Izzy and Wooks, the Filipino-American sandwich and smash-burger outfit run by Manuel and Cheryl Ramirez, is heading into Saluhall at 945 Market Street, with plans to start service next Monday and hold a grand opening on January 29. The couple plans to build the Saluhall menu around their bestselling fried-chicken sandwiches while adding a smashed longanisa burger and arroz caldo for the downtown crowd. Their weekend pop-ups at the Ferry Building and Stonestown Galleria are set to continue as the Ramirezes work to expand their reach across the city.
According to Eater SF, the Saluhall stall will feature tamarind, hot-scorpion and mochiko fried-chicken sandwiches, a smashed longanisa topped with banana ketchup and pickled Fresno chiles, plus arroz caldo, glazed pork belly with scrambled eggs and a mango calamansi cooler. Eater SF notes that smash burgers account for roughly 35 to 40 percent of the business the Ramirezes do at farmers markets, and Manuel told the outlet the couple were “open-minded but cautious” about joining Saluhall. The site also lists the hours and phone number for the 945 Market stall as 11 AM–8 PM, Monday–Thursday, 11 AM–9 PM, Friday–Saturday, and 11 AM–7 PM, Sunday, with the phone number being (415) 603-8844.
From Farmers Markets To Market Street
The Ramirezes have built their following at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and in local food courts, and Foodwise traces their path from running Inay Filipino Kitchen to launching Izzy and Wooks and using pop-ups to keep the brand in front of customers. Their Metreon stint in spring 2024 lasted only a few months when a larger tenant took over the space, pushing the couple back toward markets and short-term locations that helped them refine their smash-burger and fried-chicken staples.
Saluhall's Rocky Start
Saluhall opened with a plant-forward pitch but has struggled to hang on to early tenants and operators. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Ingka Centres ended its relationship with operator Kerb Food in November and that several upstairs vendor spaces remain vacant. Vendors have cited high rents, slow sales and nearby street conditions as major headwinds, leaving Saluhall to recalibrate its tenant mix toward more mainstream, crowd-pleasing concepts.
Ingka’s Meeting-Place Strategy
Ingka Centres, the IKEA-affiliated owner behind the Meeting Place at 945 Market, positions Saluhall as one part of a broader downtown revival strategy that combines retail, events and co-working to drive steady foot traffic. In a press release and property materials, Ingka Centres notes that it acquired 945 Market Street in 2020 and views programming, new tenants and an events venue upstairs as key levers to bring more consistent visitors into the building.
Izzy and Wooks's arrival is a small but telling test of whether a reliable, flavor-forward stall can pull regular daytime crowds back to Saluhall. The Ramirezes say they hope a lineup of steady staples and their market reputation will do the heavy lifting, and downtown diners will get an early look when next Monday's service begins.
