SAN FRANCISCO
If we had to choose just one word to sum up Octavia, it would be “local.” Named after the street it’s on, this casual and welcoming space is the neighborhood restaurant everyone wants on their block. Add to this, the fact that it’s run by a team that sources every ingredient from farms, fisheries and vineyards as close to the restaurant as possible for dishes like chef Melissa Perello’s famed panzanella with pickled beets or her urfa chili oil-dressed trout from McFarland Springs, a leader in sustainable aquaculture. James Beard Award-winning chef Perello describes Octavia as a celebration of local agriculture and, while there is a clear Mediterranean influence, when asked about her cooking philosophy, she keeps it pretty simple—she’s just making the food she would want to eat at home.
INCLUDED IN THE FEAST
Octavia
MELISSA PERELLO
For Culinary Institute of America alumnae chef Melissa Perello, working with food was practically a calling—one she felt back in high school when she enrolled in culinary education courses. After graduation, Perello moved to San Francisco, where she immediately started working in high-profile restaurants under mentors such as chefs Michael Mina and Ron Siegel before rising, at the age of 24, to position of executive chef. Now, as owner of three acclaimed restaurants including Octavia, working with younger chefs to help them feel confident and empowered and learn how to “drive the bus themselves,” is one of the most rewarding aspects of her job.
JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION
2016 Best Chef: West Semifinalist
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Top 100 SF Restaurants 2018
MICHELIN GUIDE
One Star 2019
WHY WE LOVE IT
Octavia is a restaurant with a sense of place and purpose. Not only does it showcase the rich bounty of northern California ingredients and support local producers, chef Perello also has a reputation for fostering and promoting new culinary talent, including many women chefs, who are still under-represented in fine dining, especially as restaurateurs.
