Descottes said. “It could be before the end of the year.”&nbsp;

<p>“We are full-speed ahead,” Descottes said. “It could be before the end of the year.”&nbsp;</p>

The Transamerica Pyramid building on Montgomery Street in San Francisco on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Michael Shvo's renovation of the Transamerica Pyramid is proceeding and we're going on a tour to the very top, specifically to see the light and learn what's coming.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_43_85df73.jpg?w=1881" alt="An upward view between high-rises towards a clear blue sky, showcasing contrasting building architectures." class="wp-image-272963"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The building&#8217;s western fin, or &#8220;shoulder,&#8221; is a ventilation shaft. Above the 48th floor, there is no more space for offices.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_43_85df73.jpg?w=1881" alt="An upward view between high-rises towards a clear blue sky, showcasing contrasting building architectures." class="wp-image-272963"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The building's western fin, or "shoulder," is a ventilation shaft. Above the 48th floor, there is no more space for offices.</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_43_85df73.jpg?w=1881" alt="An upward view between high-rises towards a clear blue sky, showcasing contrasting building architectures." class="wp-image-272963"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The building&#8217;s western fin, or &#8220;shoulder,&#8221; is a ventilation shaft. Above the 48th floor, there is no more space for offices.</figcaption></figure>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-climb-to-the-top-is-terrifying">The climb to the top is terrifying</h2>


To get to Descottes’ jewel from the 48th floor, we had to climb exactly 236 vertical steps, starting from what will eventually be the sky bar. It’s essentially a construction site, filled with ladders and plastic sheeting, but the panoramic views will make for a uniquely glamorous spot for a client lunch or after-work martini.

<p>To get to Descottes’ jewel from the 48th floor, we had to climb exactly 236 vertical steps, starting from what will eventually be the sky bar. It’s essentially a construction site, filled with ladders and plastic sheeting, but the panoramic views will make for a uniquely glamorous spot for a client lunch or after-work martini.</p>

Even on a sunny afternoon, climbing up isn’t for the faint of heart. Climbers have almost no choice but to disobey the first principle of heights: “Don’t look down.” For this reporter, the third and fourth set of stairs were the angstiest, as it was clear we had climbed about 50 feet with quite a ways to go. It was then that our guide saw fit to mention that seismically, a pyramid-shaped structure is the safest place to be during an earthquake, a remark that had the opposite of its intended effect.

<p>Even on a sunny afternoon, climbing up isn’t for the faint of heart. Climbers have almost no choice but to disobey the first principle of heights: “Don’t look down.” For this reporter, the third and fourth set of stairs were the angstiest, as it was clear we had climbed about 50 feet with quite a ways to go. It was then that our guide saw fit to mention that seismically, a pyramid-shaped structure is the safest place to be during an earthquake, a remark that had the opposite of its intended effect.</p>

A stairwell leading to the top of the Transamerica Pyramid building on Montgomery Street in San Francisco on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Michael Shvo's renovation of the Transamerica Pyramid is proceeding and we're going on a tour to the very top, specifically to see the light and learn what's coming.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240420_transamericapyramidapex_eg_38.jpg?w=2411" alt="Looking down a complex, geometric stairwell with metal railings and steps amidst white support beams." class="wp-image-272959"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The view from the bottom of the spire, one story above the future sky bar on the 48th floor, shows a single cavernous room with nothing but stairs and walkways.</figcaption></figure>


Even though the metal steps grew considerably narrower, the climb got easier as we neared the top, because it became harder to see down. Putting aside the terror, the ascent was also a legitimate workout, but once our pounding hearts got to the beacon—a cramped crow’s nest too small for an adult to stand—we had a uniquely magical perspective on the city far below, filthy windows be damned. The light itself has a crystal, like what might power a warp drive, surrounded by 32 gem-toned panes of glass.

