Hayes Valley favorite Loquat, known for its laminated babka and other Jewish-diaspora pastries, is gearing up to open a second shop in the Inner Richmond that will put bread squarely in the spotlight. The new outpost will finally give the team space for a deck oven and steady runs of challah, bialys and regional loaves that are now limited to special appearances. Plans also include a parklet and expanded outdoor seating at the corner of California Street and 8th Avenue.
Loquat first debuted in 2022 in the former 20th Century Café space on Gough Street and quickly turned into a neighborhood go-to for salty-sweet pastries and creative seasonal cakes. The bakery is run by Four Barrel/Mill partners Tal Mor and Jodi Geren, with pastry operations led by Kristina Costa, a former Tartine pastry chef. After the Gough Street opening, The Infatuation weighed in with a review.
Built For Bread
The new Loquat is slated to open next year at 4555 California St., built around a deck oven designed to turn out a changing lineup of breads from across the Jewish diaspora, including Iraqi garwag and Moroccan harcha. Tal Mor told the San Francisco Chronicle, "It’s a little bit of a sensitive concept to articulate but we have a Jewish bakery," and explained that bread is a way for the team to explore Jewish histories and regional influences. The larger kitchen will also make it possible to relocate their tandoor oven and host Loquat at Night dinners more regularly.
Grab-and-Go And Wholesale Plans
Once the California Street shop is up and running, the plan is to offer daily bialys with cream cheese and house-made lox, challah toast finished with labne or pistachio butter, and grab-and-go challah sandwiches stuffed with roasted eggplant and matboucha. Coffee service will continue with beans from Four Barrel, and the added oven capacity is expected to help Loquat expand wholesale offerings to more cafés and grocery stores. The owner of Beanstalk Café provided equipment and a lease opportunity that helped make the expansion possible, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
What It Means For The Neighborhood
Mor said the Inner Richmond location was appealing because of its wider sidewalks and blend of families and longtime businesses, a mix that felt well suited to a bread-focused corner shop. For nearby workers and shoppers, the move should mean more reliable access to Loquat’s breads and more evening events that highlight savory and regional recipes. Pastry chef Kristina Costa’s growing national profile, including a 2024 James Beard semifinalist nod, has helped keep attention on Loquat as it expands, according to the James Beard Foundation.
