Fieldwork Brewing is getting ready to pour pints where martinis once ruled, taking over the long-dark Presidio Social Club space for a full-service taproom inside San Francisco’s Presidio.
The Berkeley-born brewery plans to move into the former restaurant at 563 Ruger Street and convert it into what is expected to be the national park’s first dedicated brewery taproom. The spot sits near the Presidio Tunnel Tops and has been largely without a dining draw since the Social Club shut its doors.
According to the San Francisco Business Times, the project would mark Fieldwork’s third San Francisco outpost. The report notes that there is no firm opening date yet.
A Long-Vacant Presidio Landmark Gets New Life
The Presidio Social Club closed on May 12, 2024 after an 18-year run, ending its time as one of the park’s best-known dining rooms. As SFGATE reported, owner Ray Tang cited rising costs and contentious lease negotiations as key reasons for the decision to call it quits.
The restaurant opened in 2006 and grew into a Presidio mainstay, serving an estimated two million guests over its lifespan, according to Tang. Since the closure, the space has sat empty while the Presidio Trust shopped for a new tenant.
Fieldwork’s Bay Area Game Plan
Fieldwork started in Berkeley and built its reputation on a constantly rotating tap list and a spread of regional taprooms around Northern California. The company has been steadily planting more flags around the Bay, with another high-profile San Francisco project already in the pipeline.
The brewery is planning a full-service Mission Rock taproom and adjoining beer garden at 300 Toni Stone Crossing, according to WhatNow. Fieldwork’s own site lists its Berkeley headquarters and other taproom locations across the region, underscoring how quickly the brand has spread around the Bay Area. Fieldwork.
What a Taproom Means for the Presidio
The Presidio Trust, which oversees leasing and programming in the park, has been ramping up visitor amenities and summer events, including beer-centric gatherings like its Parks4All: Brewfest series. A brewery taproom inside the park would add another casual food and drink option for visitors while fitting into the Trust’s stated goal of balancing conservation with community use, according to the Presidio Trust.
The 563 Ruger Street property has remained on the Presidio’s commercial listings since the Social Club shut down, as reflected in the Presidio tenant directory. Fieldwork’s plan would finally bring the site back into use.
So far, there is no public opening date or finalized menu for the Presidio taproom. The initial notice in the San Francisco Business Times remains the first formal word of the project. Permits, lease details and a public timeline are likely to follow before fresh Fieldwork drafts start flowing in the Presidio.
