Located in the Mission District of San Francisco, La Cocina started as food incubator aimed at providing affordable commercial kitchen space, industry specific technical assistance, and access to market opportunities for women, immigrants, and communities of color. Since 2005, their goal has been to help entrepreneurs gain financial security by doing what they love while also creating a vibrant, innovative, and inclusive landscape. 
Signage and branding details inside of the new food hall.
In 2018, La Cocina broke ground on an exciting new endeavor: a food hall featuring businesses that graduated from their food entrepreneurship program. Aside from serving delicious and affordable food for the local community, the food hall offers additional economic opportunity for women entrepreneurs and created 30-40 jobs for Tenderloin residents (a neighborhood within SF that has one of the highest unemployment rates in the city).
Since the program has started, there have been over 40 amazing business graduates from the program, many of whom have since opened their own brick and mortar restaurants in the city, like Reem’s California, El Buen Comer, Nyum Bai, to name a few.
Reece Counter Stools (left), Chef Tiffany Carter, Chef and Owner of Boug Cali (right)
La Cocina Municipal Food (aka the food hall) opened its doors on April 5th, right after San Francisco lifted its ban on indoor dining due to the pandemic (although construction as near completion when lockdown began last March!) The 7,000 square foo space was designed by LMNOP Design and features 7 women-owned food businesses, a lending library, and free computer and internet access for residents of the Tenderloin neighborhood and more.
Currently available for take-out, the market features foods inspired by flavors and cuisines from around the world including Senegal, Mexico, El Salvador, Algeria, and even a Creole-French fusion restaurant.