<p>Even though the metal steps grew considerably narrower, the climb got easier as we neared the top, because it became harder to see down. Putting aside the terror, the ascent was also a legitimate workout, but once our pounding hearts got to the beacon—a cramped crow’s nest too small for an adult to stand—we had a uniquely magical perspective on the city far below, filthy windows be damned. The light itself has a crystal, like what might power a warp drive, surrounded by 32 gem-toned panes of glass.</p>

The expedition was a rare treat, no doubt about it, but also something most people might want to do just once. Even Shvo only makes the trip every so often. &#8220;Probably, I think five times?&#8221; he said. &#8220;I&#8217;m not a big lover of heights. And it gets quite steep when you get up there, right? And then the going down is a whole other experience.&#8221;&nbsp;

<p>The expedition was a rare treat, no doubt about it, but also something most people might want to do just once. Even Shvo only makes the trip every so often. "Probably, I think five times?" he said. "I'm not a big lover of heights. And it gets quite steep when you get up there, right? And then the going down is a whole other experience."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The expedition was a rare treat, no doubt about it, but also something most people might want to do just once. Even Shvo only makes the trip every so often. &#8220;Probably, I think five times?&#8221; he said. &#8220;I&#8217;m not a big lover of heights. And it gets quite steep when you get up there, right? And then the going down is a whole other experience.&#8221;&nbsp;</p>

The current steps are new, he added. “When I bought the building, it was much scarier.”

<p>The current steps are new, he added. “When I bought the building, it was much scarier.”</p>

Exclusive: The Transamerica Pyramid’s renovation is underway. We got a peek from the top

Sara Deseran

<em>In </em><a href="https://sfstandard.com/tag/eat-here-now/"><em>Eat Here Now</em></a><em>, we serve up the newest, the buzziest, or simply the rediscovered in SF restaurants. If you can pick only one place to eat at this week — go here (or here or here).</em>

<p><em>In </em><a href="https://sfstandard.com/tag/eat-here-now/"><em>Eat Here Now</em></a><em>, we serve up the newest, the buzziest, or simply the rediscovered in SF restaurants. If you can pick only one place to eat at this week — go here (or here or here).</em></p>

It’s hard to know which way to look at the newly reopened Verjus. Is it up toward the ceiling, which was given 10 coats of blood-red paint until it became as shiny as lacquer, reflecting the candlelit tables below? Or is it down, to note with envy the well-heeled crowd’s covetable shoes? (Just spotting one pair of heels in casual-or-bust San Francisco gives a flicker of Paris.) 

<p>It’s hard to know which way to look at the newly reopened Verjus. Is it up toward the ceiling, which was given 10 coats of blood-red paint until it became as shiny as lacquer, reflecting the candlelit tables below? Or is it down, to note with envy the well-heeled crowd’s covetable shoes? (Just spotting one pair of heels in casual-or-bust San Francisco gives a flicker of Paris.) </p>

Then there’s the open kitchen, which is set directly beneath a huge, back-lit marquee that lists the day’s menu, making salade verte and a Boursin omelet into a must-eat double feature. Even the kitchen pass is impossible to ignore, with its Salesforce Tower of butter (Le Beurre Bordier, if you’re a francophile) — a nonchalant, if defiant, display of gluttony.

<p>Then there’s the open kitchen, which is set directly beneath a huge, back-lit marquee that lists the day’s menu, making salade verte and a Boursin omelet into a must-eat double feature. Even the kitchen pass is impossible to ignore, with its Salesforce Tower of butter (Le Beurre Bordier, if you’re a francophile) — a nonchalant, if defiant, display of gluttony.</p>

Fish stew with a salad at VerJus in San Francisco on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. VerJus, a celebrated small plate restaurant with a focus on wine, is set to reopen following a multi-year closure.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="2500" width="2000" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241107-verjus_aar_29.jpg?w=2000" alt="Fish soup and green salad." class="wp-image-332696"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Soupe de poisson with salade verte makes a perfect winter dinner.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241107-verjus_aar_29.jpg?w=2000" alt="Fish soup and green salad." class="wp-image-332696"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Soupe de poisson with salade verte makes a perfect winter dinner.</figcaption></figure>

Big butter energy is at the core of the nouveau French wine bar and restaurant, which was opened in 2019 by Lindsay and Michael Tusk of Quince and Cotogna. After a long, pandemic-influenced hiatus, Verjus reopened at the beginning of November. Seeing as the Tusks have consistently drawn the biggest celebs and politicians to their restaurants — from Kim Kardashian to the Kamala crew — Verjus is right back to being the place to be, as if it never closed.

