Castro residents walking by former seafood restaurant Fisch & Flore (2298 Market Street) over the weekend might have noticed the outdoor firepits have come back on, and seen customers inside the space.
However, it's not a return to the previous concept or the long-gone neighborhood favorite Cafe Flore. As previously reported, Fisch & Flore closed in July after one year in the Castro.
Instead, Fat Cat Wine Club has quietly opened as a pop-up in the space until the end of the year.
Fat Cat Wine Club is open Thursday to Sunday at 2298 Market St. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
When Hoodline stopped by last Thursday, owner Jessica Bell said that Fat Cat had just softly opened. Fat Cat will be open Thursday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., serving glasses of wine, bottled beer, and light bites.
Bell, who lives in the Castro, said, "when the Flore opportunity came across my desk, I couldn't help but be interested." Fat Cat focuses on underrepresented producers, varietals, and regions.
"When I first moved to SF, I lived right around the corner from Flore and have many (slightly hazy) memories of brunches there," added Bell. "I found my queer identity in the Castro, and Fat Cat is fundamentally a queer-owned business, so it all made a lot of sense."
Fat Cat Wine Club owner Jessica Bell. | Photo courtesy of Fat Cat Wine Club
When Fisch & Flore owner Serhat Zorlu shuttered the restaurant in July, he stated, "the restaurant will be temporarily closing as we take the time to prepare for an exciting new chapter: transitioning into a vibrant cafe concept that we can't wait to share with you."
However, those plans are now uncertain. When asked if a new concept would open, Zorlu tells Hoodline, "Nothing for sure, no plans have been finalized." Update 9/8: Zorlu's letter posted outside the restaurant has been removed.
Launched in May 2023, Fat Cat previously popped up at Lower Haight art gallery and event space Wave Collective from September to December last year, and at Thorough Bread Bakery in October 2023.
"Other than that, I did monthly pop-ups at businesses around the city for our 'Fat Cat Wine Club Pickup Party'," explained Bell. "The last Thursday of the month, all my club members come to pick up their wines, taste the offerings, and chat with their new and old friends."
Customers inside Fat Cat on Thursday, September 4. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
Additionally, Fat Cat has popped up at Her Urban Herbs and Fibers of Being. They have also done Drag King Bingo at Chartreuse by Roje, Emperor Norton's Boozeland, and coworking space Neon.
"I started the idea of Fat Cat in the darkest days of the pandemic to keep my mind off all the things happening around me," said Bell. "It was a creative outlet to dream about all the things I wanted in my future."
Fat Cat offers a variety of wine club membership options that range in price from $35/month for one bottle to $90 for three bottles. A non-alcoholic option is also available.
Fat Cat food and drinks menu. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
Food options at Fat Cat's pop-up include cheese plates ($35/$25), deviled eggs ($12), pimento cheese dip ($10), and dolma ($12).
Fat Cat joins a handful of neighborhood wine bars, including Blush, Bottle Bacchanal, Castro Village Wine Co., Millay, and Swirl.
Bell tells Hoodline that Fat Cat plans to stay in the Castro until the end of the year and "after that we'll see."
The restaurant space is currently listed for $349,000 - down from the original $795,000 asking price.
