Planet Café, an exciting new coffee shop in the heart of North Beach, will be expanding to a new location at 347 Columbus Avenue.
Previously home to Ristorante Franchino, the 37-year old mom-and-pop restaurant was forced to permanently close its doors in April 2020, after complications from the pandemic made their operation untenable. The location remains a staple among North Beach residents and locals are excited to see new life breathed into the building.
The new café seeks to combine health-conscious eating with the casual and relaxed atmosphere of a traditional café, serving healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Planet Café will also feature plenty of vegan and gluten-free options for customers with dietary restrictions, though the menu is still in the process of being finalized.
Owner Nader Parhizgari was reluctant to share too much information as he is still early in the process and currently working with his partner to finalize the smaller details, but he was able to confirm that plans are in place to open within 3 month’s time. He is looking forward to sharing more information as he moves closer to finalizing plans for his café.
The new location, on the middle of Columbus Avenue between Vallejo Street and Broadway, is home to a thriving restaurant district that was hit especially hard during the recent pandemic. With dozens of restaurants and stores in the surrounding area, residents are excited to see life returning to the iconic neighborhood.
While locals were sad to say goodbye to Franchino, the rise of Planet Café is a healthy indicator of the bright future of North Beach.
