If you’re headed to one of the many theatres in Union Square, it’s not always easy finding a great place to dine. Zingari, which has been around for a while in the Donatello Hotel at Mason and Post, has just gone through a renovation—and the results are stunning. The restaurant features an intimate “aperitivo” cocktail bar, live jazz on the weekends, a gorgeous private room painted with Italian murals, and a refreshed main dining room with a contemporary vibe. If you’re going to the theatre, just present your ticket and you’ll get 10% off your bill. For cocktails, I ordered a well-balanced classic Negroni (they also offer three of their own variations of this Italian aperitif), served chilled over a large ice cube to start; my husband had a perfect Tito’s vodka martini. The cicchetti (Italian tapas) items include an aromatic bruschetta with burrata, roasted tomato, olive, balsamic, and extra virgin olive oil. It’s a perfect starter to whet your appetite; the addition of roasted tomato instead of raw tomato ensures that the fruit is sweet and tasty. The night we were there, the chef had a special carpaccio with tonnato (tuna sauce) that was out of this world. We followed with a not-too-spicy but zingy rigatoni con salsiccia pasta. The noodles were topped with ground herb sausage dotted with peas and roasted tomato cream. We selected a lovely dry and earthy Castelvecchi Chianti Classico to accompany our main: grilled, herbed lamb chops with gorgonzola sauce, and large enough to share. I’m usually reticent to order lamb chops for two reasons. First, they can be gamey, and second, they are often overcooked. These chops were perfection: grilled to a delicious medium rare, with a sauce that added another contrasting layer, but didn’t overpower the meat. The accompanying homemade gnocchi were light as a feather. We skipped dessert and opted instead for bartender Tyler’s special espresso martinis. They packed a caffeine punch but also had a creamy sweet flavor profile. Next time, I think I’ll have to try their Brandy Alexander—I haven’t seen that on a menu in years! An added bonus? The restaurant has a happy hour (20% off) from noon until 5 pm, as well as after 9 pm. So, you can grab a nightcap after the theatre, and pocket the savings.

​By David Landis, The Gay Gourmet– You can feel it in the air. There’s a renewed energy in San Francisco: new ideas, new businesses, and best of all, some new restaurants and bars to sample.  The Gay Gourmet has been out and about, finding some of the best new haunts for my loyal readers in our beautiful City by the Bay. Here are just a few.

David Landis is a freelance writer for the San Francisco Bay Times. His regular column, The Gay Gourmet, profiles iconic San Francisco Bay Area, California, U.S. and international restaurants, food, chefs, recipes, consumer food products, wine/spirits, hospitality, travel and more with an LGBT lens. A foodie since day one, David has honed his skills in restaurants throughout California, the United States and worldwide. David also writes about the arts, entertainment, travel and hospitality for the San Francisco Bay Times. For several years, David has been a judge for Los Angeles' prestigious Taste Awards, highlighting the best food shows on television, in film and online. Mr. Landis also is the recipient of a San Francisco Press Club Journalism award for feature writing and also is a member of the Bay Area Travel Writers association. In his other life, David is the retired Founder of Landis Communications Inc. (LCI), an award-winning integrated marketing communications firm in San Francisco. David formerly worked at KPIX-TV, the CBS TV affiliate in San Francisco, where he helped the station win a Peabody award and two National Emmy Awards. He also worked as PR Director for the San Francisco Symphony, where he helped open Davies Symphony Hall. 

A 40-year resident of San Francisco, David loves the arts, books, travel, dogs, hiking and of course the culinary delights of San Francisco. He and his husband, Sean Dowdall, live in Pacific Heights with their two adorable pound pups, Gaston and Alphonse. 

David is interested in restaurants that have stood the test of time, that welcome LGBTQ customers or have an LGBTQ angle and that are in the San Francisco Bay Area, California and beyond. I'm also interested in any food stories, recipes, chefs, wines/spirits, authors or consumer food products as well.  And if you have an arts, entertainment, travel or hospitality story, I also write about those topics as well. Want to get in touch or have a story idea? Email me at: davidlandissf@gmail.com.  And, please follow me on Instagram @gaygourmetsf.

​Banjara Life is a San Francisco hospitality brand that finds inspiration from world travelers and innkeepers.  Everything we curate—the dishes on our menus to our community events—aspires to offer an experience that indulges your senses and intrigues your spirit.  Banjara refers to the banjara people, or nomads, who live and travel through Mediterranean Europe and West Asia.  They are renowned for their rich culture and dazzling aesthetic; their songs, poetry, and dance convey mystery and romance.  The Banjara people remind us to travel light and carry a smile—to be open to  discovery and new delights. ​​From the world with love.  All welcome.

​Banjara Life is a San Francisco hospitality brand that finds inspiration from world travelers and innkeepers.  Everything we curate—the dishes on our menus to our community events—aspires to offer an experience that indulges your senses and intrigues your spirit.  Banjara refers to the banjara people, or nomads, who live and travel through Mediterranean Europe and West Asia.  They are renowned for their rich culture and dazzling aesthetic; their songs, poetry, and dance convey mystery and romance.  The Banjara people remind us to travel light and carry a smile—to be open to  discovery and new delights. ​​From the world with love.  All welcome.

