Aiso, a New Plant-Based Restaurant, Now Open In Former Lark Space In the Castro

New restaurant Aiso, which is 100% plant-based/vegan, is now open at 4068 18th Street in the Castro, formerly the Mediterranean restaurant Lark.

Lark closed in May after 10 years in the neighborhood.

Aiso is owned by long-time Lark manager and Lower Haight resident Corbin Campbell. Campbell tells Hoodline that Aiso is a shorthand version of 'paradise' in Portuguese and Spanish.

Aiso (pronounced eye-ee-so) softly opened over Pride weekend with a limited menu and officially opened on Tuesday, serving its full tapas-style offerings.

"I'm so excited to open Aiso," said Campbell. "Opening this weekend, it was nice to have people in there, and the response was so great." Aiso will be open daily for dinner and lunch on the weekends.

Aiso is now open at 4068 18th St. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

 

Campbell tells Hoodline he's been working on the concept for the past year after returning from living abroad.

Having previously lived on the Virgin Islands and Hawaii, Campbell says Aiso's menu is inspired by "pan-tropical vibes and lots of tropical fruits."

Campbell has been vegan for 15 years and says he opened a restaurant he would want to eat at in the Castro. Aiso will offer vegans a full menu of options, instead of just one or two items as at many restaurants around the city.

Image courtesy of Corbin Campbell

 

Menu items are meant to be shared, tapas-style, with your group. Items include heart of palm fritto ($14), beet tartare ($12), oyster mushroom skewers ($15), pineapple and tofu skewers ($13), garlic butter udon ($16), and roasted cauliflower ($18).

While some people can be deterred by a plant-based menu, Campbell says the response has been amazing.

Campbell says he wants to build upon the community that already existed at Lark. "After working in the Castro for so long, I wanted to create that community space with a concept that was more aligned with my values and vision," said Campbell.

Image courtesy of Corbin Campbell

 

Since taking over the space in May, Campbell has given the interior a cosmetic overhaul with new bar stools, light fixtures, and fresh paint.

Campbell says getting the restaurant up and running was a bit of a challenge for the first-time business owner. However, Campbell did take advantage of the city's First Year Free Program, which waives initial permitting and licensing fees.

Campbell has transferred the full liquor license from Lark to Aiso and plans to continue serving beer, wine, and cocktails. Customers can stop in for happy hour from 5-6:30 pm on weekdays.

For now, Campbell says he does not plan to create a social media account, and said he'd like to "experiment without it." A website is currently being developed.