Illustration of various foods laid out around the bay are with the words Eat Like a Don.

Eat Like a Don

by Tammy Lam, Sayantika Mandal, and Mary McInerney | Illustrations by Kris Miller

Try these alumni-owned and operated places in the Bay Area and beyond. Cheers!

San Francisco | North Bay | East Bay | Peninsula/South Bay | Beyond the Bay

San Francisco

Two grocers pose with arms around each other at a stand.

She Serves Love

Aomboon Deasy MSOD ’08 runs K&J Orchards in Winters, California. She and her husband, Tim, grow stone fruits, apples, pears, pomegranates, citrus, and nuts. “I was born in Bangkok, and because of my Asian heritage, we also grow products such as Chinese dates and Makrut limes that you can’t always find in your local grocery store,” says Deasy, left, with employee Motoe Kuriyama. K&J produce has been sold at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market for 25 years — and served in restaurants including the French Laundry. When she’s not in the orchard or at the market, Deasy works in finance for a Bay Area startup and is studying for a master’s degree in finance from Harvard.

An illustration of rolling hills with wine bottles on them.

North Bay

Two people laughing and talking.

They Serve Education

Kate Bueler ’00 MA ’12, of the local nonprofit ScholarMatch, and Josh Harris ’05, co-owner of Trick Dog and Bon Voyage, have joined to support a scholarship that will be awarded to a child of a hospitality employee in San Francisco each year through 2023. “As a graduate of the University of San Francisco, my personal values line up almost directly with those of the university, and it’s important to me that my personal values inform the values of my company,” says Harris.

An illustration of food on rolling hills

East Bay

He Serves Digital Dumplings

Igor Litvak ’09 MS ’10 grew up in the Richmond, near his mother’s restaurant, Red Tavern, which serves Russian favorites like dumplings and beef stroganoff. After graduating from USF, Litvak left for New York City and a career on Wall Street. When his mother passed away unexpectedly in 2017, he offered to help run the restaurant — from 3,000 miles away. Along with his mother’s business partner, Dina Schpak, he spends several hours a week marketing the restaurant and building its social media presence for a new, younger clientele. “It’s the best Russian food I’ve had anywhere,” he says. “My mom was the manager. After she died, I felt that I didn’t want to let all of my mom’s hard work go into the ether. In memory of my mom, I wanted to give it the old college try.”

Illustration of various foods with a hillside in the background.

Peninsula/South Bay

  • Alara Cellars
    Janu Goelz ’05, Winemaker
    6500 Brem Lane, Gilroy
  • Alido’s Restaurant
    Jennifer Alido ’00, Owner
    671 El Camino Real, South San Francisco
  • Barterra Winery
    Paul Minoletti ’79, Owner
    643 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
  • Mount Eden Vineyards
    Sophie Sharabi ’07, Director of Hospitality
    22020 Mt. Eden Rd, Saratoga
  • Original Joe’s Restaurant Westlake
    John Duggan ’63, Co-owner; Marie Duggan ’68, President/Co-owner
    Elena Duggan '95 and John A. Duggan '96, Co-owners
    11 Glenwood Ave., Daly City
  • Quinto Sol
    Alexa Sol ’09, Owner and General Manager
    2201 Broadway St, Redwood City
  • Rare Wine Co.
    Cynthia Hodges JD ’97, Wholesale Operations Manager
    280 Valley Drive, Brisbane
  • Rosewood Hotel Sandhill
    Jacqueline Hultner '08, Director of Food and Beverage
    2825 Sand Hill Rd., Menlo Park
  • Sun of Wolf
    Alexa Sol ’09, Proprietor
    406 California Ave., Palo Alto
  • Thai Tamarind Restaurant
    Kenneth Michael Pizzi MPA ’00, Co-owner
    1316 El Camino Real, Belmont
Illustration of food on a road through America.