​Banjara Life is a San Francisco hospitality brand that finds inspiration from world travelers and innkeepers.  Everything we curate—the dishes on our menus to our community events—aspires to offer an experience that indulges your senses and intrigues your spirit.  Banjara refers to the banjara people, or nomads, who live and travel through Mediterranean Europe and West Asia.  They are renowned for their rich culture and dazzling aesthetic; their songs, poetry, and dance convey mystery and romance.  The Banjara people remind us to travel light and carry a smile—to be open to  discovery and new delights. ​​From the world with love.  All welcome.

November 2021

"Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything. What is guiding your decisions these days?" Repost from @fuchilafresheners.

What's guiding my decisions these days? Love for my family and Love for hospitality.

“Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in Love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in Love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.” Fr. Pedro Arrupe S.J.
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Over the past two years - where we saw a virus destabilize our lives, our habits and our certainties - our parents have proven to us that Love is the answer. Krishan has avoided retirement with the opening of our new restaurant, Ula - Gems of the Sea (www.ulasf.com). Arti has just been recognized as one of the leading 100 Realtors in the Bay Area. My siblings continue to move through their life phases where something funny or unusual is always happening. Our family has celebrated our growing village with Amar and Leah welcoming their son, Jay. Nehika has moved to New York to pursue graduate studies and welcome new opportunity and friendship. Laura has found a new home teaching in a middle school in the Bay Area and is embracing both the expected and unexpected chaos of establishing a new home. I wish here to express particular gratitude and understanding for my wife since the world of a hotelier or restaurateur is all-consuming and we are working together to make that quality time.

I returned from Taiwan earlier this year and am thankful Laura moved for me. We settled in our home here in San Francisco and I went back to work immediately. We re-opened Zingari for in-door dining and live jazz everyday. We helped some Austrian wine enthusiasts in the East Bay find wine from Tscheppe, Werlitsch, and Muster through our wine shop. We filled our Piano Room with trios and good vibes every night. We welcomed our kitchen and service team back and are currently hiring for Chefs, Servers and Managers. We are making bookings for holiday parties and holiday dining. We opened our new sister restaurant, Ula Mediterranean Dining & Cocktails with Chef Ryan Simas.

Many thanks to Chef Victor Cedillo and our kitchen and service team who makes all this possible. Many thanks to Alan Hopkins, San Francisco Area Manager for Wyndham Hotels, and the Wyndham corporate team who supported us as we pivoted in every direction during the pandemic shutdown periods. Many thanks to our guests who continue to dine, support, and share our restaurant with friends and family. Bottom line, we are filled with gratitude and we look forward to serving you.

My passion is deep and sincere, and I want nothing more than to share this with others. "The more I give to thee, The more I have." William Shakespeare. With Love from Zingari & Ula, we wish you a happy holiday season and new year.

Big hug.

​Neeraj Miglani

​Banjara Life is a San Francisco hospitality brand that finds inspiration from world travelers and innkeepers.  Everything we curate—the dishes on our menus to our community events—aspires to offer an experience that indulges your senses and intrigues your spirit.  Banjara refers to the banjara people, or nomads, who live and travel through Mediterranean Europe and West Asia.  They are renowned for their rich culture and dazzling aesthetic; their songs, poetry, and dance convey mystery and romance.  The Banjara people remind us to travel light and carry a smile—to be open to  discovery and new delights. ​​From the world with love.  All welcome.

Banjara Life is a San Francisco hospitality brand that finds inspiration from world travelers and innkeepers.  Everything we curate—the dishes on our menus to our community events—aspires to offer an experience that indulges your senses and intrigues your spirit.  Banjara refers to the banjara people, or nomads, who live and travel through Mediterranean Europe and West Asia.  They are renowned for their rich culture and dazzling aesthetic; their songs, poetry, and dance convey mystery and romance.  The Banjara people remind us to travel light and carry a smile—to be open to  discovery and new delights. ​​From the world with love.  All welcome.

November 2024

​“Privacy is a kindness of the soul that we ought to show both to those we know and to those we come across. It is also a right we are entitled to, and it’s never pleasant to be forced to demand it, since that spoils the charm of its pure sincerity. Privacy safeguards our intimate sphere; we need the right amount of privacy in order to harmonize our public and private spheres. Both our public and private lives are essential, but they benefit our well-being only when there is an appropriate balance between the two. The wise Epicurus clarified better than many others that the right balance is lost when our public life becomes predominant; discomfort arises because we are deprived of our leisure time, which we need in order to rest our soul. We need time to rest. For our ancestors and for the Romans, idleness - or the time spent away from public life - was a great opportunity to be alone, to lift one’s spirits, study and elaborate one’s thoughts. It was a time used for developing ideals, because everything that took place during those idly active moments was free from the need to achieve something. For us too, idly thinking, writing, and reading are like buds of knowledge, and food for the gods. When our privacy is infringed on, “otium in litteris” (the pleasure of literature and erudition) vanishes like a daydream."

