The Keystone, an "ode to classic American taverns," according to its press materials, is opening on Tuesday, August 18th (Update: Thursday, August 27th) in the former Annabelle's Bar & Bistro (68 Fourth St.), adjacent to the Mosser Hotel.
Though its ownership remains the same, it was just time to polish it up, said Neveo Mosser, CEO of Mosser Companies, which now owns the hotel and restaurant, among other properties. Built in 1913 as the Keystone Hotel, it was purchased by Neveo's father, Charles, in 1981. He began running the restaurant/bar in the early 1990s, naming it after his fifth wife, Annabelle.
Eight years ago, Charles "passed away in the middle of his fifth divorce, at the age of 82," Neveo said. But he had already left the restaurant and bar behind long before. "He pretty much lived overseas the last 10 or 15 years of his life, living in the mountains as the honorary chieftain of an indigenous tribe" on a remote island. (Neveo promised that he wasn't joking.)
The name change is a nod to the building's original incarnation, and the renovations will preserve the character of the place. But some things are best left in the past.
When his dad bought the hotel, Neveo said, the bar was a neighborhood dive. "It still had a spittoon running down the edge of the bar, sawdust on the floors. It was a scary bar. It was definitely a much rougher neighborhood then than it is now." It was so bad, in fact, that you "used to be able to smell Fourth Street before you hit the corner." However, Charles Mosser was vehemently anti-smoking, and insisted that Annabelle's become a non-smoking bar when he took it over.
The Keystone is now aiming to return to its roots, minus the spittoons, smells and sawdust. "We wanted to keep a lot of the unique architectural elements of the building and add more modern touches and conveniences," Mosser said.
The heavy red velvet drapes and the wall separating the bar from the dining area have both been removed, creating an open, airy feel. But the original vintage floor tiles, exposed brick walls, stained-glass windows and Edwardian crown moldings remain, as does the copper siding on the bar. A private dining room has modern touches like audiovisual capability, but retains the original wood paneling.
The idea is to continue to appeal to the business travelers and tourists that stream through the area, but also become a neighborhood destination, welcoming the fast-growing residential and office population of the FiDi and SoMa. "What we were looking to do is create more of a social gathering space and give people a special experience and a reason to return," Mosser said. "It's a very approachable menu, using local farms, local produce and meats."
Executive chef Zack Freitas, formerly of Game, has concocted a menu that's comfortable, yet sophisticated, with dishes designed for sharing. Look for a housemade pickle assortment ($7); carbonara fries with egg yolk, bacon, black pepper and Pecorino ($7); mussel chowder ($10); green chili pesto flatbread with nettles and broccoli ($10); and main courses like rainbow trout ($27) and grass-fed ribeye ($30). There's also a Keystone burger with fries ($17), and desserts by pastry chef Jenny Yang.
Beverage director Kelly Naughton has put together a "rock-solid spirits menu," Mosser notes, with eclectic $12 specialty cocktails like the Guadalupe, made with Arette Blanco tequila, white vermouth, pineapple gum syrup and frankincense. 70 percent of the wines ($7–$13) are local, and the bar has 20 beers on tap ($6–$12), ranging from an Icelandic white ale to a smoked porter from San Diego. General manager Aric Sandoval will be on hand to greet guests and create a welcoming mood.
The kitchen also plans to offer a "lunch box" for dine-in or takeout, with a salad, soup and half-sandwich. A happy hour menu will run from 4:30-6:30pm and 10pm-midnight, with $1 off selected food items, $2 off beers and $3 off cocktails. Hours for The Keystone will be daily from 11:30am-midnight.