Beyond the Bay

  • Bargetto Winery
    Loretta Bargetto Mujal ’83, President
    Richard Bargetto ’85, Board of Directors
    Martin Bargetto MBA ’89, Marketing Director
    3535 N. Main St., Soquel, California
  • Brick Fire Tavern
    Matt Resich ’03, Owner
    16 N. Hotel St., Honolulu
  • Classic Wines
    Thomas Bonomi Jr. ’82, President and CEO
    6489 E. 39th Ave., Denver
  • Dancing Fish Vineyards
    Nancy Thompson ’76, Co-owner
    Newman Road, Whidbey Island, WA
  • Donati Family Estate Vineyard
    Matthew Donati ’97, Founder
    Highway 46 Wine Trail, Templeton, California
  • Fat Family Restaurant Group
    Kevin Fat ’92, Owner and COO
    Frank Fat's, 806 L St., Sacramento, and Fat's Asia Bistro, Roseville and Folsom
  • Froggy's French Cafe
    Bill Cartwright ’79, MA ’98, Co-owner
    306 Green Bay Rd., Highwood, Illinois
  • Harmony Wynelands
    John Loftus ’03, Grower
    East Harney La., Lodi, California
  • H2O Seafood and Sushi
    Michael Bohlsen MBA ’95, Owner
    (Two locations) 215 W. Main St., Smithtown, New York
    166 W. Main St., East Islip, New York
  • Jaffurs Wine Cellars
    Craig Jaffurs ’78, Founder
    819 E. Montecito St., Santa Barbara
  • Jeepney Filipino Gastropub
    Nicole Ponseco ’98, Owner
    201 1st Avenue, New York City
  • K &J Orchards
    Aomboon Deasy MSOD ’08, Owner/Operator
    Gaddini Rd.
    Winters, California
  • The Kennison Restaurant and Bar
    Daniel Warren MBA ’03, Managing Partner
    1800 North Lincoln, Chicago
  • Komali Restaurant
    Emanuel Salinas ’12, Owner
    4152 Cole Ave., Dallas
  • Manuel's Mexican Restaurant
    Patricia Santana ’94, Owner
    261 Center Ave., Aptos, California
  • Miss Odette’s Creole Kitchen
    Lyllyan Greenwood MA ’88, Owner
    (Pop-up creole restaurant) Paso Robles, California
  • Monsoon Restaurant
    Michael Bohlsen MBA ’95, Owner
    48 Deer Park Ave., Babylon Village, New York
  • Packing House Wines Restaurant and Wine Shop
    EV Sauceda Medina ’02, Co-owner
    540 W 1st St., Claremont, California
  • Philo Ridge Vineyards
    Fred Buonanno ’86, Owner
    14125 Highway 28, Boonville, California
  • Prime Restaurant
    Michael Bohlsen MBA ’95, Owner
    (Two locations) 117 New York Ave., Huntington, New York
    78 Southfield Ave., Stamford, Connecticut
  • Quantum Microgreens
    Taylor McDonald ’04, Owner
    San Diego
  • Schiller Del Grande Restaurant Group
    Robert Del Grande ’76, Executive Chef/Partner
    5858 Westheimer, Houston
  • The Snug Cocktail Bar and Restaurant
    Simon De Vere White ’97, Co-owner
    1800 15th St., Sacramento
  • Tellers Steakhouse
    Michael Bohlsen MBA ’95, Owner
    605 Main St., Islip, New York
  • Tender Greens Restaurant
    Denyelle Bruno MSOD ’03, CEO
    Los Angeles headquarters, with multiple locations in CA, MA, and NY
  • Verace Italian Restaurant
    Michael Bohlsen MBA ’95, Owner
    599 Main St., Islip, New York
  • Workshop Kitchen + Bar
    Michael Beckman ’00, Chef/Owner
    800 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, California
  • Wurstküche
    Joseph Pitruzzelli ’05, Owner
    800 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, and 625 Lincoln Blvd., Los Angeles

 

Still hungry?

If we missed you, please let us know at usfnews@usfca.edu. We will be happy to add you to the list
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