<p>Big butter energy is at the core of the nouveau French wine bar and restaurant, which was opened in 2019 by Lindsay and Michael Tusk of Quince and Cotogna. After a long, pandemic-influenced hiatus, Verjus reopened at the beginning of November. Seeing as the Tusks have consistently drawn the biggest celebs and politicians to their restaurants — from Kim Kardashian to the Kamala crew — Verjus is right back to being the place to be, as if it never closed.</p>

The Tusks kept Verjus shuttered until they felt the upscale Jackson Square neighborhood coming back to life. “It was the last pandemic box to check,” Lindsay says of reopening. The block is ready: The Transamerica Pyramid across the street is undergoing a <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/05/06/transamerica-pyramid-renovation-beacon/">$400 million renovation</a> and will be the site of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/19/new-transamerica-pyramid-restaurants/">two restaurants</a>; a Paul Smith boutique just opened a shop a block away, to be followed by Polo Ralph Lauren (countdown to ’80s popped collars). And Apple’s celebrated designer Jony Ive has scooped up so much nearby real estate that The Standard dubbed the neighborhood <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/04/29/jony-ive-buys-up-jackson-square-properties/">the Ive Hive</a>.<br><br>Much of the Verjus space has been kept the same — aside from the addition of a turntable with about 1,000 albums Michael Tusk donated from his vast collection (Fridays and Saturdays host a DJ) and a dramatic chandelier that Lindsay, who designed the restaurant, shipped from Paris.&nbsp;

Can the Transamerica Pyramid become a food hub? This star chef is betting on it

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<p>The Tusks kept Verjus shuttered until they felt the upscale Jackson Square neighborhood coming back to life. “It was the last pandemic box to check,” Lindsay says of reopening. The block is ready: The Transamerica Pyramid across the street is undergoing a <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/05/06/transamerica-pyramid-renovation-beacon/">$400 million renovation</a> and will be the site of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/19/new-transamerica-pyramid-restaurants/">two restaurants</a>; a Paul Smith boutique just opened a shop a block away, to be followed by Polo Ralph Lauren (countdown to ’80s popped collars). And Apple’s celebrated designer Jony Ive has scooped up so much nearby real estate that The Standard dubbed the neighborhood <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/04/29/jony-ive-buys-up-jackson-square-properties/">the Ive Hive</a>.<br><br>Much of the Verjus space has been kept the same — aside from the addition of a turntable with about 1,000 albums Michael Tusk donated from his vast collection (Fridays and Saturdays host a DJ) and a dramatic chandelier that Lindsay, who designed the restaurant, shipped from Paris.&nbsp;</p>

The deejay booth at VerJus in San Francisco on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. VerJus, a celebrated small plate restaurant with a focus on wine, is set to reopen following a multi-year closure.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="1667" width="2500" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241107-verjus_aar_33-2.jpg?w=2500" alt="The DJ booth" class="wp-image-332699"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chef Michael Tusk donated 1,000 albums from his vast collection for the DJ booth.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241107-verjus_aar_33-2.jpg?w=2500" alt="The DJ booth" class="wp-image-332699"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chef Michael Tusk donated 1,000 albums from his vast collection for the DJ booth.</figcaption></figure>

New to the menu are cocktails designed by Thad Vogler, formerly of Bar Agricole. But the bar is populated mainly by guests leaning in and swirling glasses of Le Pérou cab franc from the list of predominantly natural —&nbsp;but “not screaming it,” says Lindsay — French wines, including more than 100 bottles of Champagne under $100.<br><br>However, as much as the Tusks would like Verjus to be drink-centric, you’re going to want to order the entire food menu by Walker Stern, which reads casual but is executed with the finesse of a fine-dining chef.<br><br>Mussels escabeche ($12), served on three slices of baguette with aioli featuring floral habanada chiles, a heatless habanero, are inhaled in a breath. And when the oeufs mentaiko ($10) — two voluptuous eggs mayonnaise, each topped with a tiny, red nipple of pollock roe — are sent out, you know either someone in the kitchen has a sense of humor or you have the mind of a teenage boy. (Lindsay says it&#8217;s the latter.)

<p>New to the menu are cocktails designed by Thad Vogler, formerly of Bar Agricole. But the bar is populated mainly by guests leaning in and swirling glasses of Le Pérou cab franc from the list of predominantly natural —&nbsp;but “not screaming it,” says Lindsay — French wines, including more than 100 bottles of Champagne under $100.<br><br>However, as much as the Tusks would like Verjus to be drink-centric, you’re going to want to order the entire food menu by Walker Stern, which reads casual but is executed with the finesse of a fine-dining chef.<br><br>Mussels escabeche ($12), served on three slices of baguette with aioli featuring floral habanada chiles, a heatless habanero, are inhaled in a breath. And when the oeufs mentaiko ($10) — two voluptuous eggs mayonnaise, each topped with a tiny, red nipple of pollock roe — are sent out, you know either someone in the kitchen has a sense of humor or you have the mind of a teenage boy. (Lindsay says it's the latter.)</p>

