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Osito
Restaurant in San Francisco, California, U.S. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Osito was a restaurant in San Francisco, California, opened in October 2021 by chef Seth Stowaway and using exclusively live-fire cooking over a wood fire. It held a Michelin star. It closed in May 2025.
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In partnership with Jenn Yoo,[1] Seth Stowaway opened Osito on October 15, 2021.[2] Stowaway, who had been executive chef at Bar Agricole, named it for his nickname, which means "little bear".[3][4] Originally planned for early 2020,[3] the opening was preceded by trial pop-ups and was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6] Stowaway leased the space, in the Mission District, in May 2020.[7]
It was the first entirely live-fire restaurant in the Bay Area, originally serving a tasting menu built around a different meat or seafood each evening,[3][7] in two seatings at a long communal table from which about 22 diners observed the meal being cooked over wood-fed flames.[2][8][9] The menu came to follow a monthly theme, such as "Growing Up" and "Old World Techniques".[4][8] Stowaway described the cuisine as California cuisine with Latin American influences, based on his upbringing in Texas and on the Mission, where he also lives.[3][10] Prior to opening, he planned to employ formerly incarcerated and rehabilitated people.[3] The kitchen butchered whole animals and sourced produce from local farmers.[10] Designed by Studio Terpeluk, the restaurant had dark wood panelling including reclaimed redwood[10][11] and was decorated with numerous plants.[8]
Osito later added an à la carte menu and a private dining room.[5][10] An associated cocktail bar called Liliana's operated next door[8] until December 2023;[12] the Bar at Osito replaced it in February 2024[13] but closed the same month after Stowaway found running a second business distracting.[14] The space was later a pop-up for Bar Agricole after its closure in SOMA.[10]
In April 2025, Stowaway founded The Same Sun, a collective of independent hospitality business owners to reduce operating costs by pooling resources.[10][15] The following month, he announced that despite a plan to make up rent arrears,[6] Osito had become financially unviable, and the restaurant would close permanently after brunch on Mother's Day, May 11, 2025.[5][10][16]
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Reception
Osito was awarded a Michelin star in December 2022[1][10][17][18] and retained it until it closed. The Michelin Guide described it as a "rustic, lodge-like spot" whose food was "both elemental and elevated";[4] other reviewers described it as "a breathtaking commitment to communal dining"[17] and "both casual and special",[19] although one found the experience more memorable than the food.[8]
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