This Gorgeous Home Design Brand Just Opened the Most Instagrammable Hangout — With a Rooftop Park and Wine Bar
Courtesy of RH
Iconic home furnishings brand RH just debuted an aspirational destination gallery on San Francisco’s historic Pier 70. RH San Francisco, The Gallery at the Historic Bethlehem Steel Building, opened on Thursday, May 12. Visitors can stroll through the hand-forged iron doors, grab a glass of Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé from one of two wine bars (more on them later), wander along the painstakingly restored 1917 landmark building’s original rose-marble floors, and sink into a cloud-like sofa.
Courtesy of RH
Following in the footsteps of RH New York, The Gallery in Historic Meatpacking District, the space capitalizes on the building’s historic design. The Neoclassical estate by prominent SF architectural designer Frederick H. Meyer overlooks not only the downtown city skyline but offers panoramas of landmarks including the Bay Bridge and San Francisco Bay. These views are best enjoyed from the rooftop lounge, outfitted with fire pits for nighttime vibes and umbrellas for sunny days.
Courtesy of RH
RH Chairman and CEO Gary Friedman has a particular passion for seeking out old and iconic buildings and reinventing them for today as he’s done in Boston, New York, and Chicago, among other cities. And the new hot spot’s dramatic 80,000-square-foot gallery exemplifies his meticulously detailed approach.
Courtesy of RH
Extending off a grand octagonal lobby with coffered ceiling and intricate moulding, plus a classical statue — one of many sculptural European souvenirs placed thoughtfully in the space — are wings of white marble and cove-molded plaster ceilings. Statement chandeliers in crystal and smoked glass hang like earrings, nodding to San Francisco’s fabulous Gilded Age. The former Bethlehem Steel president’s office, with restored American white-oak-paneled walls and a carved limestone fireplace, now offers a view of the minimalist new RH Contemporary line, launching soon.
On level two lives RH Interiors, which nods to design across centuries, and also includes one-of-a-kind artifacts and antiques Friedman has acquired on his world travels. The spiraling staircase — topped with a circular skylight and 13-tier Serenella chandelier — connects the third floor, which is home to RH Modern. This 10,000-square-foot space was once where naval architects and master draftsmen designed impressive ships, and in its new iteration offers an integrated exhibition of modern furniture, lighting, textiles, and décor, along with curated art from Portia de Rossi’s General Public for RH.
Wherever they’re found, RH restaurants tend to be buzzy, but they’re generally geared toward lunch. In this new gallery — a homecoming, as the brand was founded in Northern California — a fresh concept has debuted: The Palm Court Restaurant, which is distinctive for its monolithic live-fire hearth, where global classics such as wood-grilled avocado with caviar, ultra-thinly sliced Wagyu ribeye, and whole branzino are cooked. Marked by four statuesque Medjool date palms and a fountain, plus plenty of shimmering marble and camel mohair velvet seating, it’s an elegant dinner spot with a subtle Moroccan feel that’s well worth the reservation. As glamorous as the whole environment is, the most stunning feature may be the glass ceiling, which lends a fairy-tale-esque flair to the ambience. There’s also a private dining room completely encased in glass, from which special-event diners can enjoy the unique, historic shipyard setting.
Courtesy of RH
With the gallery open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., brunch is coming, too. The dinner menu also includes rosemary- and garlic-marinated rotisserie chicken, wood-grilled maitake mushroom, and butterscotch brûlée, which pair beautifully with 40 by-the-glass wine options, including limited-production vinos from acclaimed small Napa Valley vintners. Those are also available to snag at the pair of chic wine bars on-site, both of which have lavish corners where visitors can enjoy a quiet glass of wine.
Sense of place is important to RH, and it’s absolutely felt at Pier 70 amid such hyper-local history and timeless design. After a loving restoration, it’s time for the buildings’ new chapter, one that will undoubtedly include many Bellinis, glasses of wine, and iced coffees sipped in soothing spaces that bridge the past and present.