<p>New to the menu are cocktails designed by Thad Vogler, formerly of Bar Agricole. But the bar is populated mainly by guests leaning in and swirling glasses of Le Pérou cab franc from the list of predominantly natural —&nbsp;but “not screaming it,” says Lindsay — French wines, including more than 100 bottles of Champagne under $100.<br><br>However, as much as the Tusks would like Verjus to be drink-centric, you’re going to want to order the entire food menu by Walker Stern, which reads casual but is executed with the finesse of a fine-dining chef.<br><br>Mussels escabeche ($12), served on three slices of baguette with aioli featuring floral habanada chiles, a heatless habanero, are inhaled in a breath. And when the oeufs mentaiko ($10) — two voluptuous eggs mayonnaise, each topped with a tiny, red nipple of pollock roe — are sent out, you know either someone in the kitchen has a sense of humor or you have the mind of a teenage boy. (Lindsay says it&#8217;s the latter.)</p>

Wine director Matthias Cattelin stocks wine at VerJus in San Francisco on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. VerJus, a celebrated small plate restaurant with a focus on wine, is set to reopen following a multi-year closure.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img height="2500" width="1667" src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241107-verjus_aar_13.jpg?w=1667" alt="Wine director selecting wine" class="wp-image-332691"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wine director Matthias Cattelin has a mostly French list that includes 100 Champagnes under $100.</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241107-verjus_aar_13.jpg?w=1667" alt="Wine director selecting wine" class="wp-image-332691"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wine director Matthias Cattelin has a mostly French list that includes 100 Champagnes under $100.</figcaption></figure>

Less of a culinary innuendo is the fried romanesco ($15), tossed with a sweet-sour, agrodolce-like sauce of hazelnuts, raisins, and anchovy. When the server tries to clear the last bite, I lunge to save it. Lamb sausage ($24) made with vadouvan, a French curry powder, is served with white beans. A deeply rustic soupe de poisson ($23), “made by chef Tusk himself,” evokes cozy sweaters and winter. The tomato and rockfish soup, topped with toast with rouille and Comté cheese, is cooked down thick to the red of the ceiling.<br><br>The second dining room off the main entrance is kept for those who want the comfort of a reservation, whereas the more energetic front room (my preference) is open for walk-ins. And BTW — what do they do with that heap of butter? It’s used to accompany the plates of radishes and bread. “It feels good to have that life in this space,” Lindsay says with a satisfied sigh. “We’re just really happy to be back.”

<p>Less of a culinary innuendo is the fried romanesco ($15), tossed with a sweet-sour, agrodolce-like sauce of hazelnuts, raisins, and anchovy. When the server tries to clear the last bite, I lunge to save it. Lamb sausage ($24) made with vadouvan, a French curry powder, is served with white beans. A deeply rustic soupe de poisson ($23), “made by chef Tusk himself,” evokes cozy sweaters and winter. The tomato and rockfish soup, topped with toast with rouille and Comté cheese, is cooked down thick to the red of the ceiling.<br><br>The second dining room off the main entrance is kept for those who want the comfort of a reservation, whereas the more energetic front room (my preference) is open for walk-ins. And BTW — what do they do with that heap of butter? It’s used to accompany the plates of radishes and bread. “It feels good to have that life in this space,” Lindsay says with a satisfied sigh. “We’re just really happy to be back.”</p>

Verjus, 550 Washington St., Jackson Square

sf-standard/infobox

<div class="wp-block-sf-standard-infobox"><ul><li><a href="https://maps.apple.com/?address=Verjus%2C+550+Washington+St.%2C+Jackson+Square">Verjus, 550 Washington St., Jackson Square</a></li><li><a href="https://www.verjuscave.com/">www.verjuscave.com</a></li></ul></div>

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The city’s chicest hood welcomes back a stunning wine bar

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Search Results for: salesforce tower

The weirdest things we overheard at San Francisco’s Dreamforce

Exclusive: The Transamerica Pyramid’s renovation is underway. We got a peek from the top

The city’s chicest hood welcomes back a stunning wine bar

Opinion: Why let the Oakland Airport have all the fun? Let’s rename stuff in San Francisco, too

This twisting skyscraper was just built. Why is it already on a condo blacklist?