Thoughts by Brunello Cucinelli for the “Consulentia 2018” conference, Rome, 6 February 2018
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Over the past year, I found myself revisiting this reflection about Human Privacy by Cucinelli. Our work challenges combined a deteriorating social sciences around the world and a prolonged hospitality and tourism slump passing through San Francisco. These driving forces pushed our team’s capacity to the limits and increased our desire to focus on our balance of human privacy. Personally, I felt the need to move slower while working within a complex social economic and geo political environment. I also recognized that my family and I needed to feel more settled in our sanctuary in the Mission District. ‘Los Misioneros’ is what we playfully call ourselves and, like the missionaries, we enjoy time to reflect, study, practice, and connect in more meaningful ways. Despite all the challenges, our family and our team continue to learn from our challenges and remain positive, allowing us to build on what we accomplished the year prior.

Laura is in her second year teaching high school Spanish in San Francisco. I am proud of her decision to accept more responsibility while maintaining her commitment to her excellence around the quality of her work. I find the way she internalizes the gifts she receives to be powerful and I am grateful for the awareness. Milan is two years old now and he likes Mickey Mouse, Gelato, Futbol, Tennis, and his cousins and friends. The list continues to grow. I have been more confident to activate experiences at both Zingari and Ula. Our team activated DJ Negroni After Party every Wednesday at Zingari and DJ Ula-la Apéro every Thursday at Ula. Earlier in the year, the renovation of our Wine Cellar at Zingari was completed and we welcomed our first wine producer dinner with Emanuele Musso featuring Barbaresco Wines. As we approach our 3rd year anniversary Ula and 30th year anniversary at Zingari, we have a deeper vision for our food, drinks, and music at our Italian and Mediterranean Seafood restaurants.
​
At the end of this reflection, we invite you to visit our Restaurants during the holidays for an adventure at your dining table or bar.  Remember to turn off your phone, come restore, and have fun connecting with your guests. You will see more exciting updates from our wine cellar, bar, and kitchen during the coming weeks. Many thanks for your support and we look forward to welcoming you and your guests.

Neeraj Miglani

​Banjara Life is a San Francisco hospitality brand that finds inspiration from world travelers and innkeepers.  Everything we curate—the dishes on our menus to our community events—aspires to offer an experience that indulges your senses and intrigues your spirit.  Banjara refers to the banjara people, or nomads, who live and travel through Mediterranean Europe and West Asia.  They are renowned for their rich culture and dazzling aesthetic; their songs, poetry, and dance convey mystery and romance.  The Banjara people remind us to travel light and carry a smile—to be open to  discovery and new delights. ​​From the world with love.  All welcome.

Looking for the best authentic Italian restaurants?  Zingari Ristorante offers a true taste of Italy, right here in SF.  If you're searching for "Italian restaurants near me" or "Italian near me," look no further.  Our Italian menu is filled with delicious Italian food, from classic pasta dishes to savory specialties.  As one of the good authentic Italian restaurants near me, we pride ourselves on serving real Italian restaurants quality meals in a warm and inviting atmosphere.  Whether you're looking for a casual Italian place to eat Italian or a private dining Italian restaurant for a special occasion, Zingari Ristorante is the perfect choice.  We are a top Italian food restaurant, offering a diverse Italian food menu that showcases the richness of Italian food nearby.  If you're wondering, "what are the Italian places to eat near me?", visit Zingari Ristorante, "the Italian restaurant" where every dish is crafted with passion.  We are a leading Italian restaurant in area and one of the best Italian restaurants SF.  For the most authentic Italian restaurant experience or a charming rustic Italian restaurant & bar, Zingari Ristorante is your ideal destination.  Come explore our Italian restaurant menu and see why we're a favorite among those searching for "Italian places near me" and "Italian restaurants nearby." Discover why Zingari Ristorante is truly the Italian place you've been searching for.

​Banjara Life is a San Francisco hospitality brand that finds inspiration from world travelers and innkeepers.  Everything we curate—the dishes on our menus to our community events—aspires to offer an experience that indulges your senses and intrigues your spirit.  Banjara refers to the banjara people, or nomads, who live and travel through Mediterranean Europe and West Asia.  They are renowned for their rich culture and dazzling aesthetic; their songs, poetry, and dance convey mystery and romance.  The Banjara people remind us to travel light and carry a smile—to be open to  discovery and new delights. ​​From the world with love.  All welcome.

​Banjara Life is a San Francisco hospitality brand that finds inspiration from world travelers and innkeepers.  Everything we curate—the dishes on our menus to our community events—aspires to offer an experience that indulges your senses and intrigues your spirit.  Banjara refers to the banjara people, or nomads, who live and travel through Mediterranean Europe and West Asia.  They are renowned for their rich culture and dazzling aesthetic; their songs, poetry, and dance convey mystery and romance.  The Banjara people remind us to travel light and carry a smile—to be open to  discovery and new delights. ​​From the world with love.  All welcome.

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