Canela Bistro Bar has been serving tapas and raciones on this stretch of the Castro/Duboce Triangle border since 2011, under executive chef Mat Schuster. The kitchen builds its menu around ingredients imported from Spain alongside local, organic products, with entrees, small plates, and cocas rounding out the format.
The menu runs through dishes like gambas prepared two ways, mini gazpacho shooters, and seared scallops, backed by a Spanish cheese selection and a wine list weighted toward albariños, garnachas, and lesser-known Basque Country bottles.
Outdoor seating is part of the identity here — Canela outfits patio diners with warm socks and blankets rather than shutting the patio down in cooler weather. The menu also shifts for holidays throughout the year, and the restaurant has built in specials tied to neighborhood events like SF Gay Men's Chorus performances and musical-theater openings nearby.
The menu runs through dishes like gambas prepared two ways, mini gazpacho shooters, and seared scallops, backed by a Spanish cheese selection and a wine list weighted toward albariños, garnachas, and lesser-known Basque Country bottles.
Outdoor seating is part of the identity here — Canela outfits patio diners with warm socks and blankets rather than shutting the patio down in cooler weather. The menu also shifts for holidays throughout the year, and the restaurant has built in specials tied to neighborhood events like SF Gay Men's Chorus performances and musical-theater openings nearby.